CONTENTS

Message from the Director General ------------------------------------------------------------------Highlights from 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------JIRCAS and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries ---------------------------------

Research OverviewInternational research at JIRCAS --------------------------------------------------------------------JIRCAS Research Divisions --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Research Information Division ---------------------------------------------------------------Biological Resources Division ----------------------------------------------------------------Environmental Resources Division -----------------------------------------------------------Crop Production and Postharvest Technology Division -------------------------------------Animal Production and Grassland Division -------------------------------------------------Forestry Division ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fisheries Division ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Okinawa Subtropical Station -----------------------------------------------------------------

Miscellaneous projects outline ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Training and Invitation Programs and Information EventsInvitation programs at JIRCAS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Administrative Invitation --------------------------------------------------------------------- Counterpart Researcher Invitation ----------------------------------------------------------- Fellowship Programs -------------------------------------------------------------------------Symposia and workshops -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

AppendixPublishing at JIRCAS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Official publications and library holdings ---------------------------------------------------Research staff activity ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal articles, book chapters, and monographs ----------------------------------------- Published proceedings and conference presentations ------------------------------------

Other publications ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Financial overview ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Advisors and principal staff members ----------------------------------------------------------------The Japanese fiscal year, miscellaneous data --------------------------------------------------------JIRCAS organization and staff as of April 1, 2001 --------------------------------------------------

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EDITORIAL BOARD

ChairmanTakahiro Inoue

Vice ChairmanAkinori Noguchi

Editors-in-ChiefTadahiro Hayashi

Marcy N. Wilder

Shuichi Asanuma

Advisory PanelKatsuyuki KiryuKazuyuki TsurumiMasaru IwanagaOsamu ItoToshiaki TaniguchiToru HayashiTerunobu SuzukiMasachika MaedaMasaaki Suzuki

Editorial CommitteeNobuo UenoYukihito OchiaiTakaharu Hayashi

Special Assistants to the Editors-in-ChiefHollin KretzmannNobuyo Yamaguchi

President

Director, Research Planning and Coordination Division

Research Information Officer, Research Planning and CoordinationDivisionSenior Researcher, Fisheries Division and Research Planning andCoordination DivisionHead, Research Planning Section, Research Plannning and CoordinationDivision

Director, Administration DivisionDirector, Development Research DivisionDirector, Biological Resources DivisionDirector, Crop Production and Environment DivisionDirector, Animal Production and Grassland DivisionDirector, Food Science and Technology DivisionDirector, Forestry DivisionDirector, Fisheries DivisionDirector, Okinawa Subtropical Station

Chief Librarian, Publication and Documentation SectionSenior Researcher, Research Planning and Coordination DivisionHead, JIRCAS Editorial Office Staff

Harvard University, Japanese Language ProgramTechnical Assistant

* Editorial Board members, with the exception of Hollin Kretzmann and Nobuyo Yamaguchi, are staff memberspresent as of August 1, 2001 (FY 2000)

telephone +81-298-38-6313/6330facsimile + 81-298-6316e-mail head@jircas.affrc.go.jpwww http://www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/

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JIRCAS 2000 ANNUAL REPORT

A new JIRCAS-structuralreorganization

Implications of the new organization

Although the demand for food is increasing dueto population increases and improvements indietary habits, agricultural production remainsat a low and unstable level in many developingcountries. As a result, hunger and poverty remainprominent issues. Moreover, concern for thedeterioration of the global environment hasgenerated the need for the development ofsustainable systems of agriculture, forestry, andfisheries that are non-destructive to naturalecosystems.The most distinctive features of the new IAIsystem are, first, semi-autonomy with limitedcontrol from outside institutions, and second, expost facto performance evaluations, the resultsof which each IAI uses to plan subsequentactivities. Under the new system, MAFFpresents to JIRCAS mid-term objectives, a listof goals that the “New JIRCAS” is expected toachieve during a five-year period. The mid-termobjectives include issues related to theenhancement of the efficiency of researchactivities, improvement of the quality of researchprograms, and financial performance. Based onthe mid-term objectives, the IAI drafts a mid-termplan to achieve these objectives autonomously.

The IAI Evaluation Committees, establishedunder MAFF and composed of experts notbelonging to the public sector, will alsoperiodically review the performance of IAIresearch activities. Each fiscal year, an IAIEvaluation Committee will investigate andanalyze the progress made on the previous year’smid-term objectives. The results of evaluationwill be subjected to operational and financialmodification the following fiscal year.

Since the research activities need to be fully

Director GeneralDr. TakahiroInoue

Message from the Director General

On April 1, 2001, under the JapaneseGovernment’s administrative reform calling forthe reorganization of government-affiliatedresearch organizations, the Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS) became an Independent AdministrativeInstitution (a semi-autonomous agency) under thesupervision of the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF).

The introduction of the new system ofIndependent Administrative Institutions (IAI) isat the core of the administrative reform. Thissystem has been introduced to enhance theeffectiveness, quality, and transparency oftechnological development by splitting theadministration into its implementation functionsand its planning and drafting functions. Byconverting the implementation functions of thenational research institutions to the IAI system,each institution has gained its own independentjudicial status. Therefore, under the new system,JIRCAS will conduct not only autonomous andflexible programs, but also commit itself to astrict ex post facto evaluation and review of itsperformance, as well as disclosure of variousinstitutional issues.

The new mandate given to JIRCAS by theJapanese Government does not fundamentallychange the previous mandate, in which JIRCASwas entrusted with the mission of promoting thedevelopment of sustainable agriculture, forestry,and fisheries compatible with environmentalpreservation in developing regions of the world.

JIRCAS Main Building(Photo: T. Hayashi)

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executed, the government will allocate, withinbudgetary limitations, most or all of the financialresources required to carry out the definedobjectives. In addition, JIRCAS will make utmostefforts to gain supplementary financial supportfrom such sources as other governmental officesor the private sector to fulfill the mid-termobjectives.

time, the strict evaluations by the EvaluationCommittee may enhance the quality of theresearch programs and lead to a more efficientutilization of financial resources, ultimatelyfurthering collaborative activities compatiblewith the needs of developing regions.

Roles and research strategy

Note about Annual Report 2000

JIRCAS Green House(Photo: T. Hayashi)

In keeping with recent efforts to highlightJIRCAS activities in particular regions of theworld, Annual Report 2000 will featuredescriptions of our ongoing programs withIndonesia. JIRCAS expects that relations withIndonesia and its scientific institutions willbecome increasingly important in the 21stcentury. We hope to emphasize the significanceof our collaborative efforts by choosingIndonesia as the feature in Annual Report 2000.JIRCAS maintains an impressive number of jointprojects with Indonesian institutions, fortifyingthe international bond between the two nations.However, JIRCAS also conducts research withthe help of institutions in many other parts of theworld. We hope that growing scope ofinternational research at JIRCAS will be equallyevident within Annual Report 2000.

President TAKAHIRO INOUE

Given that the role of JIRCAS is to promotethe advancement of agriculture, forestry, andfisheries in developing regions of the worldthrough integrated collaborative researchprograms, the “New JIRCAS” has established thefollowing priorities for research strategy. The firstis to develop production and utilization systemsin sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheriesin harmony with the environment by conductingresearch on such topics as stress-tolerant crops,technologies for preserving arable landenvironments, new farming systems for ensuringprofitability of producers, and technologies forefficient postharvest management and utilization.The second priority is to rehabilitate, maintain,and improve the utilization of natural resources,with emphasis placed on tropical forest andcoastal ecosystems.

In order to complete the mid-term objectivesadhering to the above research strategies, the“New JIRCAS” plans to conduct and take fulladvantage of (1) international collaborativeresearch programs in developing regions,dispatching researchers on long- and short-termbases, (2) collaborative research with researchersfrom developing regions, (3) domestic researchthat will further enhance internationalcollaboration, (4) accumulation and analysis ofresearch information for supporting collaborativework, (5) international symposia, workshops andseminars, (6) technical assistance relating to foodand environmental issues, and (7) functioning asa think tank for advisory committees of nationalorganizations involved in overseas development.

In conclusion, the reorganization of JIRCASinto an IAI makes it possible for JIRCAS to gainmore flexibility in the implementation of itsresearch programs. The reorganization will alsotransform hiring procedures, enabling JIRCASto recruit researchers from universities orinstitutes that do not belong exclusively to thepublic sector, and the financial aspects of theinstitution, since funds can now be obtained fromboth the public and private sectors. At the same

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2000

IMPORTANT NEWDEVELOPMENTS

Research Division will gather and analyzeinformation from developing regions andcoordinate research strategy under the directionof six appointed international research planners.The Division will accumulate data andeffectively function as a think tank, and alsocooperate with and support other internationalorganizations.

A cohesive promotional system will beestablished for the development of efficient andeffective integrated research projects. Under thesupervision of a project leader, long-termdispatched researchers will be more effectivelyorganized for each project while threeinternational research coordinators coordinateand promote the projects.

Another change will be the organization ofefficient research structure in individual studyfields. Fields of special study essential tointernational collaborative research will bestreamlined to 27 groups of researchers. Thesegroups will serve as distinct units for thepromotion of research, with each group havingclear research goals. Research groups withrelevance to one another will cooperate so thatthe corresponding research divisions willfunction as one cohesive system.

This year JIRCAS will place added emphasison postharvest research, more specifically on

During Fiscal Year 2000, the JapanInternational Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS) made a number of strides inits overall efforts to improve world food security.Along with its 30th Anniversary, JIRCAS held anumber evaluation meetings to share and discussthe progress being made in various projects. Weare pleased to highlight these activities andachievements in greater detail .

As of April 1, 2001, JIRCAS will convertinto a semi-autonomous agency under thesupervision of the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries within the framework ofthe administrative reform enacted by theJapanese Government ca l l ing for thereorganization of government-affiliated researchorganizations. An extensive account of thisreform will be given in our Annual Report 2001;this year’s Annual Report will describe some ofthe key objectives accompanying the transition.

Under the reformed Research InformationDivision, the newly created Development

JIRCAS senior administratorspose for a group photographat the JIRCAS front entrance.Front row: K. Tsurumi, K.Kiryu, A. Noguchi, T. Inoue, Y.Morooka, K. Kato, M. Suzuki.Back row: K. Nakajima, M.Maeda, O. Ito, T. Hayashi, T.Taniguchi, M. Iwanaga. (Photo:T. Hayashi)

Objectives of JIRCAS following itstransition to a semi-autonomous agency

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agricultural production, distribution, utilization,and consumption. These topics have becomecrucial areas of study due to the increasingdemand for international collaboration to securefood supply for developing nations. To stressthe importance of postharvest research, the CropProduction and Postharvest Technology Divisionwill operate separately from the Food Scienceand Technology Division and will deal with theproblems of postharvest losses, qualityevaluation, and increasing the value ofagricultural commodities.

Another objective for JIRCAS will be toexpand the Okinawa Subtropical Station toimprove its status as a research base forsubtropical agriculture. Five new researchlaboratories will be added to promote basic andfundamental goal-oriented research in order tosatisfy the demand for highly mobile internationalresearch. Research themes will center on thesubtropical climate, the insular conditions oflocation, and on subtropical agriculture.

