We develop technologies to reduce the risks of arsenic and cadmium in the agricultural production, to manage the suitable fertilizer application for spring onions, to produce soybeans at lower cost, to treat organic wastewater using constructed wetlands, to promote the utilization of organic resources, and so on.
As to decreasing the risk of cadmium in soybean cropping, we have shown that the seed cadmium concentration decreased by approximately 40% in a low-cadmium cultivar or line compared with a common cultivar, when the combination of liming and partial mixing application in the center of a ridge was applied at a target soil pH of 6.5 to decrease the lime use by 50% compared with that of the broadcast application. As to reducing the risk of cadmium in vegetables, we have developed the technique to estimate the cadmium concentration of edible parts among the species using a soil cadmium extraction method, by evaluating the decrease in cadmium concentrations expected in the edible parts of the candidate species after conversion. Concerning the technology to treat organic wastewater using constructed wetlands, we have developed the multi-stage hybrid wetland systems to treat high-content wastewater, in collaboration with industry, universities and government, which are the low-cost and energy-saving systems for treating wastewater as compact as 1/2-1/5 of installation area of existing constructed wetland. We proved that these systems could stably treat wastewater even in winter over many years. The systems are introduced into more than 20 sites inside and outside Japan, such as dairy farms, pig farms, poultry farms, food factories, etc.
At present, we are conducting a demonstration of the water management to reduce arsenic concentration in brown rice planted in Andosol, the development of a technology for nutrient management by soil type for spring onion, a demonstration of the technology for low-cost soybean production using a partial mixing technique in the ridge, the development of environmentally conscious technologies for the utilization of organic resources by methane fermentation and composting of livestock waste, and by constructed wetlands, the development of a technology for reducing chemical fertilizer application using organic materials etc.
Seeder with the partial mixing applicator in the center of a ridge. A tractor-pull type of the partial mixing applicator with a seeder is shown. In the partial mixing application, lime and fertilizers are applied simultaneously within the range of 20 cm width and 20 cm depth in the center of a ridge.
Group Leader
Group Members
- Kazuaki KUDO
- Tomoko UCHIDA
- Chisato YAMAGUCHI
