A root zone volume adjustable substrate culture tank

Abstract

This utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, belonging to the field of agricultural and forestry facilities. It includes a cultivation trough body and several vertical insert plates. The cultivation trough body includes a bottom plate, with four side plates arranged around its perimeter, forming a container with an open top. Several pairs of vertical slots are provided on opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body. Each vertical slot is a groove, and a vertical insert plate is inserted between each pair of vertical slots. The space enclosed by two adjacent vertical slots, two side plates, and the bottom plate serves as a plant root planting area for planting plants. By adjusting the position of a pair of vertical slots according to the plant's growth stage, the volume of the plant root planting area is changed, thereby achieving control over the root zone volume. This utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, which allows for dynamic control of the root zone volume according to the plant's root growth stage, achieving efficient utilization and precise management of water and fertilizer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of agricultural and forestry facilities, specifically relating to a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume. Background Technology

[0002] Soilless cultivation has advantages such as precise and controllable water and fertilizer, easy automation and intelligent management, and ecological sustainability. It is an effective means to solve the problem of continuous cropping obstacles, achieve precise and efficient use of water and fertilizer, and high-quality and efficient production. It is the future development trend of modern facility agriculture.

[0003] Substrate cultivation is currently the most widely used type of commercial application. It primarily uses materials such as coconut coir, rock wool, vermiculite, and perlite. In recent years, agricultural waste (such as straw and rice husks) and industrial byproducts (such as fermented cow manure) have been gradually introduced as substrate raw materials. In countries like the Netherlands and France, substrate cultivation accounts for over 80% of the total area of ​​soilless cultivation. Substrate formulation design, physicochemical property optimization, and automated management technologies are gradually maturing, and some companies have already achieved factory-scale production.

[0004] Currently, substrate cultivation in production uses fixed-volume cultivation troughs throughout the entire plant growth process. These fixed-volume cultivation troughs cannot dynamically control the root zone volume. In the early stages of plant growth, the plant has fewer roots, and the larger substrate mass and exposed area in the early stages of fixed-volume cultivation will increase the evaporation of substrate moisture, leading to a decrease in the efficiency of water and fertilizer utilization. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, which solves the problem of reduced water and fertilizer utilization efficiency caused by the use of fixed-volume cultivation troughs or planting strips throughout the entire plant growth process in current substrate cultivation production.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] This utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, including a cultivation trough body and several vertical insert plates. The cultivation trough body includes a bottom plate, which is rectangular in shape. Four side plates are respectively arranged around the bottom plate to form a container with an open top. Several pairs of vertical slots are respectively arranged on two opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body. The vertical slots are vertical grooves, and a vertical insert plate is inserted between each pair of vertical slots. The space enclosed by two adjacent vertical slots and two side plates and the bottom plate serves as a plant root planting area for planting plants. The position of a pair of vertical slots is adjusted according to the plant growth stage to change the volume of the plant root planting area, thereby realizing the control of the root zone volume.

[0008] Preferably, each of the facade slots is arranged from top to bottom along two opposite side plates in the cultivation trough body from the opening of the cultivation trough body.

[0009] Preferably, the upper surface of the base plate is provided with a plurality of bottom water return grooves, each bottom water return groove being perpendicular to the facade slot; and the bottom of each facade slot is connected to the bottom water return grooves on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom return water trough is a drainage groove with a T-shaped cross-section, the interval between adjacent bottom return water troughs is 0.5-1.0cm, the height of each bottom return water trough is 1.0-3.0cm, and the top width is 0.2-0.5cm.

[0011] Preferably, the cultivation trough body has a large top and a small bottom, and each side plate of the cultivation trough body is an inverted trapezoid.

[0012] Preferably, the upper end of the vertical insert plate is larger than the lower end, forming an inverted trapezoid; each side plate of the cultivation trough body is inclined outward at its upper end.

[0013] Preferably, the four sides of the base plate are respectively provided with a left side plate, a right side plate, a front side plate and a rear side plate, and the left side plate, the rear side plate, the right side plate and the front side plate are arranged around the base plate with their upper ends inclined outward to form the cultivation trough body.

