Plant growth management system, plant growth management method, method for measuring phloem translocation rate and program for calculating phloem translocation rate, and plant production method

Abstract

To provide a plant growth management system and a plant growth management method that make it possible to grasp a flow of an organic matter such as photosynthate at an agricultural site.SOLUTION: A plant growth management system is provided with a sieve tube translocation measuring unit that measures a sieve tube translocation rate at an agricultural site. The provision of the sieve tube translocation measuring unit makes it possible to grasp a state of plant growth and to perform management according to the plant growth because of comprising the sieve tube translocation measuring unit for measuring the sieve tube translocation rate at the agricultural site.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant growth management system and a plant growth management method. The present invention also relates to a method for measuring phloem translocation rate and a program for calculating phloem translocation rate. The present invention also relates to a plant production method. [Background technology]

[0002] In the production of crops and fruit trees, attempts are being made to improve productivity by measuring the flow rate of xylem sap, which contains water and inorganic substances that flow inside the plant, and the flow rate of phloem sap, which contains organic substances such as photosynthetic products, and by understanding the growth status of the plant.

[0003] Non-Patent Document 1 presents the heat pulse method, the Granier method, the stem heat balance method, and the trunk heat balance method as methods for measuring the flow rate or flow rate of sap in woody plants. In the heat pulse method, two thermometers (reference probes) are inserted into the trunk of a plant at a fixed distance apart in the direction of trunk extension. A heater is then inserted into the trunk between the two thermometers, and heat is applied intermittently for several seconds. This applied heat is transferred by the sap flowing inside the trunk, and this method is used to measure the flow rate of the plant's sap. The Granier method uses a thermometer without a heater (reference probe) and a thermometer with a heater (heater probe). The two thermometers are inserted and installed at a fixed distance apart in the direction of the trunk. The heater continuously applies heat of about 0.2 W to the trunk. This method uses the fact that the applied heat is transferred by the sap flowing inside the trunk of the plant to measure the flow rate of the plant's sap. The stem heat balance method involves heating a plant trunk with a heater wrapped around it at a known heat output, and measuring the temperature with multiple thermometers installed in the trunk. The sap flow rate is calculated from the heater's heat output and the heat balance equation. The trunk heat balance method uses a heater plate and three reference plates. The heater plate and three reference plates are inserted parallel to each other, and the three reference plates are inserted radially into the trunk from the heater plate. Heat is applied from the heater plate, and the sap flow rate is measured from the amount of heat carried away by the sap flowing between the heater plate and the reference plates.

[0004] Furthermore, as a method for measuring the flow rate of phloem sap, as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, carbon dioxide containing a radioactive positron-emitting nuclide, which is absorbed by a plant, is used to cause photosynthesis. The radioactive material that has been absorbed is then photographed by positron emission tomography, and photosynthetic products are measured. Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 3 discloses a method for incorporating a fluorescent dye as a phloem flow marker to visualize it and observe the process of its movement, as well as a method for incorporating a radioactive or stable isotope of carbon as an indicator substance of the phloem flow and analyzing the organs and tissues that are thought to be the destinations of the phloem flow. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Kazuhiro Nishioka, "Challenges and Prospects for Agricultural Use of Sap Flow Sensors," Instrumentation and Control, August 2013, Vol. 52, pp. 684-689 [Non-patent document 2] Keisuke Kurita et al., “Fruit PET: 3-D imaging of carbon distribution in fruit using OpenPET”, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Volume 954, 21 February 2020, 161843 [Non-patent document 3] Kobayashi Tsuyoshi et al., "Measuring techniques for xylem flow and phloem flow in higher plants and their ecological applications," Journal of the Ecological Society of Japan, 2016, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 439-446 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The method for measuring the sap flow rate or flow rate described in Non-Patent Document 1 does not measure the flow rate of phloem sap. Therefore, when attempting to perform more detailed management of the growth of plants such as crops and fruit trees, this measurement method is not sufficient, and there is a demand for grasping and managing the flow rate of phloem sap. On the other hand, the method of measuring the flow rate of phloem sap described in Non-Patent Document 2 uses radioactive substances, and therefore must be performed in facilities and locations where radioactive substances can be managed. Therefore, this method can only be used for measurements for research purposes and cannot be used in agricultural settings where plants are grown or produced. Furthermore, in the case of a method in which radioactive substances are taken up by plants and photosynthetic products are measured, it is not possible to distinguish between the radioactive substances taken up initially and those taken up subsequently until a certain amount of time has passed until the radioactive substances are excreted from the plants. Therefore, time is required between the first and second measurements, making continuous measurements impossible.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth management system and a plant growth management method that are capable of grasping the flow of organic matter such as photosynthetic products in agricultural fields. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring phloem translocation rate, which allows for easy measurement of phloem translocation rate, and a program for calculating phloem translocation rate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have completed the present invention by providing a phloem translocation measuring unit that measures the phloem translocation rate in agricultural fields. That is, the present invention provides the following plant growth management system, plant growth management method, and plant production method. The present invention also provides the following method for measuring phloem translocation rate and program for calculating phloem translocation rate.

