Agricultural product manufacturing device and manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a crop production apparatus and production method not adversely affecting the quality or safety of crops in contrast to chemical agents, while reducing the cost and the risk of generating resistant bacteria.SOLUTION: A crop production apparatus 1 comprises a support 2 that supports and surrounds crops A, a plurality of ultraviolet light-emitting elements 10 fixed to the support 2, and a power supply device 16 that supplies power to the ultraviolet light-emitting elements 10 to emit ultraviolet light toward the surface of the crops A. The ultraviolet light-emitting elements 10 have a peak of emission wavelength between 300 nm and 400 nm.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing agricultural products that suppress the occurrence of diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi in agricultural products such as fruits. [Background technology]

[0002] Damage caused by pathogenic fungi on agricultural crops has a significant impact on agricultural production around the world. Damage caused by pathogenic fungi not only results in losses in terms of labor and funds, but also has a significant impact on the quality and yield of agricultural crops. Approximately 15% of the world's agricultural production is damaged by pathogenic fungi, of which 30% is caused by filamentous fungi (so-called molds). Filamentous fungi cause various types of damage to many crops, such as black spot on apples, sclerotinia rot on cabbage, powdery mildew on potatoes, and gray mold on strawberries.

[0003] In order to prevent infection with diseases, agricultural crops are sometimes treated with pesticides and other chemicals. However, the use of chemicals not only has the potential to adversely affect the quality of agricultural produce and the environment, but also poses the risk of the emergence of new pathogens that are resistant to the chemicals.

[0004] The inventors focused on light energy as a means of disease prevention for agricultural crops, which does not adversely affect the quality and safety of agricultural crops like drugs, is inexpensive, and has little risk of developing resistant bacteria, and they have researched technology to prevent the invasion of pathogenic bacteria into agricultural crops using light energy. As a result, they found that diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi can be prevented by irradiating agricultural crops with light in the ultraviolet range.

[0005] Although some have proposed a method of suppressing the growth of microorganisms by irradiating food with light in the wavelength range from 520 nm to near ultraviolet light, such as that described in Patent Document 1, no effective proposals have been made against agricultural crop diseases. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-16665 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an agricultural production apparatus and method that does not adversely affect the quality and safety of agricultural crops like chemicals, is inexpensive, and has a low risk of developing resistant bacteria. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The crop production apparatus according to aspect 1 of the present invention comprises a support body that supports at least one crop and surrounds the crop, a plurality of ultraviolet light-emitting elements fixed to the support body, and a power supply device that supplies power to the ultraviolet light-emitting elements to irradiate ultraviolet light toward the surface of the crop, and is characterized in that the ultraviolet light-emitting elements have a peak emission wavelength between 300 nm and 400 nm. According to this agricultural crop production device, the agricultural crop is supported and surrounded by the support, and power is supplied from the power supply device to the plurality of ultraviolet light emitting elements fixed to the support, causing the surface of the agricultural crop to be irradiated with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the agricultural crop, and has the advantages of not having a negative effect on the quality and safety of the agricultural crop like drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0009] A second aspect of the agricultural crop producing apparatus is related to the first aspect, wherein the ultraviolet light emitting element has an emission wavelength peak between 330 nm and 395 nm. According to this crop production device, it is possible to effectively suppress the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi and the like on the surface of the crops, and to suppress various crop diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like.

[0010] The crop production apparatus according to a third aspect is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the ultraviolet light emitting element is an ultraviolet light emitting diode. This agricultural production device has the advantages of reducing power costs and minimizing the impact of temperature changes on agricultural crops because it consumes little power and generates little heat. However, the present invention can also use other types of ultraviolet light emitting elements, such as mercury lamps, excimer lamps, gas laser ultraviolet light generating devices such as He-Cd lasers and excimer lasers, and ultraviolet plasma light emitting elements.

[0011] The agricultural crop production apparatus according to aspect 4 is any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the power supply device is configured to adjust the average irradiation intensity from the ultraviolet light emitting element to 6 mW / cm on the surface of the agricultural crop to be prevented from disease. 2 The ultraviolet light is irradiated as continuous or intermittent light as described above, thereby suppressing the proliferation of filamentous fungi on the surface to be prevented from becoming ill. According to this crop production apparatus, it is possible to more effectively suppress the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi and the like on the surface of the crop, and it is possible to suppress various crop diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like. The average irradiation intensity on the surface of the crop from the ultraviolet light emitting element is more preferably 6 mW / cm. 2 or more, and 6 mW / cm 2 or more and 9mW / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0012] The crop production apparatus according to aspect 5 is any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the power supply device is configured to supply ultraviolet light to a surface of the crop to be prevented from disease in such a manner that an average total irradiation amount from the ultraviolet light emitting elements is 100 J / cm 2 2 The ultraviolet light is irradiated as continuous or intermittent light as described above, thereby suppressing the proliferation of filamentous fungi on the surface to be prevented from becoming ill. According to this crop production apparatus, it is possible to more effectively inhibit the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi and the like on the surface of the crop, and to suppress various crop diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like. The average total irradiation amount on the surface of the crop from the ultraviolet light emitting elements is more preferably 90 J / cm.2 or more and 100 J / cm 2 More than 120 J / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0013] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the crop production apparatus may include a temperature sensor that measures a surface temperature of the crop supported by the support, a blower that blows air onto the crop, and a control device that drives the blower in response to an output of the temperature sensor. In this case, the temperature and humidity of the crops can be controlled during irradiation with ultraviolet rays, thereby enhancing quality control of the crops.

[0014] In any one of the first to fifth aspects, in the crop producing apparatus, the support may have a plurality of arms surrounding the crop in a spherical shell shape, and a plurality of the ultraviolet light emitting elements may be fixed to the inner periphery of these arms. In this case, it is easy to arrange the ultraviolet light emitting elements within a substantially fixed distance range from the surface of the crops, and it is possible to reduce variation in the irradiation intensity of ultraviolet light on the surface of the crops.

[0015] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the agricultural crop production apparatus may have a support pole that can be installed within a crop cultivation field, and a plurality of the ultraviolet light emitting elements may be fixed to the outer periphery of the support pole at intervals in the vertical direction. In this case, it is easy to arrange the ultraviolet light emitting element within a substantially fixed distance range from the surface of the crop being grown in the cultivation field, and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the surface of the crop being grown can be suppressed. The support pole may be a support pole suspended from the ceiling of the cultivation field so that its position can be changed. In this case, ultraviolet light can be irradiated onto the soil surface, and filamentous fungi in the soil can also be sterilized.

