활성탄 혼합비율을 달리하여 육모상토의 이화학성 변화 및 참외묘의 생육에 미치는 효과를 검토하였다. 활성탄의 혼합비율이 많을수록 상토내의 pH는 높아졌으며 육묘기일이 경과될수록 초기에 비해 높아지는 경향으로 활성탄을 20% 혼합한 상토에서의 pH는 5.2~5.8로 참외생육에 적합한 pH가 유지되었다. 무기성분 또한 활성탄의 혼합비율에 의하여 성분에 차이가 있었으며 육모기간이 경과함에 따라 낮아지는 경향으로 Ca는 5.4~6.5cmol+ · kg-1 Mg는 7.6~12.3cmol+ · kg-1, K는 37.8~55.3cmol+ · kg-1이었다. 참외묘의 생육 또한 활성탄의 혼합비율에 의하여 차이를 보였는데, 활성탄을 20% 혼합한 상토의 참외묘는 엽장, 엽폭, 초장, 엽면적에서 생육이 좋았다. 상토에 활성탄을 혼합하는 비율에 따라 용적밀도, 수분보유력, pH, 무기성분 등의 함량에 변화가 있었으며, 생육에도 차이가 있었다.
To investigate the effect of charcoal on the physico-chemical characteristics in the growing media and the growth of oriental melon, six treatment, 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% charcoal, were added into the growing media, Baroker. The value of pH in the charcoal contained growing media (CGM) was recorded higher and further increased by raising the charcoal ratio and by growing period. In 20% CGM, the range of pH was adequate to grow crop as 5.2~5.8. Contents of Ca and K in CGM increased by raising the ratio of charcoal, while contents of Mg and Na decreased. The growth of oriental melon seedlings in 20% and 30% CGM was better than in other treatments, in terms of fresh and dry weight of shoot, plant height, leaf area, lear width and relative growth rate. Both the physico-chemical properties of growing media and the growth of oriental melon seedlings were changed by the addition of charcoal. These results suggest that charcoal can be used as mixing material with other potting media for producing the seedling of good quality.