Creation of a stronger system for internationalinformation activities will also be amongJIRCAS’s top priorities. Support systems forresearch results and submissions of internationalpatent applications will be of great importance.Specialists in each field will be called upon tobolster and aid the support system. In addition,the institution has newly created the position ofa “JIRCAS spokesperson” to emphasize theimportance of international information activity.

Finally, JIRCAS will reinforce its liaisonoffices to further support overseas researchactivities. The offices, located in Thailand, China,and Brazil, to which JIRCAS has dispatchedmany long-term researchers, will be reinforcedwith additional human and financial resourcesin an effort to support overseas research activitiesmore effectively.

JIRCAS celebrates its 30th anniversary

After an initial congratulatory message, Dr.Ronald Cantrell, Director General of theInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI) andMr. Shinichi Kobayashi, Director General,Secretariat of the Agriculture, Forestry, andFisheries Research Council, gave introductoryspeeches to start the festivities. As part of thecelebrat ion, a 30-year TARC/JIRCAScommemorative yearbook was publishedcovering many topics, such as the history of theinstitution, ongoing and past research projects,future goals of JIRCAS, and a summary ofTARC/JIRCAS activity. All participantsreceived a copy of the book, prompting anexchange of stories of well-expended efforts toget TARC off the ground in its first year, and alook back at the successes and hardships ofvarious collaborative activities in which manyattendees had participated over the years.

The current staff of JIRCAS took thecelebration as an occasion to renew theircommitment to even greater achievements asJIRCAS moves into a new era of operation asan independent administrative institution.

The celebration was followed by two daysdevoted to the 7th JIRCAS InternationalSymposium entitled, “Agricultural technologyresearch for sustainable development indeveloping regions”, held at the Epochal TsukubaInternational Conference Hall. More than 300people, including over 70 participants fromoverseas, participated in this symposium (seeSymposia and Workshops).

Thir ty years have passed s ince theestablishment of JIRCAS’s predecessorinstitution, the Tropical Agricultural ResearchCenter (TARC). To commemorate this occasion,JIRCAS held a 30th anniversary celebration atthe Tsukuba Dai-ichi Hotel on October 31, 2000.Over 230 people attended the event, includingmany former members of TARC/JIRCAS, as wellas guests from other institutions in Japan andpartner countries.

Mr. Shigeru Motai, Chairman of theAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries ResearchCouncil, and other distinguished guests fromJapan and other countries expressed warmcongratulations to JIRCAS on this auspiciousevent.

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Mid-term review for the comprehensiveproject in the Mekong Delta region of

in order to facilitate the reviewers’ understandingof the significance and the future developmentof this project in China (see Symposia andWorkshops). During the review meeting,Japanese scientists presented major researchresults from eight research programs andproposed to integrate two closely relatedprograms focusing on socioeconomic studies.After the meeting, favorable comments andrecommendations were received from all fivereviewers. The recommendations of thereviewers emphasized the integrated contributionof diverse research programs to Chinese foodresources under the close cooperation betweenthe Chinese institutions and JIRCAS. In additionto the project review, discussions amongscientists from China and Japan during theworkshop and review meeting are expected toimprove the mutual understanding of thecollaborative research project and contribute toits successful implementation in the second halfof the comprehensive research project.

Participants of the mid-termreview meeting for the compre-hensive project in China pose

for a group photograph.

On May 28, 1997 the research institutes anduniversities of the Ministry of Agriculture of thePeople’s Republic of China and the JapanInternational Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS) signed a comprehensiveagreement for a collaborative research projectentitled “Development of sustainable productionand utilization of major food resources in China”.This agreement commits institutions from bothcountries to eight specified research programsspanning seven years. The comprehensive projectaims to develop technologies for sustainableproduction and utilization of major foodresources in China. Such resources includingrice, soybeans, corn and freshwater fish, willbecome increasingly important as economicdevelopment both strengthens the purchasingpower of ordinary Chinese people and enhancestheir concern for dietary nutrition. This projectmarks an attempt to develop an effectiveproduction and distribution system for foodresources in order to cope with the changingsupply and demand structures of agriculturalproducts in China.

Starting on February 1, 2001, JIRCASorganized a two-day mid-term review meetingand workshop for the project, inviting officialsfrom the Agriculture, Forestry, and FisheriesResearch Council Secretariat of the Ministry ofAgirculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF).Five reviewers headed the project review: Dr.Y. Akama, Project Leader, Bio-orientedTechnology Research Advancement Institution(BRAIN), Dr. K. Ito, Director of the StatisticsAffairs Coordination Division, Statistics andInformation Department, MAFF, Prof. Y. Kaida,The Center for Southeast Asian Studies, KyotoUniversity, Dr. N. Kitano, Senior Economist,Research Institute for Development and Finance,Japan Bank for International Cooperation, andDr. K. Takase, Board Member, InternationalDevelopment Center of Japan. JIRCAS planneda project workshop prior to the review meeting

Mid-term review for the comprehensiveproject in China

Vietnam

On February 7, 2001, the Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS) organized a mid-term evaluationmeeting for the comprehensive project on“Development of new technologies and theirpractice for sustainable farming systems in theMekong Delta (Mekong II)” in Tsukuba. Theevaluation meeting originated in response to therecent instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) regardingadherence to a review system for each JIRCASproject. The main purpose of the meeting was toevaluate the current results and examine thefuture direction of the project.

Prof. Tetsuo Shioya, Tokyo University ofAgriculture and Technology, and Dr. YoshioAkama, Project Leader for the Bio-orientedTechnology Research Advancement Institution(BRAIN), attended the meeting as evaluators for

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Final eva luat ion meet ing for theproductivity and sustainable utilization ofbrackish water mangrove ecosystemscomprehensive project (Mangrove EstuaryI)

JIRCAS held a final evaluation committeemeeting for the Mangrove Estuary I project onMarch 2, 2000, attended by participating projectmembers from various JIRCAS divisions,including the Fisheries Division, ForestryDivision, Environmental Resources Division, andResearch Information Division, as well as otherJapanese institutes such as the Fisheries Agency,the Forestry Agency, and the Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries Research Council. Theywere joined by several Malaysian institutes suchas the Fisheries Research Institute, the ForestResearch Institute, the Department of Fisheries,the Department of Forestry, and the University

the project. Dr. Bui Ba Bong, Director of the CuuLong Delta Rice Research Institute in Vietnam,and Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Vice Director ofthe Institute for Marine Aquaculture at theCollege of Agriculture, Cantho University inVietnam, were also invited as commentators forthe meeting.

After Kazuyuki Tsurumi, Director of theResearch Information Division at JIRCAS,delivered the opening greetings and Dr. TakasukeIshitani , Director of the Planning andCoordination Division at JIRCAS, followed withan opening address, Dr. Tetsushi Hidaka,International Research Coordinator and projectleader, discussed the outline of the project.Following his presentation, researchers ofJIRCAS and related institutes presented resultsand future research plans for each subject. InSession 1, researchers presented study results onrice cultivation, integrated pest management,upland crops, and drying technologies.Presentations covering fruit production and pigproduction were presented in Sessions 2 and 3,respectively. In Session 4, researchers gavepresentations on aquaculture productionincluding fish and freshwater prawn culture.Session 5 covered the material circulation of by-products and wastes generated under VACR(Vietnamese acronym: V; fruits and vegetables,A; aquaculture, C; livestock, R; rice) farmingsystems. Lastly, Session 6 covered the results andfuture plans for the development and evaluationof farming systems as a whole.

Following the conclusion of all presentations,evaluators discussed ways in which the projectcould overcome some of the difficulties it faced,and participants used these solutions to plan thefuture framework and direction of the studies.

of Malaya.The project, implemented from of April 1995

to March 1999, focused on the integration ofstudies dealing with brackish water mangroveecosystems, which were conducted on amultidisciplinary basis including fields relatedto forestry, f isheries , agricul ture, andsocioeconomics. Although mangrove ecosystemshave been studied extensively worldwide, nointegrated approach had been previouslyadopted. The studies and their sub-fieldsconducted in collaboration between leadingscientists from Malaysia and JIRCAS areoutlined below.

The evaluation committee meeting was heldinvolving 4 evaluation committee members, 9and 8 scientists invited from Malaysia and Japan,respectively, and 12 staff members fromJIRCAS. The meeting produced 84 evaluationpoints and several comments, among which thefollowing were prominent themes.

Committee members agreed that in mostcases, the natural environment has the ability torepair damage it has incurred. However, in somecases, existing natural processes are not able toaccomplish this because of more severe damagebrought about by human beings. Because of therapid growth of the aquaculture industry and theexploitation of mangrove areas in coastal areasin Southeast Asia, a number of environmentalproblems have arisen, a concern many countriesshare. Mangrove areas harbor some of the

Final evaluation meeting for theMangrove Estuary I project.

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(1) Differentiation of sampling areas according to type of exploitation of mangrove forest. (2) Production by mangrove estuary ecosystems.

(a) Leaf litter production in mangrove areas. (b) Benthic animal production in mangrove estuaries.

(3) Impact of exploitation of mangrove forests on estuarial aquatic environments. (4) Food chain studies in mangrove estuaries.

(a) Food chain in mangrove forests. (b) Food chain in estuarine waters.

(5) Energy flow and biological diversity in mangrove estuaries. (6) Evaluation of socioeconomic impact on resources utilized in brackish water mangrove

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Earth’s most active marine life production sites.The objective of this research project has beento identify appropriate procedures that will leadto sustainable production systems. Thus, theresults have been especially important toSoutheast Asian countries, which host a largeproportion of the world’s mangrove forests. Inan attempt to preserve the valuable mangroveforests, JIRCAS and foreign research centershave made great efforts to achieve the goalsestablished in the project.

Final evaluation meeting for the project“Development of sustainable systems ofgrassland management and animal

Muneo Oikawa, Director of the Department ofGrassland Management, National GrasslandResearch Institute, were among those invited ascommentators for the meeting.

After an opening address from Dr. TakasukeIshi tani , Director of the Planning andCoordination Division, JIRCAS, Dr. ToshiakiTaniguchi, Director of the Animal Production andGrassland Division, JIRCAS, outlined andrecapped the project. Then, researchers fromJIRCAS and related institutes presented theresults and prospects for development oft echno logy fo r sus ta inab le g rass landmanagement and animal production.

Following presentations on each subject,evaluators gave inquiries in regards to the studiesand discussed methods of avoiding potentialobstacles to future research. Participants alsodiscussed the progress and accomplishments ofthe project, and recognized the importance offuture research in the area and of the invaluablecooperation from KIA.

Mid-term evaluation meeting for theproject “Comprehensive soybean researchproject in South America”

production in Central Asia”

Final evaluation meeting for theproject “Development of sustain-able systems of grassland man-agement and animal productionin Central Asia”. (Photo: T.Taniguchi)

JIRCAS held the final evaluation meeting forthe project entitled “Development of sustainablesystems of grassland management and animalproduction in Central Asia” in Tsukuba on March14, 2001 in order to review the results obtainedduring the implementation of the project.

