Web Japan > Trends in Japan > Tech & Life > Various Japanese Cultivation Technologies Help to Overcome Environmental Conditions
Bananas grown successfully in temperate regions of Japan (courtesy of D&T Farm)
New agricultural technologies have been developed in Japan that allow crops to grow even in environments that are hostile to plants, such as cold regions, arid regions and areas where the soil is contaminated. These have been gaining attention both in Japan and abroad as "dream technologies that will revolutionize agriculture across the globe."
Freezing seeds and cells to -60°
Let's first look at the "freeze-thaw awakening method." In Japan we have to import most of our bananas as they grown in tropical regions and weather conditions here are not suitable - being too far north of their normal habitat.
Mr. Setsuzo Tanaka is the technical manager of an agricultural company and his great love of bananas led him to begin studying their cultivation. Mr. Tanaka thought that a tropical plant like a banana that had survived the Ice Age should have the inherent potential to withstand the cold. Mr. Tanaka started work on his research around 40 years, inspired by the thought that, while the properties of the modern banana have adapted to the modern climate, we may be able to grow them in Japan by resetting their trait to that of the Ice Age.
Initially he tried freezing banana seedlings in a freezer or with liquid nitrogen, but failed. Through a process of trial and error he arrived at a technique that worked, whereby he would immerse the seeds and cells in a special solution and freeze them in extreme conditions down to - 60°over six months before replanting them. Using his own unique manufacturing technique of " freeze-thaw awakening method" in which the banana seedlings were subjected to an Ice Age environment, Mr. Tanaka was able to create a banana that was resistant to the cold and succeed in growing them in Okayama Prefecture where the temperature falls below freezing in the winter.
Bananas that can be eaten skin and all
It was discovered that the rate of cell division in bananas that had been subjected to the "Ice Age" increased and they grew faster. Analysis by a specialist Japanese company found a new phenomenon in the data on the cold-resistant gene and the gene related to the rate of growth. Varieties of banana that typically take 2 or 3 years until they are ready to harvest started to bear fruit in about 6 months and were ready for harvest in 9 months under the same climatic and soil conditions.
These bananas produced in Japan have been named Mongee bananas from the word “mongee” which means “awesome” in the dialect of Okayama Prefecture. They have a rich, sweet flavor and are grown without the use of pesticides, which means they can be eaten skin and all. The regions where they are cultivated are expanding to meet demand as these popular goods repeatedly sell out.
Applicable to various plants
The “freeze-thaw awakening method” can be applied to other crops. Production and research into more than 200 varieties of plant is currently underway and moving towards commercial development; these varieties include papaya, guava, dates, acai, lychees and coffee, among others. One of the advantages of the technique is the fast growth which leads to stabilization and increases in the volume of the crop.
The technique is also suitable for places like Mongolia which suffers from extremes of temperature, as it produces crops that are not only resistant to the cold but also to the heat. "Freezing" is harmless and does not involve pesticides in the cultivation process, drawing attention from countries with a high interest in organic production such as Germany, Austria and France in Europe, as well as the United States and Brazil, among others. Evidence-based cultivation trials have already begun in China.
A business model that uses this technology was awarded the SME Agency Director's Award by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency in 2018 for being the most outstanding model, showing how high a reputation this technology has on the business front too.
Flowers (left-hand side) and fruit on a coffee plant (courtesy of D&T Farm)
Harvested pineapples (left-hand side) and a papaya plant heavily laden with fruit (courtesy of D&T Farm)
The "film farming technique" that can grow crops without soil
The second technology we'd like to present is the special "film farming technique" that can grow plants without soil. Developed in Japan this is gaining attention as the world's first such technology. Yuichi Mori, head of a company that has for many years been involved in the development of dialysis membranes and soft contact lenses etc., has rolled out medical technology that originally targeted human beings to the plant world. And a special film called "IMEC Film" was created that serves the function of soil and water, in which plants with roots can grow.
"IMEC Film" is made of a material called hydrogel which has a very fine mesh structure with numerous nano-sized holes in it. The film allows water and nutrients to pass through but not pests or pathogenic bacteria, thus preventing contamination by bacteria, germs and viruses without the use of pesticides. Water-proof sheeting is placed between the film and the ground to allow plants to be grown in isolation from one another. This means that high quality vegetables can be grown in any environment - in a desert, on polluted ground, on top of concrete, and so on.
Founder Mr. Yuichi Mori holds out a sheet of "IMEC Film" that has plant roots spread through it (courtesy of Mebiol)
"Another feature of this farming technique is that it allows the cultivation of great tasting crops with a higher sugar content and more nutritional value than conventional techniques. This is because restricting the water supply during cultivation stresses the crops and produces more sugar and amino acids.
Tomatoes grown in "IMEC Film" taste and smell great and also have a high content of lycopene,amino acids and GABA.
Tomatoes that taste and smell great and also have a high content of lycopene, amino acids and GABA (courtesy of Mebiol)
Patents for this farming technique have been established not only in Japan but in 120 countries worldwide, with cultivation expanding to 160 locations around the globe, including China, Dubai, Russia, and Europe among others. There is also the advantage that it can be started up at a low cost as it does not require the large amount of nutrient solutions and sterilization equipment needed in hydroponic cultivation. A company in Dubai in the Middle East has successfully created a tomato nursery in the desert using this farming technique.
If we can use technology to convert land around the world that is unsuitable for agricultural purposes into sites where we can produce crops then we will be able to deal with food shortages that may occur in the future. Moreover, there is a high need for environmentally-friendly solutions.
Moving forward Japan's agricultural technologies will hopefully continue to make significant contributions to sustainable developments.