Hydroponic cultivation system

Abstract

To enable hydroponic cultivation of plants whose stems are long and cannot stand upright without sufficiently developed roots.SOLUTION: A hydroponic cultivation system according to the present invention comprises a nutrient solution tank in which the roots of plants are immersed, a space in which the stems of the plants grow downward, and a lighting device for irradiating light onto the stems of the plants from the lateral direction. Each nutrient solution tank is filled with a liquid fertilizer and has an opening on an upper surface of the nutrient solution tank, from which the upper end of a plant is suspended downward so as to extend outside the nutrient solution tank. The lighting device is arranged vertically to irradiate the suspended plants with lateral light and / or is arranged below the tip of the suspended plants for irradiation from underneath.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to hydroponic cultivation that does not require soil improvement, and in particular to a novel hydroponic cultivation system that can cultivate seeds that cannot stand on their own without long stems and sufficient roots. [Background technology]

[0002] Known methods for cultivating plants include open-field cultivation and hydroponic cultivation. Open-field cultivation is a method of cultivating plants in outdoor fields without using facilities such as greenhouses, and because it is grown in outdoor fields, it allows plants to be cultivated in conditions close to nature. However, it has been pointed out that open-field cultivation, if a single crop is grown in the same place for a long time, will cause the soil to become poor, and regular soil improvement is necessary. Also, when practicing crop rotation, it is not possible to continue cultivating the same seeds, and problems arise in that it is necessary to prepare the soil, create seedbeds, sow seeds, plant, spray pesticides, harvest, store, process, and take on the necessary equipment and facilities to accommodate multiple varieties.

[0003] In addition, open-field cultivation is prone to pests and diseases. To prevent such damage, it is necessary to spray pesticides. Also, the types of crops that can be cultivated in open fields vary depending on the season. Furthermore, open-field cultivation has the problem that crop yields are affected by the weather, making agricultural operations unstable. Furthermore, open-field cultivation involves processes such as preparing the field, sowing seeds, fertilizing, spraying pesticides, harvesting, and threshing, and each process requires specific equipment and heavy machinery that cannot be shared with other processes. In addition, there is a long off-season for agricultural work, which makes the efficient use of manpower and fixed assets an issue. Furthermore, the use of heavy machinery can cause environmental problems due to the use of fossil fuels. Furthermore, rice paddy cultivation generates large amounts of methane gas, which creates the problem of emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, as a food self-sufficiency issue, it is necessary to address the decline in the agricultural population due to the declining birthrate and aging population.

[0004] On the other hand, many farms also practice greenhouse cultivation, which allows them to grow a variety of crops regardless of the season or weather.House cultivation has the advantage that temperature and humidity can be artificially controlled because plants are grown in facilities such as vinyl greenhouses and glasshouses. However, the biggest problem with greenhouse cultivation is the considerable cost involved in building and maintaining the greenhouse, making it unsuitable for large-scale cultivation of crops such as rice and wheat. Even with greenhouse cultivation, the soil quality problems mentioned above arise.

[0005] Hydroponic cultivation is known as a cultivation method that solves these soil problems. Examples of hydroponic cultivation technologies include the systems described in References 1 to 4. These systems can also be used for greenhouse cultivation, allowing for the benefits of greenhouse cultivation to be enjoyed while also resolving soil quality issues. However, many plants, such as those in the Gramineae family (rice, wheat, corn, etc.), those in the Brassicaceae family (rapeseed, etc.), and those in the Asarum family (hemp, etc.), have long stems and cannot stand on their own unless they can spread their roots sufficiently, making it difficult to grow these plants in hydroponics.

