In the Kyushu and Okinawa regions, a wide variety of vegetables—including strawberries and asparagus—are produced year-round by taking advantage of the warm and humid climate. In recent years, however, vegetable production in warm regions has faced increasing challenges, such as rising temperatures due to climate change, rising agricultural input costs, and the need to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. As a result, there is a growing demand for a transformation of production systems. To build a sustainable food system under these circumstances, it is essential to develop production systems that address these challenges while achieving improved and stable yields under warm-climate conditions.
Accordingly, the Vegetable Cultivation Group is engaged in the following research and development activities:
- Development of new CO2 enrichment technologies for strawberries
- Development of AI-based photosynthesis models for strawberries
- Development of low-environmental-impact production systems using stem blight-resistant asparagus varieties
- Development of high-profit asparagus production technologies using passive root-zone environmental control
- Development of new technologies to prevent quality deterioration in cucumbers
Through these technological advancements, the group aims to contribute to strengthening the production capacity of vegetable crops in warm regions.