[0016] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the crop manufacturing apparatus may include a cart on which the support can travel within a crop cultivation field, a robot arm fixed to the cart, a cover attached to the tip of the robot arm and capable of enclosing the crop being grown, and a control device that operates the cart and the robot arm, and the ultraviolet light-emitting element may be fixed inside the cover. In this case, the trolley and the robot arm can be operated by the control device to cover the crops being grown in the cultivation field with the cover, and the ultraviolet light-emitting element inside the cover can be used to irradiate the crops with ultraviolet light, thereby suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the surface of the crops being grown.

[0017] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the agricultural crop manufacturing apparatus may have a storage space in which the support can store a plurality of harvested agricultural crops, and a wall portion surrounding this storage space, and the wall portion may include the ultraviolet light-emitting element provided therein, and a transparent plate that can transmit ultraviolet light and forms the surface of the wall portion. In this case, multiple harvested crops can be stored in the storage space and ultraviolet rays can be irradiated onto the crops all at once, thereby suppressing the proliferation of pathogens such as filamentous fungi on the surface of the harvested crops.

[0018] A method for producing a crop according to a sixth aspect includes a supporting step of supporting at least one crop with a support and surrounding the crop with the support, and supplying power to a plurality of ultraviolet light-emitting elements fixed to the support to irradiate ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm at an average irradiation intensity of 6 mW / cm on a surface of the crop to be prevented from disease. 2 As described above, the method includes an irradiation step of irradiating the surface of the crop with continuous or intermittent light. According to this method for producing agricultural crops, the agricultural crops are supported and surrounded by the support, and power is supplied from the power supply device to the multiple ultraviolet light-emitting elements fixed to the support to irradiate the surface of the agricultural crops with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm, thereby suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and making it possible to suppress the growth of diseases on the surface of the agricultural crops, and has the advantages of not having a negative effect on the quality and safety of the agricultural crops as with drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria. The average irradiation intensity on the surface of the agricultural crops from the ultraviolet light-emitting elements is more preferably 6 mW / cm. 2 or more, and 6 mW / cm 2 or more and 9mW / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0019] A method for producing a crop according to a seventh aspect is the same as that according to the sixth aspect, wherein in the irradiating step, an average total irradiation amount from the ultraviolet light emitting element is 100 J / cm on the surface of the crop to be prevented from disease. 2 The ultraviolet light is irradiated so as to achieve the above. According to this method for producing agricultural crops, it is possible to more effectively inhibit the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi and the like on the surface of the agricultural crops, and it is possible to suppress various agricultural crop diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like. The average total irradiation amount on the surface of the agricultural crops from the ultraviolet light emitting elements is more preferably 90 J / cm. 2 or more and 100 J / cm 2 More than 120 J / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0020] According to the agricultural crop production apparatus and production method of embodiments 1 to 7, it is possible to suppress powdery mildew, vine wilt, cotton rot, late blight, southern blight, damping-off, brown spot bacterial disease, bacterial spot disease, black spot, downy mildew, gray mold, and the like in agricultural crops including fruits such as melons, strawberries, apples, mandarin oranges, grapes, and tomatoes; tubers such as potatoes and sweet potatoes; and gourds such as cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, zucchinis, gourds, loofahs, wax gourds, trumpet melons, bottle gourds, bitter melons, and melons. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the crop production device and crop production method of the present invention, the crop is supported and surrounded by the support, and power is supplied from the power supply device to the plurality of ultraviolet light emitting elements fixed to the support, so that ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm is irradiated toward the surface of the crop. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop, and has the advantages of not having a negative effect on the quality and safety of the crop like drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a crop producing apparatus according to the present invention with a lid removed. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a lid of the agricultural product producing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a support plate and an ultraviolet light-emitting element according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the support plate and the ultraviolet light emitting element according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an ultraviolet ray irradiation state of the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an air blowing state of the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the crop production apparatus. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a front view showing a third embodiment of the crop producing apparatus. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a front view showing a fourth embodiment of the crop producing apparatus. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a fifth embodiment of the crop producing apparatus. [Figure 12]FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a sixth embodiment of the crop producing apparatus. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a wall portion and an ultraviolet light-emitting element according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 14] 1 is a photograph of the experimental apparatus used in the ultraviolet irradiation experiment. [Figure 15] 1 is a graph showing the wavelength spectrum of ultraviolet light in the experimental apparatus. [Figure 16] 1 is a graph showing the distance from the ultraviolet light emitting element to the sample in the experimental apparatus and the irradiation intensity (mW / cm2) on the sample surface. [Figure 17] The photographs show the results of culturing colonies of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon for 0 to 72 hours after irradiating them with ultraviolet light (340 nm) at total irradiation doses varying from 0 to 900 (J / cm2) using the experimental device. [Figure 18] The photographs show the results of culturing colonies of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon for 0 to 72 hours after irradiating them with ultraviolet light (365 nm) at total irradiation doses varying from 0 to 900 (J / cm2) using the experimental device. [Figure 19] The photographs show the results of culturing for 0 to 72 hours after irradiating a trace amount of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon with ultraviolet light (365 nm) at total irradiation doses varying from 0 to 150 (J / cm2) using the experimental device. [Figure 20] The photographs show the results of culturing for 0 to 72 hours after irradiating a trace amount of strawberry black spot fungus with ultraviolet light (365 nm) at a total irradiation dose of 0 to 150 (J / cm2) using the experimental device. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing 32 points at which ultraviolet irradiation intensity was measured in the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a height at which the ultraviolet irradiation intensity was measured in the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Diagram 23] 4 is a graph showing ultraviolet irradiation intensity (mW / cm2) at each height in the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 24]4 is a graph showing a change in weight of a melon when the melon is irradiated with ultraviolet light in the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the positions at which sugar content was measured in melons after testing. [Figure 26] Photographs showing cylindrical test pieces cut out from melons at each position after testing. [Figure 27] 1 is a graph showing the sugar content (%) near the skin of each test piece. [Figure 28] 1 is a graph showing the sugar content (%) at the center of each test piece. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] 1 to 6 show a crop production device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The crop production device 1 has a housing 2 which is a rectangular parallelepiped box, and the housing 2 is composed of a housing body 2A whose upper end is open, and a rectangular parallelepiped lid 2B which closes the upper end in an openable and closable manner. Inside the housing body 2A, a support plate 4 and a support plate 6 are arranged parallel to the four side wall surfaces and at a certain distance from each of the side wall surfaces. In addition, a support plate 8 is arranged at the center of the inner bottom surface of the housing body 2A and at the center of the inner top surface of the lid 2B. An ultraviolet light emitting element 10 is fixed to these support plates 4, 6, and 8, facing inward of the housing 2.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of slits 5 (six in the figure) extending in the vertical direction are formed in the support plate 4, and ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 are fixed to the remaining bridged parts at regular intervals in the vertical direction. The arrangement of the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 is staggered on adjacent bridged parts. Similarly, as shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of slits 7 (four in the figure) extending in the vertical direction are formed in the support plate 6, and ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 are fixed to the remaining bridged parts at regular intervals in the vertical direction. The arrangement of the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 is staggered on adjacent bridged parts. 1, ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 are fixed facing upward to both ends of the support plate 8. Instead of the support plate 8, the support plate 4 or 6 may be provided in the center of the bottom surface.

