Hyeon Tae Kim

Effect of LED Light Wavelength on Lettuce Growth, Vitamin C and Anthocyanin Contents

In this study, we analyzed the growth characteristics of red lettuce under Light-emitting diode (LED) light environment as well as the change of vitamin C and anthocyanins of lettuce. We made five monochromatic light treatments (red 647 nm, 622 nm, blue 463 nm, 450 nm, White), six mixed red (R) and blue (B) light treatments (R : B = 9 : 1, 8 : 2, 7 : 3, 6 : 4, 5 : 5) and red + white, and three light treatments made according to photoperiod of LED with lighting sources ratio of red : blue (R : B = 8 : 2(18/06 h, 15/09 h, 12/12 h)). It was composed of totally 14 control beds. As a result, the red lettuce the most developed leaf height, leaf numbers and fresh weight under red single light, root length and leaf developed when grown under blue single light. Therefore, red light were related to above part of the lettuce, blue light were related to the growth of the underground part of lettuce. Case of the mixed light, leaf height, leaf numbers, fresh/dry weight of above and underground part were highest red + white light and root length and chlorophyll content were highest under red 7 : 3 blue light. Result of growing investigation by photoperiod, the red lettuce were considered to be most effective in 15/09 h (on/off). The content of anthocyanins; the single light source, mixed light and light irradiation period were highest under blue light (463 nm), red 7 : 3 blue and 18/06 h (on/off) light irradiation, respectively. The vitamin C showed the lowest content of 1.26 mg · L−1 under the white light, but showed the greatest content of 3.02 mg · L−1 for the control group. Additional key words : artificial light, cyanidin, growth characteristics, light quality, red leaf lettuce

Does long-term application of fertilizers enhance the micronutrient density in soil and crop?—Evidence from a field trial conducted on a 47-year-old rice paddy

PurposeTo date, how optimized, long-term fertilizer application affects the concentration of micronutrients in the milling fractions of rice grains (bran or edible grain part) with details of their dietary exposure upon consumption has not been much explored. In this study, we report results from a 47-year-old field experiment conducted in rice paddy.Materials and methodsSoil and rice grain samples were collected from a 47-year-old long-term fertilization field trial (treatments included NPK, compost, NPK + compost, and no fertilizer/control) conducted at Miryang, South Korea. Density of total micronutrients namely As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, V, and Zn in soil and rice milling fractions were quantified using ICP-MS and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES). Concentrations of the exchangeable and water-soluble micronutrients in the soil were also determined by ICP-MS and ICPOES. Potentially bioavailable soil micronutrient levels, micronutrient transfer from soil to rice grain, and dietary intake level of micronutrients by rice consumption were calculated. The correlations between soil properties and crop micronutrient availability were analyzed.Results and discussionIn general, long-term fertilization (NPK + compost > NPK > compost) yielded a significant effect on grain As, B, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, V, and Zn fortification and promoted bioavailable soil micronutrient density. The highest contributors to micronutrient intake could be rice grains from long-term NPK + compost fertilized plots. However, estimated levels were still lower than the recommended dietary intake levels for micronutrients established by FAO/WHO. From our study, it is important to note that 80% of total micronutrient content (Fe, Mn, Zn, Co, Ni, Se, and V) were concentrated in rice bran. This has important implications for human nutrition and health. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicates that available soil P could be considered a predictor of crop micronutrient intake.ConclusionsOptimized long-term application of compost with NPK fertilizers to soils is a potential grain fortification strategy. Long-term fertilization will not reasonably benefit individuals who consume only white rice, because bran with enriched micronutrients will be removed by milling. We suggest replacing the consumption of white rice by brown rice so that individuals have a better micronutrient intake.

