Method for producing petals and blooming promoter

Abstract

To provide an innovative method for producing petals and a blooming promoter, which have not existed conventionally.SOLUTION: A method for producing petals is characterized in that flowers are cultivated with treated water W1, which is produced by subjecting aquaculture water W from an aquaculture part 1, where aquatic organism F is farmed, to treatment with microorganisms including nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia in the aquaculture water W into nitrate and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid wastes such as feces and uneaten feed present in the aquaculture water W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing petals and a flowering promoter. [Background technology]

[0002] Chemical fertilizers have traditionally been used in flower cultivation, and companies that handle these fertilizers have published formulas for flower cultivation. However, when using chemical fertilizers, it is difficult to control the vigor of the plants, and the plants tend to grow taller and with more leaves, making it difficult to effectively grow flowers. In addition, chemical fertilizers rely on fossil fuels and mineral resources, so there is a need to switch to sustainable alternatives. In addition, the reliance on imported raw materials has led to unstable procurement, which has also been an issue.

[0003] Therefore, with regard to flowering, there is known a flowering promoter with a plant freshness preserving function that contains, for example, 2-aminoisobutyric acid (including its salts), B vitamins, sugars, a plant bioactivator, an antibacterial / antimicrobial agent, and an anti-algae agent (Patent Document 1). However, this patent document 1 is a flowering promoter with a plant freshness preserving function intended for ornamental cut flowers, and is not intended for use as a fertilizer or stimulant for cultivation. Furthermore, because it is composed of chemical ingredients, issues remain as a chemical fertilizer.

[0004] As an alternative fertilizer for flowers to replace chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizer obtained by mixing and fermenting excrement and plant materials has been proposed (Patent Document 2). However, there are issues with the time and effort involved, as a large number of auxiliary materials must be added and the fermentation process takes approximately two months.

[0005] In recent years, the market for edible flowers has expanded due to factors such as demand for photogenic foods, and the global edible flower market is expected to grow by US$107.72 million between 2022 and 2026, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.75% during the forecast period (Non-Patent Document 1). Therefore, there is a demand for the development of fertilizers that can effectively cultivate flowers. In particular, considering the demand for edible flowers, it is desirable for fertilizers to not only effectively grow flowers, but also be capable of organic cultivation and have high nutritional value. However, until now, no fertilizers have been available that meet all of these requirements. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-239506 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-208893 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Global Packaged Edible Flower Market 2022-2026," [online], Global Index Co., Ltd. website, "Searched December 27, 2023," Internet<https: / / www.dreamnews.jp / press / 0000265556 / > Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned current situation, and provides a highly innovative method for producing petals and a flowering promoter that have never been seen before. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The gist of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] A method for producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising: Freshwater fish F was grown in the following environment. The culture water W in the culture section 1 is nitrified with microorganisms consisting of nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia in the culture water W into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover food in the culture water W. The volume of the settled bacteria is 0.1 to 5% of the culture water volume. The present invention relates to a method for producing petals, characterized in that treated water W1 is used to cultivate flowers of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family, thereby producing petals of the flowers. Note An environment where the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish weight to the amount of aquaculture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

[0011] The present invention also relates to a method for producing flower petals as described in claim 1, characterized in that the flowers are edible flowers.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a method for producing flower petals as described in claim 1, wherein the flowers are edible marigolds or edible violas.

[0013] Also, claims Select one of items 1 to 3 In the method for producing flower petals described above, the freshwater fish is a sturgeon. 、1 The method for producing petals is characterized in that the daily feeding amount is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

[0014] The present invention also relates to a method for producing petals as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira, which oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter.

[0015] Furthermore, in the method for producing petals described in claim 4, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira, which oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter.

[0016] Also, there is provided a method for producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising the steps of: Freshwater fish F was grown in the following environment. The culture water W in the culture section 1 where the aquaculture is carried out is colonized with nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia in the culture water W into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover feed in the culture water W. A filter material with a volume of 0.1 to 5% of the aquaculture water volume The present invention relates to a method for producing petals, characterized in that the flowering of a flower of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family is promoted and cultivated using treated water W1 that has been treated by passing through the above-mentioned method, and petals of the flower are produced. Note An environment where the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish weight to the amount of aquaculture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a method for producing flower petals as described in claim 7, wherein the flowers are edible flowers.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a method for producing flower petals as described in claim 7, wherein the flowers are edible marigolds or edible violas.

