Responsible for the future of the strawberry kingdom, Tochigi. “Tochigi Prefectural Agricultural Research Center Strawberry Research Institute” / Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture – NIHONMONO

Tochigi Prefecture has ranked first in the nation in terms of strawberry harvest for 55 consecutive years since 1968. It now calls itself “Strawberry Kingdom Tochigi” and has become a nationally famous strawberry production area. Why has strawberry production continued to develop for so long in Tochigi Prefecture? We visited the Tochigi Prefecture Agricultural Research Center Strawberry Research Institute to find out why.

Strawberry specialized research institute that produced “Tochiotome” and “Skyberry”

It is about a 45-minute drive south of Utsunomiya City, the prefectural capital, in the center of the prefecture. The red roof visible in the lush countryside is the landmark for the Strawberry Research Institute. In 2008, this facility became a research center specializing in strawberries. Until then, it had been conducting research on multiple agricultural products, including strawberries, as a branch of the Agricultural Experiment Station in Utsunomiya City, but at the time of the organizational review, it was reborn as the only strawberry-specialized research institute in Japan run by the prefecture.

The research institute has two main functions: one is research and analysis of strawberry marketing, including distribution and consumer trends, and the other is research and development of new varieties, cultivation methods, and techniques.

Including the predecessor organizations of the Institute, its history spans over 50 years.. Starting with Nyoho, which was developed in 1985, the prefecture has developed 10 varieties to date.“Tochiotome” which is famous nationwide and “Skyberry” which is suitable for gift giving. Tochigi has a wide variety of strawberries, including “Tochihime,” which can only be tasted at tourist strawberry farms, “Natsuotome,” which can be harvested in the summer and fall, and “Milky Berry,” a white fruit. Tochiaika, which was born in 2018, has now grown significantly to the point where it is responsible for the future of the Strawberry Kingdom, Tochigi.

Why did Tochigi Prefecture become the number one strawberry producing area in Japan?

Why did strawberry cultivation become so popular in Tochigi Prefecture in the first place? Looking at the 2nd place and below in the strawberry harvest ranking,Fukuoka Prefecture is famous for “Amaou”has “Yubeni” and “Koi Minori”Kumamoto PrefectureThere are also many varieties developed in other prefectures, such as “Tochiotome” and “Akihime.”Aichi prefecture“Yumenoka” accounts for the majority of cultivation.Nagasaki PrefectureContinues to. Many areas have a relatively warm climate, and the climate appears to be different from Tochigi Prefecture, which is even colder in the Kanto region.

Strawberries were grown at the end of the Edo period.It began when it was introduced to Nagasaki from the Netherlands.It is said that However, it did not become popular immediately, and full-scale cultivation began during the Meiji period. However, at that time, strawberries were considered a luxury item, and it was not until the Showa era that common people became able to afford them. At that time, “open-field cultivation” (cultivation in outdoor fields) was the norm, and the harvest period was limited to early summer from May to June.

It was after the war that Tochigi Prefecture expanded its strawberry production. There was a person who focused on strawberries as a secondary crop to rice in order to increase farmers’ profits.He was a member of the town council of Mikuriya Town (now Ashikaga City).Ichiro Niidais. At that time, the northern limit of strawberry cultivation was Kanagawa Prefecture, and it was thought that it would be difficult to cultivate strawberries in Tochigi Prefecture. Meanwhile, he visited Shizuoka Prefecture and Kanagawa Prefecture, which were advanced areas for strawberry cultivation, many times, and despite repeated failures, continued to search for cultivation methods suitable for Tochigi Prefecture’s environment.The background wasPassion for “increasing farmers’ income and making their lives easier”. It took nearly 10 years to successfully expand cultivation in the 1950s. Shipments were expanded to include Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Niigata.

Back then, when greenhouse cultivation was not yet widespread, strawberries were in season from spring to early summer. Mr. Niida also tried to bring the harvest date earlier. In autumn, when the days are short and temperatures drop, strawberries put on flower buds, which become the source of flowers, and when it gets colder, they become dormant. It has the characteristic of waking up from dormancy after a certain period of low temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius, and blooming and bearing fruit as temperatures rise in spring. The cold season was also important for strawberry cultivation. However, at that time, greenhouse cultivation with mechanical temperature control had not yet become widespread. Meanwhile, Mr. Niida and his colleagues experimented with “high-altitude seedling raising,” which involved taking seedlings to high-altitude, cold regions such as Nikko Senjogahara from summer to autumn. was. By exposing the seedlings to colder temperatures earlier than before, the researchers tried to bring the flower buds to bear earlier, thereby speeding up the harvest time. If the harvest season is earlier than in other regions, this will also lead to higher profits for farmers. Their efforts have borne fruit, and they have since succeeded in shipping strawberries, which had traditionally been harvested from May to June, to the end of the year. Furthermore, in the mid-1960s, it became possible to grow in vinyl greenhouses, which was said to be a tailwind for expanding production.

Strawberries were originally an early summer fruit.. Since then, due to continued research into cultivation techniques and improved varieties, the shipping date has been pushed forward even further, and now it has become a winter fruit. The reason for the earlier shipping date is thought to be largely due to the Christmas season, when demand for cakes is at its highest. Our predecessors continued to respond to market needs in order to contribute to farmers’ profits. The result of their challenge is probably the bright red strawberry that shines on top of the Christmas cake.