The project started in July of 1996 incollaboration with the Kazakh Institute ofAgriculture (KIA), Kazakhstan. Agriculture inKazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia,has traditionally consisted of pasture and steppeand oasis agriculture in piedmont and desertareas. After the division of the Soviet Union in1991, the deterioration of the steppes and arableland, environmental problems in the Aral Seabasin, and the erosion of genetic resources havecaused serious concern for the nation’sagricultural sector. In order to solve theseproblems, the project focused on the developmentof grassland conservation and sustainablelivestock production, paying special attention tograssland management and fertility andgrassland vegetation in steppe soils.

Prof. Takashi Kosaki of Kyoto University,Mr. Toshiaki Nanba, Director General of theNational Livestock Breeding Center, and Dr.

JIRCAS organized a mid-term evaluationmeeting that took place on March 22, 2001 inTsukuba for the comprehensive project entitled“Comprehensive soybean research project inSouth America” in order to review the resultsobtained during the implementation of the projectas well as other related studies. The project,conducted since 1997, marks a new initiative bythe institute to promote multi-disciplinary studieson soybean production and utilization inMERCOSUR countries through collaborativeresearch linking Japanese and South Americanspecialists. This comprehensive projectcomplements earlier efforts in the field byfocusing research in five areas: genetics andbreeding, soil management and pest control, cropmanagement and production, postharvesttechnology, and socioeconomic factors.

The evaluation meeting originated inresponse to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries’ (MAFF) recentinstructions regarding adherence to a reviewsystem for each JIRCAS project being conductedin various developing countries. The mainpurpose of the meeting was to evaluate the resultsand to examine the future research direction ofthe project.

Dr. Peter Kerridge, Coordinator, InternationalCenter for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) –Asia,Prof. Kazuo Kawano, Kobe University, and Dr.Shinji Sakai, Director of the Department of Crop

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Breeding at the Tohoku National AgriculturalExperiment Station were invited as commentatorsfor the meeting.

After an opening address from Dr. TakahiroInoue, Director General of JIRCAS, Dr. ToshiakiTaniguchi, Director of the Animal Production andGrassland Division, JIRCAS, outlined andrecapped the project. Next, researchers ofJIRCAS and related institutes presented theresults and future research plans for the followingsubjects: genetic improvement of chemicalconstituents in soybean seeds, creation of DNAmarkers, breeding methods of insect resistantsoybean in South America, identification ofsoybean genes for resistance to Phytophthorasojae using molecular markers, improvement ofsoil management practices, improvement ofcontrolling methods of diseases and insects inParaguay, ecology and control of major diseasesof soybean in Argentina, morphological andphysiological characterization of drought-tolerantsoybean cultivars and identification of selectioncriteria for drought tolerance, analysis of soybeansupply and demand, and socioeconomicevaluation of new technologies.

After presentations on each subject,evaluators gave inquiries in regards to the studiesand discussed methods of avoiding potentialobstacles to future research. Participants alsodiscussed the progress and accomplishments ofthe project, and recognized the importance offuture research.

NEW RESEARCHCOLLABORATION

Mali, West Africa:Combining advanced climatologicalweather modeling and farmer knowledgefor risk reduction in cereal-based croppingsystems

The reduction of poverty through theapplication of advanced science is one of thehighest priorities of international agriculturalresearch today. This is especially true in WestAfrica, where food demand outpaces production.With urbanization leading to increasing riceconsumption, food use patterns are changing aswell.

West African agriculture is predominantlyrainfed. In addition to traditional rainfed uplandcereals, nearly all rice production, which takesplace primarily in low-lying areas (‘bas-fonds’),is also rainfed. However, farmers cannot alwaysrely on ‘bas-fonds’ production. In dry years,rainfall may be inadequate for rice, and farmerswill sometimes plant upland cereals in ‘bas-fonds’ the following year. If the following yearis wet, however, the upland cereals will fail dueto water-logging. Farmers thus face weather-induced risk in ‘bas-fonds’ production, whichcontributes to their reluctance to invest inagricultural production to obtain higher yields.Moreover, since the use of ‘bas-fonds’ is part ofthe farm household’s overall land use thatincludes uplands, farmers must consider riskmanagement of multiple activities, bothagricultural and non-agricultural.

To address these problems, in 2000 JIRCAShas begun a new three-year research project incollaboration with the Institut d’Economie Rurale(IER) of Mali, supported by funds from theFluidity Promoting Research System of theMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science,and Technology of Japan. The objective of theproject is to develop information to help farmersmake better choices among crops, productionpractices, and use of ‘bas-fonds’ and uplands toreduce risk associated with weather variability.The project uses three research strategies: (1)analysis of farmer decision-making behavior andcrop performance in response to weather variability,using farmer-participatory methods andinformation technology, (2) advanced weatheranalysis, combining analysis of weather patternsin the 600-1200 mm annual rainfall zones andglobal weather data, and (3) establishment ofcriteria for more effective production choices,using risk analysis of farmer behavior and weathervariability from the first two strategies.

Meeting between Dr. Takahiro Inoue, JIRCAS DirectorGeneral, and Dr. Peter Kerridge, who visited JIRCAS as areviewer of the soybean project. (Photo: T. Taniguchi)

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Farmers in Mali explaining landuse on a map that they havedrawn and written in a villagefarmers’ meeting with the re-search team.

Advanced information technology will helpmake it possible to gather information on landuse and farmer behavior at precise locations insmall areas, as well as put the information in aform that can be shared visually and interactivelywith farmers.

To achieve the project ’s goals , aninterdisciplinary team has been formedconsisting of three groups of researchers, witheach group focusing on one of the above threeproject strategies. JIRCAS held an introductoryworkshop on July 12, 2000 to initiate the projectand to establish a common understanding of thepotential contributions of the differentdisciplines. Twenty scientists from seveninstitutes and organizations representing an arrayof disciplines participated. The workshop wasorganized around six topics: West Africanagriculture, soil and crop conditions, weatheranalysis and water use, information processing,risk management, and linkages to research inrelated on-going projects. Following thepresentations, all of which were reported in theproceedings, a general discussion at the end ofthe workshop considered ways to carry out theresearch envisioned by the project, focusing onthe linkages among the three project componentsof farmer production decision-making criteria,weather modeling, and risk management.

In February 2001, two scientists fromJIRCAS, one scientist from the Tohoku NationalAgricultural Experiment Station, and threescientists from IER conducted surveys withfarmers in eleven villages in two regions of Mali:the central OHVN (Opération Haute Vallée duNiger, Upper River Valley of the Niger) region,centered around the capital city of Bamako, andthe southeastern cotton producing CMDT(Compagnie Malienne du Développement duCoton, Malian Cotton Development Company)region centered around Koutiala and Sikasso.The villages, selected in consultation with IER,

OHVN, and CMDT, covered a broad range ofannual rainfall, from 680 mm to over 1200 mm.In each village, researchers held a farmers’meeting, in which farmers drew a village landuse map, wrote down soil types using their ownsoils taxonomic categories, and explained landuse. This approach has become possible withthe spread of adult literacy in Bamanan over thepast decade; this common language of Mali wasused together with the official French language,along with visual representation, a participatoryresearch tool, to allow farmers to shareinformation. Visual representat ion ofinformation in a group setting gave farmersgreater ownership of the information than ifresearchers had gathered and recorded it solelyin written form based on oral interviews. In thefarmers’ meeting, farmers also described bothindicators that they have found empirically usefulto anticipate the coming rainy season, and theiruse of meteorological forecsasts provided byradio in Mali. At the end of each farmers meeting,the research team and the farmers visited theprincipal bas-fonds identified on the map todiscuss land use, climatic indicators, and risk onsite.

Results emphasized the importance ofclimatic variability on rice production in bas-fonds. Rice production was not feasible in thetwo survey villages in the 600 mm rainfall zone.In four villages in the 800 mm rainfall zone, therewas great variation in rice production, rangingfrom complete absence to good production in fourout of five years. Even in the 1200 mm annualrainfall zone, rice production was still variable,with succesful production occurring in only halfof the years in two of four southern villages.These results highlight the site-specific natureof climatic and soil conditions and their effectson ‘bas-fonds’ production in the transition zonefrom the semi-humid to the semi-arid Sahel inWest Africa. Farmers also are highly aware ofthe problem of location-specificity. Currentmeteorological forecasts are made at the regionallevel, which are broadcaast to regions withanuual rainfall ranging anywhere from 700 mmto 1200 mm. Farmers in three different villagesindependently indicated that these forecasts arenot precise enough for their specific conditions,and expressed a need for more fine-tunedforecasting at the district or sub-district level.

Farmers had a range of indictors, bothsecondary (non-climatic) and primary (climatic),that they use in the dry season to anticipate thecoming rainy season. In seven of the elevenvillages, farmers used secondary indicators basedon the flowering or fruiting of specific trees orplants. Four villages also used the appearance

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of specific insects or birds as indicators. In twovillages in the south, farmers observe a changein wind direction in February, and in one of thesevillages, farmers found this indicator to be a goodpredictor of relative yield over the past 20 years.

Based on the above results, the research teamselected one village each from the 800 mm and1200 mm zones of the CMDT region in easternMali. At the start of the rainy season and againnear the end, the research team will conductsurveys on transects selected to cover the rangeof soil types and land uses identified by thefarmers in their maps in the February 2000survey. The transects will be mapped usingsatellite-based geographical positioning (GPS).Farmers on the transects will be groupedaccordingly, and representative farmers will beselected from each group for more detailedmonitoring of land use and production practicedecisions. Weather monitoring will also becarried out concurrently both within and aroundthe selected villages, to obtain information onsub-regional spatial variability of rainfall andother climatic variables. The same types of datawill be gathered in 2002, and combined todevelop a risk reduction model.

Studies on sustainable productionsystems of aquatic animals in brackish

Products Research Institute of Japan, theSoutheast Asian Fisheries Development Center(SEAFDEC), of the Philippines, the FisheriesResearch Institute (FRI) and Malaya Universityin Malaysia, and the Faculty of Fisheries,Kasetsart University in Thailand.

The five-year project is designed to establisha method of fostering protective and plannedmanagement of commercially valuable fish andcrustaceans in mangrove estuaries in order toensure their sustainable use. It is important toencourage low- and minimal-input aquaculturalprocedures based on synthetic foods and drugsthat take advantage of the naturally occurringcirculation system of mangrove forests, and alsoto promote the development of more profitableaquacultural procedures based on the rearing ofnew indigenous aquatic species of highcommercial value.

In addition, after these sustainable productionsystems in brackish mangrove areas are put intopractice, project coordinators will analyze andpublicize their economic and environmentaladvantages to encourage their wider use.

The research will focus on the developmentof procedures for the protection and managementof commercially valuable fish resources to ensurethe i r sus ta inable use and sus ta inableaquacultural systems utilizing the productivityof remaining brackish mangrove areas, asdescribed below.

In coastal areas of Southeast Asia, thedevelopment of cities and agricultural areas hasled to the destruction of mangrove ecosystems,compromis ing the i r p roduc t iv i ty andsustainability. In addition, many areas haveadopted large-scale intensive aquaculturalsystems to promote high-yielding production ofcrustaceans in the mangrove areas. As a resultof this economic activity, a number of seriousproblems have emerged, including environmentaldegradation and the destruction of mangroveforest areas due to their conversion into urbanand agricultural land and aquaculture ponds. Inthe case of aquaculture, the spread of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens caused byunrestrained and continuous use of antibiotics inover-stocked culture ponds has become a seriousproblem affecting the production of marineanimals in this area.