[0025] Although not shown, a number of legs are provided in the center of the inner bottom surface of housing body 2A to support the underside of spherical or chunky crop A such as a melon to prevent the crop A from rolling, and when crop A is placed on these legs and lid 2B is closed, the entire surface of crop A is covered with ultraviolet light irradiation from ultraviolet light emitting elements 10, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 5. The arrangement of ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 is designed to provide an almost uniform ultraviolet irradiation intensity over the entire surface of crop A.

[0026] A blower fan 12 is attached to one of the short side walls of the housing main body 2A so as to penetrate the center of the wall, and an exhaust port 14 is formed in the center of the other short side wall. The blower fan 12 has a built-in motor and rotates a fan (not shown) to blow outside air toward the center of the housing 2. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 6, part of the blown outside air passes through the slits 7 of the support plate 6, hits the outer surface of the crop A, passes through the slits 7 of the support plate 6 again, and is exhausted from the exhaust port 14. The rest of the blown outside air passes through the gap between the support plate 6 and the wall surface, flows along the support plate 4, and further passes near the support plate 6 and is exhausted from the exhaust port 14. In this process, the crop A is cooled by the outside air, and the support plates 4, 6, and 8 and the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 are cooled, so that an increase in temperature and humidity inside the crop A and the housing 2 is suppressed.

[0027] A sensor support 18 is movably disposed on the inner bottom surface of the housing body 2A, and the sensor support 18 is supported so that a temperature sensor 20 can be brought close to or in contact with the surface of the crop A. The ultraviolet light emitting element 10, the blower fan 12, and the temperature sensor 20 are connected to a control device 16 fixed to the outer wall surface of the housing 2 through wiring (not shown). (also serves as a power supply device) The control device 16 is equipped with an operation panel (not shown) and is capable of adjusting the ON / OFF of the ultraviolet light emitting element 10, the lighting time by a timer, and the light emission intensity. The control device 16 is also capable of feedback control of the ON / OFF and rotation speed of the blower fan 12 in response to a signal from a temperature sensor 20 so that the temperature of the crop A detected by the temperature sensor 20 remains approximately constant. The blower fan 12 may be set to a fixed rotation speed without being controlled, and the temperature of the crop A may be adjusted by temperature management using an air conditioning system in the laboratory.

[0028] The ultraviolet light emitting element 10 has an emission wavelength peak in the ultraviolet wavelength range of 300 nm to 400 nm. Experiments by the present inventor have revealed that by irradiating the crop A with ultraviolet light in this wavelength range, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop. The ultraviolet light emitting element 10 may have an emission wavelength peak between 330 nm to 395 nm. In this case, it has been confirmed by experiments by the present inventor that the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi in the crop A can be particularly effectively suppressed, and that the effect of suppressing diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like is high.

[0029] The ultraviolet light emitting element 10 may be specially designed for the present invention, but it is also possible to use ultraviolet light emitting diodes that are generally available on the market. Generally available ultraviolet light emitting diodes include those for 340 nm, 365 nm, 375 nm, 385 nm, 392.5 nm, and 395 nm, and most of them have a light emitting voltage of about 3.0 to 4.8 V. For example, the forward voltages (rated voltages) of UV-LEDs currently available on the market are as follows: 340 nm: 4.6 to 4.8 V, 365 nm: 3.80 to 3.85 V, 375 nm: 3.40 V, 385 nm: 3.35 V, and 395 nm: 3.30 V. However, the forward voltages are not limited to these values. In addition, the present invention can also use other types of ultraviolet light emitting elements, such as mercury lamps, excimer lamps, gas laser ultraviolet light generating devices such as He-Cd lasers and excimer lasers, and ultraviolet plasma light emitting elements.

[0030] The control device 16 controls the surface of the crop A to be disease-prevented (in this case, the entire surface of the crop A) so that the average irradiation intensity from the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 is 6 mW / cm 2 It is preferable to irradiate the crop A with ultraviolet light as continuous or intermittent light so that the intensity of the ultraviolet light is within the above range. If the intensity is within this range, the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the surface where disease prevention is required is suppressed. The average irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 on the surface of the crop A is more preferably 6 mW / cm. 2 or more, and 6 mW / cm 2 or more and 9mW / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0031] In addition, the control device 16 determines that the average total irradiation amount from the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 on the surface of the crop A is 90 J / cm 2 It is preferable that the output is set so that the ultraviolet light can be irradiated as continuous or intermittent light so that the average total irradiation amount is 90 J / cm or more. 2 If the amount is equal to or greater than this, it is possible to more effectively inhibit the invasion and proliferation of filamentous fungi and the like on the surface of the crop, and to suppress various crop diseases caused by filamentous fungi and the like. The average total irradiation amount on the surface of the crop A from the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 is more preferably 100 J / cm.2 or more and 100 J / cm 2 More than 120 J / cm 2 It may be the following.

[0032] When producing crop A using the crop production apparatus 1, first the lid 2B is opened, and the crop A, such as a melon, is placed on the legs and placed in the center of the housing body 2A. Next, the sensor support 18 is placed in a position where the temperature sensor 20 is close to the surface of the crop A, and the lid 2B is closed. The operation panel of the control device 16 is operated to start control of the blower fan 12, all of the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 are made to emit light, the ultraviolet light irradiation time is set by the timer of the control device 16, and irradiation of ultraviolet light is started.

