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Current Status of Human Issues in Horticulture in Korea

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Current Status of Human Issues in Horticulture in Korea Fig. 2. Percentage Current Status of of mea- sured ears Human Issues in (80 ears ±SE) that Horticulture in were 14 to 21 cm (5.5 Korea to 8.3 inches) long for Hye Ran Kwack1 and each 2 cultivar Paula Diane Relf grown at the 6-inch (15-cm) in- ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. alternative row spacing treatments, graduate program, in 2000. horticultural therapy courses, men- Length tally handicapped, research societies, measure- research papers, mental illness, ments were sorted into 1-cm (0.4- irrigation in southern Alberta. Can. J. Plant interdisciplinary studies, clinical inch) increments to evaluate percent Sci. 52:881–886. implementation size distribution of marketable ears. Statistically significance differences Garrison, S. (ed.). 2002. Commercial veg- SUMMARY. As the level of urbanization in the percentages among cultivars at etable production recommendations for has increased, many people in Korea various ear lengths are indicated at P New Jersey. Rutgers Coop. Ext. Publ. have begun to recognize the beneficial < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.01 (**) above E001R. effects of plants in our immediate ear length classes. Hanna, H.Y. and R.N. Story. 1992. Yield surroundings and involvement in of super sweet corn as affected by N appli- horticultural activities. Today, an 7 inches for ‘Temptation’ and ‘Sweet cation timing, plant density, tiller removal increasing number of Koreans attempt Symphony’, these studies suggest an and insecticides. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. to improve the quality of life and optimal in-row spacing of 8 inches. At 105:343–344. enhance educational effectiveness this spacing, these two cultivars pro- through horticultural activities. vided a minimum 7-inch ear for 2 of Mack, H.J. 1978. Within row spacing af- Kindergarten, elementary, middle, fects sweet corn. Ore. Veg. Dig. 27(2):1– and high schools have initiated the 3 years. The improvement in aver- 2. age ear length did not justify in-row garden-based programs. Some Morris, T., G. Hamilton, and S. Harney. universities include courses focusing spacing beyond 8 inches or a target on horticulture applications to human plant population of 26,000 plants/ 2000. Optimum plant population for fresh market sweet corn in the Northeastern well-being in their regular graduate acre, if high marketable yields were programs or in their social education also desired. United States. HortTechnology 10:331– 336. curricula. A few general hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and rehabilita- Orzolek, M.D., P.A. Ferretti, W.J. Lamont, tion centers have begun applying Literature cited K. Demchak, A.A. MacNab, J.M. horticulture as a means of treatment. Andrew, R.H. 1967. Population and spac- Halbrendt, S.J. Fleischer, L.L. LaBorde, Most of the research articles in Korea ing studies with sweet corn for canning. and W. Hoffman. 2001. Pennsylvania com- on various aspects of human issues in Univ. Wis. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 28. mercial vegetable production recommen- horticulture have been published since dations. Pa. State Coop. Ext. Publ. AGRS– the foundation of two academic Bailey, R.M. 1941. Effect of plant spacing 28. societies, the Korean Horticultural in yield, ear size and other characteristics of Therapy Association and the Korean sweet corn. Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. Reiners, S., C. Petzholdt, and M.P. Society for Plants, People, and 38:546–553. Hoffmann. 2002. Cornell integrated crop Environment. These articles are and pest management guidelines for com- Carlone, M.R. and W.A. Russell. 1987. primarily focused on the areas of mercial vegetable production. Cornell school gardening, healing gardens, Response to plant densities and nitrogen Coop. Ext. Publ. 142 MV. levels for four maize cultivars from different and psychological or physiological eras of breeding. Crop Sci. 27:465–470. Vittum, M.T., N.H. Peck, and A.F. effects of horticultural activities. For Carruth. 1959. Response of sweet corn to the future development of human Dolan, D.D. and E.P. Christopher. 1952. irrigation, fertility level and spacing. N.Y. issues in horticulture in Korea, several Plant spacing of sweet corn. Univ. R.I. Agr. State Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 786. areas need to be enhanced including: Expt. Sta. Bul. 316. Contrib. 799. interdisciplinary studies of horticul- White, J.M. 1984. Effect of plant spacing ture and social education; develop- Enzie, W.D. 1942. The relation of spacing and planting date on sweet corn grown on ment of different skills, techniques, to yield and to plant and ear development of muck soil in the spring. Proc. Fla. State some yellow sweet corn hybrids in New Hort. Soc. 97:164–163. 1Postdoctoral, Department of Horticulture, Virginia York. N.Y. State Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 700. Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Wolfe, D.W., F. Azanza, and J.A. Juvik. VA 24061-0327. Freyman, S., M. Kaldy, G.C. Kozub, S. 1997. Sweet corn, p. 461–478. In: H.C. 2 Dubetz, and W.T. Andrew. 