Studies on Sustainable Agriculture and on Genetic Resources

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11695069
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 生物資源科学
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University
• Principal Investigator: OKUDA Seiichi Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (90091941)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MAEDA Tadanobu Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Associate Professor, 農学部, 助教授 (20008022) ; MATSUZAWA Yasuo Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (00008004) ; INAIZUMI Mitsumaru Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (60007987) ; FUKUI Ryo Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Associate Professor, 農学部, 助教授 (10323320) ; SUGAHARA Kunio Utsunomiya University, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (50091947)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2001
• Keywords: sustainable agriculture / genetic resources / hybrid rice / integrated pest management / 病害虫総合防除

Research Abstract

1. Environmental protection and sustainable agriculture : Current methods of controlling soilbome diseases using beneficial soil microorganisms in China were investigated to develop a new technology for pest control. Also studied in this context were survey of indigenous insect species in China and their ecological trails in relation to those in Japan. Besides, the poultry farm raising Shaoxing duck, the most common species for egg production, was visited to study their feeding system and management for the conventional livestock in the region. The hens were fed with a specific feed mixture supplemented with water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) growing in an adjacent river, and the excretions were discarded into the river. This management system exploits the local environmental condition very effectively but is not labor-efficient : 8,000 hens are raised by three employees. Although this rather traditional management is in accordance with regional environmental conservation, improvements will be needed if the farm plans to operate mass raising and production. 2. Exploration of new genetic resources and their applications : Hybrid rice cultivars have been bred to improve yield and quality of rice production. Currently, more than 50 % of rice growing in China is hybrid cultivars, and the yield of unhulled grain is expected to be as high as 0.1 tons per hectare. For seed collection it is expected that a breeding field in a 1/100 or 1/200 formation is needed for adequate seed collection. In the region of mountainous highlands along rivers in Zhejiang and Anhui Provinces, rice is grown in paddies in riverbanks or terrace on the hillsides. Maize, soy bean and sweet potato are grown in upland fields in foot areas of mountains. Maize is rotated with wheat or barley to produce four crops in three years, which allows the farmers to sustain food production for their subsistence.