PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safe and hardly breakable seedling raising mat for irrigated rice, having an appropriate hardness, capable of being easily used, and having appropriate shape-keeping properties, air-permeability, water absorbability and water retaining properties.SOLUTION: A substance including smoked chaff as a main material to which abaca fiber is added is kneaded with water, and the kneaded substance is dehydrated and molded in a plate-shape to make the smoked chaff seedling raising mat for irrigated rice. A better smoked chaff seedling raising mat for irrigated rice can be obtained by kneading 80-90 wt.% of smoked chaff and 20-10 wt.% of abaca fiber. As smoked chaff is used, the seedling raising mat can be lightweight, can be easily used, and the water absorbability and water retaining properties can be improved. Further, fertilizers can be kept long in the mat, and the mat can be inexpensively obtained. In addition, the mat is harmless while having a soil improving effect and a root-rot preventing effect. On the other hand, as the abaca fiber is used in the mat, the fiber is relatively long and sufficient to carry smoked chaff. The mat has shape-keeping properties, though the mat does not hinder the scraping motion of a rice transplanter.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】適度の固さで、破損しにくく、取り扱いが容易で、適度の保型性と通気性と吸水性と保水性を備えた安全な水稲用の育苗マットを提供する。【解決手段】籾殻燻炭を主材料とし、これにアバカ繊維を加えて水により混練したものを脱水して板状に成形して水稲用籾殻燻炭育苗マットを構成する。籾殻燻炭を80~90重量%、アバカ繊維を20~10重量%の比率で混練すると、より良好な水稲用籾殻燻炭育苗マットが得られる。籾殻燻炭を用いるので、軽量で取り扱いが容易、吸水性と保水性が良好、肥料の持ちがよい、安価に入手できる、土壌改良効果がある、根腐れを生じない、無害である。一方、アバカ繊維を用いるので、繊維が比較的長いので、籾殻燻炭を担持するのに十分で、保形性があるが、田植機による掻き取り動作に支障を来さない。【選択図】 なし