[0019] Furthermore, the method for producing petals described in any one of claims 7 to 9 relates to a method for producing petals, characterized in that the freshwater fish is a sturgeon and the amount of food fed per day is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

[0020] Furthermore, in the method for producing petals described in any one of claims 7 to 9, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira, which oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter.

[0021] Furthermore, in the method for producing petals described in claim 10, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira, which oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter.

[0022] Also, a flowering promoter for petals of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family, Freshwater fish F was grown in the following environment. The culture water W in the culture section 1 where the aquaculture is carried out is colonized with nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia in the culture water W into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover feed in the culture water W. A filter material with a volume of 0.1 to 5% of the aquaculture water volume The present invention relates to a flowering promoter characterized in that it is composed of treated water W1 that has been treated by passing it through a Note The rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish weight to the amount of water used for aquaculture, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

[0023] The present invention also relates to a flowering promoter according to claim 13, wherein the flowers are edible flowers.

[0024] The present invention also relates to a flowering promoter according to claim 13, wherein the flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

[0025] The present invention also relates to a flowering promoter according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the freshwater fish is a sturgeon and the amount of food fed per day is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

[0026] Furthermore, in the flowering promoter described in any one of claims 13 to 15, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio that oxidize ammonia to nitrite, ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira that oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter.

[0027] Furthermore, in the flowering promoter described in claim 16, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira, which oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] The present invention is configured as described above, and therefore provides a revolutionary method for producing petals and a flowering promoter that have never been seen before, allowing flowers to be cultivated well. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus for treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a table showing the components of treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1 and comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 3] 1 is a graph showing the results of a comparison test between the treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1 and the comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 4] 1 is a table showing the results of a comparison test between treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1 and comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 5] 1 is a photograph showing the results of a comparison test between treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1 and comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 6] 1 is a graph showing the results of a comparison test between the treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1 and the comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the changes in the concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the aquaculture section 1. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus for treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A2) according to Example 2. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a table comparing the components of treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A2) according to Example 2 and comparative cultivation nutrient solution B2. [Figure 10] 1 is a graph showing the results of a comparison test between the treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A2) according to Example 2 and the comparative cultivation nutrient solution B2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below, illustrating the operation of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0031] For example, when flowers are grown using treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution) obtained by treating the culture water W with microorganisms in the culture section 1 where aquatic organisms F are cultivated, the cultivation is more effective than cultivation using existing chemical fertilizers. Specifically, the number of flowers that bloom, the size of the petals, the total weight of the flowers (with petals open) and buds, the retention period, and the ascorbic acid content (in the case of edible flowers) are all improved compared to cultivation using existing chemical fertilizers in comparative tests, making this method extremely useful.

[0032] Furthermore, the treated water W1 used in the present invention is derived from the culture water of an aquatic organism (sturgeon F) (organic fertilizer) and does not use chemically synthesized ingredients (meets the demand for organic products), and has extremely high commercial value as an organic liquid fertilizer and vitality agent, as it improves the yield of flowers (with open petals), improves workability during harvesting, extends the flowering period of flowers (with open petals), and improves the nutritional value of flowers (with open petals). [Example]

[0033] Example 1 A specific embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0034] This embodiment is a method for cultivating flowers, specifically, a method for cultivating commercially valuable edible flowers (flowers of the Asteraceae family, such as edible marigolds, and flowers of the Violaceae family, such as edible violas), in which edible flowers (edible flowers) are cultivated using treated water W1 (cultivation solution / organic liquid fertilizer / vitalizer) obtained by treating culture water W with microorganisms in a culture section 1 where aquatic organisms F are cultivated.

[0035] The flowers are not limited to edible flowers, and based on the results of the test described below, the present invention can be widely applied to any plant that has petals.

[0036] The treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution) according to this embodiment is produced in an aquatic organism cultivating apparatus installed in a building equipped with an air conditioning system that can appropriately adjust the room temperature.

[0037] This aquatic organism cultivation device has a cultivation section 1 for cultivating aquatic organisms F, a cultivation water circulation section 3 for circulating the cultivation water W in this cultivation section 1, and a microorganism treatment section 2 provided in this cultivation water circulation section 3 for treating the cultivation water W in the cultivation section 1 with microorganisms.

