The effects of administering CaCl_2 or Ca(N0_3)_2 solution with high concentration to the roots of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown hydroponically for 48 hr on the Ca, Cl, and NO_3 contents in the leaves were studied. The Ca content in the outer and inner leaves increased with a rise of Ca concentration in the treatment solution, and a greater part of the Ca content was water-soluble. A high positive correlation was observed between the foliar Ca content and the foliar Cl content in the CaCl_2 treated plants or the foliar NO_3 content in the Ca(NO_3)_2 treated plants. It is considered that Ca(NO_3)_2 was unsuitable in this soaking method because a significant amount of NO3 accumulated in the leaves with the increased Ca. It was found that the Ca content markedly increased without damage or withering if the Ca concentration in the treatment solution was below about 40mM. The Ca content in the leaves treated with 40mM CaCl_2 was 1.92 gkg^<-1> (fresh weight) and was about 2.6 times more than that of the control.

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Effects of sediment in the bottom of outer moat beside Matsue Castle on growth of rap, spinach and sweet corn were investigated. 1. Growth of rap was suppressed by increasing sediment amount. 2. In fertilizing, growth of spinach was not suppressed remarkably by 60 % sediment because salt tolerance of spinach was vigorous. In non-fertilizing, growth of spinach was inhibited by sediment because of shortage of nutrient element. 3. In 100% sediment, sweet corn was entirely withered regardless of fertilizing, because the corn growth was affected by salt in sediment.

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This goal of this study is to develop an automatic discrimination system for stock seedlings. The characteristics (size, shape and color) of seedlings are key indices of property which have been used for eightfold seedling discrimination by human eyes. An automatic eightfold seedling discrimination method based on fuzzy integration theory was developed using the characteristics that were measured by image processing. The differences between eightfold and single seedlings were larger among the characteristics in the complexity degree as well as seedling saturation. These were effective indices for eightfold seedling discrimination. The results showed that it is possible to do eightfold seedling discrimination based on fuzzy integration theory by extracting the features of the area, the complexity degree, and the saturation of the seedlings from the imege. The discrimination accuracy of the eightfold seedling discrimination was 88.4%.

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[in Japanese]

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This report describes drying methods for laver so that it can dry with high quality and efficiency. A far-infrared drying equipment was made with a bar heater. The drying characteristics of laver were tested by this epuipment. The following results were obtained, 1. During laver drying,the wave lengths which are selectively absorbed by the lavers existed in emitted far-infrared rays. 2. The constant drying rate and the falling drying rate periods clearly appeared in the drying characteristics of lavers. The constant drying rate period was an effective period in order to decrease the drying times. 3. The drying of lavers needed an air stream flowing along on the laver surface. The optimum velocity of the air stream was 0.75 m/s, and the drying times were shorter on the laver surface to circulate the air of drying room.

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This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of preservative treatment(PT) on the rooting of softwood cuttings in mume(Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.). PT enhanced survival and rooting rates as compared with the control. There was little difference, however, in the number of roots per rooted cuttings between PT and the control. The water uptake and potential of the cuttings in both treatments decreased linearly after planting. When PT was performed, water uptake and water potential of the cuttings with PT were always higher than those of the control. Based on these results, it was suggested that PT be used for the improvement of the rooting of cuttings.

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Wild grapes native to Japan were evaluated for rootstock materials. When 'Delaware', 'Kyoho' or 'Muscat of Alexandria' graps were grafted on to Vitis coignetiae, V.flexuosa or V.ficifolia var. lobata rootstock, the best survival rate was obtained with V.coignetiae rootstock. The bud-burst date and the shoot elongation of 'Delaware' grape trees that were grafted on to V. coignetiae rootstock were superior to those of own-rooted 'Delaware' grape trees. There was little difference, however, in the flowering dates between the grafted 'Delaware' grape trees and the own-rooted ones.

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