[0006] Therefore, the inventor devised a method for hydroponic cultivation in which supports are installed to help plants stand upright and the stems are wrapped around the supports. However, this method proved to be difficult and time-consuming to manage and wind the plant stems around the supports. He also devised a method for growing plants by creating trellises similar to those used in grape cultivation, but this was unsuccessful because it was difficult to get the plant stems to crawl up the trellises like grape vines. Furthermore, with the method of supporting the roots and stems by entangling them in fixtures as described above, it was difficult to separate the roots and stems, making it difficult to automate harvesting. It was also difficult to create multi-layered cultivation areas, which led to high costs and long working hours for mass production. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-135929 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-200222 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-165706 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-102096 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention aims to enable hydroponic cultivation of plants that have long stems and cannot stand on their own unless they have sufficient roots, such as grasses such as rice, wheat, and corn, Brassicaceae such as rapeseed, legumes such as soybeans, and Asarumaceae such as hemp. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that enables year-round cultivation and industrial line cultivation by continuing to cultivate a single crop in the same location, improving soil deterioration and eliminating the need for periodic soil improvement.Industrial line cultivation here refers to a cultivation method in which agricultural processes such as seedling reception, planting, harvesting, and processing are staggered while growing crops continuously, thereby eliminating off-seasons and leveling the overall workload. Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for special equipment and facilities that increase production costs.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydroponic cultivation system that prevents the occurrence of pests and diseases while minimizing the use of pesticides as much as possible. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a system that enables indoor cultivation, ensuring a stable yield of agricultural produce by growing a variety of crops regardless of the season or weather, thereby contributing to improving the country's self-sufficiency rate in response to the decline in the agricultural population. Another objective of the present invention is to conserve water resources. By adjusting the amount of water provided to plants to only that needed for growth, the problem of soil absorption and the need for more water than necessary for growth, as occurs in paddy field cultivation and open field cultivation, is solved. Therefore, the present invention aims to prevent the waste of water resources. Furthermore, by forming the nutrient solution tanks and cultivation spaces in multiple layers, the utilization efficiency of land and facilities can be improved. The present invention also aims to reduce the amount of labor required on farms, particularly heavy work such as soil preparation, sowing, planting, and harvesting. Another object of the present invention is to enable industrial line production, so that the work processes of sowing, planting, growing, and harvesting can be constantly operated, the work at each stage can be leveled out, and off-seasons can be avoided. Another object of the present invention is to realize automation of harvesting and post-harvest processes at low cost, by fixing the joint between the root and stem so that the joint can be cut uniformly. Furthermore, the present invention aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases by reducing the use of fossil fuels and the large amount of methane gas generated by rice paddy cultivation, by limiting the use of special heavy machinery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration. (1) The hydroponic cultivation system of the present invention comprises a nutrient solution tank for receiving at least the roots of the plants, a space for growing at least the stems of the plants downward, and an illuminator for irradiating the plant stems from the side, wherein each of the nutrient solution tanks is filled with liquid fertilizer, has an opening on the top surface of the nutrient solution tank, and hangs the plants from the opening of each nutrient solution tank so that the tops of the plants are positioned downward, and the illuminator is arranged vertically to irradiate the hanging plants from the side, or the illuminator is arranged below the tips of the hanging plants to irradiate them from the bottom.

[0011] The nutrient solution tank used in the present invention can be made of any material suitable for storing liquid fertilizer, such as resin, metal, or glass. The nutrient solution tank can be enclosed and hung from the handrails of the enclosure, or it can be installed on a pedestal. It is also possible to install multiple rollers on the pedestal and place multiple nutrient solution tanks side by side on the rollers, allowing them to be moved by the rotation of the rollers. If necessary, a pipe can be installed to periodically supply liquid fertilizer to the nutrient solution tank. Furthermore, if necessary, a water thermometer or thermometer can be installed in the nutrient solution tank. The illuminators that can be used in the present invention include LEP lights, LED lights, fluorescent lamps, metal halide lamps, high-pressure sodium lamps, and combinations of these. Of course, other light sources may also be used as long as they are suitable for plant growth. Here, there are three possible locations for installing the lighting fixtures. The first is when they are placed vertically to irradiate the hanging plants with light from the side. The second is when they are placed below the tips of the hanging plants to irradiate them from below. The third is when they are placed in two locations simultaneously, vertically and below. By adopting the above-mentioned configuration, the present invention aims to enable hydroponic cultivation of plants that have long stems and cannot stand on their own without sufficient roots, such as grasses such as rice, wheat, and corn, Brassicaceae such as rapeseed, legumes such as soybeans, and Asarumaceae such as hemp. In other words, in hydroponic cultivation, which does not use soil, the roots that support the plants cannot be fixed to the ground. Therefore, although hydroponic cultivation can absorb nutrients and water, it cannot support the above-ground plants, making it impossible to grow plants with long stems.