To address these problems, researchers havebeen planning a comprehensive follow-up projectentitled “Studies on sustainable productionsystems of aquatic animals in brackish mangroveareas” or “Mangrove Estuary II”. The projectteam consists of members from a broad range ofinstitutions, including the National ResearchInstitute of Fisheries and Forestry and Forest

mangrove areas (Mangrove Estuary II)

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Studies on coupling habitat, biology, andmanagement of commercially important fishspecies

more focused decisions on mangrove researchissues should include work on the entrainmentand impingement impacts, with special emphasison estimating mortality factors, specifically forcommercially important species of fish includingthe grouper (Epinephelus sp.) and the snapper(Lutjanus sp.). The studies also need to addresssuch issues as spawning population stocks andthe spawner-recruitment theories for long-termassessment of the contribution of mangroveforests to coastal fisheries resources. Still otherissues involve the application of cross-migrationof fish populations to marine sea grass andprotected areas as well as biological and physicalvariability and scale. This information will helpdetermine the role played by the base ecosystemin overall coastal productivity.

Research priority will be based on anunderstanding of the overall contribution andestimates of individual species recruitment fromspecific ecosystems to coastal fisheries. Thisrequirement is of great importance due to theneed to create a mangrove-friendly aquacultureprogram designed to have minimal effects on thewild mangrove ecosystem. It will also beimportant to limit fish production based on theextensive capture of wild fry of economicallyviable species and to prevent the use of poorlydesigned or non-species-specific fry harvestinggear. Hence, the proposal will be tailored toconsider several aspects of fisheries, taking intoaccount both the mangrove aquatic resource baseand aquaculture practices.

Research themes will center on twocommercial species of potential use inaquaculture: the snapper (Lutjanus sp.) and thegrouper (Epinephelus sp.), given the potentiallyexcessive utilization of fry from the wild foraquaculture and fishing activities that may lead

to depletion of this important resource. Extendedcapture of fry based on inadequate informationabout the reproductive patterns of these speciesmay lead to resource destruction and damage thefuture productivity of the ecosystems as a whole.

Studies on low- input procedures ofaquaculture utilizing natural circulatingsupply systems

In wetlands that exist under mangrove trees,there is an abundant supply of nitrogen,phosphorus, silicates, and other elements. Largep o p u l a t i o n s o f p h y t o p l a n k t o n a n dmicroorganisms depend on these nutrients andin turn act as an abundant microbial food sourcefor shrimp, crabs and other crustaceans, as wellas the fish and bivalves that are a source oflivelihood for the people living in the area. Also,in brackish mangrove areas, there are a numberof na tura l ecologica l e f fec ts tha t a readvantageous to aquaculture, including thebotanical cleaning and filtering of water and theinhibitory effects on the growth of pathogenscreated by competition with native species ofmicroorganisms. Traditional onshore aquaculturemethods based on the natural supply of microbialfoods, which require a low frequency of feedingby fisherman, are already in existence inmangrove forests. In an experiment at the MaiPoh Wildlife Center in the northwestern NewTerritories of Hong Kong, seawater flows backand forth through the mangrove forest into cultureponds. Food microorganisms are carried in andwaste products carried out by natural tidal actionthrough the mangrove marshes.

This research project will study thedevelopment of low-input aquaculturalprocedures utilizing live food supplied fromhighly productive mangrove ecosystems, thecomposition and growth of live foods, theirdistribution in various types of mangrove forest,and their potential for use in aquaculture.Research will also cover the breeding oforganisms to serve as live food.

With the aim of enabling minimal usage ofpharmaceuticals in aquaculture, the project willstudy water purification by mangroves and theinhibitory effects on the growth of pathogenicmicroorganisms caused by antagonism amongmicroorganisms and the effects on theimprovement of the fish-rearing environment.Researchers will also examine the relationshipbetween mangrove species diversity andproduction of microorganisms, nano-algae andpredators.

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ACADEMIC PRIZES AND AWARDSJIRCAS is pleased to note that many of its staff members have been recipients

of academic prizes and awards from scientific societies and other organizations.The following is a brief summary of achievements which we are proud to includein the Highlights of Annual Report 2000.

Dr. Osamu Ito, Director of the Environmental Resources Division receivedthe award of the Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition for hiswork on improvement of crop production in the tropics through elucidation ofcrop nitrogen requirements. Dr. Ito’s research clearly showed the significance ofthe contribution of biological nitrogen fixation by heterotrophic bacteria and Azollain irrigated rice ecosystems. In additional research conducted in the semi-aridtropics, nitrogen use efficiency was shown to be improved by the adoption ofappropriate cropping systems such as intercropping of cereal and leguminouscrops and through the enhancement of nitrogen input from biological nitrogenfixation.

Dr. Kazuko Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Senior Researcher in the BiologicalResources Division received the Daily Yomiuri’s Techno Forum 21 Gold MedalAward for her work on improving plant tolerance to drought, salt and freezingthrough genetic transfer. The Daily Yomiuri, one of Japan’s major nationalnewspapers, has lauded the development of super-tolerant plants as a significantcontribution in the struggle to meet world food security issues in the comingcentury. In Dr. Kazuko Yamaguchi-Shinozaki’s research, a single gene for astress-inducible transcription factor, DREB1A, that regulates many stresstolerance genes was studied. It was found that overproduction of the DREB1Agene in transgenic plants activated the expression of many stress tolerance todrought, salt, and freezing. This gene can be used to genetically engineer stress-tolerant crops that are of importance in coping with the food crisis andenvironmental pollution.

Dr. Osamu Ito

Development of aquacultural proceduresbased on the use of new indigenous fishspecies of high commercial value

In Southeast Asia, large-scale intensivemonoculture, particularly that of black tigerprawn, is being carried out with the short-termaim of generating maximum revenue. This resultsin frequent and serious problems, such as massmortality caused by infectious diseases. Toremedy this situation, in addition to developinglow-input extensive aquacultural procedures asmentioned above, it is necessary to rear a widerspectrum of new profitable fish species tocompensate the income loss caused by adoptingmore extensive culture systems. For thesereasons, scientists are developing aquaculturalprocedures centering on new indigenous speciesof high commercial value. Researchers areworking to improve breeding, larval production,and rearing procedures for new indigenousspecies with high commercial value.

economic benefits of new sustainable fishproduction systems in brackish mangroveareas

Income earned from fisheries or shrimpaquaculture in mangrove forests is about doublethat of conventional agricultural products on dryland. The income from conventional farmsoccupying the area inland from mangrove forestsis 20 percent lower, with higher unemploymentrates than in the mangrove forest. Clearly, thereare economic advantages to establishing primaryindustries based on the mangrove ecosystem.However, in shrimp culture, a ‘slash-and-burn’attitude still prevails; that is, fishermen preferintensive shrimp culture leading to over-stocking,infection and mass mortality, rapid abandonmentof failed culture ponds, and the construction ofnew culture ponds. From an economic viewpoint,although local fishermen are able to make short-term gains, this strategy does not lead toconsistent income levels. Researchers hope tofind a viable aquaculture system that will resultin consistent income levels, while at the sametime stay attuned to the mangrove ecosystems ata local and global level.

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to prefectural organizations and the privatesector. The AFFRC is headed by a chairman,and its advisory members consist of independentuniversity faculty members and previous MAFFresearch institute directors and high officials(Table 1). The remaining ten institutes, whichinclude one institute devoted to forestry and ninefisheries research institutes, are also attached tothe AFFRC. However, they are overseen by theForestry Agency and the Fisheries Agency,administrative agencies under the directsupervision of MAFF. The overall structure ofresearch at MAFF is as shown in Fig. 1.

JIRCAS is unique among the twenty-nineresearch institutes in that it serves as aninternational research center but is, at the sametime, part of the MAFF infrastructure. Thus, itis involved in active exchange and collaborationwith the other twenty-eight institutes. JIRCASis located in the Tsukuba Science City, which isabout 50 km northeast of Tokyo (Fig. 2). Manyother MAFF institutes are also located inTsukuba, and the AFFRC secretariat maintainsa Tsukuba office, forming the TsukubaInstitutional Complex. Tsukuba itself is home tonumerous other research insti tutes andexperimental facilities belonging to otherministries and agencies of the JapaneseGovernment, as well as to the private sector.

JIRCAS AND THE MINISTRY OF AGRICU LTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

MAFF Research Structure

The Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) is one oftwenty-nine research institutes belonging to theMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF), the Government of Japan. In this age,in which we have seen remarkable progress inadvanced fields of science and technologyincluding biotechnology, MAFF's researchinstitutes are playing a key role in thedevelopment of new technologies to pave the wayfor further development of the food industry, andpromotion of agriculture, forestry and fisheriesactivities in the twenty-first century. MAFF'sinstitutes work in close collaboration with localgovernments, universities, and private researchorganizations and aim to contribute to the overallprosperity of Japan while making significantcontributions to the international community.

Nineteen of the twenty-nine institutesincluding JIRCAS are directly overseen by theAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries ResearchCouncil (AFFRC), which is a special agencyattached to MAFF. The main duties of theAFFRC are overall research planning andcoordination, liaison and coordination betweenresearch and administration, administration andguidance of the institutes, and research assistance

Table 1

Shigeru Motai

Kazuo Takahashi

Akinori Suzuki

TakaharuHatanaka

Hiroshi Harada

Satohiko Sasaki

Takamitsu Sawa

President, The National Association of Racing (NAR)

Advisory

Members

Chairman

Governor, Yamagata Prefecture

President, Akita Prefectural University

President, Society for Techno-Innovation of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

President, Yamagata Agricultural Research and Training Center

Dean, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University

Professor of Economics, Institute of Economic Research, Kyoto University

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No-tillage cultivation of soybean in Paraguay. (Photo: T.Taniguchi)

The soybean, Glycine max, is considered tobe one of the principal crops for humansustenance. Soybeans provide a major source offood, oil, and protein-rich livestock feed.Production of this valuable crop has increasedrapidly in the past three decades in comparisonwith that of rice, wheat, corn, and other majorgrains. Encouraging the continuation of this trendmay aid efforts to stabilize the world food supply.

At present, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay(MERCOSUR coun t r i e s ) a ccoun t f o rapproximately one-third of global soybeanproduction, placing them among the leadingsoybean export countries. However, soybean

SOUTH AMERICA:Soybean improvement, production andutilization

years in cooperation with Cantho University, theCuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, and theSouthern Fruit Research Institute. The majorobjective of the project is to foster agriculturalpractices that are not only economicallyprofitable but also ecologically sustainable asfarming systems. Research topics within theproject include a development componenttechnology for farming systems in the areas ofrice, livestock, fruit, and aquaculture production.Thus far, the project has begun to developtechniques for breeding salt-tolerant varieties andintegrating pest management in rice and rice-based farming systems. As for livestock,techniques for feeding management in pigproduction and pathological diagnosis of porcinediseases have improved. Researchers havedeveloped a model orchard to improve fruitproduction at an on-farm experimental site.Furthermore, a basic technology for prawn seedproduction has also been established. Lastly,methods for assessment of nitrogen cycling andevaluation are also in the development stages.Regarding the socioeconomic aspects of thestudy, researchers classified farming systems andanalyzed the cause-effect relationship of thetechnical and economical problems in farmingsystems. The project also aims to create andevaluate sustainable farming systems thatemploy technology for environmentalconservation and VACR farming systems andstrives to put these technologies into practicethrough the establishment of model VACRfarming and extension systems.