Estimation of Serum Vitamin A Level by Color Change of Pupil in Japanese Black Cattle

Abstract Color change of pupil area was investigated in Red, Green, Blue (RGB) and Hue, Saturation, Intensity (HSI) color models from July to November in 2010 and from May to December in 2011 to estimate the serum vitamin A level of Japanese black cattle during their vitamin A controlled stage. A 2CCD camera was used to acquire the eye images. The results showed lower vitamin A level cattle usually accompanied with higher red component value, lower saturation in their eye images. An estimation model was built based on red and green component ratio. The estimation error is about 10 IU/dL. The reasonable result shows the feasibility to estimate the vitamin A level by color change of pupil area in Japanese black cattle.

Effects of an Aluminum Sulfate and Ferric Chloride Blend on Poultry Litter Characteristics in Vitro

Abstract Previous studies have applied various concentrations of aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride separately to poultry litter to reduce environmental pollution and increase chicken productivity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of using a blend of these 2 chemicals under 5 different treatments: control (no addition), 50 + 50, 25 + 50, 50 + 25, and 25 + 25 g/kg of litter, which consisted of fresh chicken manure (1 kg) and sawdust (4 kg) thoroughly mixed in a 70 × 47 × 43 cm box. NH3 and CO2 volatilizations, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and moisture content of the poultry litter were assessed weekly up to 6 wk and in the case of total and water‐soluble nutrients they were assessed after 1 and 42 d. The control treatment had higher NH3 and CO2 volatilizations than the treated litter throughout the experiment. EC and pH showed an inverse relationship, whereby the control treatment had high pH and low EC values and the treated litter had low pH and high EC values. After 42 d, nitrogen levels were significantly reduced in the control treatment, whereas the 50 + 50 g/kg treatment had the highest content. Conversely, water‐soluble phosphorus levels were much lower in the treated poultry litter after 1 and 42 d. A higher ferric chloride concentration (25 + 50 g/kg) in the blend was more effective than a higher aluminum sulfate concentration (50 + 25 g/kg). These findings demonstrate that a combination of aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride may be a useful amendment for reducing NH3 and CO2 volatilizations, pH, and moisture content of poultry litter, which will help in improving poultry productivity, pollution control, and poultry litter fertilizer usage.

Analysis of FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease) Diffusion Route by using GIS in Gyeongbuk Area

Abstract The Foot and Mouth Disease (hereinafter referred to as ‘FMD’) is a type of acute and febrile infectious disease which occurs when hoofed and even-toed animals (artiodacty) such as cows, pigs, sheep, goats and deer are infected by FMD viruses. FMD viruses have a huge host range and strong invasiveness, as well as wide infection routes. Sensitive individuals may be affected by the disease with a relatively small amount of the infectious virus, while their latent period is quite short. In addition, as the virus is excreted out of the body before the clinical symptoms become apparent, the virus discharged through the respiratory system may spread a fair distance to other individuals via air.(Timoney etc., 1988; Gamer, 2000). Thus, this study aims to analyze and predict the diffusion route of domestic animal contagious diseases to prevent it in consideration of the domestic geographical features such as topography as well as direction and speed of the wind and by means of GIS. Since FMD and the bird flu are contagious through the air, it is of great importance to refer to the wind direction and speed data. GIS was adopted to analyze and predict the diffusion route of FMD in Gyeongsangbukdo area. Based on the data from GIS, the diffusion of FMD would be readily grasped, which is expected to reduce damage to farm houses. In the future, it is thought that the range of analysis in 2010 should be expanded nationwide.

Are There as Many Essential and Non-essential Minerals in Hydroponic Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa L.) Compared to Those Grown in Soil?