The climate suitable for growing strawberries and the people who grow them

The foundation for the cultivation of strawberries in Tochigi was built through the efforts of Mr. Niida and others.MoreoverThe natural environment of Tochigi Prefecture is suitable for growing strawberries.The institute says it was.

For strawberries, Tochigi Prefecture has long daylight hours in the winter, and the abundant light is essential for strawberry cultivation. Furthermore, the fertile land nurtured by high-quality groundwater flowing from mountains such as the Nikko Mountain Range is also suitable for growing crops. What’s more, large temperature differences between summer and winter, and between morning and night, also make strawberries taste sweeter.

Furthermore, the research institute believes that in addition to these weather conditions, the “honest and serious” nature of the prefecture’s farmers were also factors that contributed to the growth of strawberry cultivation.The strawberries are harvested by hand, checking the ripeness and shape of each strawberry to avoid damaging them. The beautiful strawberries lined up in stores are the result of the painstaking work of the producers.In order to continue growing and shipping large numbers of strawberries, it can be said that the perseverance and care of the growers are essential conditions.

The long road to developing new Tochigi strawberries

“Strawberry breed improvement” is a major role of the research institute. In a greenhouse on the premises, they are conducting research to create new varieties by breeding varieties with various characteristics.Items to emphasize in breeding“Sweet and delicious”From this perspective,“Can we harvest a lot?”and“Are you less likely to get sick?”That’s what it means.On top of that, we also consider the taste perspective of “sweet and delicious” andIt is also important that the fruit be hard and not easily damaged during the distribution process until it reaches the store, and that it has a long shelf life in the store.is. The new variety “Tochiaika” was completed in 2018 after meeting these conditions. The new variety “Tochiaika” has been in the top position for many years, accounting for more than 60% of the total planted area in the prefecture, due to its ease of cultivation for farmers and its good taste with low acidity and outstanding sweetness. I pulled out “Tochiotome”.

“Tochiaika” is also an elite who has survived the tough selection process.

If so-called “good varieties” can be developed, it will greatly contribute to the development of strawberries in Tochigi Prefecture. however,It takes at least seven years to bring a new variety to the market.That’s what it means. First of all, strawberries are cultivated through crossbreeding, and there are various crossbreeding patterns, such as crossing sweeter varieties with disease-resistant varieties or high-yield varieties. The strawberries grown are repeatedly selected by staff members, and only the varieties that pass the selection process are allowed to be released into the world. For example, in the “flavor selection” conducted during the first or second year of cultivation, the staff in charge actually looks at each variety, eats them, and makes a selection. Strawberries that survive the selection in the first and second years are selected again from the third year onwards through numerical tests such as sugar content tests. Moreover, the taste of strawberries changes depending on the season in which they are grown, so it is necessary to pass a comprehensive evaluation that takes into account seasonal changes in taste. Developing strawberry varieties, like strawberry cultivation by farmers, is a series of painstaking efforts.

Soil cultivation and elevated cultivation.The need for technology in strawberry cultivation

The research institute is also developing technology for strawberry cultivation. Most strawberry cultivation in greenhouses can be divided into “soil cultivation,” in which strawberries are grown in soil on the ground, and “elevated cultivation,” in which strawberries are grown on benches about 1 meter high.Elevated cultivation has the advantage of freeing people from the physical strain of bending down to harvest, but in Tochigi Prefecture, many farmers are choosing soil cultivation due to concerns about the cost of introduction. This is the current situation.There is also a strong belief that “soil cultivation” has a better effect on the taste, as it is believed that soil components can be absorbed and the soil temperature can be stabilized. However, the research institute believes that by properly controlling the environment in elevated cultivation, it is possible to grow strawberries of the same quality as in soil cultivation, and that it also has the advantage of making it easier to create manuals for cultivation methods that tend to be individualized. thinking.

Inside the elevated cultivation greenhouse, we have installed a CO2 generator that promotes photosynthesis, a system that monitors air temperature, humidity, and soil temperature, and allows automatic ventilation. They have conducted extensive research on how to best use each type of equipment for each variety, and are also using this research to provide advice to farmers who are installing the equipment. The research institute, which believes that “the latest technology is necessary for future strawberry cultivation,” is responsible for building the foundation for this.

The future of the strawberry kingdom, Tochigi

“Everyone at the research institute works with the mindset of “we want to produce better strawberry varieties every year than the ones we’ve had so far,”” says Mitsui, a special researcher. Still, it is said to be extremely difficult to create a variety that surpasses Tochiaika.For consumers, it is absolutely necessary to have varieties with a good balance of sweetness and sourness, and to be able to produce large quantities in order to increase profitability for producers.It also has elements such as being resistant to diseases and being hard to get scratched, which is a level that exceeds the current “Tochiaika”.Achieving this will be a more difficult path. However, the staff members never give up and continue their research diligently every year.Their goal now and in the future is“We will be able to grow more attractive strawberries, increase farmers’ profitability, and encourage young people to participate in strawberry cultivation.”It is said that In the future, we also have a goal of focusing on exporting overseas.

There is no guarantee that we will be able to produce new varieties during our tenure. Still, he continues to conduct research for decades, connecting technology and passion. There will continue to be challenges to overcome, such as a decline in the number of producers due to aging and population decline, climate change, and changes in consumer trends. Still, there are many people here who inherited and developed the foundation of strawberry cultivation that Ichiro Niida painstakingly established. We care about farmers and produce strawberries that consumers will love. As long as there are such people, the future of “Strawberry Kingdom Tochigi” will be bright.