[0014] Preferably, the facade slots are arranged in pairs on the front and rear side panels, and several bottom water return channels are arranged parallel to each other on the bottom plate between the left and right side panels.

[0015] Preferably, the spacing between adjacent facade slots of the front and rear side panels is 5 to 10 cm, and the depth of each facade slot is 0.4 to 0.8 cm and the width is 0.2 to 0.4 cm.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0017] This utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, comprising a cultivation trough body and several vertical insert plates. The cultivation trough body includes a rectangular base plate, with four side plates arranged around its perimeter to form a container with an open top. Several pairs of vertical slots are provided on opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body. Each vertical slot is a groove, and a vertical insert plate is inserted between each pair of vertical slots. The space enclosed by two adjacent vertical slots, two side plates, and the base plate serves as a plant root planting area for planting plants. By adjusting the position of a pair of vertical slots according to the plant's growth stage, the volume of the plant root planting area is changed, thereby achieving control over the root zone volume. This utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, which allows for dynamic control of the root zone volume according to the plant's root growth stage. The root zone volume gradually increases as the plant's root growth increases, thus achieving efficient water and fertilizer utilization and precise management. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is an internal perspective view of the substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume provided in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a view of the inner wall of the rear side plate of the substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume provided in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a plan view of the substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume provided in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a side view of the substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume provided in Embodiment 1 of this utility model.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Cultivation trough body, 10-Bottom plate, 100-Bottom return water trough; 11-Left side plate, 12-Right side plate, 13-Front side plate, 14-Rear side plate;

[0023] 2-Face panel, 20-Face slot. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0025] To address the problem of reduced water and fertilizer utilization efficiency caused by the use of fixed-volume cultivation troughs or planting strips throughout the plant growth process in current substrate cultivation, this utility model discloses a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume. The trough includes a main body and several vertical insert plates. The main body includes a rectangular base plate with four side plates forming an open-top container. Several pairs of vertical slots are provided on opposite side plates of the main body. Each vertical slot is a groove, and a vertical insert plate is inserted between each pair of slots. The space enclosed by two adjacent slots, two side plates, and the base plate serves as the plant root planting area. By adjusting the position of a pair of slots according to the plant growth stage, the volume of the plant root planting area is changed, thereby achieving control over the root zone volume. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume disclosed in this utility model can dynamically regulate the root zone volume of the cultivation trough according to the growth stage of the plant roots. The root zone volume gradually increases as the plant roots grow, thereby achieving efficient utilization and precise control of water and fertilizer.

[0026] Example 1: A substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume

[0027] Embodiment 1 of this utility model provides a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume. Its structure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] refer to Figures 1 to 4 The root zone volume adjustable substrate cultivation trough includes a cultivation trough body 1 and several vertical insert plates 2.

[0029] The cultivation trough body 1 includes a base plate 10, which is rectangular in shape. Four side plates are arranged around the base plate 10, forming a container with an open top. Specifically, the upper opening of the cultivation trough body 1 is 20-30cm, the lower opening is 15-25cm, and the height is 20-30cm. It can be made of moldable materials such as polypropylene plastic or polystyrene foam board.

[0030] The cultivation trough body 1 has several opposing side plates with a number of vertical slots 20. The vertical slots 20 are vertical grooves, and a vertical insert plate 2 is inserted between each pair of vertical slots 20.

[0031] The vertical insert 2 serves as a partition with the same cross-sectional shape as the cultivation trough body 1, and its material is consistent with the cultivation trough. When the two vertical inserts 2 are inserted into a pair of vertical slots 20 on the two opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body 1, the space enclosed by the two adjacent vertical slots 20 and the two side plates and the bottom plate 10 serves as a plant root planting area for planting plants. The position of the pair of vertical slots 20 is adjusted according to the plant growth stage to change the volume of the plant root planting area, thereby achieving the control of the root zone volume.