[0033] During irradiation with ultraviolet light, temperature sensor 20 measures the surface temperature of crop A and sends a signal to control device 16, which then controls the ON / OFF and rotation speed of blower fan 12 to perform feedback control so that the surface temperature of crop A does not rise above a certain value. This allows crop A to be evenly irradiated with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm from ultraviolet light emitting element 10, suppressing the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and making it possible to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop. In addition, this has the advantages of not having a negative effect on the quality and safety of the crop like drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0034] According to the agricultural product manufacturing apparatus 1 and manufacturing method of the first embodiment, it is possible to suppress powdery mildew, vine wilt, cotton rot, late blight, southern blight, damping-off, brown spot bacterial disease, bacterial spot disease, black spot, downy mildew, gray mold, and the like in agricultural products including, not only melons, but also fruits such as strawberries, apples, mandarin oranges, grapes, tomatoes, and other fruits; tubers such as potatoes and sweet potatoes; and gourds such as cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, zucchinis, gourds, loofahs, wax gourds, trumpet melons, bottle gourds, bitter melons, and melons.

[0035] In addition, as will be described later, the crop production apparatus 1 is expected to have the effect of increasing the sugar content of the crop A and improving its taste, although the reason for this is not clear.

[0036] [Second embodiment] 7 and 8 show a crop production apparatus 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This crop production apparatus 30 has a rectangular parallelepiped base 32 and a spherical frame 34 placed on the base. The spherical frame 34 can support a spherical crop A, such as a melon, in the center and is shaped to surround the crop A at approximately equal intervals from the surface of the crop A. The spherical frame 34 is mainly composed of four arms 34A, 34B, 34C, and 34D that extend vertically in a semicircular shape, and a circular arm 34E that horizontally surrounds the center of these four arms.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 8, the arms 34A and 34C are rotatably attached to a support 42 that stands upright from the base 32 at their lower ends, and the spherical frame 34 can be opened and closed by dividing it into two parts from approximately the center as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 8. The arm 34E can be divided into two semicircular parts at two dividing surfaces 35, and the right half of the arm 34E is fixed to the arm 34A, and the left half of the arm 34E is fixed to the arm 34C. The arms 34B and 34D are fixed to the arm 34C. The upper ends of the arms 34A and 34C are formed with locking parts 36 and 40, respectively, so that they can be fixed together with the locking part 38. By releasing the locking part 38, the spherical frame 34 can be divided into two parts, left and right, and opened.

[0038] The ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 are fixed on the inner circumferential surface of each arm 34A at a certain angle toward the center of the inner space of the spherical frame 34. In the illustrated example, the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 are fixed around the central angle of the spherical frame 34 at the lower end at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°, and at the upper end at 180°. The ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 are also fixed on the arm 34E at 45° intervals toward the center of the spherical shell. The intervals at which the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 are installed may be appropriately set according to the output of the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 and the size of the spherical frame 34, and may be 15°, 30°, 60°, etc., or may be unequal intervals to increase the irradiation intensity at the locations where mold is likely to grow on the melon. The ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 may be the same as the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 used in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is used.

[0039] A total of four support stands 39 are fixed upright on base 32, on both sides of the lower end of arm 34B and on both sides of the lower end of arm 34D, and agricultural products A such as melons can be placed on the upper ends of the support stands 39 so as to prevent them from rolling. In addition, an electronic camera 46 is attached near the lower end of arm 34A so as to be able to photograph the surface of agricultural product A.

[0040] Inside the base 32, a power source 48, which is a secondary battery, is installed. (Power supply device) The base 32 accommodates the control device 50. For example, four solar cell panels 52 are arranged outside the base 32. The control device 50 is connected to the power source 48, all the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44, the camera 46, and the solar cell panel 52, and is equipped with an operation panel (not shown). The control device 50 is set to output ultraviolet light so that the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 can be irradiated with ultraviolet light as continuous light or intermittent light with the same average irradiation intensity as the control device 16 of the first embodiment, so that the average total irradiation amount is the same. This is the same as the control device 16, so the description of the first embodiment is used. The control device 50 also uses the power from the solar cell panel 52 to charge the power source 48, and controls it to prevent overcharging. This allows the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44 to emit light even without external power supply or with a small power supply.

[0041] When producing agricultural product A using the agricultural product production device 30, first the clasp 40 is removed, the spherical frame 34 is divided into two parts and opened to the left and right, the agricultural product A such as a melon is placed on the support base 39, the spherical frame 34 is closed, and secured in place with the clasp 40. The operation panel of the control device 50 is operated to turn on all the ultraviolet light emitting elements 44, and the ultraviolet light irradiation time is set by the timer of the control device 50, and irradiation of ultraviolet light is started. This allows the entire surface of crop A to be evenly irradiated with ultraviolet light having a peak emission wavelength between 300 nm and 400 nm from ultraviolet light-emitting element 44, suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and making it possible to suppress the growth of diseases on the surface of crop A. The types of diseases that can be suppressed are the same as in the first embodiment. It has the advantages of not having a negative effect on the quality and safety of crops like chemicals, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0042] In addition, in the second embodiment, the spherical frame 34 allows good ventilation, which prevents the temperature of the crop A from rising, allows sunlight to be received, and also makes it easy to visually inspect the crop A. Locking the clasp 40 also has the effect of preventing theft of expensive crop A. Depending on the crop A, it can be expected that not only disease suppression but also an improvement in the sugar content of the crop A will be achieved.