[0012] In hydroponic cultivation, a method known as using sponges as a base to secure roots is known, but plants cannot extend their roots inside the sponge, which inhibits plant growth. As a result, it is difficult to grow long-stemmed plants even when using sponges. It is also known that sponges can develop mold and bacteria. By adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce the occurrence of mold, bacteria, pests, and diseases. It is also possible to germinate seeds in a sponge-like seedbed and grow them, and after the seedlings have grown sufficiently, cut the seedbed into individual sponges, and fix the roots in the nutrient solution tank of this system by clamping the sponges to a hook or other part to prevent slipping. By adopting the configuration of the present invention, it becomes possible to fix the joint between the root and stem at a fixed location, and the joint can be cut at a fixed location, allowing for efficient harvesting and enabling automation of post-harvest processes at low cost. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, for example, it becomes possible to easily harvest without cutting the stems and roots, and plant-derived components such as cellulose, sugars, plant-based hyaluronic acid, inflavones, oleic acid, linoleic acid, GABA, plant oils, and other biomass can be extracted without waste from the harvested roots, stems, and leaves.

[0013] (2) The hydroponic cultivation system according to the present invention has a nutrient solution tank for immersing at least the roots of plants, a support shelf for placing the plants, and an illuminator, wherein the nutrient solution tank is filled with liquid fertilizer, has an opening on the top surface of the nutrient solution tank, the support shelf is installed diagonally downward from the opening of the nutrient solution tank to the outside of the nutrient solution tank so that the placed plants grow in a diagonal downward direction, the illuminator is positioned so that light is irradiated onto the placed plants from below, or is positioned ahead of the growth direction of the plants so that light is irradiated from the direction of growth of the plants, and the plants are placed on the support shelf so that the top of the plants is diagonally downward from the horizontal to the outside of the nutrient solution tank from the top end of the nutrient solution tank. The support shelf and the illuminator may be configured separately, or the illuminator may also serve as the support shelf. By adopting the above-described configuration, the present invention eliminates the need for tools to support plants, thereby reducing the cost of hydroponic cultivation. Another benefit is that gravity makes it easier to supply nutrients to stems and leaf tips. Furthermore, because plants can be grown in a small vertical space, multiple systems can be arranged side by side or stacked vertically. By adopting such a configuration, the efficiency of land and equipment utilization can be improved. Incidentally, a multi-layer configuration of multiple hydroponic systems has not yet been implemented and is therefore unknown.

[0014] (3) The hydroponic cultivation system of the present invention has a nutrient solution tank for immersing at least the roots of plants, a space for growing plants horizontally, a support shelf for placing the plants, and an illuminator, characterized in that the nutrient solution tank is filled with liquid fertilizer, has an opening on the top surface of the nutrient solution tank, the support shelf is installed horizontally from the opening of the nutrient solution tank to the outside of the nutrient solution tank in order to grow the placed plants horizontally, and the illuminator is arranged ahead of the growth direction so that light is irradiated from below onto the placed plants and / or from the direction in which the plants grow. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The adoption of the present invention has the excellent effect of enabling hydroponic cultivation of plants that cannot stand on their own without long stems and sufficient root development, such as grasses such as rice and wheat. Furthermore, the adoption of the present invention has the excellent effect of enabling continuous monoculture in the same place, eliminating the need for soil deterioration or periodic soil improvement, and enabling year-round cultivation and industrial production. Furthermore, the present invention has the effect of significantly reducing production costs by not using special equipment or facilities. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of pests and epidemics while minimizing the amount of pesticide sprayed. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to grow a wide variety of plants, including not only crops that have traditionally been difficult to grow hydroponically, regardless of the season or weather, and by enabling indoor cultivation that ensures a stable yield of agricultural produce, it has the excellent effect of addressing the decline in the agricultural population and contributing to improving Japan's self-sufficiency rate.

