Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University

Title: Why are local varieties ofcrops important for our life?
Contents:
1. Re-evaluation of localized crops traditionally used in Japan
Japan has wide varieties of climates including tropical zone and subarctic zone over
the area of ca. 2,800 km long from south to north. There are more than one
thousand characteristic local varieties of vegetables, cereals, fruits, etc. in various
area of Japan.
Most of them, however, have come to have no economic value after 1960’s, fromwhen the age of mass production, mass distribution and mass consumption started.
Therefore, it is difficult to success traditional crops and knowledge of their use to
maximize natural conditions over generations. And fewer growers are almost aged
over 70 years old.
Then, we should re-evaluate their local varieties and find new values from a broader
perspective such as genetic resources for breeding, educational resources for area
culture and history, regional resources for promoting community activities and local
economic development, in order to conserve local varieties and their culture ofusage , and inherit them to next generation.
2. Why have many turnip (Brassica rapa) been
inherited in Yamagata pref.?
Turnip was important
hedge for surviving
during winter,especially cold-summer
famine.
Turnip can grow in cold
temperature in a shortperiod time, people canget leaf vegetable one
month after sowing,
and turnip two monthafter. Then, yamagata
people may have usedturnips as hedge forsurviving.
Traditional pickle and soup of turnip

The book of “Yasai” (localvegetables in Japan) (Aoba, T.,1981) “Local vegetablevarieties are live culturalproperty. They have two
aspects: one is material being
as food. Another aspect is
cultural medium to convey
information about a putativeroute of propagation fromorigin, its climate andinteraction with people etc” --the late Prof.Dr.Takashi Aoba

3. Re-evaluation of traditional farming.
Especially, slash-and-burn agriculture in Tsuruoka
To prevent mountain fire, fire isoften lit midnight (ex. 3:00).
・easy to confirm the direction ofsparks flying .
・Wind dies down.
・Morning dew will appear justbefore sunrise.

The fire in anarching line
preventsmountain fire.

Merits:
1. Eliminating the need for fertilizer.
2. Eliminating the need for pesticides and herbicides.
3. Increasing in quality of eating and appearance?
4. Making it possible to level land quickly for next tree
planting after deforestation
5. Promoting germination of crop seeds by breaking
dormancy after heat
6. Making beautiful landscapes.

１．Creation of database for local varieties in Japan
Database has agricultural and eating-related traits, origin, traditional
usage, current conditions, etc.
２．Revealing the reason why the local variety is cultivated and utilized
in the area from the viewpoints of climate and geographic condition,
regional preference, history of exchanging culture, etc.
３．Thinking about how to conserve diversity of local varieties and how
to use them on the current value.
Belongings: Plant and Bioresource Science Course
Research Field: Plant Genetic Resources Science
Self Introduction: My favorites are reading, traveling, taking photoes,
eating local foods.
Phone：+81-235-282852
Email: egashira@tds1.tr.ayamagata-u.ac.jp