Articles
Citrus industry in Japan
Article number
1448_92
Pages
751 – 764
Language
English
Abstract
Citrus fruit production in Japan currently stands at approximately 1.022 million tons, making it the number one fruit species cultivated domestically.
Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) and Tachibana [C. tachibana (Makino) Tanaka] have grown wild in Japan from ancient times, so the citrus fruits currently on the market have either been introduced from overseas or developed through natural or artificial hybridization among the introduced species/cultivars and the two wild species.
In Japan, after the Meiji Restoration (1868), cultivation of Satsuma mandarin began nationwide.
From that time onwards, sweet orange, ponkan, and lemon were also introduced from overseas.
Satsuma mandarin production increased from the 1950s, but gradually declined in the late 1970s.
A breeding program was launched by a national research institute in 1937, and the first hybrid cultivar, ‘Kiyomi’, was registered in 1979, which led to the development of many excellent cultivars derived from ‘Kiyomi’, including ‘Shiranuhi’, ‘Harumi’, ‘Setoka’, and ‘Beni Madonna’. Meanwhile, research on citrus cultivation, storage, and sorting systems has progressed steadily.
Japan has developed unique cultivation techniques such as mulch cultivation systems and plastic house cultivation for producing high-quality citrus.
Regarding storage techniques, development is also underway on low-temperature storage with cool air and high humidity, and decay prevention techniques using ozone and UV irradiation.
In addition to the conventional near-infrared method of determining sugar content and acidity, non-destructive sorting systems also use artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which has still room for further development over the next ten years.
In the future, the citrus industry will also be faced with the urgent task of achieving labor-saving, low-cost cultivation, stable production, and adding high value to the products, as well as securing successors with a view to corporate management.
We describe here cultural environment, cultivars and rootstocks, breeding program, cultural practice, pest and diseases, and marketing system of citrus fruit to overview the current status of citrus industry in Japan for better future.
Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) and Tachibana [C. tachibana (Makino) Tanaka] have grown wild in Japan from ancient times, so the citrus fruits currently on the market have either been introduced from overseas or developed through natural or artificial hybridization among the introduced species/cultivars and the two wild species.
In Japan, after the Meiji Restoration (1868), cultivation of Satsuma mandarin began nationwide.
From that time onwards, sweet orange, ponkan, and lemon were also introduced from overseas.
Satsuma mandarin production increased from the 1950s, but gradually declined in the late 1970s.
A breeding program was launched by a national research institute in 1937, and the first hybrid cultivar, ‘Kiyomi’, was registered in 1979, which led to the development of many excellent cultivars derived from ‘Kiyomi’, including ‘Shiranuhi’, ‘Harumi’, ‘Setoka’, and ‘Beni Madonna’. Meanwhile, research on citrus cultivation, storage, and sorting systems has progressed steadily.
Japan has developed unique cultivation techniques such as mulch cultivation systems and plastic house cultivation for producing high-quality citrus.
Regarding storage techniques, development is also underway on low-temperature storage with cool air and high humidity, and decay prevention techniques using ozone and UV irradiation.
In addition to the conventional near-infrared method of determining sugar content and acidity, non-destructive sorting systems also use artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which has still room for further development over the next ten years.
In the future, the citrus industry will also be faced with the urgent task of achieving labor-saving, low-cost cultivation, stable production, and adding high value to the products, as well as securing successors with a view to corporate management.
We describe here cultural environment, cultivars and rootstocks, breeding program, cultural practice, pest and diseases, and marketing system of citrus fruit to overview the current status of citrus industry in Japan for better future.
Publication
Authors
N. Kotoda, M. Yamamoto, M. Iwasaki
Keywords
breeding, mulch cultivation, Satsuma mandarin
Groups involved
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