Petal production method and flowering promoter

Abstract

This invention is a groundbreaking invention that has never been seen before. Petal production method and flowering promoter The purpose is to provide. [Solution] Flowers are grown in treated water W1 obtained by treating culture water W in a culture section 1 where aquatic organisms F are cultivated with microorganisms consisting of nitrifying bacteria that nitrify 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.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Chemical fertilizers have been used in traditional flower cultivation, and companies that handle chemical fertilizers have published formulas for flower cultivation. However, when using chemical fertilizers, it is difficult to control the grass vigor, and the grass height and leaves tend to grow, making it difficult to effectively grow flowers. In addition, chemical fertilizers are dependent on fossil fuels and mineral resources, and there is a demand to switch to sustainable alternative fertilizers. In addition, the reliance on imported raw materials has led to the issue of unstable procurement.

[0003] In relation to flowering, for example, a flowering promoter with a plant freshness preserving function is known that contains 2-aminoisobutyric acid (including its salts), B vitamins, sugars, plant bioactivators, antibacterial and anti-algae agents (Patent Document 1), but this Patent Document 1 is a flowering promoter with a plant freshness preserving function intended for decorative cut flowers, and is not intended to be used as a fertilizer or stimulant for cultivation. In addition, because it is composed of chemical components, there are still issues to be addressed as a chemical fertilizer.

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

[0005] In recent years, the market for edible flowers has expanded due to the demand for photogenic foods, and the global edible flower market size is expected to increase by US$107.72 million between 2022 and 2026, with an average 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 that fertilizers not only effectively grow flowers, but also enable organic cultivation and have high nutritional value, but there have been no fertilizers that meet all of these requirements. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-239506 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-208893 A [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Global Packaged Edible Flowers Market 2022-2026", [online], Global Index Co., Ltd. website, "Searched on 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 consideration of the above-mentioned current situation, and provides a highly innovative method for producing petals and a flowering promoter that have not previously existed. [Means for solving the problem]

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

[0010] A method for producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising the steps of: Freshwater fish F 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 filter media in which the bacteria have settled is 0.1-5% of the culture water volume. The present invention relates to a method for producing petals, which is characterized by cultivating flowers of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family using treated water W1 to produce petals of the flowers. Note An environment in which the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish body weight to the amount of culture water, is 0.1-3.0%.

[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, characterized in that the flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

[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 relates to a petal production method characterized in that the daily feeding amount is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

[0014] The present invention relates to a method for producing petals as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, 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, etc.

[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, ammonia oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, 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, etc.

[0016] Also, there is provided a method for producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising the steps of: Freshwater fish F in the following environment The culture water W in the culture section 1 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 food in the culture water W. A filter material whose volume is 0.1-5% of the aquaculture water volume The present invention relates to a method for producing flower petals, which comprises cultivating a flower of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family by promoting flowering with treated water W1 that has been treated by passing the treated water through a filter (20). Note An environment in which the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish body weight to the amount of culture water, is 0.1-3.0%.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a method for producing flower petals, as described in claim 7, characterized in that 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 flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

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

[0020] The present invention relates to a method for producing petals as described in any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, ammonia oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, 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, etc.

[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, ammonia oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, 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.

[0022] Also, a flowering promoter for the petals of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family, comprising: Freshwater fish F in the following environment The culture water W in the culture section 1 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 food in the culture water W. A filter material whose volume is 0.1-5% of the aquaculture water volume The flowering promoter is 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 culture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

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

[0024] The flowering promoter according to claim 13 is characterized in that 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] The present invention relates to a flowering promoter characterized in that, 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, 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, etc.

[0027] In addition, in the flowering promoter described in claim 16, the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, ammonia oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, which oxidize ammonia to nitrite, 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, etc. Effect of the Invention

[0028] Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is an unprecedented and revolutionary method for producing petals and a flowering promoter that enable flowers to be cultivated well. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a production apparatus for treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A1) according to Example 1. FIG. [Diagram 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. [Diagram 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 a comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 4] 1 is a table 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. [Diagram 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 a comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing changes in the concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the aquaculture section 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a production apparatus for treated water W1 (nutrient solution A2) according to Example 2. [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 PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

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

[0031] For example, when flowers are cultivated using treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution) obtained by treating the culture water W in the culture section 1 where aquatic organisms F are cultivated with microorganisms, the cultivation is more effective than cultivation using existing chemical fertilizers. Specifically, the number of flowers blooming, the size of the petals, the total weight of the flowers (with the petals open) and the 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 extremely useful.