[0009] The plant growth management system of the present invention, which solves the above problems, is characterized by including a phloem translocation measurement unit that measures the phloem translocation rate in agricultural fields. This plant growth management system is equipped with a phloem translocation measurement unit that can measure the phloem translocation rate at agricultural sites, which has the effect of enabling the growth status of plants to be understood at agricultural sites and enabling management that is appropriate for plant growth.

[0010] In addition, the plant growth management system of the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a plant growth management system that is equipped with a phloem translocation measurement unit that measures the phloem translocation speed, and is characterized in that the phloem translocation measurement unit calculates the difference between the xylem flow speed and the flow speed within the stem. This plant growth management system allows for easy measurement of the phloem translocation rate by calculating the difference between the stem flow rate and the xylem flow rate. Furthermore, since measurements can be repeated in a shorter time than with conventional methods that use radioactive substances, continuous measurement of the phloem translocation rate becomes possible, making it easier to determine the best time to perform plant growth management.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the plant growth management system of the present invention, the phloem translocation measurement unit is characterized by comprising a xylem flow measurement unit, and the xylem flow measurement unit is a cold guard ring method. According to the plant growth management system of the present invention, the cooling unit can be left installed on the plant, making it easy to manage the device after installation and allowing measurements of xylem flow velocity to be performed over a long period of time.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the plant growth management system of the present invention, the phloem translocation measurement unit is characterized by comprising a xylem flow measurement unit, and the xylem flow measurement unit is an assimilation chamber method. The plant growth management system of the present invention employs the assimilation chamber method, which uses a box and a water vapor measuring unit, and therefore has the advantage of simplifying the structure of the device compared to the cold guard ring method. It also has the advantage of being able to continuously calculate the phloem translocation rate.

[0013] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the plant growth management system of the present invention, the plants are edible. The plant growth management system of the present invention does not use radioactive isotopes and can therefore be suitably used for edible plants, thereby enabling the growth management of edible plants and effectively maximizing the growth and sugar content of edible plants.

[0014] The plant growth management method of the present invention for solving the above problems is characterized by including a phloem flow velocity measurement step for measuring the phloem translocation velocity at an agricultural site. According to the plant growth management method of the present invention, by including a phloem flow velocity measurement step that can measure the phloem translocation velocity in agricultural fields, it is possible to grasp the growth status of plants and manage them in a way that is appropriate for their growth.

[0015] The method for measuring phloem translocation velocity of the present invention, which solves the above problem, is characterized by calculating the difference between the flow velocity in the stem and the flow velocity in the xylem. According to the method for measuring the phloem translocation rate of the present invention, the phloem translocation rate can be easily measured by calculating the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate. This makes it possible to grasp the phloem translocation rate and the growth status of the plant.

[0016] The program for calculating the phloem translocation velocity to solve the above problem is characterized by calculating the difference between the flow velocity in the stem and the flow velocity in the xylem. According to the program for calculating the phloem translocation rate of the present invention, the phloem translocation rate can be easily measured by calculating the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate. This allows the phloem translocation rate to be grasped, and the growth status of the plant to be understood.

