Plant growth promoter

Abstract

The present invention is a plant growth promoter containing one or more seed shell components of plant selected from Palmae Elaeis, Leguminosae Faboideae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae Prunus, and Oleeae.

Claims

1. A soil aggregating agent, comprising: one or more seed shell components (a) of a plant selected from the group consisting of Palmae Elaeis, Leguminosae Faboideae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae Prunus, and Oleeae, wherein the component (a) is a granular material having an average particle size of 150 μm or less and 0.1 μm or more.

2. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the component (a) is one or more components selected from the group consisting of palm kernel shell, peach seed shell, Japanese apricot seed shell, prune seed shell, peanut seed shell, walnut seed shell, Japanese plum seed shell, and olive seed shell.

3. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the component (a) is palm kernel shell.

4. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the granular material has an average particle size of 80 μm or more and 150 μm or less.

5. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the granular material has been subjected to a water treatment.

6. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the component (a) has a contact angle with water of 0° or more and 50° or less.

7. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the component (a) contains 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less of lignin.

8. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 5, wherein the water treatment is performed by bring an aqueous medium having a pH of 6 to 9 and a temperature of 25° C. to 60° C. into contact with the component (a) for a contact time of 1 hour to 48 hours.

9. The soil aggregating agent according to claim 1, wherein the granular material has been subjected to a hydrophilization treatment.

10. A method for growing a plant, the method comprising: cultivating the plant in a soil containing the soil aggregating agent according to claim 1.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: aggregating the soil to obtain a soil granulated material.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the soil aggregating agent is added to the soil before sowing.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the soil aggregating agent is mixed into the soil or sprayed onto the soil.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the soil aggregating agent is added in an amount of 0.0001 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the soil to the soil for cultivating the plant.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the soil aggregating agent is sprayed in an amount of 0.2 kg or more and 20,000 kg or less per 10a of the soil for cultivating the plant.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plant is a plant used as an agricultural crop.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plant is a plant selected from the group consisting of Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae, Rosaceae, Malvaceae, Leguminosae, Gramineae, Brassicaceae, Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Compositae, Amaranthaceae, Umbelliferae, Zingiberaceae, Lamiaceae, Araceae, Convolvulaceae, Dioscoreaceae, and Nelumbonaceae.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plant is a plant selected from the group consisting of a fruit and vegetable, a leaf vegetable, a root vegetable, rice, a wheat variety, and a flower.

19. A method for improving water resistance of a soil granulated material, the method comprising: aggregating a soil by introducing the soil aggregating agent according to claim 1 into the soil.

20. A method for reducing soil hardness, the method comprising: introducing the soil aggregating agent according to claim 1 into a soil.

Description

EXAMPLES

(1) The plant growth promoter of the present invention was produced as follows.

Production Example 1

(2) Palm kernel shell (PKS) (palm kernel shell, Shodensya Co., Ltd.) (water content 2.3%, lignin content 48.8% by mass) was placed into a mini-speed mill “MS-05” (manufactured by Labonect Co., Ltd.) and pulverized for 20 seconds 5 times. The obtained pulverized material was sieved, passed through a 500 μm diameter mold sieve, and the material that remained on the 355 μm diameter mold sieve was taken as inventive product 1 of the plant growth promoter. The average particle size and water contact angle of inventive product 1 were measured by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

Production Example 2

(3) Inventive product 2a of the plant growth promoter was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except for passing the pulverized material through the 355 μm diameter mold sieve and taking the matter that remained on a 100 μm diameter mold sieve.

(4) Further, inventive product 2b of the plant growth promoter was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except for passing the pulverized material through the 355 μm diameter mold sieve and taking the matter that remained on a 75 μm diameter mold sieve.

(5) In addition, inventive product 2c of the plant growth promoter was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except for passing the pulverized material through a 150 μm diameter mold sieve and taking the matter that remained on a 75 μm diameter mold sieve.