[0032] In addition, 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). In addition, it has extremely high commercial value as an organic liquid fertilizer and tonic, 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). EXAMPLES

[0033] <Example 1> A first specific embodiment 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 edible flowers (flowers of the Asteraceae family, such as edible marigolds, and flowers of the Violaceae family, such as edible violas), which have high commercial value, and in which edible flowers (edible flowers) are cultivated using treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution / organic liquid fertilizer / vital agent) obtained by treating culture water W with microorganisms in a culture section 1 where aquatic organisms F are cultivated.

[0035] Furthermore, the flowers are not limited to edible flowers, and based on the results of the tests 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 culture 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, an aquaculture water circulation section 3 for circulating the aquaculture water W in this cultivation section 1, and a microorganism treatment section 2 provided in this aquaculture water circulation section 3 for treating the aquaculture water W in the cultivation section 1 with microorganisms.

[0038] The culture 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: Common sterlet, Beluga sturgeon, Bester sturgeon, Siberian sturgeon, Pacific sturgeon, Amur sturgeon, starry sturgeon, Daurian sturgeon, etc.

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

[0043] 1, the culture water circulation section 3 has an outward pipe section 3a having one end connected to the culture section 1 and the other end connected to the microorganism treatment section 2, a return pipe section 3b having one end connected to the microorganism treatment section 2 and the other end connected to the culture section 1, and a circulation pump 3c provided in the return pipe section 3b. The circulation pump 3c may be provided in the outward pipe section 3a as in Example 2 described later.

[0044] Therefore, by operating the circulation pump 3c, the culture water W in the culture section 1 is discharged through the outward pipe section 3a and transported to the microorganism treatment section 2, and the treated water W1 treated in the microorganism 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. The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the water flow direction.

[0045] The microbial treatment device 2 is configured by providing a filter material (not shown) in a treatment case 2a having a predetermined capacity and to which a culture water circulation section 3 (outgoing pipe section 3a and return pipe section 3b) are connected via water flow, as shown in Figure 1.

[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 outward pipe section 3a, but also settles microorganisms that break down these impurities and convert them into fertilizer components, i.e., nitrifying bacteria (e.g., ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, ammonia-oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus and Nitrososphaeras, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the genera 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 embodiment, 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 volume (the volume of all water circulating in the aquatic organism culture device).

[0048] In other words, the excrement of Sturgeon F is mainly nitrogenous waste (ammonia), and because ammonia is toxic to Sturgeon F, it is necessary to oxidize this ammonia to less toxic nitrates (=nitrification). This nitrification is carried out by nitrifying bacteria that have settled on the filter media, but if the amount of filter media is 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 aquaculture site) and costs. The required amount differs depending on the performance of the filter material (e.g., how easily useful microorganisms such as nitrifying bacteria can settle, and how easily organic waste can be retained), but after various experiments, we found that the bead filter used in this embodiment should be approximately 3% of the aquaculture water volume, and the sponge filter material should be 2%.

[0050] Therefore, the volume of the filter material relative to the volume of the culture water is preferably 0.1 to 10% for breeding and commercial use 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 costs).

[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 device equipped with a microorganism treatment section 2 in which the volume of the filter material (biobeads) was set to 2% (v / v) of the culture water volume was installed, and after confirming the establishment of the microorganisms, the monoculture of Sturgeon F (Sterlet sterlet) was started to obtain the culture nutrient solution A1. The room temperature in the building and the water temperature of the culture water W in the culture section 1 were appropriately adjusted, and the Sturgeon F was reared at a rearing density of 1.44% and the daily feeding amount (weight) was 3% of the total fish body weight. The rearing density is the ratio of the fish body weight to the amount of culture water, and the rearing density of Sturgeon F is appropriately in the range of 0.1% to 3.0%, and the feeding amount is appropriately in the range of 0.1 to 6.0%. The reason for selecting the sterlet is that it is small, easy to handle, and sexually matures early (= caviar can be harvested early), but as mentioned above, any sturgeon is fine in terms of fertilizer production.