[0032] To facilitate the insertion of the facade insert 2, each facade slot 20 is arranged from top to bottom along the two opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body 1 from the opening of the cultivation trough body 1.

[0033] To facilitate drainage, the upper surface of the base plate 10 is provided with several bottom water return channels 100, each bottom water return channel 100 being perpendicular to the vertical slot 20; and the bottom of each vertical slot 20 is connected to the bottom water return channels 100 on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate 10.

[0034] Specifically, the bottom return water trough 100 is a drainage groove with a T-shaped cross-section, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the interval between adjacent bottom return water tanks 100 is 0.5-1.0cm, and the height of each bottom return water tank 100 is 1.0-3.0cm and the top width is 0.2-0.5cm.

[0035] To facilitate the support of the substrate, the cultivation trough body 1 has a larger top and a smaller bottom, and each side plate of the cultivation trough body 1 is an inverted trapezoid. It should be noted that the inverted trapezoid refers to a trapezoid with the upper base larger than the lower base.

[0036] To facilitate the insertion of the vertical insertion plate 2, the vertical insertion plate 2 is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, forming an inverted trapezoid; each side plate of the cultivation trough body 1 is inclined outward at the top.

[0037] As a specific example, the four sides of the base plate 10 are respectively provided with a left side plate 11, a right side plate 12, a front side plate 13 and a rear side plate 14. The left side plate 11, the rear side plate 14, the right side plate 12 and the front side plate 13 are arranged around the base plate 10 with their upper ends inclined outward, forming the cultivation trough body 1.

[0038] Continue to refer to Figure 3 The facade slots 20 are respectively arranged in pairs on the front side plate 13 and the rear side plate 14, and several bottom water return channels 100 are arranged parallel to each other on the bottom plate 10 between the left side plate 11 and the right side plate 12.

[0039] More specifically, the spacing between adjacent facade slots 20 of the front side panel 13 and the rear side panel 14 is 5 to 10 cm, and the depth of each facade slot 20 is 0.4 to 0.8 cm and the width is 0.2 to 0.4 cm.

[0040] Example 2: Method of using a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume

[0041] Embodiment 2 of this utility model provides a method for using a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume of Embodiment 1 is used for vegetable cultivation, taking tomato cultivation as an example. The upper opening of the substrate cultivation trough is 20cm, the lower opening is 15cm, and the height is 20cm. The two vertical slots 20 have a depth of 0.5cm and a width of 0.2cm; the bottom water return trough 100 has a height of 2.0cm and a top width of 0.3cm. The method includes the following steps:

[0042] Step 1: After completing the installation of the cultivation trough, lay a layer of fertilizer with a density of 25g / cm³ at the bottom of the cultivation trough body 1. 2 Non-woven fabric or insect-proof netting with a mesh size of 80 or higher;

[0043] Step 2: Divide the facade by inserting the panel 2 in 10cm increments;

[0044] Step 3: Pour the cultivation substrate into the cultivation trough body 1. For tomato cultivation, coconut coir, perlite, or other cultivation substrates can be selected.

[0045] Step 4: Irrigate using drip irrigation tape or drip irrigation system after transplanting;

[0046] Step 5: After the tomatoes enter the flowering and fruiting period, remove one of the partition boards on one side of the tomato plant to increase the length of the root zone substrate to 20cm; after the tomatoes enter the peak fruiting period, remove the partition board on the other side of the plant to increase the length of the root zone substrate to 30cm.

[0047] Step Six: Adjust the irrigation strategy according to the changes in root zone volume. In the post-planting stage, irrigate at 0.5-1.0 L / plant / day (0.5 L / plant / day using coconut coir substrate as an example); during the flowering and fruiting period, irrigate at 1.0-1.5 L / plant / day (1.0 L / plant / day using coconut coir substrate as an example); and during peak fruiting, irrigate at 1.5-2.0 L / plant / day (1.5 L / plant / day using coconut coir substrate as an example). Automated irrigation equipment can also be used for control based on factors such as sunlight.

