Plant cultivation method and apparatus therefor

• US 5,299,383 A
• Filed: 01/28/1993
• Issued: 04/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tadashi Takakura
• Original Assignee: Shimizu Construction Co. Ltd. (Shimizu Corporation), Tadashi Takakura
• Inventors: Goto, Eiji, Takagi, Fumito, Hirosawa, Yuji, Takada, Hiromitsu, Takishima, Seiji, Takakura, Tadashi, Mifune, Einosuke, Takahashi, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry E.
• Application Number:
  US08/013,533
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 47/17 EC, 47/60 EC, 47/19, 47/58.11, 47/58.12, 71/31, 71/63
• US Class Current: 47/58.10R
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/18 Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/246 Air-conditioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

In a plant cultivation method, in cultivation of a plurality of plants within a cultivation bed which includes nutritive elements required for growth of the plants, a location adjacent a growing point of the plants is selected to supply gas to the growing point. In a plant cultivation apparatus, a cultivation bed is provided on which a plurality of plants are cultivated. The cultivation bed includes nutritive elements required for growth of the plants. An apparatus body for accommodating the cultivation bed has a gas-supply unit for supplying gas toward a location in the vicinity of a growing point of the plants. A gas-conditioning unit is arranged on the apparatus body for conditioning gas therewithin. An illumination unit for emitting a light to the plants.

Claims

1. A plant cultivation method comprising the steps of, in cultivation of a plurality of plants within a cultivation bed which includes nutritive elements required for the growth of the plants, selecting a location of a terminal bud of each plant, and blowing gas individually against the terminal bud of each of the plants directly above each plant through an air tube which is provided immediately above each of the plants.

2. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein said nutritive elements comprise calcium.

3. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

supplying a culture solution to said cultivation bed for recirculating the culture solution,

measuring the amount of the culture solution and the concentration of said nutritive elements in the culture solution, and

making up for the shortage of water or of the nutritive elements in the culture solution on the basis of the measurements.

4. A plant cultivation method according to claim 3, wherein the measurements of the amounts of the culture solution and the concentration of said nutritive elements in the culture solution are achieved by measuring the water level, the pH value, and the electric conductivity of the culture solution.

5. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein blowing gas against the terminal bud of each of the plants is achieved by sending indoor air using an air pump.

6. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein said gas blown against the terminal bud of each of the plants is achieved by supplying a mixture of oxygen and carbonic acid gas suitable for the growth of plants, of which the temperature and humidity is suitable for the growth of plants.

7. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate of said gas blown against the terminal bud of each of the plants is adjusted according to the size and form of the plants.

8. A plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the delivery direction of said gas blown against the terminal bud of each of the plants is adjusted according to the size and form of the plants.