The present study aims to compare the contents of minerals (essential major—K, Ca, Mg, Na, P, S; essential trace—Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, As, Se, Ni, V, Cr, Co; non-essential—Sn, Ga, Li, Be, Rb, Sr, Al, Pd, Cd, Hg, Pb, Ge) in strawberry (stem, leaf, and fruit) cultivated in two different cultivation systems, soil and hydroponic. The concentrations of 30 minerals in the acid-digested strawberry samples were determined by ICP-MS and ICP-OES. Hydroponic strawberry (leaf > fruit > stem) indicated higher values for most minerals which were below the plant toxicity levels. In leaves collected from the hydroponic system, it was observed there were larger amounts of Fe, Zn, B, As, Se, Ni, V, Cr, Al, Cd, and Pd. Hydroponic fruits were the significant sources of K, P, Mn, Zn, Cr, and Co. Hydroponic strawberry leaves could contribute twice as many higher and safe daily intake of minerals to humans than other fruits. This analysis shows that, firstly, higher quality and safely edible produce can be provided by the hydroponic system; and secondly, strawberry leaf is a potential mineral source.

Monitoring Pig Body Temperature Using Infrared Sensors

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify the feasibility of using an infrared sensor to measure the body temperature of a sow. We first conducted experiments on three pigs by using three infrared sensors and one indoor temperature sensor. Methods: The three infrared sensors were installed inside our model house and were used to take temperature measurements per second of the backs of the pigs. While feeding, the temperatures of the backs of the pigs were measured at distances of 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm from the infrared sensors. Results: We concluded that the relation between the temperature of the pigs’ backs and the indoor temperature was y =0.549x + 18.459 at a measuring distance of 30 cm. The relation was y = 0.645x + 15.461 for a distance of 20 cm and y = 0.760x + 11.913 for a distance of 10 cm. We found high correlation between the indoor temperature and the temperature of the pigs’ backs. Conclusions: It is possible to use an infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of pigs’ backs. This system seems to be feasible and effective in monitoring pig temperature. The use of an infrared thermometer will also make daily monitoring easy. In later experiments, the possibility of developing a system that can determine if an error can be corrected by using infrared sensor is explored by considering humidity variables.

Impact of Sound Insulation in a Combine Cabin

Purpose: Recently, environmental pollution and safety problems in agricultural production have become important issues. Initially, bio-production machines focused on high production efficiency rather than workers’ safety and comfort, but this trend slowly has changed as time went on. Methods: This study was carried out to identify sound efficiently and reliably for noise reduction by using a combine cabin model. Ethylene propylene diene monomer (M-class) rubber (EPDM) was applied to improve noise reduction performance from parts connected directly to the front, rear, left side, and bottom side of the cabin. Results: As a result, an average noise reduction of 1.85 dB was achieved in the normal hearing range between 500 Hz to 2 kHz. Conclusions: Reducing the cabin noise levels can reduce a workers fatigue, improve working environment, and contribute to future low-noise and high-quality cabin environment.

Android application that provides information on the foot and mouth disease in Korea

The foot and mouth disease is one of the most infectious diseases among artiodactyla. This occurred in and caused great damage to Korea in 2010. The effect was spread all over the country since it was not dealt with effectively at the early stages of the outbreak. Thus, this study aims to develop an application with the menu items such as the outbreak areas, and symptoms, and prompt reports of the foot and mouth disease so that stock farmers can download it through Smartphone and tablet PC web markets. The developed application enables stock farmers to get realtime information on the foot and mouth disease anywhere anytime, and to cope with this disease promptly when it occurs around their farming areas. It is expected that this application will be of help in preventing the foot and mouth disease from spreading further.

The Effect of LED light combination on the anthocyanin expression of lettuce

Abstract This study conducted twice the growing of lettuce in DFT system and aeroponics method with different light combinations. (1) Deep flow technique system(DFT) : The lettuce was grown in DFT system and taken image. Then image analysis and absorbance was analyzed to know the correlation. (2) Aeroponics system : From the image of grown lettuce and HPLC, the contents of the major functional elements of anthocyanin - cyanidin-3-glucoside(C3G), peonidin-3-glucoside(P3G), and delphinidin-3-glucoside(D3G) - were measured. As a result, it turned out that in the light combination of red 53: blue 47, red 58: blue 42, the content of D3G was the highest. Through the twice experiments, the content of anthocyanin may be estimated based on the imaging data to some extent. This study shows that blue light has significant effects on the development of anthocyanin.