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

[0054] As shown in Fig. 7, after the ammonia material is placed in the culture section 1, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (e.g., one or more of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio) begin to settle first and oxidize ammonia (X in Fig. 7) to nitrite (Y in Fig. 7), but then the amount of nitrite increases and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (e.g., one or more of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira) begin to settle, oxidizing nitrite to nitrate (Z in Fig. 7), and the nitrate concentration increases. Specifically, when the nitrate concentration increases smoothly and ammonia is 1 mg / L or less and nitrite is no longer detectable, it is determined that the settlement of the microorganisms is complete. It takes about one 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 nutrient solution.

[0055] In other words, when the nitrate concentration rises smoothly, ammonia is below 1 mg / L, 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. Since nitrifying bacteria grow slowly, if the nitrifying bacteria have taken root, it can be determined that other useful microorganisms (such as ammonia oxidizing bacteria and nitrite oxidizing bacteria) have also taken root.

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

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

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

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

[0060] In test 1, a comparative cultivation area B1' was prepared in a trough (plastic case) containing 20 L of comparative cultivation nutrient solution B1, and a main cultivation area A1' was prepared in a trough containing 20 L of cultivation nutrient solution A1. Hydroponic cultivation panels with edible marigold seedlings planted in them 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 on 6 plants per test plot. The experiment period was 7 weeks, and the number of flowers was evaluated (evaluated every week from the 4th week after planting). Furthermore, 7 weeks after planting, the plants were harvested and the fresh weight of the aboveground parts, the weight of the flowers (with the petals open) and the buds, the ratio of the flowers and buds to the aboveground parts, the number of withered flowers, and the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content of the petals were evaluated.

[0062] [Number of blooms] FIG. 3 shows the number of flowers that bloom, and 42 days 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 weights of the flowers (with open petals) 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) and buds to the aboveground parts was 17.0% in the comparative cultivation area 1B', whereas it was 45.9% in the main cultivation area 1A', which was significantly higher. It was revealed that the cultivation nutrient solution A1 of this example has excellent fertilizer properties for the formation of petals.

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

[0066] [photograph] Figure 5 shows photos of the comparative cultivation area B1' and the actual cultivation area A1', and it can be seen that the actual cultivation area 1A' has a clearly larger proportion of flowers (with open petals) in the plant body compared to the comparative cultivation area 1B', and has excellent flowering characteristics. In addition, because the proportion of flowers in the plant body is large, there is no need to select unnecessary branches and leaves, and the workability of flower harvesting is also improved.

[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] From the above Test 1, it was 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 nutrient solution consisting of treated water W1 is effective in terms of the number of flowers, petal size, total weight of flowers (with open petals) and buds, retention period, and ascorbic acid content required for cultivating edible flowers (p<0.05: significance level less than 5%).

[0069] Therefore, according to this embodiment, 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 embodiment, pesticide-free cultivation is performed, and plants can be cultivated using fertilizer components derived from the culture water without using chemical fertilizers, so that safe and secure edible flowers can be reliably provided.

[0070] <Example 2> A second specific 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 apparatus 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 FIG. 8, a filtration device 10 is provided in water-connected communication with the outward pipe section 3a of the aquaculture water circulation section 3 (between the aquaculture section 1 and the microbial treatment section 2), and a hydroponic cultivation device 11 is provided in water-connected communication with the return pipe section 3b of the aquaculture water circulation section 3 (between the microbial treatment section 2 and the aquaculture section 1).

[0073] Therefore, by operating the circulation pump 3c, the culture water W in the culture section 1 is discharged through the outward pipe section 3a and passes through the physical filtration device 10 before being transported and introduced into the microbial treatment device 2, and the treated water W2 treated in the microbial treatment device 2 is discharged through the return pipe section 3b and passes through the hydroponic cultivation device 11 before being 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 water flow direction.

[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 culture device equipped with a microorganism treatment section 2 in which the volume of the filter material (biobeads) was set to 0.8% (v / v) of the culture water volume was set up, and after confirming the establishment of the microorganisms, mixed culture of sturgeon F (Leptospermum moniliformes and Vestigiales sturgeon) was started to obtain a culture nutrient solution A2. The room temperature in the building and the water temperature of the culture water W in the culture section 1 were appropriately adjusted, and the sturgeon F were reared at a rearing density of 1.4% and with a daily feeding amount (weight) of 1% of the total fish body weight.