[0017] A plant production method for solving the above problems is characterized by using the plant growth management system of the present invention. According to the plant production method of the present invention, the growth status of plants can be grasped in agricultural fields and appropriate management for plant growth can be carried out, thereby achieving the effect of obtaining plants in appropriate growth status. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plant growth management system and a plant growth management method that are capable of grasping the flow of organic matter such as photosynthetic products in an agricultural field. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for measuring phloem translocation rate, which allows for easy measurement of phloem translocation rate, and a program for calculating phloem translocation rate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a cross section of a stem portion of a plant according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a plant growth management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view of A in the plant growth management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, and is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the flow of phloem and xylem before and after cooling in the cooling section. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the flow of operations of the plant growth management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a plant growth management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view of B in the plant growth management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, and is a schematic explanatory view showing the measurement state of the xylem flow measurement unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of operations of a plant growth management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] [Plant growth management system] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a plant growth management system according to the present invention will be described in detail. The plant growth management system of the present invention is characterized by including a phloem translocation measurement unit that measures the phloem translocation rate, and this phloem translocation measurement unit can measure the phloem translocation rate in agricultural fields. Furthermore, the plant growth management system of the present invention also includes a phloem translocation measurement unit that calculates the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate, allowing for easy management of plant growth. The plant growth management system described in the embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. Furthermore, the description of the plant growth management method of the present invention is to be replaced with a description of the operation of the plant growth management system. In this specification, agricultural sites refer to places or facilities other than research sites where plants are cultivated, such as rice paddies, fields, farms, and greenhouses, for commercial distribution or as ornamental plants.

[0021] (plant) As shown in Figure 1, a vascular bundle 14 having phloem 16 and xylem 15 is formed inside the stem 10 of the plant 1. The liquids that flow inside the stem 10 of the plant 1 include xylem sap and phloem sap. Xylem sap is the liquid inside the xylem 15 through which water and inorganic nutrients flow, and phloem sap is the liquid inside the phloem 16 through which organic matter such as photosynthetic products produced in the leaves 12 flows. In this specification, the flow velocity or volume of liquid flowing inside the stem 10 is referred to as the "flow velocity within the stem." Note that the flow velocity within the stem may be the flow velocity or volume of liquid flowing inside a part having vascular bundles 14, and is not limited to the flow of liquid inside the stem. For example, it may be the flow velocity or volume of liquid flowing inside the roots or leaves. Furthermore, phloem translocation means that phloem sap flows inside the phloem 16, and xylem flow means that xylem sap flows inside the xylem 15. The difference between the flow velocity within the stem and the flow velocity or flow rate of the xylem sap flowing through the xylem (hereinafter referred to as "xylem flow velocity") is defined as the flow velocity or flow rate of the phloem sap (hereinafter referred to as "phloem translocation velocity").

[0022] Plant 1 is a plant having a vascular bundle 14 with phloem 16 and vessels 15, and examples thereof include ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Plant 1 may be either a herbaceous plant or a woody plant, and examples thereof include agricultural crops consisting of herbaceous plants such as strawberries, melons, watermelons, tomatoes, eggplants, okra, pumpkins, rice, and wheat, agricultural crops consisting of woody plants such as persimmons, peaches, apples, grapes, loquats, oranges, and mandarin oranges, and ornamental plants consisting of herbaceous plants such as carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, and moth orchids.

[0023] The plant 1 is preferably an agricultural crop, and more preferably an edible crop. Since it is known that there is a positive correlation between the flow rate of phloem translocation and the amount of fat and sugar content of the fruit 13, measuring the phloem translocation rate can determine the growth status of the plant, which can be used to improve the growth and sugar content of edible crops. In other words, the plant growth management system 100 has the effect of efficiently maximizing the growth and sugar content of edible plants by observing the growth status and applying fertilizer and water at the optimal time because the crop is an edible crop. Furthermore, when the present invention is applied to edible plants, it is advantageous in that the plant 1 does not take in any radioactive substances, unlike conventional methods in which radioactive carbon substances are taken up by plants and the flow rate of phloem translocation is measured.

[0024] [First embodiment] A plant growth management system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 2. The plant growth management system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a phloem translocation measurement unit 2, and is capable of measuring the flow rate of phloem translocation passing through the phloem of the plant 1.

[0025] <Phleum translocation measurement section> The phloem translocation measurement unit 2 has an intra-stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 that measures the flow velocity within the stem of the plant 1, and a xylem flow measurement unit 22 that measures the xylem flow velocity within the plant 1, and has a management terminal 23 that calculates the phloem translocation velocity by subtracting the xylem flow velocity from the intra-stem flow velocity.

[0026] (Stem flow velocity measurement part) The stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that can measure or calculate the flow velocity in the stem of the plant 1, and a known sap flow sensor 221 can be used. Measurement principles of the sap flow sensor 221 include the heat pulse method, the Granier method, the stem heat balance method, and the trunk heat balance method.