[0038] The aquaculture section 1 is an aquarium having a predetermined capacity for cultivating aquatic organisms F such as fish and shellfish, as shown in FIG.

[0039] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cultivation section 1 is composed of an aquarium suitable for raising edible sturgeon F as an aquatic organism F, and cultivation water W is produced by raising edible sturgeon F in this cultivation section 1.

[0040] The culture water W produced in the culture section 1 is water containing impurities such as feces, urine, and leftover food of aquatic organisms F.

[0041] Sturgeon F, which has high commercial value, is used as the aquatic organism F. Sturgeon F can be any of the following: sterlet, Beluga sturgeon, Wester sturgeon, Siberian sturgeon, Pacific sturgeon, Amur sturgeon, starry sturgeon, Daurian sturgeon, etc.

[0042] The aquatic organisms F are not limited to sturgeon F, and any freshwater fish, such as trout, carp, tilapia, catfish, etc., can also be used. Furthermore, saltwater fish (such as mackerel, flounder, pufferfish, salmon, and crustaceans (shrimp, etc.)) can also be used, and in this case, the culture water W discharged from the culture section 1 is used after removing salt.

[0043] 1, the aquaculture water circulation section 3 has an outgoing pipe section 3a, one end of which is connected to the aquaculture section 1 and the other end of which is connected to the microorganism treatment section 2, a return pipe section 3b, one end of which is connected to the microorganism treatment section 2 and the other end of which is connected to the aquaculture section 1, and a circulation pump 3c provided in the return pipe section 3b. The circulation pump 3c may also be provided in the outgoing pipe section 3a, as in Example 2 described below.

[0044] Therefore, by operating the circulation pump 3c, the culture water W in the culture section 1 is discharged through the outgoing pipe section 3a and transported to the microbial treatment section 2, and the treated water W1 treated in the microbial treatment section 2 is discharged through the return pipe section 3b and transported to the culture section 1, and the culture water W circulates within the device. Note that the arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction of water flow.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the microbial treatment unit 2 is configured by providing a filter material (not shown) inside a treatment case 2a having a predetermined capacity and connected to a culture water circulation unit 3 (outgoing pipe section 3a and returning pipe section 3b).

[0046] This filter material not only filters impurities (organic waste) such as feces, urine, and leftover feed of aquatic organisms F (sturgeon) contained in the culture water W introduced into the treatment case 2a from the outflow pipe section 3a, but also settles microorganisms that decompose these impurities and convert them into fertilizer components, namely, nitrifying bacteria (e.g., ammonia-oxidizing bacteria such as Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio; ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras; and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria such as Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira) and heterotrophic bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, and Arcobacter).Various materials and shapes that have high microbial settlement (adhesion) properties can be used, such as biobeads, MBBR, and DHS.

[0047] Specifically, in this example, biobeads are used as the filter material, and the volume of this filter material is set to 0.1 to 10% of the culture water capacity (the volume of all water circulating in the aquatic organism culture device).

[0048] In other words, the excrement of Sturgeon F is mainly nitrogenous excrement (ammonia), and because ammonia is toxic to Sturgeon F, it must be oxidized (nitrified) to less toxic nitrates. This nitrification is carried out by nitrifying bacteria that have settled on the filter material, but if the amount of filter material is too small compared to the amount of water (the amount of Sturgeon F), nitrification cannot keep up and ammonia accumulates, causing the Sturgeon F to die.

[0049] On the other hand, if the amount of filter material is too large relative to the amount of water (amount of sturgeon F), it is undesirable in terms of effective use of the area (of the farm) and costs. The required amount varies depending on the performance of the filter material (e.g., how easily beneficial microorganisms such as nitrifying bacteria can settle, and how easily it can retain organic waste), but after various experiments, we found that the amount of filter material needed is approximately 3% of the aquaculture water volume for the bead filter used in this example, and 2% for sponge filter material.

[0050] Therefore, the volume of the filter material relative to the volume of the culture water is preferably 0.1 to 10% for the breeding and commercial level of Sturgeon F, and more preferably 0.5 to 5.0% (if it is less than 0.1%, nitrification will not be able to keep up, reducing the production efficiency of nitrate (a fertilizer component), and ammonia will accumulate, which is undesirable from the perspective of maintaining the breeding environment for Sturgeon F; if it is more than 10%, the filtration equipment will be excessive, which is undesirable from the perspective of cost).