[0043] [Third embodiment] Figure 9 shows a third embodiment 60 of the present invention. This third embodiment of the crop production apparatus 60 can be used when the stems AS are planted on the ground G of a cultivation field and the crops A, such as melons, are growing on the stems AS, and has a number of supports 61 that can be placed on the ground G of the cultivation field. A number of ultraviolet light emitting elements 62 are arranged on the outer periphery of each support 61, and ultraviolet light can be emitted radially around the support 61. A base 64 is provided at the lower end of the support 61, and a control device (not shown) is connected to the support 61 via a cord (not shown). (also serves as a power supply device)The supports 61 are arranged in a row at equal intervals with a substantially constant distance between adjacent stems AS, so that each crop A is irradiated with a substantially constant amount of ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light emitting elements 62 may be similar to the ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0044] To use this crop production apparatus 60, the support 61 is placed in accordance with the position of the stalk AS, all the ultraviolet light emitting elements 62 are turned on by operating the operation panel of the control device, the ultraviolet light irradiation time is set by the timer of the control device, and ultraviolet light irradiation is started. This allows the ultraviolet light emitting elements 62 to evenly irradiate the entire surface of the crop A with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm, suppressing the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface, and making it possible to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop A. The types of diseases that can be suppressed are the same as those in the first embodiment. This apparatus and method have the advantages of not having an adverse effect on the quality and safety of the crop as with drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0045] In addition, with this crop production device 60, while the crop A is being grown, the supports 61 can be installed in the cultivation field and ultraviolet light can be irradiated only when conditions (season, weather, growth stage) are favorable for the attachment or proliferation of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the crop A, making it possible to take effective measures against pathogenic bacteria. Depending on the crop A, this can be expected to not only suppress disease but also improve the sugar content of the crop A.

[0046] [Fourth embodiment] FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment 60 of the present invention. The agricultural produce manufacturing device 70 of the fourth embodiment can be used when the stalks AS are planted on the ground G of the cultivation field and the agricultural produce A, such as melons, is growing on the stalks AS. The agricultural produce manufacturing device 70 has a cart 72 that can run on the ground G of the cultivation field with wheels 74, and one or more robot arms 76 are installed on the cart 72. A cover 78 that can be placed from below on the agricultural produce A growing on the stalks AS is attached to the tip of the robot arm 76. The cover 78 is cylindrical or hemispherical with a bottom having an opening 80, and a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting elements are fixed to the inner surface of the cover 78 facing the inside of the cover 78, generating ultraviolet light toward the center of the cover 78. A control device (not shown) is arranged inside the cart 72 and controls the rotation of the wheels 74, the movement of the robot arm 76, and the irradiation of ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emitting elements. Power supply (Power supply device) A battery is disposed in the carriage 72 or is connected to an external power source. The ultraviolet light emitting element may be similar to the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] To use this crop production device 70, the cart 72 is parked at an appropriate position between the stalks AS, and then the control panel of the control device is operated to move the robot arm 76, cover the target crop A from below with the cover 78, and position the cover 78 so that the crop A is located at the center of the cover 78. Next, all the ultraviolet light emitting elements are made to emit light, and the ultraviolet light irradiation time is set by the timer of the control device, and irradiation of ultraviolet light is started. This allows the ultraviolet light emitting elements to evenly irradiate the entire surface of the crop A with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm, suppressing the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface, and making it possible to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop A. The types of diseases that can be suppressed are the same as those in the first embodiment. This device and method have the advantages of not having an adverse effect on the quality and safety of the crop, unlike drugs, being inexpensive, and having a low risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0048] According to this crop production device 70, crop A to be sterilized against pathogens can be selected, and even if crop A is located at a high position, only crop A can be covered with cover 78 to intensively sterilize pathogens such as filamentous fungi and suppress disease, which is highly effective in increasing the value of crop A. Depending on crop A, it can be expected that not only disease will be suppressed but also the sugar content of crop A will be improved.

[0049] [Fifth embodiment] FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment 90 of the present invention. The crop production device 90 of the fifth embodiment has one or more frames 92 arranged horizontally inside the ceiling of a cultivation house H for the crop A, one or more rails 94 fixed to the underside of the frame 92, and a support 96 arranged so as to be movable between the stems AS along the rail 94 while being hung vertically downward from the rail 94, and a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting elements 98 are fixed to the outer periphery of the support 96, which generate ultraviolet light radially around the support 96. In addition, the lower end of the support 96 is located at a height of a certain distance from the ground G, and an ultraviolet light emitting element 100 is fixed to the lower end of the support 96 for irradiating ultraviolet light to the ground G. A control device (not shown) is arranged inside the frame 92 to control the irradiation of ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light emitting elements 98, 100. Power supply (Power supply device) A battery is disposed within the frame 92, or the frame 92 is connected to an external power source outside the cultivation house H. The ultraviolet light emitting element may be similar to the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0050] To use this crop production apparatus 90, the support 96 is moved manually or by a drive device in the crop production apparatus 90, and the support 96 is fixed at an appropriate position between the stalks AS. Then, the operation panel of the control device is operated to turn on all the ultraviolet light emitting elements, and the ultraviolet light irradiation time is set by the timer of the control device to start irradiating ultraviolet light. This allows the ultraviolet light emitting elements to irradiate the entire surface of the crop A with ultraviolet light having a peak emission wavelength between 300 nm and 400 nm, suppressing the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface, and making it possible to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop A. The types of diseases that can be suppressed are the same as those in the first embodiment. This device and method have the advantages of not having an adverse effect on the quality and safety of the crop, unlike drugs, being inexpensive, and having little risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0051] Furthermore, according to this crop production apparatus 90, the ultraviolet light emitting elements 100 can also sterilize pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the surface layer of the ground G, thereby preventing disease more effectively than by irradiating ultraviolet light only on the crop A. Depending on the crop A, not only can disease be suppressed but also the sugar content of the crop A can be expected to be improved.

[0052] [Sixth embodiment] 12 and 13 show a sixth embodiment 110 of the present invention. This agricultural produce production apparatus 110 of the sixth embodiment is used for storing a large number of agricultural produce A, such as melons, after harvest for a certain period of time, and has a multi-tiered box shape with an open upper end as a whole, and has wall portions 112 forming the long sides and wall portions 114 forming the short sides and partitions. A rectangular parallelepiped space surrounded by walls 112, 114 and a bottom plate portion (not shown) is storage space 115, and agricultural produce A can be stored in each storage space 115 by arranging it in multiple rows horizontally and stacking it vertically.

[0053] Wall 114 has a support 118 inside, and a large number of ultraviolet light emitting elements 120 are fixed facing outward at regular intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions on both sides of support 118, and transparent plates 122 are arranged in parallel on both sides of support 118 to protect ultraviolet light emitting elements 120 and to diffuse ultraviolet light and equalize the amount of light. Transparent plates 122 are formed from a material that transmits ultraviolet light from ultraviolet light emitting elements 120. Wall 112 has a similar structure to wall 114.