(6) Still further, inventive product 2d of the plant growth promoter was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except for taking the matter that had been passed through a 75 μm diameter mold sieve.

(7) The average particle size and water contact angle of inventive products 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d were measured by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

Production Example 3

(8) A water treatment was performed on inventive product 2a obtained in Production Example 2. 100 parts by mass of inventive product 2a and 900 parts by mass of ion exchange water were mixed in a glass bottle to obtain a slurry. The obtained slurry was stirred with a stirrer at 40° C. for 24 hours, and then subjected to suction filtration with a G4 glass filter, and further washed with 2,000 parts by mass of ion exchange water to obtain a residue. The obtained residue was vacuum-dried at 25° C. to obtain a granular material having a water content of 1.4% by mass, which was taken as inventive product 3 of the present invention. The average particle size and water contact angle of inventive product 3 were measured by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

Production Examples 4 to 10

(9) Inventive products 4 to 10 of the plant growth promoter were produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1 for peach seed shell, prune seed shell, olive seed shell, Japanese apricot seed shell, peanut seed shell, walnut seed shell, and Japanese plum seed shell as well, except that the seed shells collected from each of those fruits were passed through a 150 μm diameter mold sieve, and the material that remained on a 75 μm diameter mold sieve was taken as the inventive product. The average particle size and water contact angle of inventive products 4 to 10 were measured by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

(10) Comparative plant growth promoters 1 and 2 were produced as follows.

Comparative Production Example 1

(11) Comparative plant growth promoters 1 and 2 were produced in the same manner as Production Example 1, except that the raw materials were changed as shown in Table 1. The average particle size and water contact angle of comparative products 1 and 2 were measured by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 1.

(12) <Evaluation>

(13) (1) Water Resistance Evaluation of Soil Granulated Material

(14) The water resistance of a mixed granulated material obtained by mixing the plant growth promoter shown in Table 1 and soil was evaluated.

(15) As the soil, a sample of soil (alluvial soil) from Saga Prefecture that had been passed through a sieve having 2 mm openings to remove coarse particles, stones, and gravel was used.

(16) The soil was placed in a 100 mL polycup, and the plant growth promoter shown in Table 1 was added so as to have the amount added shown in Table 1 with respect to 100 parts by mass of the soil. Further, water was added so as to be 30% by mass with respect to the soil, and after manually stirring for about 3 minutes, soil granulated material having a diameter of 1 to 3 mm was taken as a sample from the material obtained. The obtained soil granulated sample was placed in a disposable glass test tube (13 mm×100 mm, manufactured by IWAKI) filled with water to a height of 5 cm, and the time until the soil granulated material broke down was measured. Each test was repeated 5 times, and the average value is shown in Table 1. In addition, the amount added in the table is represented as parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of soil (the same applies hereinafter).

(17) (2) Soybean Growth Test

(18) The growth promotion effect on soybeans when the plant growth promoters shown in Table 2 were added to the soil and applied to soybeans was evaluated.

(19) As the soil, Arakida soil (purchased from Kohnan Shoji Co., Ltd.) that had been passed through a sieve having 2 mm openings to remove coarse particles, stones, and gravel was used.

(20) The soil was placed in an electric mixer (drum capacity 63 L, “SS100-63” (Shinsei Co., Ltd.)), and a plant growth promoter shown in Table 2 was added so as to be 0.1 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of soil. Further, water was added so as to be 20 mass % with respect to the soil, and after stirring for about 5 minutes, the obtained mixture was taken as the soil sample. The soil sample was placed in a polyethylene pot for seedlings (diameter 12 cm), fertilized so that N/P/K=6 kg/6 kg/6 kg per 10 a, and soybeans grown separately until the cotyledon development stage (varieties: Fukuyutaka, IWAKURA SEED Co.) were replanted in the pot. About 3 weeks after the replanting, the soybean seedlings were taken out and washed with water, and the dry mass of the part below the ground was measured. The number of repetitions was 8, and the average value thereof was obtained. Each average value is shown in Table 2 as a relative value based on a control value of 100. The control was performed without using the plant growth promoter (Comparative Example 2-1 in Table 2). A large relative value in Table 2 means that viability until harvest is good, and an increase in crop yield is expected.