[0016] Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, water resources can be saved. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, the nutrient solution tanks and cultivation spaces can be formed in multiple layers, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of land and facilities. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the amount of particularly hard work on farms, such as soil preparation, sowing, planting, harvesting, etc. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, industrial line production becomes possible, and the work processes of sowing, planting, growing, and harvesting can be constantly operated, which results in leveling out the work at each stage and eliminating off-seasons. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, the joint between the root and stem can be fixed in place, allowing the joint to be cut uniformly, reducing work such as harvesting and uprooting plants, and enabling automation of harvesting and post-harvest processes to be realized at low cost. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily harvest without cutting the stems and roots, and plant-derived components such as cellulose, sugars, plant-based hyaluronic acid, inflavones, oleic acid, linoleic acid, GABA, plant oils, and other biomass can be extracted without waste from the harvested roots, stems, and leaves. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the use of special heavy machinery, which has the effect of reducing the use of fossil fuels and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example of a multi-layered hydroponic cultivation system according to embodiment 5. (a) is a front view showing a state in which no plants are placed, (b) is a front view showing a state in which a plant is placed, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of line production that becomes possible by implementing the fifth embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a hydroponic cultivation system according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following description is merely an example of the present invention and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the hydroponic cultivation system 10 according to the first embodiment is configured to include a nutrient solution tank 1 for immersing at least the roots of the plant in water, a space S for growing at least the stems 2 of the plant P downward, an illuminator 4 serving as a light source for irradiating light L from the side onto the stems 2 of the plant P, and a reflector 5 for arranging the plant on the illuminator 4 and irradiating reflected light RL on the opposite side. As shown in FIG. 1, a nutrient solution tank 1 is filled with liquid fertilizer 6, and roots R of a plant P are immersed in the liquid fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer 6 is formed by mixing mainly N, Ca, Mg, K, Fe, Mn, P, S, and air, with the pH adjusted using acid or alkali to conditions suitable for dissolving and ionizing the fertilizer components. The temperature of the liquid fertilizer 6 is adjusted to 15 to 20°C because it affects nutrient absorption and the amount of dissolved oxygen. As shown in Figure 1, the plant P is suspended from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 1 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 1 with the tip of the plant P positioned downward. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the liquid fertilizer 6 from leaking out of the nutrient solution tank 1, as compared to, for example, drilling a hole in the bottom surface of the nutrient solution tank 1 and allowing the stem of the plant to protrude through the hole, and it is also possible to save the trouble of changing the diameter of the hole in accordance with the growth of the diameter of the stem 2 of the plant P. As shown in FIG. 1, the illuminator 4 is disposed vertically to irradiate the hanging plant P with light L from the side. By arranging the reflectors 5 in this manner, it becomes possible to uniformly irradiate the entire plant P with light. Furthermore, by arranging the reflectors 5 in opposing positions, it is possible to efficiently provide the energy required for the growth of the plant P by the light L and the reflected light RL. In the hydroponic cultivation system 10 according to this embodiment 1, the growth direction of the plant P faces downward, so that nutrients absorbed from the roots R are efficiently supplied to the tips of the stems and leaves, which is expected to improve the growth rate.