[0054] Additionally, within storage space 115, supports 116 are installed extending vertically from the bottom plate so as to pass between the crops A arranged in multiple rows (two rows in this figure), and ultraviolet light emitting elements (not shown) are fixed at regular intervals on the outer periphery of each support 116. The ultraviolet light emitting elements 120 within walls 112 and 114 and the ultraviolet light emitting elements of support 116 are both controlled by a control device (not shown). (also serves as a power supply device) To The ultraviolet light emitting element 120 and the ultraviolet light emitting element of the support 116 are connected to each other. The ultraviolet light emitting element 10 may be similar to that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] To use this agricultural produce manufacturing apparatus 110, the harvested agricultural produce A, such as melons, are aligned and stacked in a multi-tiered manner in the storage space 115. When storage is complete, the control device's operation panel is operated to turn on all the ultraviolet light emitting elements 120 and other elements, and the control device's timer is used to set the ultraviolet light irradiation time to start irradiating ultraviolet light. This allows the ultraviolet light emitting elements 120 and other elements to irradiate ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm evenly over the entire surface of the harvested agricultural produce A, suppressing the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface and making it possible to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the agricultural produce A. The types of diseases that can be suppressed are the same as those in the first embodiment. This apparatus and method have the advantages of not affecting the quality and safety of agricultural produce, unlike drugs, being inexpensive, and having a low risk of developing resistant bacteria.

[0056] In addition, the crop production apparatus 110 can efficiently irradiate ultraviolet rays onto a large number of crops A at once during a certain period after harvest, and depending on the crop A, this can be expected to not only suppress disease but also improve the sugar content of the crop A. EXAMPLES

[0057] Next, the results of an experiment conducted by the inventors on irradiating pathogenic bacteria with ultraviolet light will be described, and the effects of the present invention will be explained in detail. FIG. 14 is a photograph showing the ultraviolet light irradiation device, light emission control device, and computer used in this experiment. The ultraviolet light-emitting diode unit, which was placed facing downward in the ultraviolet light irradiation device at the center, irradiated ultraviolet light onto pathogenic bacteria in a petri dish placed below. The ultraviolet light-emitting diode unit was constantly cooled using a cooling fan and a heat sink. The irradiation distance was adjustable within the range of 0 to 30 cm.

[0058] [1. Wavelength measurement of ultraviolet light emitting elements] First, the frequency characteristics of two commercially available ultraviolet light emitting devices (340 nm, 365 nm) used in this experiment were measured. The ultraviolet light emitting device (365 nm) was manufactured by ams OSRAM, product name LZ1-10UV00-0000, and was a light emitting unit consisting of 10 LEDs, with a peak wavelength of 365 nm, a half width of 12 nm, a rated output of 1.2 W, and a rated voltage of 3.8 V. The ultraviolet light emitting device (340 nm) was manufactured by DOWA Electronics Co., Ltd., product name 340-FL-02-U05-00001, and was a light emitting unit consisting of 8 LEDs, with a peak wavelength of 340 nm, a half width of 9 nm, a rated output of 70 W, and a rated voltage of 4.8 V. As a result of the measurement, as shown in Figure 15, the peak wavelengths were 340 nm and 365 nm as specified. The vertical axis of Figure 15 is light intensity (arbitrary unit), and the horizontal axis is wavelength (nm).

[0059] [2. Measurement of irradiation distance and irradiation intensity] The two types of ultraviolet light emitting devices (340 nm, 365 nm) were set in the device shown in FIG. 14, and the ultraviolet irradiation intensity (mW / cm2) on the irradiation surface was measured using an illuminometer while changing the distance from the emission surface of the ultraviolet light emitting device to the irradiation surface in the range of 1 to 15 cm. 2 ) was measured. The results are shown in Figure 16. The luminous efficiency of the 340 nm ultraviolet light emitting element was significantly lower than that of the 365 nm one.

[0060] [3. UV irradiation experiment on high-concentration colonies of Fusarium oxysporum melon] The filamentous fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.melonis (fusarium oxysporum f.sp.melonis) was cultured on an agar medium (Potato-Dextrose Agar) at 20℃ for 72 hours until the fungus had fully grown. The fungus was then cut into a circle with a diameter of 7 mm, and the circle was placed in the center of a new agar medium (Potato-Dextrose Agar) in a petri dish as a high-density colony. The filamentous fungus was provided by the Microorganism Materials Development Laboratory (JCM) of the RIKEN BioResource Research Center, and its scientific name is Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.melonis (fusarium oxysporum f.sp.melonis), JCM number: 9288.

[0061] The two types of ultraviolet light emitting elements (340 nm, 365 nm) were set in the apparatus shown in FIG. 14, the petri dish was placed on the irradiation table, and the total irradiation dose was set to 0, 150, 300, 450, 600, 750, and 900 (J / cm 2 ) and irradiated the entire surface of a circular strain under the conditions in Table 1. Because the luminous efficiency of the ultraviolet light-emitting element differs depending on the wavelength, the irradiation distance from the ultraviolet light-emitting element to the culture medium was changed to adjust the irradiation intensity to be equal. The total irradiation amount was also adjusted by the irradiation time. The room temperature during irradiation was 23°C, and after 500 minutes of irradiation at 340 nm, the temperature of the culture medium had risen by 5°C, but the effect of temperature is thought to be negligible.

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] After irradiation with ultraviolet light under each condition, the petri dishes were placed in a thermostatic incubator (20°C) and cultured, and photographs of the inside of the petri dishes were taken before irradiation, and after 24, 48, and 72 hours of culture. Figure 17 is a set of photographs showing the results of culturing a colony of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon for 0 to 72 hours after irradiation with ultraviolet light (340 nm) under each condition. Figure 18 is a set of photographs showing the results of culturing a colony of Fusarium oxysporum f. melon for 0 to 72 hours after irradiation with ultraviolet light (365 nm) under each condition. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the sterilization effects of ultraviolet light emitting elements with wavelengths of 340 nm and 365 nm were almost equivalent, with both using a total irradiation dose of 750 J / cm. 2 By carrying out the above irradiation, the filamentous fungi were completely killed.

[0064] [4. Experiments with UV irradiation on trace amounts of Fusarium oxysporum melon] In actual farms, filamentous fungi are carried by the wind in the form of a few strands, attach to crops, and begin to grow. After harvest, filamentous fungi also attach to crops through the wind or contact between crops (if one of the crops already has filamentous fungi attached), and grow. Therefore, in this experiment, a minute amount of filamentous fungi similar to the real thing was irradiated with ultraviolet light.

