Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Casing material and its use in crop cultivation

a technology of casing material and crop cultivation, which is applied in the field of casing material and its use in crop cultivation, can solve the problems of considerable environmental concerns, and the alternative materials used in the prior art have generally given inferior mushroom yield results compared to peat-based casing

Inactive Publication Date: 2004-07-08
HORTICULTURE RES INT
View PDF11 Cites 0 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention provides a casing material made from small particle tailings, which can be used in crop cultivation, especially mushroom cultivation. The use of small particle tailings has advantages such as reduced peat consumption, a peat alternative in countries where good quality peat is unavailable, higher dry matter content, and a denser casing material. Additionally, the use of small particle tailings reduces the requirement for lime or calcaerous additive and results in a reduced environmental impact."

Problems solved by technology

The amount of peat used in mushroom cultivation and other applications has given rise to considerable environmental concern.
The alternative materials used in the prior art have generally given inferior mushroom yield results compared to peat-based casing.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

examples

[0037] We have used MRF at an inclusion rate of 25% by volume in a standard peat / lime casing material (90% peat, 10% lime), and compared the mushroom yield with that from the same standard casing material without MRF. Materials for the experiments were supplied by RIB Mining plc, Selby, Yorks (MRF), Tunnel-Tech Ltd, Leckford, Hants. and Prunty Peat Ltd, Fivemiletown, N. Ireland. The MRF used in these experiments had a particle size distribution set out in Tables 1 and 2 below and had been dewatered using a non-ionic polyacrylamide in combination with an anionic polyacrylamide (Alcosorb.RTM. ABI and Magnafloc.RTM. 1011, both available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals).

[0038] The first experiment took place in winter, the second in spring and the third in summer. In all the experiments, 3 flushes of mushrooms were picked from trays containing 50 kg spawned compost. The mushroom yields from the three experiments are as follows:

1 Experiment 1 Control: Peat + Lime 323.5 kg mushrooms / tonne (...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

PropertyMeasurementUnit
particle sizeaaaaaaaaaa
particle sizeaaaaaaaaaa
particle sizeaaaaaaaaaa
Login to View More

Abstract

The use of dewatered small particle tailings material derived from the industrial washing of coal, metal ores, rocks and extracted minerals as a component of casing material for the cultivation of mushrooms (Agaricus bisporusand other Agaricus spp.) is described.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel casing material. It further relates to the use of the casing material in the cultivation of crops, especially in the cultivation of mushrooms (particularly although not exclusively Agaricus mushrooms).[0002] Mushrooms, especially Agaricus bisporus and other Agaricus spp., are cultivated using compost (substrate) and a casing material which covers the compost. The casing material is used as a water absorbent layer, and is normally a peat / lime mixture.[0003] In the UK and Ireland, about 0,5 million cubic metres of casing material are used annually. The other main mushroom producing countries in western Europe are Holland and France, both of which import peat and use an estimated 2 million cubic metres of casing materials. Globally, in excess of 15 million cubic metres of casing materials are used.[0004] The amount of peat used in mushroom cultivation and other applications has given rise to considerable environmental concern. There has t...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A01G1/04C05F11/02
CPCC05F11/02A01G1/04Y10S47/10A01G18/20
Inventor NOBLE, RALPHBAREHAM, LESLIE
Owner HORTICULTURE RES INT