[0019] Embodiment 2 FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, a hydroponic cultivation system 20 according to the second embodiment is configured to include a nutrient solution tank 11 in which at least the roots R of the plant P are placed, a space S in which at least the stems 12 of the plant P are grown horizontally, a rectangular support shelf and illuminator 14 serving as a light source for irradiating light L from below onto the stems 12 of the plant P, and a second illuminator 15 serving as a light source for irradiating light L from above onto the plant P. Both the illuminators 14 and 15 employ LED lights as light sources. In the second embodiment, the illuminator 14 also serves as a support shelf. As shown in FIG. 2, the nutrient solution tank 11 is filled with liquid fertilizer 16, and the roots R of the plant P are immersed in the liquid fertilizer 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the plant P is placed so that the stem 12 lies down on the upper surface of the lighting device 14 from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 11 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 11 . 2, the support shelf and illuminator 14 irradiate light L from below onto the plant P, which is laid down, making it possible to uniformly irradiate the entire plant P with light. Furthermore, by placing a second illuminator 15 above the plant P, light L can be irradiated from above the plant P as well, and the plant can be evenly irradiated with light L, thereby enabling efficient plant growth. In order to mass-produce plants, a plurality of hydroponic cultivation systems 20 according to the second embodiment may be arranged side by side. In the hydroponic cultivation system 20 according to the second embodiment, the space S for growing plants is formed in the horizontal direction, so by stacking and arranging the systems vertically, it becomes possible to grow plants in an even smaller vertical space.

[0020] Embodiment 3 FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the hydroponic cultivation system 30 of embodiment 3 includes a nutrient solution tank 21 in which at least the roots R of the plant P are watered, a space S in which at least the stems 22 of the plant P are grown horizontally, a rectangular support shelf and illuminator 24 that serves as a light source for irradiating light L from below onto the stems 22 of the plant P, and further, a reflector 25 arranged above and irradiating light RL from above, thereby enabling the plant P to grow efficiently. Here, the reference numeral 25 can be switched between a reflector and a shielding plate depending on the quality of the plant being grown and the light source. If a light source is located above, the stems of some plants will become undulating, so by making the plate 25 above the plant P interchangeable in this way, it is possible to control the light from above. As shown in FIG. 3, the nutrient solution tank 21 is filled with liquid fertilizer 26, and the roots R of the plant P are immersed in the liquid fertilizer 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the plant P is placed so that the stem 22 lies down on the upper surface of the lighting device 24 from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 21 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 21 . 3, the support shelf and illuminator 24 irradiate light L from below onto the plant P, which is laid down, making it possible to uniformly irradiate the entire plant P with light. Furthermore, by placing a reflector 25 above the plant P, reflected light RL can be irradiated onto the plant P from above as well, and the light L and RL can be irradiated evenly onto the plant P, thereby enabling the plant P to grow efficiently.

[0021] Embodiment 4 FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, a hydroponic cultivation system 40 according to the fourth embodiment includes a nutrient solution tank 31 for watering roots R of a plant P, a support shelf for placing the plant P, and an illuminator . In this system 40, the nutrient solution tank 31 is filled with liquid fertilizer 36. A feature of the hydroponic cultivation system 40 according to the fourth embodiment is that the support shelf and the illuminator 34 are installed at an angle obliquely downward from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 31 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 31 in order to grow the plant P placed therein in the obliquely downward direction. Here, the nutrient solution tank 31 may be filled with nutrient solution jelly 36 instead of liquid fertilizer, or fertilizer may be applied using a sponge that has absorbed the nutrient solution, or fertilizer may be applied by atomizing liquid fertilizer using an automatic sprayer instead of the nutrient solution. The illuminator 34 is disposed so that light is irradiated from below onto the placed plant P. The plant P is placed on the support shelf 34 so that the upper end of the plant extends from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 31 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 31 and is diagonally downward from the horizontal. In the hydroponic cultivation system according to this embodiment, the support shelf 34 has a built-in illuminator. Therefore, the illuminator 34 irradiates light from below onto the plant P, which is laid diagonally downward as shown in Fig. 4, making it possible to uniformly irradiate the entire plant P with light. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second illuminator 35 is also disposed above the plant P in an oblique direction. By irradiating the plant P with light from above as well, the plant P can be evenly irradiated with light, thereby enabling the plant to grow efficiently. However, this illuminator 35 may be replaced with the reflector or shading plate used in the third embodiment. In order to produce a large amount of plants, a plurality of hydroponic cultivation systems 40 according to the fourth embodiment may be arranged side by side. In the hydroponic cultivation system 40 according to the fourth embodiment, the space S for growing plants is formed in an oblique direction, so by stacking the systems 40 vertically and horizontally, it becomes possible to grow a large amount of plants simultaneously in a small space.