Members of JIRCAS attended a four-dayworkshop held at Cantho University in Vietnamfrom November 14 to 17, 2000, and later hostedan evaluation workshop for the project atJIRCAS in Tsukuba on February 7, 2001.

production in South America has often beencarried out under environmentally vulnerableconditions in arid, acid soils characterized bylow fertility. In addition, the history of soybeancultivation in these areas is relatively short,giving rise to concerns that continuous cropping,pest and disease outbreaks, and soil erosion mayadversely affect future soybean production.

Comprehensive, multinational researchefforts focused on the development of sustainableand more efficient systems of soybean productionin South America can be considered an importantmeans of addressing these concerns.

The JIRCAS research project entitled“Soybean improvement, production, andutilization in South America” marks a newinitiative by the institute to promote multi-disciplinary studies on soybean production andutilization in MERCOSUR countries throughcollaborative research linking Japanese andSouth American specialists. The project involvescollaboration with several South Americanresearch institutes, including those affiliated withthe Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation,Brazil (EMBRAPA), the Ministry of Agricultureand Livestock, Paraguay (MAG), and the NationalInstitute of Agricultural Technology, Argentina(INTA), as well as the Japan InternationalCooperation Agency and Centro TecnologicoAgropecuario en Paraguay (JICA/ CETAPAR).This comprehensive project complements earlierefforts in the field by focusing research in fiveareas: genetics and breeding, soil management andpest control, crop management and production,postharvest technology, and socioeconomic factors.In order to review the latest results obtained duringthe project and other related studies, the SoybeanResearch Center, EMBRAPA (Soja), and JIRCASheld a seminar on soybean research conducted at

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Domestic institutional support of JIRCASinternational collaborative research

JIRCAS’s main role is to promote sustainabledevelopment of agriculture, forestry, andfisheries compatible with the preservation of theenvironment in developing regions of the worldthrough integrated, collaborative researchprograms. In performing this role, JIRCAS aimsto play an active part in the internationalcommunity. JIRCAS collaborative projects indeveloping countries take a multi-disciplinaryapproach by focusing on each country’ssocioeconomic conditions when evaluating andimplementing research programs. JIRCAS andlocal specialists carry out “comprehensiveresearch” in an effort to address the region’s mostpressing agricultural problems. Domesticresearch at JIRCAS facilities in Japan, theJIRCAS visiting fellow program, and strongcooperation with international research institutesall contribute to and support these researchefforts abroad.

To orchestrate a project, JIRCAS firstsystematically collects and analyzes data froma variety of sources including food supply andagricultural research in developing regions andthen proposes international collaborativeresearch strategies and policies targeting thespecific needs of a country. In this capacity, bydevising comprehensive research and policyproposals, JIRCAS essentially functions as athink tank. Next, JIRCAS utilizes existingtechnologies, policies, and research to broadenits role into the initiation of research programsto effectively confront such pressing matters assustainable agricultural development, foodsecurity, and environmental problems. At present,JIRCAS is conducting nine comprehensive

projects around the world including in regionssuch as Southeast Asia, China, South America,and Africa. Each project is guided andadministered by a working group and a projectcommittee, which make ongoing adjustments asthe project evolves. A JIRCAS staff memberdirects each project and is supported whennecessary on short-term bases by researchers fromother agriculture, forestry, and fisheries institutes.

JIRCAS maintains over 100 researchers,about 40 of which are on long-term researchassignments abroad. Once a topic is decidedupon, the details of the research project, such asits parameters, research aim, and length, arepresented and the most suitable researchers areselected. When a project requires the long-termassignment of researchers from outside JIRCAS,those scientists participate as JIRCAS staffmembers for the duration of their assignment.JIRCAS staff members and scientists from otherresearch institutions assist JIRCAS-centeredresearch activities abroad on short-term basesof usually one to two months. Furthermore, about40 JIRCAS researchers in Tsukuba, IbarakiPrefecture and Ishigaki Island, OkinawaPrefecture support the international collaborativeprojects by conducting related domestic research.

In these ways, JIRCAS internationalcollaborative research projects enjoy greatsupport from the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries’ 29 affiliated researchorganizations and their 2,700 strong researchstaff. Finally, JIRCAS conducts an AnnualMeeting for the Review and Promotion ofResearch for International Collaboration in orderto ensure each project proceeds smoothly. In thismeeting, the previous year’s activities areevaluated and strategies and goals are set for thecoming year’s research.

JIRCAS ANNUAL REPORT EDITORIAL BOARD

JIRCAS’s Annual Report is managed by theResearch Planning and Coordination Divisionand an editorial board formed by staffadministrators and researchers. In addition to aChairman and Vice-Chairman, Editors-in-Chief,Advisory Panel, and Editorial Committee, theBoard receives the participation of a studentintern from Harvard University’s JapaneseLanguage Program who serves as a SpecialAssistant to the Editors-in-Chief (front row:Nobuyo Yamaguchi, Marcy N. Wilder, AkinoriNoguchi, Tadahiro Hayashi, Hollin Kretzmann;back row: Takaharu Hayashi, Shuichi Asanuma,Nobuo Ueno, Yukihito Ochiai).

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INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHAT JIRCAS

International collaborative projects atJIRCAS encompass all fields of agriculture,forestry, and fisheries and are carried out inassociation with various other institutions,including international research centers, nationalresearch organizations, and universities. Whenthe Tropical Agricultural Resource Center(TARC), the predecessor of JIRCAS, wasrestructured to create the present institution,scientists launched a series of comprehensiveprojects that focused on responding to difficultagricultural problems such as developingsustainable agricultural systems and addressingfood supply and environmental problems, all ofwhich confront today’s developing countries.Projects combine research in both the natural andsocial sciences. Within the scope of a givenproject, JIRCAS dispatches long- and short-termresearchers to developing countries and oftensponsor research-related conferences andworkshops with the partner country. In additionto these comprehensive projects, JIRCAScontinues to promote specific, focused,unidisciplinary projects that were originallycarried out under TARC.

The following section presents recentdevelopments in several ongoing comprehensiveprojects. In keeping with this year’s focus onIndonesia, this section highlights importantresearch sites in Indonesia where severalcollaborative projects are currently beingpursued. A complete listing of comprehensiveand unidisciplinary projects undertaken byJIRCAS researchers can be found at the end ofthis section.

In 2000, JIRCAS was involved in ninecomprehensive projects in Indonesia, Vietnam,South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay),Thailand, the People’s Republic of China, WestAfrica, and Malaysia. These projects have beendivided into three classifications, “site-specificcomprehensive projects”, “country-basedcomprehensive projects”, and “multinationalcomprehensive projects”.

Site-specific comprehensive projects firstsystematically analyze the agricultural, forestry,and fisheries issues of a specific region throughfocused research on the relationships betweenvarious factors such as natural resources,environment, technology, and administration.These projects then draw upon multidisciplinary

research to address the needs of the region.Projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, andMalaysia are examples of site-specific projects.Country-based comprehensive projects identifythe most significant food supply and agriculturalproblems of the partner state and then selectseveral representative research fields and themesin which JIRCAS can best contribute toward theresolution of these problems. In addition, theseprojects promote comprehensive joint researchthrough collaboration with the government of thepartner state. Both the China and Brazil projectsfall under this classification. Multinationalcomprehensive projects incorporate researchersin many fields from a wide region coveringmultiple countries in a cooperative effort toresolve strategically important issues. Theprojects in South America (soybeans) and WestAfrica (rice) are multinational projects.

Each comprehensive project has a projectleader who organizes and oversees collaborationamong researchers in participating researchdivisions. During the planning stages of thesecomprehensive projects, socioeconomic studiesare conducted to identify research priorities incounterpart countries.

INDONESIA:Evaluation and improvement of regional

COMPREHENSIVEPROJECTS

Agricultural production in Indonesia variesgreatly from location to location, depending uponthe different natural, environmental andsocioeconomic conditions in each locale. Fori n s t a n c e , r a p i d e c o n o m i c g r o w t h ,industrialization, and urbanization on the islandof Java has exacerbated the economic gapbetween cities and villages and fundamentallyaltered social and economic conditions in ruralareas. On the outer islands, however, thegenerally poor living conditions reflect the slowpace of economic development. Problems withagricultural production and the developmentaldelay of appropriate technologies to overcomeissues of resource utilization continue to plaguethese areas.

These conditions, combined with the shortagein rice production experienced during the pastfew years, have made the enhancement of foodcrop production, especially rice, maize, andsoybeans in both lowland and upland areas, apriority for Indonesian agricultural research anddevelopment. In order to improve householdeconomies and promote local agribusiness,

farming systems

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researchers are examining vegetable production,in particular that of temperate vegetables.

The comprehensive research project,“Evaluation and improvement of regionalfarming systems in Indonesia”, aims to shed lighton problems that Indonesian agriculture facesfrom a farmers’ standpoint by evaluating boththe socio-economic and technical aspects of pastand current practices of farming systems researchand extension (FSR&E). The project began inApril 1998 and is scheduled to last for five years.Collaborating Indonesian research institutesworking on the project include the Center forA g r o - S o c i o E c o n o m i c R e s e a r c h a n dDevelopment (CASERD), the Central ResearchInstitute for Food Crops (CRIFC), the ResearchInstitute for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET),the Center for Soil and Agroclimate Research(CSAR), and the Lembang Assessment Institutefor Agricultural Technology (AIAT-Lembang).The participation of each of these institutes isunder the overall coordination of the Agency forAgricultural Research and Development(AARD) of the Ministry of Agriculture of theRepublic of Indonesia.

In March 2000, JIRCAS held a midtermreview meeting and workshop to present theresearch results in the first two years. Based ondiscussions of research results in certain subjectareas, project leaders decided that the projectshould concentrate on temperate vegetable-basedfarming systems. Accordingly, from fiscal year2000, the Research Institute for Vegetables (RIV)and its supervisory organization, the CentralResearch Institute for Horticulture (CRIH), wereadded to the project as counterpart Indonesianresearch institutes.

Indonesian institutions and JIRCAS heldmeetings in July 2000 and March 2001 atLembang to strengthen linkages and improvecollaboration among the scientists of differentdisciplines. In September 2000, a workshop onevaluation of Indonesia soybean varieties forprocessing and improvement of fermented foodswas held at RILET in Malang, for completion ofthis research subject.

Currently, this project is composed of thefollowing five subjects: (1) analysis of physicalenvironmental resources for evaluation andimprovement of vegetable-based farming systemsin highland regions in West Java, (2) historicalreview of the development of temperate vegetableproduction and prediction of future development,(3) analysis and evaluation of marking systemsof temperate vegetables in West Java, (4)evaluation of the present cultivation and plantprotection technologies of temperate vegetablesand development of sustainable technologies, and

(5) evaluation and utilization of indigenousupland crops and fruit trees planted in farmingsystems in highland regions.