[0065] The melon Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. was cultured on an agar medium (Potato-Dextrose Agar) at 20°C for 72 hours. After the strain had grown sufficiently, a small amount of the melon Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. was collected from the parent strain with tweezers and placed in the center of the agar medium in 15 new petri dishes. The ultraviolet light emitting element (365 nm) was set in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the petri dish was placed on the irradiation table, and the total irradiation amount was set to 0, 10, 50, 100, and 150 (J / cm 2 ), and the petri dishes were irradiated under the conditions of Table 2. Specifically, a rectangular irradiation stand (not shown) was installed upright inside the device parallel to one of the support plates 4 of the device, and a total of 12 petri dishes were attached to the irradiation stand with double-sided tape so as to face 12 of the 13 ultraviolet light emitting elements 10 fixed to the support plate 4, and ultraviolet irradiation was started. The total ultraviolet light irradiation dose was set to 10, 50, 100, and 150 (J / cm 2At each time point when the cells reached the maximum concentration of irradiated cells, three petri dishes were removed from the irradiation platform and cultured. Three non-irradiated petri dishes were also cultured under the same conditions as controls.

[0066] [Table 2]

[0067] The culture conditions were as follows: the petri dish was placed in a constant temperature incubator (20° C.), and after 0 hour, 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, and 72 hours of culture, the inside of each dish was photographed.

[0068] FIG. 19 is a photograph showing the results of culturing a trace amount of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon for 0 to 72 hours after irradiating it with ultraviolet light (365 nm). Compared to the control, the total irradiation dose of 10 J / cm 2 It was found that there was no sterilization effect against filamentous fungi under the conditions of total irradiation of 50 J / cm 2 The sterilization effect began to appear at 100 J / cm2, but the filamentous fungi were not completely killed. 2 and 150 J / cm 2 The fungus was completely killed.

[0069] [5. UV irradiation experiment on trace amounts of strawberry black spot fungus] Another type of filamentous fungus, the strawberry black spot fungus, was cultured on an agar medium (Potato-Dextrose Agar) at 25°C for 72 hours. After the strain had grown sufficiently, a small amount of the strawberry black spot fungus was collected from the parent strain with tweezers and placed in the center of the agar medium in a new petri dish. The source of the strawberry black spot fungus was the same as that of the melon fusarium wilt fungus. The fungal name (scientific name) of the strawberry black spot fungus is Alternaria alternata, and its JCM number is 5801.

[0070] As in Experiment 4, the ultraviolet light emitting element (365 nm) was set in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 6, 12 petri dishes were placed on the irradiation table, and the total irradiation dose was set to 0, 10, 50, 100, and 150 (J / cm 2), and the petri dishes were irradiated under the same conditions as in Table 2. After irradiation with ultraviolet light under each condition, the petri dishes were placed in a thermostatic incubator (25°C) and cultured, as in Experiment 4, and photographs were taken of the inside of the petri dishes before culture, and after 0 hours of culture, 24 hours of culture, 48 hours of culture, and 72 hours of culture.

[0071] FIG. 20 shows photographs of the results of culturing a trace amount of strawberry black spot fungus for 0 to 72 hours after irradiation with ultraviolet light (365 nm) under each of the above conditions. The results were the same as those for melon fusarium wilt fungus, and the total irradiation dose was 10 J / cm 2 It was found that there was no sterilization effect against filamentous fungi under the conditions of total irradiation of 50 J / cm 2 The sterilization effect began to appear at 100 J / cm2, but the filamentous fungi were not completely killed. 2 and 150 J / cm 2 In addition, by comparing the results with those of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melon, it was confirmed that the sterilization effect of ultraviolet irradiation was highly reproducible.

[0072] [6. Construction of a melon irradiation device and measurement of irradiation intensity distribution] Using the device shown in Figures 1 to 6, we investigated whether it was possible to irradiate melons, which are agricultural crops, with the necessary amount of ultraviolet light. As shown in the figure, there were a total of 44 ultraviolet light emitting elements 10, and the ultraviolet LEDs used were OSV1XME3E1S (peak wavelength: 365 nm, half width: 13 nm, rated output: 200 mW, rated voltage: 4.0 V) manufactured by OptoSupply. A thermocouple was installed on the bottom surface of the housing 2 to enable temperature monitoring.

[0073] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, a total of 32 measurement points were determined with a pitch of 3 cm between each measurement point in a plan view, so that the measurement points were 5.0 cm inward from each UV-LED. The irradiation intensity (mW / cm2) was measured by a UV illuminometer at the 32 measurement points at heights of 5.0 cm, 9.0 cm, 12.0 cm, 15.0 cm, and 18.6 cm from the inner bottom surface of the housing 2. 223 shows the relationship between the height from the inner bottom surface and the ultraviolet irradiation intensity (mW / cm) in the agricultural product producing apparatus of the first embodiment. 2 23. As shown in the graph of FIG. 23, the range of irradiation intensity depending on the height is 4.0 to 7.3 (mW / cm 2 It was expected that the same level of irradiation intensity would be obtained over the entire surface of a melon when irradiating the melon.

[0074] [7. Measurement of color and weight changes of melons using a melon irradiation device] As shown in Figs. We investigated whether harmful changes would occur to melons when they were irradiated with ultraviolet light using the device of the first embodiment. The room temperature was stabilized at an average of 23°C, and the blower fan 12 was constantly rotating at a controlled speed to keep the temperature inside the housing 2 at 27-28°C even when the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 was on.

[0075] Six melons of the same brand, estimated to have the same harvest and shipping dates, and measuring approximately 15 cm in diameter, were prepared. These melons were randomly divided into two groups of three, with the average weight of the first group being approximately 1800 g and the average weight of the second group being approximately 1650 g.

[0076] The first group of melons were not placed in housing 2, but were placed in a location not exposed to UV light, and the temperature during the experiment was kept at room temperature of 23°C (average), for 72 hours. During this time, the melons were taken out every 24 hours and photographed (a total of six times) at 90° angles around the top, bottom and circumference, and weighed on a weighing scale.

[0077] The melons in the second group were placed one by one in the housing 2, and were kept for 72 hours with the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 turned on so that the temperature inside the housing 2 was maintained at 27-28° C. During this time, every 24 hours, they were removed from the housing 2 and photographed (a total of six times) at the top, bottom and every 90° around the circumference, and their weights were measured using a weighing scale. The experiment started at the same time for both the first group of melons, which were not UV-irradiated, and the second group of melons, which were UV-irradiated.