1972. Spacing Professor, Department of Horticulture, Virginia Poly- Wien (ed.). The physiology of vegetable technic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA and fertilizer studies on sweet corn under crops. CAB Intl., Wallingford, U.K. 24061-0327. G July–September 2002 12(3) 415 RESEARCH REPORTS and scales to validate the effects of two academic societies has organized related to plants and include outdoor horticultural therapy, healing gardens, interested individuals, provided work- gardening activities and excursions, and gardening as a teaching tool in shops and symposia to increase aware- games using horticultural crops, crafts public education; and an organization ness and education, and resulted in and flower decoration, and cooking empowered to certify horticultural valuable publications. The Korean and art composed of sketching, writ- therapists. Horticultural Therapy Association ing, and preparation of picture books (KHTA), founded at Kunkook Uni- for their children. Traditional Korean versity in 1997, has held three sympo- activities such as Kimchee making or n Korea, as in the U.S., hor- sia and six workshops. The Korean nail-dying with balsam flowers (Impa- ticulture traditionally is re- Society for Plants, People, and the tiens balsaminae) were specifically in- I garded as simply a part of agricul- Environment (KSPPE), founded in cluded in the programs and teachers ture. That is, the primary concept of 1998 has held three symposia (Sim, stated they provided the most unique horticulture has been to “produce 2000a). and interesting characteristics of these something for living” (Kwack, 1984). programs (Choi and Son, 1999). However, as urbanization removes Applications of human According to studies by Choi and people from easy access to nature and issues in horticulture Son (2000), conducting play garden the daily experience of nurturing plants, The increased awareness of the programs decreased the degree of with- the significance of horticulture in hu- importance of horticulture to human drawal, somatic complaints, and anx- man therapy and well-being has be- life has led to the development of iousness and depression measured by come more important. Recognition of numerous programs in Korea. Schools the KCBL (Korean version–children this is beginning to be emphasized by use plants as a tool for educating stu- behavior checklist) (Table 1). In addi- Korean horticultural scientists, and at- dents. Institutions such as hospitals, tion, vocabulary changes indicated sig- tempts have been made to study and rehabilitation centers, and correctional nificant increases in terms in the areas apply human issues in horticulture facilities are also incorporating horti- life (human, mind, spirit, body, etc.), within their research. Health care and culture into their treatment programs. plants [lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), other professionals in Korea are begin- Directly linked to this, an increasing pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens ning to recognize the healing effects of number of universities offer courses variegata), cosmos (Cosmos plants based on research and demon- and degrees in the study of horticul- bipinnatus), rosemary (Rosmarinus stration programs conducted to iden- ture for health or therapy. officinalis), etc.], and use of plants tify the healing effects of horticultural SCHOOL GARDEN-BASED PRO- (cooking, herb tea, sneaker garden, therapy. Several studies have been con- GRAMS. School gardens in Korea are pot-pourri, etc.) (Fig. 1). ducted to establish the effectiveness of primarily designed as an educational Although some research (Choi plants in bringing about positive re- tool for students utilizing the environ- and Son, 1999; Kweon et al., 2000; sponses in various populations, using ment around school buildings. Horti- Lee and Kim, 1999) dealing with na- statistical analysis to evaluate changes cultural activities at educational facili- ture-focused learning programs in kin- in behavior and various physical and ties are also intended to promote stu- dergarten has reported the importance physiological components of stress. dent emotional development, increase of horticulture at this educational level, History student cooperation, and provide a most kindergartens in Korea use sports, desirable atmosphere for their studies language, and mathematics rather than Over the past 20 years, several (Kim, 1998). horticulture as the central theme. To significant events have facilitated the Kindergarten. Kindergartens at- increase the use of horticulture will growth of horticultural therapy in tempt to provide an environment con- require outdoor spaces, gardening fa- Korea. In 1984, Horticultural therapy ductive to the growth and develop- cilities, and a legal basis for the provi- was introduced as a new field of horti- ment of preschool children (age 5 to 7 sions of nature-focused learning pro- culture in Korea through publications years) and to achieve educational goals grams in kindergarten. by B.H. Kwack, Korea University, for successful democratic citizens. Elementary, middle, and high Seoul (Kwack, 1984). In 1993, Korea Moon-kyung kindergarten in An-Yang schools. Most elementary, middle and University offered the course “Socio- has recently become a horticultural high schools are centralized in large horticultural Implementation” to kindergarten adopting play garden cities with high populations.
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