VIETNAM:Development of new technologies and theirpractice for sustainable farming systemsin the Mekong Delta

After facing a difficult economic situationduring 1998 and 1999 that threatened theremarkable strides it had made in the last decade,growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) inVietnam increased from 3.8 percent in 1998, to6.1 percent in 2000, and is expected to reach6.4 percent in 2001, due to a recovery in domesticprivate sector demand and robust exportperformance.

The primary crop of the country is rice. Inthe past decade, rice production has rapidlyexpanded, aiding the country in becoming notonly self-sufficient in rice, but also in becomingthe world’s second largest exporter. However,an export-oriented rice monoculture system isnot the best model for rural development in suchplaces as the Mekong Delta. Low rice prices,uncertain markets, poor marketing facilities, andcompetition with other rice exporting countriesare drastically cutting farmers’ incomes.Furthermore, intensive farming technologieshave brought about many unexpected detrimentaleffects on the environment, prompting theVietnamese government to encourage cropdiversification as a means towards balanceddevelopment. Fortunately, various farmingsystems, including VACR (Vietnamese acronym:V; fruits and vegetables, A; aquaculture, C;livestock, R; rice) systems, have evolved inresponse to natural and socio-economicconditions of each area in the Mekong Delta.

Since its inception in 1999, a comprehensiveproject, “Development of new technologies andtheir practice for sustainable farming systems inthe Mekong Delta”, has been carried out for two

Field survey at a vegetablefarm. (Photo: K. Tsurumi)

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BRAZIL:The development of sustainable agro-pastoral systems in sub-tropical zones

The subtropical region of Brazil is consideredto be one of the origins of modern agriculture inSouth America. This area, where large-scalecontinuous cultivation of field crops andextensive cattle grazing have constituted themajor form of agriculture, is at present extremelyimportant to the food supply and economy of thecountry. Those living in subtropical areas ofBrazil have increased agricultural production bycontinuously expanding the boundaries of arableland and maintaining a high dependence on thenet primary productivity of fertile land withminimum input. As a result, the land in most ofthis area has become environmentally vulnerable,while production efficiency and agriculturaltechnologies have remained at the same lowlevels. Plant growth retardation associated withcontinuous cropping, the occurrence of diseases,outbreaks of pests, and soil erosion threaten theagricultural production of this region and are themain obstacles precluding high levels ofsustainability and productivity.

Initiated by JIRCAS in 1996, the projectentitled “Comprehensive studies on thedevelopment of sustainable agro-pastoral systemsin the subtropical zone of Brazil” is one of severalSouth America-based research programs. Byemphasizing more effective land utilizationthrough the adoption of crop-pasture rotationsystems, this project aims to develop highlyproductive, sustainable farming systems in theenvironmentally degraded areas of Brazil’s sub-tropical zone. Current research involvescollaborative efforts with the National ResearchCenter for Beef Cattle (CNPGC), EMBRAPA,and the International Center of AgriculturalTechnology (JATAK). In cooperation withJIRCAS, these institutes are conducting researchon four themes, including analysis and evaluationof indigenous and traditional land utilizationsystems for agriculture, multidisciplinary studieson the adoption of sustainable crop-pasturerotation systems, socioeconomic evaluation ofcrop-pasture rotation, and newly developed agro-pastoral systems.

In 2000, JIRCAS dispatched two long-termresearchers and six short-term researchers toCNPGC. Research subjects currently beingstudied as part of the project include 1) analysisand evaluation of traditional land utilization

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systems for agriculture, 2) multidisciplinarystudies for the adoption of sustainable crop-pasture rotation systems, 3) mixed and multiplecropping agricultural systems employingsoybean as a main crop for f ie ld cropdiversification, 4) introduction and managementof forage crops in mixed, multiple-croppingsystems for soil improvement, 5) dynamics ofsoil fertility and plant nutrition in crop-pasturerotation, 6) socioeconomic evaluation of crop-pasture rotation from the standpoint of farmingsystems, and 7) on-farm participatory researchon newly developed agro-pastoral systems.

Nelore cattle gathered bygauchos after grazing on agro-pastoral pastures. (Photo: T.Taniguchi)

EMBRAPA-Soja in December, 2000. JIRCAShosted the project’s mid-term evaluation meetingin March, 2001.

THAILAND:Comprehensive studies on sustainableagricultural systems in Northeast Thailand

Among the four regions of Thailand, thenortheast region is the largest, covering 170,000km2, or about one-third of country’s total area.The northeast region’s boundaries are definedby the Mekong River to the north and east, thePhetchabun mountain range to the west, and theDongrak mountain range to the south. ThePhupah Mountains, which run northwest tosoutheast, divide the region into two basins, theSakon Nakhon and Korat basins. Both basinsare characterized by a gently rolling topographywith an elevation of approximately 200m.

The soils in Northeast Thailand are mostlysandy and coarse in texture with low inorganicmatter content, low water-holding capacity, andlow cation exchange capacity. Exchangeablepotassium and available phosphorus are verylimited. These soil characteristics represent lowfertility and poor buffering capacity. The erraticrainfall patterns that vary extremely from yearto year add still another constraint to agriculturalproduction in the Northeast.

Due to these environmental limitations,agricultural production in the region remains low.In turn, the region’s economic and socialinfrastructure has been slow to develop, leavinga majority of the area’s farmers in the shadow ofthe modern age. Beginning in the 1960s, the

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JIRCAS officially inaugurated its firstcomprehensive research project with the nationalgovernment of the People’s Republic of China(PRC) on May 28, 1997, with the signing of anagreement by representatives from JIRCAS, theJapanese Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesResearch Council (AFFRC), and the ChineseMinistry of Agriculture (MOA), committing theseinstitutions to a collaborative research programspanning seven years. The comprehensive projectaims to develop technologies for sustainableproduction and utilization of major foodresources in China. Such resources, includingrice, soybeans, corn, and freshwater fish, willbecome increasingly important as economicdevelopment both strengthens the purchasingpower of ordinary Chinese citizens and enhancestheir concern for dietary nutrition.

A report by the World Watch Institute entitled,Who Will Feed China? Wake-up Call for a SmallPlanet (Brown 1995), provided the initial impetusbehind concerns over the future of China’s foodsupply. In response, many Chinese and foreignresearchers have analyzed and made projectionsregarding food supply problems in China.Although these researchers have focused theirstudies primarily on the grain sector, their reportsreveal little agreement concerning futurescenarios for food production and demand. Thislack of agreement is most likely due to

CHINA:Development of sustainable productionand utilization of major food resources

amount of cultivated farmland was expandedthrough extensive deforestation. Rain-fed ricebecame the major crop, followed by cassava andkenaf. Recently, sugarcane cultivation has alsoexpanded. To meet an increased demand for meatand milk products, the livestock industry has beengradually developed using newly bred, large-sizeruminants that possess higher productivity thanlocal breeds. However, because of the depressedinternational market for agricultural products, therapid introduction of cash-oriented agriculturalproduction has not led to an increase in farmincome. In addition, soils lacking the protection offorest root structures and canopies have beendirectly exposed to rainfall and thus have beenprone to erosion. The depletion of nutrients andorganic materials from soils has occurred rapidly,making many believe that the agricultural lands inmany parts of Northeast Thailand are lessproductive than in the past.

In order to further develop agriculture in theregion, it is necessary to shift the presentagricultural system from one that depends highlyon a few cash crops to a more sustainable systemin which diverse cropping options are combinedwith more efficient utilization of local resources.The seven-year project, “Comprehensive studieson sustainable agricultural systems in NortheastThailand” was initiated in 1995 in order topromote the technological development of rice,field crop, vegetable, livestock, and sericultureindustries, and also to advance the conceptualdevelopment of a sustainable agricultural systemthat combines multiple farming with animalhusbandry. The project has operated in closecollaboration with Thai partners, includingDepartment of Agriculture (DOA), Departmentof Livestock Development (DLD), LandDevelopment Department (LDD), InternationalTraining Center for Agricultural Development(ITCAD), and Khon Kaen University (KKU).

The project has entered its sixth year, a yearshy of completing its current phase. To ensure itssuccessful completion, emphasis has been placedto further promote interaction within the project

Aerial view of landscape typicalof Northeast Thailand (Photo: K.Matsuo)

between socioeconomic research themes andtechnological development for rainfed lowland ricecropping and integration of upland cropping andlivestock. To enhance communication amongscientists with different research backgrounds, aworkshop entitled “Linkages between biologicaland social science research in the NortheastThailand comprehensive project” was held on June16, 2000, at the International Training Center forAgricultural Development (ITCAD) in KhonKaen. Researchers organized another workshopheld on November 21 of the same year in NakhonRatchasima to finalize the research outputs relatedto sericultural components that were incorporatedinto the project as a part of postharvest technologydevelopment. The annual project meeting was alsoheld on November 22 and 23 at ITCAD for athorough discussion on experimental resultsobtained during the 1999-2000 period, followedby a research management meeting during whichresearch managers from various counterpartorganizations proposed and discussed theresearch themes for the next phase of the project.

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differences in underlying assumptions, data, andestimation processes. Nevertheless, there doesexist a sufficient consensus that China’s fooddemand will increase continuously over the nextthree decades, and that available food supplieswill not meet this demand. Consequently, risingdemand for imported foodstuffs will likely occur.Major factors inhibiting agricultural productionincreases in China include the area of arable land,the poor quality of farmland, the weak responseof soils to fertilizer, and the small-ownershipstructure of private Chinese farms. Due to rapideconomic growth, it is inevitable that morefarmland will be used for non-agriculturalpurposes. New efforts to reclaim land and recentincreases in crop indices do not seem to havehalted the trend toward declining levels of landcultivation. Moreover, crop yields in Chinaremain significantly lower than in advancedindustrialized nations.

The major factors influencing future fooddemand include population expansion, changesin the structure of Chinese society due to rural-urban migration, increases in family income,changes in the price of agricultural products, andthe persistence of poor infrastructure. Due to theshrinkage of agricultural resources and thenatural, structural, financial, and economicconstraints on yield potentials, demand for foodin China will continue to rise and agriculturalproduction will persistently fail to keep pace.

In an effort to curtail these trends, this projectaims to develop an effective production anddistribution system for food resources in orderto cope with the changing supply and demandstructures of agricultural products in China.Efforts to achieve this objective will require anevaluation of new technology dissemination andthe economic impact this technology has onselected rural areas and individual farmers. Inorder to improve food supplies and meet thedemands in selected areas, the project will alsohave to generate a supply and demand modelingstructure for food resources, develop a systemanalysis of corresponding farming areas andagricultural products, and design more effectivecontrol systems.

On February 1, 2001, JIRCAS organized atwo-day mid-term review meeting and workshopfor the project. A workshop prior to the reviewmeeting was planned in order to facilitate thereviewers to understand the significance and thefuture development of this project in China (seeSymposia and Workshops). During the reviewmeeting, Japanese scientists presented majorresearch results according to eight researchprograms and proposed to integrate twoprograms that are closely related each other

under areas of socioeconomic study. After themeeting, all five reviewers gave favorableevaluation comments. The recommendations ofthe reviewers emphasized the integratedcontribution of diverse research programs toChinese food resources under close cooperationbetween Chinese institutions and JIRCAS. Inaddition to the project review, the discussionsamong scientists from China and Japan duringthe workshop and following review meeting willimprove the mutual understanding of thecollaborative research project and contribute toits successful implementation in the second halfof the comprehensive research project.

