Articles
A comparison of the yield and functional composition of various vegetables using natural and conventional farming systems over several years in northern Japan
Article number
1354_50
Pages
383 – 390
Language
English
Abstract
Natural farming (the AK method) is a method of organic farming from the apple orchard in northern Japan of Mr.
Akinori Kimura, which has been applied to the cultivation of various vegetables as a sustainable agricultural approach.
Natural farming uses no herbicides, insecticides or artificial fertilizers in order to obtain the help of microorganisms and predators.
High levels of productivity cannot be expected in the early years, but the produce is considered safe and trustworthy and is popular for certain consumers.
We used natural farming with various vegetables from 2017 to 2020 following a new trial in Hokkaido, in northernmost Japan, and investigated the yield and some functional composition compared with conventional farming.
The marketable yields of 13 vegetables (15 cultivars) produced by the natural farming system decreased approximately 50% compared to conventional farming (44.5% for fruit vegetables, 62.5% for leaf vegetables and 52.3% for root vegetables). However, almost all vegetables (except for cabbage and soybean (or edamame)) showed an increasing amount of antioxidant activity (DPPH scavenging ability) in the extracts from their edible parts with natural farming, to more than 16% of conventional farming.
Natural farming tended to boost some of the functional components of vegetables, e.g., the total polyphenols increased in Japanese radish (21.4%), in spinach (12.2%), and in crown daisy (126.7%), the total ascorbic acid and lycopene increased in tomato (16.7 and 111.1%, respectively), the total glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage (63.6%) and so on.
Some chemical compositions reduced with natural farming, however, the high tendency of antioxidant activity in the vegetables grown with natural farming may be caused by these specific phytochemicals.
The results suggested that during the early years of the natural farming system, the yield of various vegetables was limited, however, it also may enhance the nutritional values of specific vegetables.
Akinori Kimura, which has been applied to the cultivation of various vegetables as a sustainable agricultural approach.
Natural farming uses no herbicides, insecticides or artificial fertilizers in order to obtain the help of microorganisms and predators.
High levels of productivity cannot be expected in the early years, but the produce is considered safe and trustworthy and is popular for certain consumers.
We used natural farming with various vegetables from 2017 to 2020 following a new trial in Hokkaido, in northernmost Japan, and investigated the yield and some functional composition compared with conventional farming.
The marketable yields of 13 vegetables (15 cultivars) produced by the natural farming system decreased approximately 50% compared to conventional farming (44.5% for fruit vegetables, 62.5% for leaf vegetables and 52.3% for root vegetables). However, almost all vegetables (except for cabbage and soybean (or edamame)) showed an increasing amount of antioxidant activity (DPPH scavenging ability) in the extracts from their edible parts with natural farming, to more than 16% of conventional farming.
Natural farming tended to boost some of the functional components of vegetables, e.g., the total polyphenols increased in Japanese radish (21.4%), in spinach (12.2%), and in crown daisy (126.7%), the total ascorbic acid and lycopene increased in tomato (16.7 and 111.1%, respectively), the total glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage (63.6%) and so on.
Some chemical compositions reduced with natural farming, however, the high tendency of antioxidant activity in the vegetables grown with natural farming may be caused by these specific phytochemicals.
The results suggested that during the early years of the natural farming system, the yield of various vegetables was limited, however, it also may enhance the nutritional values of specific vegetables.
Publication
Authors
Y. Jitsuyama, N. Yotsukura, Y. Araya, M. Shiokoshi, A. Ichiki, Y. Kita, R. Hara, T. Suzuki
Keywords
AK method, antioxidant activity, edible parts, Hokkaido, phytochemicals, polyphenols, vegetable
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