[0022] Embodiment 5 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a multi-layered hydroponic cultivation system according to embodiment 5. (a) is a front view showing a state where no plants are placed, (b) is a front view showing a state where a plant is placed, and (c) is a side view. As shown in FIG. 5, a hydroponic cultivation system 50 according to the fifth embodiment includes a nutrient solution tank 41 for watering roots R of a plant P, a support shelf for placing the plant P, and an illuminator 44. In the hydroponic cultivation system 50 according to the fifth embodiment, an illuminator is built into the support shelf. The topmost support shelf and illuminator 44 functions as an illuminator. The illuminator 44 has light sources arranged on both the front and back surfaces, and in principle emits light in both directions. In this system 50, each nutrient solution tank 41 is filled with liquid fertilizer. The plants P are placed on a support shelf and illuminator 44 so that the tops of the plants extend from the upper ends of the nutrient solution tanks 41 to the outside of the nutrient solution tanks 41 at an angle downward from the horizontal. The hydroponic cultivation system 50 according to the fifth embodiment is characterized in that the nutrient solution tank 41, the support shelf, the lighting device 44, etc. are formed in multiple stages.

[0023] That is, six nutrient solution tanks 41 are installed vertically, and seven support shelves and illuminators 44 (the top one functions only as an illuminator) are similarly installed. Therefore, the illuminator 44 can irradiate the plant P, which is placed diagonally downward as shown in Figure 5, with light from above and below, making it possible to uniformly irradiate the entire plant P with light. By irradiating the plant P with light from above and below, the plant P can be evenly irradiated with light, thereby allowing the plant to grow efficiently. By adopting such a configuration, the hydroponic cultivation system 50 according to the fifth embodiment may be configured by arranging a plurality of hydroponic cultivation systems 50 side by side. In the hydroponic cultivation system 50 according to this embodiment 5, the space S for growing plants is formed in an oblique direction. Therefore, by stacking the systems 50 vertically and horizontally, it becomes possible to simultaneously grow a large number of plants in a small space, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of land and equipment. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of this embodiment 5, the joint between the root R and the stem is fixed in place, and the joint can be cut evenly by installing a cutting blade (not shown). This makes it possible to automate harvesting and post-harvest processes at low cost. In other words, industrial line cultivation can be carried out. Industrial line cultivation here is a cultivation method in which agricultural processes such as seedling reception, planting, harvesting, and processing are grown continuously while staggering each step, as shown in Figure 6, to equalize the overall workload and avoid off-seasons. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a certain time period includes processes such as germination, planting, growth, harvesting, post-harvest extraction of plant-derived substances, cellulose extraction, and conversion into biomass. As shown in Figure 6, by using industrial line cultivation, assuming a harvest of 10 tons in the case of indoor hydroponics, the cultivation space, manpower, and equipment required are 10 tons divided by the number of lines, and the seedling receiving, planting, harvesting, and processing stages can be constantly operated, significantly improving cost-effectiveness and manpower and equipment utilization. On the other hand, by adopting the configuration of this embodiment 5, for example, it is possible to harvest without cutting the stems and roots, and it is possible to extract cellulose, sugars, plant-derived components, vegetable oils, and other biomass from bamboo roots, etc. without waste from the roots, stems, and leaves after harvesting.