[0076] As described above, test 2 was conducted using treated water W1 (cultivation nutrient solution A2) produced by the aquatic organism cultivation apparatus of this embodiment to confirm the difference when cultivated using comparative cultivation nutrient solution B2 (existing chemical fertilizer).

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

[0078] In test 2, a comparative cultivation area B2' was prepared by adding comparative nutrient solution B2 to the nutrient solution of the hydroponic cultivation shelf, and a main cultivation area A2' was prepared by adding nutrient solution A2 to the nutrient solution of the hydroponic cultivation shelf, and hydroponic cultivation panels with edible viola seedlings planted thereon were floated in each cultivation area, and a hydroponic cultivation test was conducted under the same conditions. 20 plants were used in one test area, the test period was 7 weeks, and the number of flowers was counted.

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

[0080] From the above Test 2, it was 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 can be produced, which is required for cultivating edible flowers.

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

[0082] In this embodiment, focusing on the advantage that it can be cultivated without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, it is compatible with edible flowers. 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 effects were obtained. Furthermore, since the same excellent effects were observed across families, such as the marigold of the Asteraceae family and the viola of the Viola family, it can be assumed that similar effects will be observed with other flowers.

[0083] Incidentally, 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 producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising: cultivating flowers of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family in treated water obtained by passing the treated water through a filter medium having a volume of 0.1 to 5% of the volume of the culture water and having microorganisms colonized therein, the filter medium being composed of nitrifying bacteria that nitrify ammonia in the culture water into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover feed in the culture water, thereby producing petals of the flowers. Note An environment in which the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish body weight to the amount of culture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

2. 2. The method for producing flower petals according to claim 1, wherein the flower is an edible flower.

3. 2. The method for producing flower petals according to claim 1, wherein the flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

4. The method for producing petals according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon, and the daily feeding amount is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

5. A method for producing petals as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, or Nitrosovibrio that oxidize ammonia to nitrite, ammonia oxidizing archaea such as Nitrosopumilus or Nitrososphaeras that oxidize ammonia to nitrite, or nitrite oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrobacter, Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, or Nitrospira that oxidize nitrite to nitrate, and the heterotrophic bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Sphingobacterium, Arcobacter, etc.

6. A method for producing petals as described in claim 4, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, 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.

7. A method for producing petals of Asteraceae or Violaceae, comprising: cultivating freshwater fish in an aquaculture section in an environment described below by passing culture water through a filter medium having a volume of 0.1 to 5% of the volume of the aquaculture water and 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 feed in the culture water; cultivating and promoting the flowering of Asteraceae or Violaceae flowers with the treated water; and producing petals of the flowers. Note An environment in which the rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish body weight to the amount of culture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

8. A method for producing petals as described in claim 7, characterized in that the flower is an edible flower.

9. A method for producing petals as described in claim 7, characterized in that the flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

10. A method for producing petals as described in any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the freshwater fish is a sturgeon and the amount of feeding per day is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

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

12. A method for producing petals as described in claim 10, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, 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.

13. A flowering promoter for the petals of the Asteraceae or Violaceae family, characterized in that the flowering promoter is composed of treated culture water in a culture section where freshwater fish are cultured in the following environment, which is treated by passing the culture water through a filter medium in which nitrifying bacteria that nitrify ammonia in the culture water into nitrates and heterotrophic bacteria that decompose solid waste such as feces and leftover feed are established, the filter medium having a volume of 0.1 to 5% of the volume of the culture water. Note The rearing density, calculated as the ratio of fish weight to the amount of culture water, is 0.1 to 3.0%.

14. A flowering promoter as described in claim 13, characterized in that the flowers are edible flowers.

15. A flowering promoter as described in claim 13, characterized in that the flower is an edible marigold or an edible viola.

16. A flowering promoter according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the freshwater fish is a sturgeon and the daily feeding amount is 0.1 to 6.0% of the total fish body weight.

17. A flowering promoter according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, 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.

18. A flowering promoter as described in claim 16, characterized in that the nitrifying bacteria are ammonia oxidizing bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosolobus, and Nitrosovibrio, 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.

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