[0027] For example, in the heat pulse method, a needle-shaped heater probe and a reference temperature sensor probe are inserted into the stem, and the heater probe is heated for 1 to 3 seconds.Then, temperature sensor probes inserted a few centimeters above and below the heater probe measure the heat propagation characteristics, and the flow velocity within the stem can be measured.

[0028] The Granier method measures the flow velocity in the stem by utilizing the fact that the temperature difference between the heater probe and a reference probe placed below is a constant function of the flow velocity in the stem.

[0029] The stem heat balance method uses a sap flow sensor that allows for non-destructive measurements, heats the stem with a known amount of heat from a thin-film heater wrapped around the stem, and calculates the flow velocity within the stem from the heat balance equation that holds at the sensor installation location.The stem heat balance method can be applied to relatively thin branches and stems, making it a method suitable for herbaceous plants.

[0030] The trunk heat balance method uses a heater plate and three reference plates. The three reference plates are inserted and placed radially into the trunk relative to the heater plate, and the flow rate within the stem is measured from the amount of heat carried away by the liquid within the stem that flows between the heater plate and the reference plates.

[0031] In the heat pulse method, Granier method, stem heat balance method, and trunk heat balance method, a thermocouple can be used as the thermometer, but a thermographic camera can also be used instead of the thermometer. When a thermographic camera is used, the thermometer can be easily installed without coming into contact with the plant 1, which has the advantage of making measurements easier.

[0032] (First vessel flow measurement section) The xylem flow measurement unit 22 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that can measure or calculate xylem flow velocity. For example, it can be a method using a sap flow sensor and a cold guard ring (hereinafter referred to as the "cold guard ring method") or a method using an assimilation chamber to measure the amount of water vapor transpiration from fruit (hereinafter referred to as the "assimilation chamber method"). The plant growth management system 100 of the first embodiment is equipped with a xylem flow measurement unit 22 that uses the cold guard ring method.

[0033] The cold guard ring method, as shown in FIG. 2, uses a sap flow sensor 221 and a cooling unit 222 to calculate the vessel flow velocity. For example, a sap flow sensor 221 is installed on the stalk of a strawberry fruit 13, and a cooling unit 222 (cold guard ring) is installed on the stalk on the side of the main stem 11. The cooling unit 222 is installed by wrapping around the stem 10 of the plant 1 so as to cover the entire circumference of the stem 10, and has the function of cooling the stem 10. According to the cold guard ring method, the cooling section 222 can be left installed on the plant 1, making it easy to maintain the device after installation and allowing measurements of xylem flow velocity to be performed over a long period of time.

[0034] The cooling unit 222 may be used in any manner as long as it can uniformly cool the stem 10 of the plant 1 from the outside. For example, the cooling unit 222 may be a device that spirally wraps a tube around the entire circumference of the stem 10 and circulates a cooling liquid inside the wrapped tube. The cooling conditions of the cooling unit 222 may be controlled by the management terminal 23, which will be described later.

[0035] Because phloem is composed of living cells, cooling inhibits or stops phloem translocation. On the other hand, because xylem is composed of dead cells, xylem flow does not stop even when cooled. The cold guard ring method utilizes this phenomenon to calculate xylem flow. In other words, in the cold guard ring method, phloem translocation is inhibited or stopped by cooling the stem 10 with the cooling unit 222, and when the flow velocity within the stem is measured with the sap flow sensor 221 in this state, the flow velocity within the stem can be considered as the xylem flow velocity. In the course of their research into imaging phloem translocation by introducing carbon dioxide containing a radioactive isotope into plant 1, the inventors discovered that phloem translocation can be reversibly stopped or inhibited by the cold guard ring method, and learned that the liquid flowing inside stem 10 measured by sap flow sensor 221 in this state is a xylem flow velocity that does not include the phloem translocation velocity (see Figure 3). This led to the idea of ​​the present invention that the phloem translocation velocity can be calculated by utilizing the measurement results of this xylem flow velocity.

[0036] (First management terminal) The management terminal 23 is an information processing terminal equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, storage devices such as a hard disk, a display device, an input device, communication means for communicating with other information terminals, etc., and as shown in Figure 2, it controls the stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 and the xylem flow measurement unit 22 and calculates the phloem translocation velocity from the data measured by the stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 and the xylem flow measurement unit 22.