[0078] Figure 24 is a graph showing the change in melon weight. As shown in this graph, the weight of both the second group, which was exposed to ultraviolet light, and the first group, which was not, gradually decreased due to the evaporation of water, and the degree of decrease was almost the same. Therefore, it was confirmed that the weight loss was not accelerated by ultraviolet light.

[0079] Regarding the color of the melons in the second group, which had been irradiated with ultraviolet light, the area closest to the ultraviolet light emitting element 10 turned slightly white after 48 hours, but there was no significant difference from the first group, which had not been irradiated with ultraviolet light. Therefore, it was confirmed that there were no quality problems with the melons that had been irradiated with ultraviolet light.

[0080] [8. Measurement of sugar content change in melon using melon irradiation device] The inventors have found that when melons are irradiated with ultraviolet light, the sugar content near the skin of the melon increases as a secondary effect. According to the results of Experiment 7, it is believed that the increase in sugar content is not due to the effect of water evaporation. For all melons after the end of experiment 7, a cylindrical extracting knife was inserted into the surface of the melon at a total of five points shown in Figure 25(a) and (b), to obtain cylindrical sample pieces (1.2 cm in diameter x approximately 3.8 cm in length) as shown in Figure 26. The flesh near the skin and the flesh near the center were cut out from these sample pieces, and the sugar content was measured using a saccharometer (HI 96801, manufactured by Hanna Instruments Japan Co., Ltd.). The sugar content at each point was calculated as the average sugar content at the same point in each group. The extracting knife was made by cutting the bottom of a 15 mL plastic test tube. Plastic was used to prevent changes in taste (sugar content, etc.) due to oxidation of the metal. After extracting the melon flesh from one point, the inside and outside of the extracting knife were thoroughly washed with distilled water before using it for the next point.

[0081] Figure 27 is a graph showing the sugar content of the flesh near the skin at each position A to E, and Figure 28 is the sugar content of the flesh near the center at each position A to E. As shown in Figure 27, the sugar content of the flesh near the skin increased significantly at all positions A to E in melons that were exposed to UV light. On the other hand, no significant difference was found in the sugar content of the flesh near the center between melons that were exposed to UV light and those that were not. As the melons used in the experiment were from the same producer, harvested in the same area, and sold at the same time, it was expected that UV light exposure would increase the sugar content near the skin of agricultural products. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] According to the crop production device and crop production method of the present invention, the crop is supported and surrounded by a support, and the power supply device supplies power to the ultraviolet light emitting elements fixed to the support, so that the surface of the crop is irradiated with ultraviolet light having an emission wavelength peak between 300 nm and 400 nm. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria such as filamentous fungi on the irradiated surface, and to suppress the occurrence of diseases on the surface of the crop. Therefore, the present invention can be used industrially. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1: Crop production equipment 2: Housing 2B: Lid 2A: Housing body 4: Support plate 5: Slit 6: Support plate 7: Slit 8: Support plate 10: Ultraviolet light emitting element 12: Blower fan 14: Exhaust port 16: Control device 18: Sensor support 20: Temperature sensor 30: Crop production equipment 32: Base 34: Spherical frame 34A~34E: Arm 36: Locking part 38: Locking part 39: Support stand 40: Clasp 42: Post 44: Ultraviolet light emitting element 46: Camera 48: Power supply 50: Control device 52: Solar panel 60: Crop production equipment 61: Support 62: Ultraviolet light emitting element 64: Pedestal 70: Crop manufacturing equipment 72: Cart 74: Wheels 76: Robot arm 78: Cover 80: Opening 90: Crop manufacturing equipment 92: Frame 94: Rail 96: Support 98: Ultraviolet emitting element 100: Ultraviolet light emitting element 110: Agricultural crop manufacturing equipment 112:Wall 114:Wall 115: Storage space 116: Support 118: Support 120: Ultraviolet light emitting element 122: Transparent board A: Crops AS: Stem AT: Vine G: Ground H: Cultivation house

Claims

1. An agricultural production device comprising: an ultraviolet light-emitting element that irradiates ultraviolet light having a peak emission wavelength at 340 nm to 365 nm onto a surface of the agricultural crop where the proliferation of filamentous fungi should be suppressed; a support that supports the ultraviolet light-emitting element; a power supply device that supplies power to the ultraviolet light-emitting element to generate the ultraviolet light so that the average irradiation intensity from the ultraviolet light-emitting element to the surface of the agricultural crop is 6 mW / cm2 or more; and a control device that controls the power supply device so that the average total irradiation amount on the surface of the agricultural crop is 100 J / cm2 or more.

2. The crop production apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the average irradiation intensity is 6 mW / cm 2 or more and 9 mW / cm 2 or less, and the average total irradiation amount is 100 J / cm 2 or more and 120 J / cm 2 or less.

3. 3. The crop producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitting element is an ultraviolet light emitting diode.

4. The agricultural crop manufacturing apparatus described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support has a housing capable of accommodating the agricultural crops, the ultraviolet light-emitting element is supported within the housing facing the surface of the agricultural crops, and the housing is provided with a blower fan for sending outside air into the housing.

5. The agricultural crop manufacturing apparatus described in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support body has a pillar that is arranged within the cultivation area of ​​the agricultural crop, and a plurality of the ultraviolet light-emitting elements are fixed to the pillar at intervals in the vertical direction.

6. A method for producing agricultural crops, comprising: disposing an ultraviolet light-emitting element that irradiates ultraviolet light having a peak emission wavelength at 340 nm to 365 nm onto a surface of the agricultural crop against which the proliferation of filamentous fungi should be inhibited; supplying power to the ultraviolet light-emitting element to generate ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light-emitting element to the surface of the agricultural crop such that the average irradiation intensity from the ultraviolet light-emitting element to the surface of the agricultural crop is 6 mW / cm 2 or more; and controlling the power so that the average total irradiation amount on the surface of the agricultural crop is 100 J / cm 2 or more.

7. The method for producing an agricultural crop according to claim 6, wherein the average irradiation intensity is 6 mW / cm 2 or more and 9 mW / cm 2 or less, and the average total irradiation amount is 100 J / cm 2 or more and 120 J / cm 2 or less.

Images