[0051] The process for producing treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution) by the aquatic organism cultivating apparatus according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

[0052] First, an aquatic organism culture system was installed, equipped with a microbial treatment unit 2 in which the volume of filter material (biobeads) was set to 2% (v / v) of the culture water volume. After confirming the establishment of microorganisms, monoculture of sturgeon F (Sterlet sterlet) was initiated to obtain a culture nutrient solution A1. The room temperature inside the building and the temperature of the culture water W in the culture unit 1 were appropriately adjusted, and sturgeon F were reared at a rearing density of 1.44% and fed a daily feed amount (weight) of 3% of total fish body weight. Rearing density refers to the ratio of fish body weight to the volume of culture water. The appropriate rearing density for sturgeon F is in the range of 0.1% to 3.0%, and the appropriate feed amount is in the range of 0.1 to 6.0%. Sturgeon were selected because they are small, easy to handle, and reach sexual maturity early (i.e., caviar can be harvested early). However, as mentioned above, any sturgeon species is acceptable for fertilizer production.

[0053] Incidentally, the establishment of microorganisms in the filter material can be determined by placing ammonia material (or crushed fish feed, amino acid material, a small amount of fish, etc.) in the aquaculture section 1 and monitoring the concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

[0054] As shown in Figure 7, after ammonia material is placed in the aquaculture section 1, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., one or more species of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio) first begin to settle and oxidize ammonia (X in Figure 7) to nitrite (Y in Figure 7). Subsequently, nitrite increases, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., one or more species of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira) begin to settle, oxidizing nitrite to nitrate (Z in Figure 7), and the nitrate concentration increases. Specifically, when the nitrate concentration steadily increases and ammonia reaches 1 mg / L or less and nitrite is no longer detectable, it is determined that microbial settlement is complete. It takes about a month (usually 25 to 40 days) for this cycle to be completed (for the nitrifying bacteria to take hold), and once this cycle is complete, the solution can be extracted at any time as a cultivation solution.

[0055] In other words, when the nitrate concentration rises steadily, ammonia drops to 1 mg / L or less, and nitrite is no longer detectable, it is determined that the water in the aquaculture section 1 (aquaculture water W / treated water W1) can be used as a cultivation nutrient solution. Because nitrifying bacteria grow slowly, if nitrifying bacteria have taken root, it can be determined that other beneficial microorganisms (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, etc.) have also taken root.

[0056] It is also possible to collect microorganisms directly from the filter material and examine the established microorganisms using a testing device, but this is not done at the field level because the testing device is expensive.

[0057] The water in the aquaculture section 1 (aquaculture water W, treated water W1) may be concentrated by an appropriate method such as membrane treatment.

[0058] Test 1 was conducted using the treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) produced by the aquatic organism cultivation device of this embodiment as described above to confirm the difference when cultivated using a comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1 (existing chemical fertilizer).

[0059] The composition of the main components of the culture nutrient solution A1 and the comparative culture nutrient solution B1 used in Test 1 is shown in the table in Figure 2, and the culture nutrient solution A1 has a lower concentration than the comparative culture nutrient solution B1 (the culture nutrient solution A1 has less dissolved amounts of nitrate, phosphate, K, Ca, Fe, and Mg than the comparative culture nutrient solution B1).

[0060] In Test 1, a comparative cultivation area B1' was prepared in a trough (plastic case) filled with 20 L of comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1, and a main cultivation area A1' was prepared in a trough filled with 20 L of cultivation nutrient solution A1. Hydroponic cultivation panels planted with edible marigold seedlings were floated in each cultivation area, and a hydroponic cultivation test was conducted under the same conditions.

[0061] Planting density is 40 plants / m 2The experiment was carried out with six plants per test plot. The test period was seven weeks, and the number of flowers (evaluated every week from the fourth week after planting) was evaluated. Furthermore, seven weeks after planting, the plants were harvested and the fresh weight of the aboveground parts, the weight of the flowers (with open petals) and buds, the ratio of flowers to buds in the aboveground parts, the number of withered flowers, and the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content of the petals were evaluated.

[0062] [Number of blooms] Figure 3 shows the number of flowers that bloomed, and on the 42nd day after planting, there was a tendency for the number of flowers to be greater in the main cultivation area A1' compared to the comparison cultivation area B1' (flowering promotion effect) (p<0.1: significance level less than 10%).

