Abstract
With the purpose of supplying oxygen artificially to the plant which is suffering from poor soil aeration, the author exzamined several kinds of known inorganic peroxides which can release oxygen gradually whenever it comes in contact with excessive water in the soil and which is harmful neither to the plant nor to the soil properties. Among the compounds examined, calcium peroxide, CaO2, was found to be most promising. Therefore, the author carried out the following experiments. (1) Release of oxygen from CaO2 in the water. 1gram of CaO2 and CaO2 mixed with the soil were placed in the water and the amount of gas released from CaO2 was measured for two months(Fig.1). It was proved that CaO2 releases oxygen very slowly even in the water. (2) Effect of CaO2 on the germination and on the growth of rice and barley plants. Under various conditions of seed-bed, i.e., temperature, amonut of CaO2 used, depth of soil where seeds were placed, or the depth of the flooding water over the seed-bed were varied, CaO2was distinctive in promoting the germination and also the growth (Tables 1, 2, and 3).