[0037] The control of the stem flow velocity measuring unit 21 involves controlling the heating temperature and heating time of the heater of the sap flow sensor 221, and measuring the stem flow velocity using the sap flow sensor 221. The data on the stem flow velocity measured by the sap flow sensor 221 is sent to the management terminal 23 and stored in a storage device.

[0038] The control of the xylem flow measurement unit 22 includes control of the heater of the sap flow sensor 221, as well as the cooling temperature and cooling time of the cooling unit 222. By measuring the flow velocity within the stem with the sap flow sensor 221 while the stem 10 is cooled by the cooling unit 222, this flow velocity within the stem can be obtained as xylem flow velocity data. The obtained xylem flow velocity data is sent to the management terminal 23 and stored in a storage device.

[0039] A program for calculating the phloem translocation rate is stored in the memory device of the management terminal 23. The program for calculating the phloem translocation rate is a program that uses the data on flow velocity within the stem and the data on flow velocity in the xylem stored in the memory device to calculate the phloem translocation rate according to the following formula (1). Phloem translocation velocity = stem flow velocity - vessel flow velocity Equation (1)

[0040] In addition, the stem flow velocity measured by the stem flow velocity measuring unit 21, the xylem flow velocity measured by the xylem flow measuring unit 22, and the phloem diversion velocity calculated by the phloem diversion velocity calculation program may be stored in a memory unit as measurement data, and the measurement data may be displayed on a display unit or transmitted to another information terminal using a communication means. Furthermore, the communication means between the stem flow velocity measuring unit 21 and the vessel flow measuring unit 22 and the management terminal 23, and the communication means between the management terminal 23 and other information terminals may be wired or wireless.

[0041] The phloem translocation calculation program of the present invention may be executed on a device installed at an agricultural site, on an administrator's PC, or on a cloud server.

[0042] <About the operation of the plant growth management system> Next, the operation of the plant growth management system 100 will be described with reference to Figure 4. The management terminal 23 executes a stem flow velocity measurement step of measuring the flow velocity within the stem using the sap flow sensor 221 before cooling by the cooling unit 222, a xylem flow velocity measurement step of measuring the flow velocity within the stem using the sap flow sensor 221 after cooling by the cooling unit 222, and a phloem flow velocity measurement step of calculating the difference between the flow velocity within the stem and the xylem flow velocity.

[0043] In the step of measuring the flow velocity within the stem, the heating by the heater of the sap flow sensor 221 is intermittently controlled by the management terminal 23, and the measurement information of the thermometer of the sap flow sensor 221 is acquired by the management terminal 23, and the necessary calculation processing is performed to determine the flow velocity within the stem. The flow velocity within the stem is also stored in the management terminal 23.

[0044] In the xylem flow velocity measurement step, the cooling unit 222 and the heater of the sap flow sensor 221 are controlled by the management terminal 23, and the measurement information of the thermometer of the sap flow sensor 221 while the stem 10 is cooled is acquired by the management terminal 23, and the necessary calculations are performed to determine the xylem flow velocity. The xylem flow velocity is also stored in the management terminal 23.

[0045] In the phloem flow velocity measurement step, the phloem translocation velocity calculation program calculates the difference between the flow velocity in the stem and the xylem flow velocity, thereby calculating the phloem translocation velocity. Through the above steps, the phloem translocation rate of plant 1 can be calculated.

[0046] After the xylem flow velocity measurement step, cooling by the cooling unit 222 is stopped. After the cooling unit 222 is stopped, a waiting step may be provided in which phloem translocation in the stem 10 is waited for to recover from the suppressed or stopped state to normal phloem translocation at room temperature. By including the waiting step, it is possible to prevent any influence on the measurement of the flow velocity within the stem when the flow velocity within the stem measurement step is next performed.

[0047] After the above-mentioned waiting step, the phloem translocation rate of the plant 1 can be continuously measured by repeating the series of steps of measuring the flow rate in the stem, measuring the xylem flow rate, measuring the phloem flow rate, and waiting. This series of steps allows the phloem translocation rate to be measured repeatedly in a shorter time than conventional measurement methods using radioactive carbon substances, making it possible to constantly observe the growth status of the plant 1. In other words, it is possible to provide a plant growth management system 100 that can continuously measure the growth process of the plant 1 and is useful for managing the amount of fertilization, the amount of water supply, the amount of light irradiation, etc.