(21) (3) Measurement of Soil Hardness

(22) As the soil, Arakida soil (purchased from Kohnan Shoji Co., Ltd.) that had been passed through a sieve having 2 mm openings to remove coarse particles, stones, and gravel was used.

(23) The soil was placed in an electric mixer (drum capacity 63 L, “SS100-63” (Shinsei Co., Ltd.)), and a plant growth promoter shown in Table 2 was added so as to be 0.1 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of soil. Further, water was added so as to be 20 mass % with respect to the soil, and after stirring for about 5 minutes, the obtained mixture was taken as the soil sample.

(24) A soil sample (900 g) was placed in a polyethylene pot for seedlings (diameter 12 cm). The pot was left outdoors, and 500 L/a of water was sprayed using natural water and a garden master sprayer (manufactured by KOSHIN) every two days. After 3 weeks, the hardness of the soil sample was measured. The hardness of the soil sample was measured using a Yamanaka-type soil hardness tester (Fujiwara Scientific Co., Ltd: standard soil hardness tester No. 351).

(25) In accordance with the instruction manual of the soil hardness tester, the tip cone of the soil hardness tester was inserted until the surface of the soil sample contacted the brim, and then slowly pulled out. The reading of the scale (mm) at that time was read and calculated as a load bearing strength (kg/cm.sup.2) by the following formula. Table 2 shows the average value of 5 repetitions with the load bearing strength as soil hardness.
P=[100X]/[0.7952(40−X).sup.2] P: Load bearing strength (kg/cm.sup.2) X: Reading (mm)

(26) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 plant growth promoter soil raw material average contact granulated lignin particle angle with material water content size water amount added resistance symbol type (% by mass) (μm) (°) (parts by mass) (seconds) Comparative 1-1 comparative coconut 50.4 511 63.5 0.1 71 Examples product 1 coir dust 1-2 comparative coconut 36.6 528 0.0 0.1 63 product 2 shell Examples 1-1 inventive PKS 48.8 530 24.4 0.1 101 product 1 1-2 inventive PKS 48.8 277 24.4 0.1 120 product 2a 1-3 inventive PKS 48.8 212 24.4 0.1 141 product 2b 1-4 inventive PKS 48.8 144 24.4 0.1 196 product 2c 1-5 inventive PKS 48.8 42 24.4 0.1 248 product 2d 1-6 inventive PKS 48.8 277 24.4 0.05 115 product 2a 1-7 inventive PKS 53.1 256 0.0 0.1 262 product 3 1-8 inventive peach seed shell 45.8 120 34.5 0.1 104 product 4 1-9 inventive prune seed shell 45.4 144 29.4 0.1 133 product 5  1-10 inventive olive seed shell 34.5 131 47.7 0.1 127 product 6  1-11 inventive Japanese apricot 42.2 157 56.3 0.1 114 product 7 seed shell  1-12 inventive peanut seed shell 42.0 168 77.3 0.1 140 product 8  1-13 inventive walnut seed shell 43.3 126 50.4 0.1 97 product 9  1-14 inventive Japanese plum 40.5 121 29.7 0.1 116 product 10 seed shell

(27) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 plant growth promoter raw material contact average mass of lignin angle with particle amount soybean soil content water size added below ground hardness symbol type (% by mass) (°) (μm) (parts by mass) (relative value) (kg/cm.sup.2) Comparative 2-1 none — — — — — 100 1.25 Examples Examples 2-1 inventive PKS 48.8 24.4 277 0.1 115 0.48 product 2a