WEST AFRICA:Improving food security through increasedproduction in rainfed rice systems

Flea market on the groundsof the China AgriculturalUniversity in Beijing. (Photo:E. Tatsumi)

The demand for rice in sub-Saharan Africais growing faster than that for any other majorfood staple, with consumption expanding acrossall socioeconomic classes, including the poor.Rapid demographic expansion and urbanizationin Africa have shifted food preferences fromtraditional foodstuffs to more easily prepared riceand bread. These patterns are especially evidentin West Africa where the substitution of rice forcoarse grains and traditional root and tuber cropshas fueled rice demand at an annual growth rateof 5.6 percent between 1961 and 1992.

Increased rice production in Africa ishampered by a number of constraints such asdisease, pests, weed infestation, inadequatewater management, soils with low fertility, lackof suitable rice varieties, and socioeconomicfactors. In order to address these problems,JIRCAS initiated a five-year collaborativeresearch project with the West Africa RiceDevelopment Association (WARDA) in April1998.

The project focuses on two major subjects.The first involves genetic and ecopysiologicalcharacterization of indigenous rice varieties andinterspecific progenies. Farmers in the regiongrow two species of rice, Asian rice (Oryzasativa) and African rice (O. glaberrima), yetthey are far from achieving high yields due to

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With excessive commercial logging andcutting of trees for fuel and the increasingexploitation of arable land necessary for foodproduction, natural forests have been rapidlydegraded and decreased. As a result, forestshaving a high level of biodiversity weretransformed into monoculture plantations withfast growing trees, such as rubber trees or oilpalms, particularly in developing countries.These commercial activities, which includeunsustainable forest harvesting, repeated short-term shifting cultivation, and forest fires, havehad a considerable impact on the forestecosystems and have resulted in losses of floraand fauna, erosion, flooding, deterioration offorest resources, and soil degradation. Thesepractices have also brought about seriouseconomic and environmental problems not onlyat the local level but also on a global scale.Therefore, the rehabilitation and sustainablemanagement of these forests are urgent issuesfor conservation and utilization of forestresources. Forest rehabilitation and enrichmentof denuded and degraded lands are the first stepsin realizing sustainable management of a forest.

JIRCAS has been playing a significant role

Dipterocarp forest destroyed for development purposes inMalaysia. (Photo: Y. Maruyama)

survey. Statistical analysis indicated that marketaccess, population density, and the proportion ofimmigrants from other regions are positivelycorrelated with adoption of rice cultivation inlowlands. It was further noted that privatizationof land ownership also promoted rice cultivationin lowlands. Surprisingly, there was nocorrelation between land ownership and adoptionof intensive rice cultivation techniques. A similarproject was initiated in Ghana to expand thescope of the study on rice cultivation adoptionunder specific socioeconomic conditions.

MALAYSIA:Development of agroforestry technology forthe rehabilitation of tropical forests

production constraints associated with eachspecies. In order to develop new cultivars for theregion that combine the advantages of these twospecies, WARDA is currently working on theInterspecific Hybridization Project. At the sametime, JIRCAS researchers are aiming to developa simple but reliable method to assess toleranceto drought and soil acidity and to establish amarker-assisted selection system in selectingdesirable interspecific rice progenies.

Asian and African rice germplasm andpromising interspecific progenies were evaluatedfor physiological characteristics related todrought tolerance during the early stages ofvegetative growth. Putative indicators for droughttolerance have been identified and those will befurther confirmed in the coming years.Microsatellite markers provided by CornellUniversity have proved to be very useful indetecting polymorphism in interspecificpopulations and have presented a promisingfuture for use in marker-assisted selection. BothAfrican and Asian rice genotypes showed a largevariation in responses to phosphorus application,aluminum toxicity, and excess iron. Therefore,genetic selection is possible for desirable traitsin the both species.

The second facet of the project involvesstudying the socioeconomic aspects in relationto sustainability of lowland rice cultivation inWest Africa. In 1999, a JIRCAS agriculturaleconomist initiated collaborative research underWARDA’s Policy Support Program. Theobjective of this project is to assess how theinstitutional and economic environment affectsthe farmers’ capacity to effectively adopt newtechnology. The targeted areas for this survey arelowland regions that currently have no modernirrigation systems, but possess significantpotential for improved water control. This yearJIRCAS focused on analysis of how the landtenure system affects the adoption of ricecultivation in the areas where biophysicalconditions are suited for rice cultivation. Closeto 200 villages were covered in this extensive

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in alleviating forest degradation by focusing itsefforts on methods of reforestation and ways tomotivate local inhabitants to participate inreforestation activities. JIRCAS conductsresearch on methods for the establishment of fast-growing species as shelter wood for the growthof valuable indigenous trees in collaboration withthe College of Forestry, part of the University ofthe Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB). Studieson the regeneration of Shorea species seedlingson logging road and on the improvement oflogging techniques for selective managementsystems are carried out in collaboration with theForest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).

Based on past experiences, JIRCAS proposeda collaborative research project entitled“Development of agroforestry technology for therehabilitation of tropical forests”. This projectwill be implemented mainly in collaboration withthe Forest Research Center, Forestry Departmentin Sabah, Malaysia, and the UPLB. The ultimateobjective of the project is to establish atechnological base for the on-going developmentof biodiversity-rich forests, high-value timberproduction forests, forests that perform criticalenvironmental functions, and fruit tree orchardswhere soil fertility has been improved or is wellmaintained. These studies will contribute to themitigation of agriculture-forestry conflicts aswell as promoting environmental conservationand sustainable forest resource management.

Over the seven-year duration of the project(2000-2006), specific objectives will includesocioeconomic evaluation of agroforestry, the re-establishment of a productive environment foragroforestry, and the development of agroforestrytechniques with the utilization of shade trees.

Prior to the start of the collaborative project,a half-day workshop was held on September 1,2000 at JIRCAS in Tsukuba, Japan in order tofacilitate mutual understanding of the projectthrough the exchange of valuable informationand to discuss future development of the project.

Due to the increasing world population andlimited amount of arable land available, foodsecurity has become a major global concern.While accelerating food production is important,reducing postharvest losses of agriculturalproducts is an essential task as well. In SoutheastAsian countries, postharvest losses have beenestimated at about 30 percent, caused mainly byimproper drying and insect infestation during

THAILAND:Development of low-input technology forreducing postharvest losses of staples inSoutheast Asia

crop storage under hot and humid climaticconditions. The world’s most widely used fumigant, methylbromide, is to be phased out by 2015 due to itsozone depleting potential. An alternativepesticide, phosphine, has generated tolerantinsects and has had only marginal insecticidalvalue. Many countries have been making effortsto develop alternative methods for disinfestingagricultural products such as grains and fruitsand vegetables. The technologies for reducingpostharvest losses need to be not onlyenvironment-friendly but also affordable to smallfarmers and rural enterprises in Southeast Asia. The five-year project (2000 to 2004) isdesigned to develop disinfestation methods forgrains by employing natural insect enemies andbotanicals and utilizing low-input dryingtechnologies using natural energy sources suchas sunlight, husk, and straw. With cooperationfrom the National Agricultural Research Stationsaffiliated with the Thai Department ofAgriculture, Kasetsart University, and KingMongkut’s University of Technology, as well asJapanese institutions such as National FoodResearch Institute (NFRI), National Institute ofAgro-environmental Sciences (NIAS) andNational Agriculture Research Organization(NARO), the project will focus on (1) analyzingthe causes of postharvest deterioration ofagricultural crops and (2) developing andsystemizing low-input technologies for reducingpostharvest losses. These technologies will helpestablish a more effective and cost-efficientsystem of minimizing postharvest losses of cropsthat are essential to Southeast Asian countries.

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Rice bags stored inside a millfactory, a hotbed of insect pests.(Photo: K. Takahashi)

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RESEARCH SITESIN INDONESIA

Research collaboration with CASERD

Discussion with farmers at aresearch site in Indonesia.(Photo: S. Kosugi)

In August 1996, a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) was signed between theAgency for Agricultural Research andDevelopment (AARD), part of Indonesia’sMinistry of Agriculture, and JIRCAS to organizea comprehensive cooperative network.

The Center for Agro-SocioeconomicResearch and Development (CASERD),formerly known as the Center for Agro-Socioeconomic Research (CASER) until thebeginning of 2001, is one of five researchinstitutes belonging to the AARD. A five-yearcomprehensive research project entitled“Evaluation and improvement of regionalfarming systems in Indonesia” started under theJIRCAS-CASER collaborative researchagreement in April 1998.

The joint project revolves around two plansof operation, the first being “A study on thefarmer-s ta te l inkages in up land fa rmdevelopment in Indonesia”, which commencedin April 1998, and the second entitled “Anevaluation of vegetable-based farming systemsand improvement of vegetable and fruitcultivation in highland regions of West Java”,which was initiated in April 2000.

The former plan aimed to trace the history offarming systems research (FSR) development in

As a part of this year’s spotlight on JIRCASinitiatives in Indonesia, the following pagesdetail sites at which JIRCAS researchers arecurrently undertaking projects in cooperationwith Indonesian governmental and internationalorganizations.

Indonesia and to conduct an in-depth caseinvestigation of the extent of farmers’participation in ongoing FSR activities. TheJIRCAS-CASER international workshop on“Learning from the farming systems researchexperiences in Indonesia” took place in Bogorin March 1999. The proceedings were laterpublished as “JIRCAS Working Paper No.18”.

The latter plan has many collaborativeresearch subjects. One subject shared betweenCASERD and JIRCAS is entitled “Evaluationof vegetable-based farming systems from theviewpoint of rural socioeconomics in highlandregions of West Java”. The research is separatedinto two components: (1) the historical reviewof the development of temperate vegetableproduction and prediction of future development,and (2) the analysis and evaluation of marketingsystems of temperate vegetables in West Java.The Central Research Institute for Horticulture(CRIH) and Research Institute for Vegetables(RIV) also participated in the latter plan,assisting CASERD and JIRCAS through muchof the project.

Center for Agro-Socioeconomic Researchand Development (CASERD)

CASER, a second echelon of researchinstitutions under the AARD, previously knownas the Center for Agro-Economic Research(CAER), was established in 1974. Afterorganizational revisions, CAER officiallybecame CASER in 1990. Four years later,CASER received a mandate to manage 11 unitsof the Assessment Institute for AgriculturalTechnology (AIAT), and 6 units of the LocalAssessment Institute for Agricultural Technology(LAIAT). Each AIAT and LAIAT unit hassubsidiaries known as Research and AssessmentInstallation of Agricultural Technology (RAIAT).There are 101 units of RAIAT spread throughoutthe country. In 2001, CASER, changed its nameto the Center for Agro-Socioeconomic Researchand Development (CASERD).

CASERD’s main task is to implement allagro-socioeconomic research activities inIndonesia. It is expected that CASERD will beable to provide information and policyalternatives in regard to the growing variousagro-socioeconomic problems at national,regional or international levels.

CASERD manages the Functional TitleGroup and Technical Services Unit (AIAT/LAIAT) and three research groups: (1)Agricultural Development Policy Analyses, (2)

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Resource Management and AgribusinessSystems, and (3) the Inst i tut ional andAgricultural Organization.