[0048] Example 3: Application of a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume

[0049] Embodiment 3 of this utility model provides an application example of a substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, the details of which are as follows:

[0050] A verification experiment was conducted from September 2024 to February 2025 in a connected greenhouse at the Yujiawu base in Tongzhou. The tomato variety used was "Yashu 012". The dynamic adjustment scheme for the root zone volume of tomatoes was 1.5-3.0-4.5 L / plant, designated as experimental group T1. The irrigation control scheme was 0.5-0.8-1.2 L / plant / day. Conventional fixed-volume planting served as the control group CK, with a root zone volume of 4 L / plant. Nutrient solution drip irrigation was performed using a groundwater improvement formula from the Vegetable Research Institute of the Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, with a nutrient solution concentration of 2.4 mS / cm and a pH of 6.2. Environmental control and plant protection management were carried out under the same environmental conditions. The experimental results are as follows:

[0051] Control group (CK): Yield per plant was 3.42 kg, and water consumption per plant was 152.4 L;

[0052] Experimental group T1: The yield per plant was 3.86, and the water consumption per plant was 124.3.

[0053] Variation: The yield per plant in the experimental group T1 increased by 12.87% compared to the control group CK, and the water consumption per plant in the experimental group T1 decreased by 18.44% compared to the control group CK.

[0054] Through a survey of tomato yield and water consumption, the yield per plant increased by 12.87%, and the water consumption per plant decreased by 18.44%, achieving improvements in both yield and water and fertilizer utilization efficiency.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume, characterized in that, It includes a cultivation trough body (1) and several vertical inserts (2). The cultivation trough body (1) includes a bottom plate (10), the bottom plate (10) is rectangular in shape, and four side plates are respectively arranged around the bottom plate (10) to form a container with an open top. The cultivation trough body (1) has several opposing side plates (20) respectively. The side plates (20) are vertical grooves, and a side plate (2) is inserted between each pair of side plates (20). Among them, the space enclosed by two adjacent facade slots (20) and two side plates and bottom plate (10) serves as a plant root planting area for planting plants. The position of a pair of facade slots (20) is adjusted according to the plant growth stage to change the volume of the plant root planting area, thereby achieving the control of the root area volume.

2. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the facade slots (20) is arranged from top to bottom along the two opposite side plates of the cultivation trough body (1) from the opening of the cultivation trough body (1).

3. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper surface of the base plate (10) is provided with a plurality of bottom water return grooves (100), each bottom water return groove (100) being perpendicular to the vertical slot (20); Furthermore, the bottom of each of the facade slots (20) is connected to the bottom return water grooves (100) on both sides of the upper surface of the base plate (10).

4. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom return water trough (100) is a drainage groove with a T-shaped cross-section. The interval between adjacent bottom return water troughs (100) is 0.5-1.0cm. The height of each bottom return water trough (100) is 1.0-3.0cm and the top width is 0.2-0.5cm.

5. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the cultivation trough body (1) is large and the bottom is small, and each side plate of the cultivation trough body (1) is an inverted trapezoid.

6. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper end of the facade insert (2) is large and the lower end is small, forming an inverted trapezoid. Each side plate of the cultivation trough body (1) is inclined outward at the top.

7. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 6, characterized in that, The four sides of the base plate (10) are respectively provided with a left side plate (11), a right side plate (12), a front side plate (13) and a rear side plate (14). The left side plate (11), the rear side plate (14), the right side plate (12) and the front side plate (13) are arranged around the base plate (10) with their upper ends inclined outward, forming the cultivation trough body (1).

8. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 7, characterized in that, The facade slots (20) are respectively arranged in pairs on the front side plate (13) and the rear side plate (14), and several bottom water return channels (100) are arranged parallel to each other on the bottom plate (10) between the left side plate (11) and the right side plate (12).

9. The substrate cultivation trough with adjustable root zone volume according to claim 8, characterized in that, The spacing between adjacent facade slots (20) of the front side panel (13) and the rear side panel (14) is 5 to 10 cm, and the depth of each facade slot (20) is 0.4 to 0.8 cm and the width is 0.2 to 0.4 cm.

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