[0048] In an embodiment of the present invention, an example is shown in which the management terminal 23 controls the stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 and the xylem flow measurement unit 22, and calculates the phloem translocation rate using a phloem translocation rate calculation program, but the management terminal that controls the stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 and the xylem flow measurement unit 22 and the management terminal that calculates the phloem translocation rate using a phloem translocation rate calculation program may be separate. In addition, the management terminal 23 may determine the growth status of the plant based on the phloem translocation speed, flow speed within the stem, and flow speed in the xylem, and may manage the environment of the plant growth facility, such as the amount of fertilization, amount of water supply, and amount of light irradiation, based on that determination.

[0049] [Second embodiment] A plant growth management system 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. The plant growth management system 200 according to the second embodiment differs from the plant growth management system 100 according to the first embodiment in the xylem flow measurement unit 32 of the phloem translocation measurement unit 2 and the management terminal 33. In the plant growth management system 200 according to the second embodiment, the same components as those in the plant growth management system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0050] (Second vessel flow measurement section) As shown in Fig. 5, the plant growth management system 200 of the second embodiment includes a xylem flow measurement unit 32 using an assimilation chamber method. The xylem flow measurement unit 32 has a box 321 that covers the leaves 12 or fruits 13 of the plant 1, and a water vapor measurement unit 322 that measures the state of the gas inside the box 321. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 6, the water vapor measurement unit 322 measures the concentration of water vapor 17 inside the box 321. There are no particular limitations on the means as long as the water vapor measurement unit 322 can measure and analyze the state of the gas inside the box 321 before and after the start of measurement, and can measure the amount of water transpiration from the plant 1 from the change.

[0051] In a second embodiment, in the phloem translocation measurement unit of the present invention, when calculating the phloem translocation rate from the difference between the flow rate within the stem and the xylem flow rate, the amount of water evaporated from the leaves or fruits of the plant is focused on and used as an indicator of the xylem flow rate. Furthermore, the xylem flow measurement unit 32 using the box 321 and the water vapor measurement unit 322 has the advantage of simplifying the structure of the device compared to the xylem flow measurement unit 22 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to the cold guard ring method of the first embodiment, when continuously measuring the phloem translocation rate, repeated cooling and recovery to room temperature is required, but according to the assimilation chamber method of the second embodiment, the phloem translocation rate can be calculated continuously.

[0052] (Second management terminal) The management terminal 33 is the same as the management terminal 23 of the first embodiment in that it controls the stem flow velocity measurement unit 21 and the program for calculating the phloem translocation velocity. Specifically, the management terminal 33 receives measurement information measured by the water vapor measurement unit 322 of the xylem flow measurement unit 32, calculates the amount of water transpiration from the plant, and converts it into xylem flow velocity.

[0053] <About the operation of the plant growth management system> Next, the operation of the plant growth management system 200 at an agricultural site will be described with reference to Figure 7. The management terminal 33 executes a stem flow velocity measurement step of measuring the flow velocity within the stem using the sap flow sensor 221, a xylem flow velocity measurement step of measuring the amount of water transpiration using the water vapor measurement unit 322, and a phloem flow velocity measurement step of calculating the difference between the stem flow velocity and the xylem flow velocity. Here, the step of measuring the flow velocity in the stem and the step of measuring the flow velocity in the phloem are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0054] In the vessel flow velocity measurement step, data on the water vapor concentration inside the box 321 measured by the water vapor measurement unit 322 is sent to the management terminal 33, and the necessary calculation processing is performed to determine the vessel flow velocity. The vessel flow velocity is also stored in the management terminal 33.

[0055] [Method for measuring phloem translocation rate] The method for measuring the phloem translocation rate of the present invention is characterized by calculating the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the flow rate in the xylem. In the above embodiment, the phloem translocation rate calculation program stored in the management terminal calculates the phloem translocation rate. Alternatively, the phloem translocation rate measurement method of the present invention may be calculated by an operator from the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate. The phloem translocation rate measurement method of the present invention may be used not only in agricultural fields but also in research sites such as agricultural experiment stations. By using the phloem translocation rate measurement method of the present invention, the phloem translocation rate can be easily measured by calculating the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate. Furthermore, understanding the phloem translocation rate has the effect of enabling understanding of the plant's growth status.