[0063] [Plant weight, etc.] Figure 4 shows the results of measuring the fresh weight of the aboveground parts (the weight of the aboveground parts of the plant body above the underground parts (roots)) and the weight of the flowers (with petals open) and buds.

[0064] The fresh weight of the aboveground parts was significantly lower in the main cultivation area A1' than in the comparative cultivation area B1'. That is, the weight ratio of flowers (with open petals) to buds in the aboveground parts was 17.0% in the comparative cultivation area 1B', while it was significantly higher at 45.9% in the main cultivation area 1A', demonstrating that the nutrient solution A1 of this example has excellent fertilizer effectiveness for petal formation.

[0065] Furthermore, in the comparative cultivation area 1B', four flowers (with open petals) withered during the test period, whereas in the main cultivation area 1A', not a single flower withered, demonstrating that the flowers (with open petals) are excellent at maintaining their freshness and also contributing to an extension of the flowering period.

[0066] [photograph] Figure 5 shows photographs of the comparative cultivation area B1' and the actual cultivation area A1', and it is clear from the appearance that the proportion of flowers (with petals open) in the actual cultivation area 1A' is clearly larger than that in the comparative cultivation area 1B', demonstrating that the actual cultivation area 1A' has superior flowering characteristics. In addition, because the proportion of flowers in the plant is large, there is no need to select excess branches and leaves, which improves the workability of flower harvesting.

[0067] [Ascorbic acid content] Figure 6 shows the measured ascorbic acid content in the petals of plants grown in the comparison cultivation area B1' and the actual cultivation area A1'.Compared to the comparison cultivation area 1B', the actual cultivation area 1A' contained significantly more ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the petals, indicating that the plant has superior nutritional value.

[0068] The above Test 1 confirmed that the cultivation method using treated water W1 obtained by treating the culture water W in the culture section 1 where sturgeon F are cultivated with microorganisms is effective in cultivating edible marigolds, and that the cultivation solution made from treated water W1 is effective in terms of the number of flowers that bloom, the size of the petals, the total weight of the flowers (with petals open) and buds, the retention period, and the ascorbic acid content required for cultivating edible flowers (p<0.05: significance level less than 5%).

[0069] Therefore, according to this example, it is possible to harvest a large amount of high-quality edible flowers, regardless of the type of aquatic organism F. In other words, it is desirable that edible flowers are non-toxic and cultivated with minimal (or no) pesticides, and in this regard, according to this example, pesticide-free cultivation is possible, and plants can be cultivated using fertilizer components derived from the culture water without the use of chemical fertilizers, so that safe and secure edible flowers can be reliably provided.

[0070] <Example 2> A specific second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0071] This embodiment is an aquaponics system in which a filtration device 10 and a hydroponic cultivation device 11 (hydroponic cultivation device for vegetables V) are added to the cultivation water circulation section 3 of the aquatic organism cultivation device of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, and wastewater from the hydroponic cultivation device 11 is returned to the cultivation section 1.

[0072] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, a filtration device 10 is connected to the outgoing pipe section 3a of the aquaculture water circulation section 3 (between the aquaculture section 1 and the microbial treatment section 2) via a water connection, and a hydroponic cultivation device 11 is connected to the return pipe section 3b of the aquaculture water circulation section 3 (between the microbial treatment section 2 and the aquaculture section 1) via a water connection.

[0073] Therefore, by operating the circulation pump 3c, the culture water W in the culture section 1 is discharged through the outgoing pipe section 3a, passes through the physical filtration device 10, and is then transported and introduced into the microbial treatment section 2, and the treated water W2 treated in the microbial treatment section 2 is discharged through the return pipe section 3b, passes through the hydroponic cultivation device 11, and is then transported and introduced into the culture section 1, so that the culture water W circulates within the device. Note that the arrows in Figure 8 indicate the direction of water flow.

[0074] The process for producing treated water W2 (cultivation nutrient solution) by the aquatic organism cultivating apparatus according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

[0075] First, an aquatic organism cultivation device was set up with a microorganism treatment section 2 in which the volume of filter material (biobeads) was set to 0.8% (v / v) of the cultivation water volume, and after confirming the establishment of microorganisms, mixed cultivation of sturgeon F (Lincoln sturgeon and Western sturgeon) was started to obtain cultivation nutrient solution A2. The room temperature inside the building and the temperature of the cultivation water W in the cultivation section 1 were appropriately adjusted, and the sturgeon F were reared at a rearing density of 1.4%, with the daily feeding amount (weight) being 1% of the total fish body weight.

