Abstract

The yields of farm crops are strongly affected by rainfall. Cultivation methods that can alleviate rainfall shortage have been long awaited to ensure stable and sustainable crop production. Porous materials, such as kieselguhr and perlite, were applied during hop cultivation, and their contribution to yield and beer quality was analyzed. An increase of over 20% in yield was confirmed following the application of burnt coarse kieselguhr. This increase was sustained for at least 3 years from the time of burnt coarse kieselguhr application in the first year. Water content around the hop root was maintained at a high level after burnt coarse kieselguhr application. Therefore, it appeared that burnt coarse kieselguhr absorbs water in its porous space during rainfall and releases water to the plants thereafter, including during drought conditions. However, the quality of the hops was not changed following burnt coarse kieselguhr application. Burnt coarse kieselguhr application around the plant root is expected to alleviate the effect of climate change and contribute to the stable and sustainable production of various crops that need a constant water supply.

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