[0024] Embodiment 6 FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating an example of a hydroponic cultivation system according to the sixth embodiment. 7, a hydroponic cultivation system 60 according to the sixth embodiment is configured to include a nutrient solution tank 51 for irradiating at least the roots R of the plant P with water, a space for growing at least the stems 52 of the plant P in the horizontal direction, and an illuminator 54 serving as a light source for irradiating light L from below onto the stems 52 of the plant P. Here, a plurality of LED lights are used as the light source. As shown in FIG. 7, a nutrient solution tank 51 is filled with liquid fertilizer 56, and roots R of a plant P are immersed in the liquid fertilizer 56. As shown in Figure 7, the plant P is placed so that its stem 52 lies on the upper surface of a support shelf 55, extending from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank 51 to the outside of the nutrient solution tank 51. The support shelf 55 is made of an acrylic plate. However, the support shelf 55 may also be made of a glass plate or a resin plate as long as it is transparent. 7, the illuminators 54 are arranged at regular intervals so that light is irradiated onto the entire plant P. Light L is irradiated onto the plant P placed on the upper surface of the support shelf 55 from below, and the light is uniformly irradiated onto the entire plant P from below. In order to produce a large amount of plants, a plurality of hydroponic cultivation systems according to the sixth embodiment may be arranged side by side. In the hydroponic cultivation system 60 according to this embodiment 6, the space for growing plants is formed horizontally, so by stacking and arranging the system vertically, it becomes possible to grow plants in an even smaller vertical space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 1,11,21,31,41,51 Nutrient solution tank 2,12,22,32, 52 Stem 4,15,54 Illuminators 14, 24, 34, 44 Support shelves and lighting fixtures 55 Support shelf S space P plant R root L light 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 Hydroponic Cultivation System

Claims

1. A hydroponic cultivation system comprising a nutrient solution tank for receiving at least the roots of a plant, a space for growing at least the stems of the plants downward, and an illuminator for irradiating the plant stems with light from the side, wherein each nutrient solution tank is filled with liquid fertilizer, has an opening on the top surface of the nutrient solution tank, and hangs plants from the opening of each nutrient solution tank so that the top ends of the plants are positioned downward outside the nutrient solution tank, and the illuminator is arranged vertically to irradiate the hanging plants with light from the side and / or is arranged below the tips of the hanging plants to irradiate them from below.

2. 1. A hydroponic cultivation system having a nutrient solution tank for immersing at least the roots of plants, a support shelf for placing the plants, and an illuminator, wherein the nutrient solution tank is filled with liquid fertilizer and has an opening on its top surface, the support shelf is installed diagonally downward from the opening of the nutrient solution tank to the outside of the nutrient solution tank so that the placed plants will grow in a diagonally downward direction, the illuminator is positioned so that light is irradiated onto the placed plants from below and / or is positioned ahead of the growth direction of the plants so that light is irradiated from the direction in which the plants are growing, and the plants are placed on the support shelf so that the upper ends of the plants extend from the upper end of the nutrient solution tank to the outside of the nutrient solution tank diagonally downward from the horizontal.

3. The hydroponic cultivation system has a nutrient solution tank for immersing at least the roots of plants, a space for growing plants horizontally, a support shelf for placing the plants, and an illuminator, wherein the nutrient solution tank is filled with liquid fertilizer, has an opening on the top surface of the nutrient solution tank, the support shelf is installed horizontally from the opening of the nutrient solution tank to the outside of the nutrient solution tank in order to grow the placed plants horizontally, and the illuminator is positioned so that light is irradiated onto the placed plants from below and / or is positioned ahead of the growth direction of the plants so that light is irradiated from the direction of growth of the plants.

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