[0076] Test 2 was conducted to confirm the difference between cultivation using the treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A2) produced by the aquatic organism cultivation device of this embodiment as described above and cultivation using the comparative cultivation nutrient solution B2 (existing chemical fertilizer).

[0077] The compositions of the main components of the culture nutrient solution A2 and the comparative culture nutrient solution B2 used in Test 2 are as shown in the table in Figure 9, and the culture nutrient solution A2 has a lower concentration than the comparative culture nutrient solution B2 (the culture nutrient solution A1 has lower solute amounts of nitrate, K, and Ca than the comparative culture nutrient solution B1).

[0078] In Test 2, a comparison cultivation area B2' was prepared in which the comparative cultivation nutrient solution B2 was added to the nutrient solution portion of the hydroponic cultivation shelf, and an actual cultivation area A2' was prepared in which the cultivation nutrient solution A2 was added to the nutrient solution portion. Hydroponic cultivation panels planted with edible viola seedlings were floated in each cultivation area, and a hydroponic cultivation test was conducted under the same conditions. 20 plants were used per test area, and the test period was 7 weeks, and the number of flowers that bloomed was counted.

[0079] [Number of blooms] FIG. 10 shows the number of flowers that bloom, and it was observed that the number of flowers in the main cultivation area A2' tended to be greater than that in the comparative cultivation area B2' (flowering promotion effect) from 35 days after planting onwards.

[0080] The above Test 2 confirmed that the cultivation method using treated water W1 obtained by treating the culture water W in the culture section 1 where sturgeon F is cultivated with microorganisms is effective in cultivating edible violas, and that the cultivation nutrient solution made from treated water W2 is effective in terms of the number of flowers that bloom, which is required for cultivating edible flowers.

[0081] From the above Examples 1 and 2, the following can be confirmed.

[0082] In this example, we focused on the fact that the advantage of being able to be cultivated without pesticides or chemical fertilizers is that it is well-suited to edible flowers, and as a result of carrying out cultivation tests with the aforementioned marigold and the later-described viola, which are in high demand as edible flowers, excellent results were obtained. Furthermore, since similar excellent effects were observed across families, such as with marigolds in the Asteraceae family and violas in the Violaceae family, it can be assumed that similar effects will be observed with other flowers.

[0083] The present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments, and the specific configuration of each component can be designed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] F Aquatic life W Aquaculture water W1 treated water 1 Aquaculture Department

Claims

1. A method for cultivating flowers, characterized in that the flowers are cultivated in treated water obtained by treating culture water with microorganisms in a culture section where aquatic organisms are cultivated.

2. 2. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 1, wherein the flowers are edible flowers.

3. 2. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 1, wherein the flowers are edible flowers of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family.

4. 2. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 1, wherein the flowers are edible marigolds or edible violas.

5. 5. The flower cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation is hydroponic cultivation.

6. 5. The flower cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the microorganisms are nitrifying bacteria that nitrify ammonia in the culture water into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover food in the culture water.

7. 6. The flower cultivation method according to claim 5, wherein the microorganisms are nitrifying bacteria that nitrify ammonia in the culture water to nitrate and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover food in the culture water W.

8. 5. The flower cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the aquatic organism is a freshwater fish.

9. 6. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 5, wherein the aquatic organisms are freshwater fish.

10. 7. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 6, wherein the aquatic organisms are freshwater fish.

11. 8. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 7, wherein the aquatic organisms are freshwater fish.

12. 9. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 8, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon.

13. 10. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 9, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon.

14. 11. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 10, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon.

15. 12. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 11, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon.

16. 5. The flower cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein the treated water is the culture water from the culture section that has been treated by passing it through a filter medium colonized with nitrifying bacteria that nitrify ammonia in the culture water into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover food in the culture water.

17. 17. The method for cultivating flowers according to claim 16, wherein the volume of the filter material is 0.1 to 10% of the volume of the culture water.

18. A nutrient solution for use in cultivating flowers, characterized in that it is composed of treated water obtained by treating with microorganisms culture water in a culture section where aquatic organisms are cultivated.

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