[0056] [Program for calculating phloem translocation rate] The program for calculating the phloem translocation velocity of the present invention is characterized by calculating the difference between the flow velocity in the stem and the flow velocity in the xylem. In the above embodiment, the phloem translocation rate calculation program is stored in a management terminal, and the phloem translocation rate is calculated under control of the management terminal. Alternatively, the phloem translocation rate calculation program of the present invention may be distributed to the market in a state stored in a storage medium. Furthermore, the stem flow rate and xylem flow rate may be transmitted to an external information terminal (external server) via a communication line (Internet), and the phloem translocation rate calculation program stored in the external information terminal may calculate the phloem translocation rate. The phloem translocation rate calculation program of the present invention may be used not only in agricultural fields but also in research sites such as agricultural experiment stations. By using the phloem translocation rate calculation program of the present invention, the phloem translocation rate can be easily measured by calculating the difference between the stem flow rate and the xylem flow rate. Furthermore, understanding the phloem translocation rate has the effect of enabling understanding of the plant growth status.

[0057] [Plant production method] The plant production method of the present invention is characterized by using the plant growth management system of the present invention. By using the cultivation management system of the present invention, it is possible to observe the state of plant growth and, by applying fertilizer and watering at the optimal time, it is possible to efficiently increase the size of edible plants and maximize their sugar content, as well as increase the size of flowers on ornamental plants. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] The plant growth management system for agricultural fields, the plant growth management method for agricultural fields, the method for measuring phloem translocation rate, and the program for calculating phloem translocation rate of the present invention are used to understand the growth state of a plant based on the phloem translocation rate of the plant. For example, they can be used to manage plant growth conditions in agricultural fields or to manage test cultivation of plants in agricultural experiment stations. The present invention is also used in a method for producing plants. Examples of plants include agricultural crops such as vegetables and fruits, and ornamental plants such as carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, and Phalaenopsis orchids. The method is particularly suitable for use with edible crops, where it is used to manage the timing of fertilization and watering, and to maximize the size and sugar content of the crops. It can also be used to determine the harvest time of the crops. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 100,200 Plant growth management system, 1 plant, 10 stem, 11 main stem, 12 leaf, 13 fruit, 14 vascular bundle, 15 vessel, 16 phloem, 17 water vapor, 2 phloem translocation measurement unit, 21 flow velocity measurement unit within stem, 22 vessel flow measurement unit, 23 management terminal, 221 sap flow sensor, 222 cooling unit, 32 vessel flow measurement unit, 33 management terminal, 321 box, 322 water vapor measurement unit

Claims

1. A plant growth management system including a phloem translocation measurement unit that measures a phloem translocation rate, A plant growth management system characterized in that the phloem translocation measurement unit calculates the difference between the flow velocity in the stem and the xylem flow velocity.

2. The phloem relocation measurement unit includes a xylem flow measurement unit, and the xylem flow measurement unit is a cold guard ring method; The plant growth management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the phloem translocation measurement unit calculates the difference between the xylem flow velocity and the flow velocity within the stem using the xylem flow velocity measured or calculated by the xylem flow measurement unit.

3. The phloem translocation measurement unit includes a xylem flow measurement unit, and the xylem flow measurement unit is an assimilation chamber method; The plant growth management system described in claim 1, characterized in that the phloem translocation measurement unit calculates the difference between the xylem flow velocity and the flow velocity within the stem using the xylem flow velocity measured or calculated by the xylem flow measurement unit.

4. 4. The plant growth management system according to claim 1, wherein the plants are edible.

5. A phloem flow velocity measuring step for measuring a phloem translocation velocity at an agricultural site, A plant cultivation management method, characterized in that in the phloem flow velocity measurement step, the difference between the phloem flow velocity and the xylem flow velocity is calculated from the flow velocity in the stem.

6. A method for measuring phloem translocation speed, characterized by calculating the difference between the flow speed in the stem and the flow speed in the xylem.

7. A phloem translocation rate calculation program for causing an information processing terminal to function as a phloem translocation measurement unit provided in the plant growth management system described in claim 1, the phloem translocation rate calculation program causing the information processing terminal to calculate the difference between the flow rate in the stem and the xylem flow rate.

8. A method for producing plants, comprising using the plant growth management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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