By 1999, the total number of CASERDemployees reached 242, including 23 Ph.D.- and50 MS-level scientists. Thirteen of the 242 staffmembers currently hold various strategicgovernment offices and 16 of them areundergoing long-term training.

Research conducted by CASERD (1999-2004) can be grouped into five major programs:research on (1) natural resource management andsustainability of farming systems, (2) agriculturalcommodity systems, (3) incentives, production,investment, and trade policy, (4) institutional,agricultural, and rural organizations, and (5)agricultural diversification, cross-sectordynamics, and regional development.

Research on natural resource managementand sustainability of farming system is furtherdivided into the following research topics: (1)optimization of natural resources use, (2) laboreconomics, (3) impact of the technology on agrosocio-economic aspects, and (4) assessment anddevelopment of farming systems.

The sub-themes of research on agriculturalcommodity system are (1) the dynamics ofagricultural commodities demand, (2) thedynamics of agricultural commodities supply, (3)the identification of the advantage agriculturalcommodities, and (4) food security.

Research on incent ive, product ion,investment and trade policy is divided into threesubjects as follows: (1) price policy onagricultural output and input, (2) marketing andtrade policy for agricultural commodities, and(3) farm finance policy.

The sub-themes of research on institutional,agricultural, and rural organizations are (1) farminstitutions, (2) sociology of agricultural andrural communities, and (3) socioeconomicconstruction of society.

Research on agricultural diversification,cross-sectoral dynamics, and regionaldevelopment is divided as follows: (1)agricultural diversification, (2) regional trade,(3) sectoral interrelatedness, (4) regionaldevelopment policy, and (5) poverty issues.

CASERD has participated in collaborativeresearch with various institutions, includinggovernment institutions, private researchinstitutions, universities, and national andinternational research institutions. From thesecollaborative efforts, CASERD hopes andexpects to improve research on agriculturalsector policy.

The total area of Indonesia is 1,920,000 km2,over 5 times the size of Japan. The country iscomposed of 13,700 islands, spanning 5,100 kmalong the equator from east to west and 1,900km from north to south. Despite covering sucha large area, the climate and temperature isrelatively constant throughout the country, andis atypically mild for its tropical location becauseof its mountains and oceanic climate. The manyvolcanoes in the vicinity of big cities providesuitable highlands for temperate vegetableproduction and function as important bases forsupplying various kinds of vegetables to cityresidents. Altitude and rainfall are very importantnatural factors for vegetable production, thelatter factor revolving around the country’s twoseasons, dry and rainy.

Sixty percent of the nation’s two hundred andtwenty million people live in Java Island’s largeurbanized areas such as Jakarta, Surabaya, andBandung. Due to this urbanizing population,production and consumption of temperatevegetables have been considerably intensified.Increases in highland vegetable production andcontinuous cropping are causing many problemssuch as a decline in production, water pollution,soil erosion, damage to forests, and residualeffects of farm chemicals used on vegetables.

The Research Institute for Vegetables (RIV) islocated 1,250m above sea level in Lembang, nearthe capital of West Java, Bandung. The areaaround RIV is characterized by highland vegetableproduction and is now one of the biggest productionbases for vegetables. Because of the elevation,weather in the area is moderate and less fluctuating.RIV was founded as the Margahayu ExperimentalGarden in Lembang in 1940. In 1962, the

Research Institute for Vegetables(RIV)

RIV’s main building and a fieldshowing the usage of mulchingfilm.

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Discussion withfarmers(photo:S.Kosugi)

Soybean is one of the most important staplefoods in Indonesia. Soybean foods such as“tempe”, a fermented soybean food, tofu,“kecap”, an Indonesian soy sauce, and “tauco”,an Indonesian fermented soybean paste, are ofgreat significance to the diet of Indonesians aslow-cost sources of proteins and seasonings. In1998, Indonesia produced about 1.3 million tonsof soybeans, but approximately 0.6 million tonsof soybeans had to be imported to cover thesupply deficiency. Therefore, the Indonesiangovernment has been encouraging domesticsoybean production. The Research Institute forLegume and Tuber Crops (RILET), formerly theMalang Research Institute for Food Crops(MARIF), has aided these efforts by conductingresearch on food legumes, including soybean andtuber crops.

RILET is one of five national researchinstitutes for food crops coordinated by theCentral Research Institute for Food Crops(CRIFC) in Bogor, an institute under thedirection of the Agency for AgriculturalResearch and Development (AARD), a divisionof the Ministry of Agriculture. Located inMalang, about 90 km south of Surabaya in EastJava, RILET employs approximately 260 staffmembers, 93 of which are researchers working

institution changed to the Horticultural ResearchInstitute, becoming a branch of the Pasar MingguHorticultural Research Institute. In 1980, theinstitute was reorganized to form the LembangResearch Institute for Food Crops. Then in 1982,in response to the increased importance and priorityof vegetables in Indonesia, it was renamed as theLembang Horticultural Research Institute.Following reorganization of the Agency forAgricultural Research (AARD), its supervisingorganization, the institute was specialized andnarrowed its focus on vegetables and became thecurrent institution, the Research Institute forVegetables (RIV), also known as the BalaiPenelitian Tanaman Sayuran (BALITSA), in 1995.

There are 201 staff members, including 62researchers. The facility boasts a 50 hectareexperimental garden, containing laboratories forsoil, tissue culture, postharvest, and pest anddisease together with greenhouses and screenedhouses. Utilizing these facilities, researchactivities at RIV cover a wide range of topics onvegetables, from breeding and seed technologyto socio-economy. The research programs areoften implemented on local farmers’ fields. Forexample, integrated pest management tactics,designed in both highland and lowlandvegetables, are disseminated to farmers throughIPM field schools.

Breeding is one of the most importantactivities in RIV, and related research has resultedin some high yielding varieties and promisingcultivars of many kinds of vegetables such aspotatoes (Cipanas, Cosima, Segunung, GranolaLembang), tomatoes (Berlian, Intan, Ratna,Mutiara), Chinese cabbages (Sangihe, Talaud),amaranths (Giti Merah, Giti Hijau), kangkong(Sutera), yardlong beans (KP1, KP2, Usus Hijau),and clones of the true shallot seed (No. 33, 86,and 88). True potato seed progenies (Atzimba/DT033, Atzimba/R-128.6, HPS-7176) havebeen developed with cooperation between JIRCASand local and international research institutes.RIV also is making efforts toward the conservationof genetic resources (germplasm). Another focalpoint of RIV is seed technologies, through whichpathogen-free seed tubers such as potato have beendeveloped. In addition, technologies related tobalanced fertilization, fertigation systems, and off-season crop management have been tested forpotato cultivation in medium altitudes, and forvegetable cultivation in marginal lands. Integratedpest management is arguably the most importantsubject in crop management given the high costof chemical use and the severe environmentalproblems caused by vegetable cultivation. Thus,special attention has been paid on naturalmortality factors, selected pesticides use based

Research Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET),Indonesia

on the systematic monitoring and potentialinteraction among various control tactics,cultural practices, weather, and pests.

In pre-harvest and postharvest technologies,RIV has made significant strides in handling andprocessing tomatoes and cabbage, packagingvegetables, diffusing light storage facilities forpotatoes, and storing shallot to postponesprouting. Through research activities inproduction, consumption, and socioeconomics atRIV, vegetable farming databases and vegetabledata banks in Java, Bali, Lombok and Sumbawahave been made available.

Research Institute for Legume and TuberCrops (RILET): A national center forsoybean research

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for the institute. All researchers are affiliatedwith one of five research groups, based on theirrespective fields of study as shown in the Table.

To support and conduct research activities,RILET maintains six laboratories for plantbreeding, agronomy, soil and plant analysis,phytopathology (mycology, bacteriology,virology, nematology), entomology, and foodtechnology and chemical services. The institutealso has cold storage facilities used to maintainlegume germplasm collections consisting of morethan 1,000 types of soybeans, 400 types ofgroundnuts, and countless other species. Cassavaand sweet potato germplasm are maintained intheir natural living state as part of this collection.

Since 1993, JIRCAS has sent to RILET threelong-term researchers; a nematologist (1993 –1995), a soybean breeder (1995 – 1998), and afood scientist (1997 – 2000), to carry out threejoint research projects on nematology andsoybean cultivation entitled “Studies on theincidence and control of nematodes infestingmajor upland crops in Indonesia”, “Methods ofcultivation of soybean in cropping systems withlow input (pesticides) in Indonesia”, and“Evaluation of Indonesian soybean varieties forthe processing and improvement of fermentedfoods”.

A RILET-JIRCAS workshop on soybeanresearch was held on September 28, 2000 topresent and review the results obtained throughthe recent collaborative research and relatedstudies, as well as to discuss future strategy onsoybean research in Indonesia. Forty scientistsfrom related Indonesian institutes, the JapanInternational Cooperative Agency (JICA), andJIRCAS participated in the workshop.

The five research groups of RILET and their disciplines.

Southeast Asian Regional ResearchProgram

The International Center for Research inAgroforestry (ICRAF), located in Nairobi,Kenya, was established in 1977. ICRAFcoordinates research and training programsrelated to agroforestry systems. In 1992, ICRAFinitiated a regional research program in SoutheastAsia, establishing its regional headquarters inBogor, Indonesia, at an altitude of 2,500 meters,60 km south of Jakarta.

The ICRAF Southeast Asian regionalresearch program develops alternatives tounsustainable slash-and-burn agriculture andexamines methods to rehabilitate degraded land.Tropical forests have been greatly damaged byslash-and-burn practices, which shift cultivationand tree crops cultivation (rubber, oil palm,coconut). In Asia, most slash-and-burn activity

is a done by tree crop smallholders, largecorporate operators, and government-sponsoredresettlement projects.

The Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn (ASB)program, started in 1992, examines the globalenvironmental effects of slash-and-burn andevaluates technological and policy options toalleviate those effects. Nine internationalresearch centers and 62 national researchinstitutes, universities and other organizationshave adopted the program, thanks in part to thehelp of the Consultative Group on InternationalAgricultural Research. ICRAF has become theconvening center for these insti tutionsparticipating in the program. ICRAF-SoutheastAsia has conducted research for the ASBprogram in two locations in Indonesia. The first,Jambi, is located in Central Sumatra and has alow population density with a forest margin. Thesecond, North Lampung, is located in SouthSumatra and has a high population density, andis characterized by degraded lands.

From 1997 to 2000, JIRCAS and ICRAFcoordinated studies on the relationship betweentree crop smallholders (the main culprits of slash-and-burn activity) and deforestation. Fieldinvestigations were conducted in five villages inJambi. The first focus of the studies was theimpact of road construction and reconstructionon deforestation processes. The aim of this work

Interview with key persons inthe study village in Jambi ofcentral Sumatra, Indonesia

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Research group Discipline Socioeconomics Socioeconomic evaluation of component technology generated

by RILET

Plant breeding and germplasm

Exploration, evaluation, maintenance and utilization of legumes and tuber crops germplasm for breeding

Plant ecophysiology Physiological and agronomic aspects, cultural practice, agroecosystem and environmental analysis

Entomology and phytopathology

Bio-ecology, epidemiology, biological control of pests and diseases and component technologies of IPM (integrated pest management)

Postharvest technology

Postharvest technology and mechanization for legumes and tuber crops

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Research Institute for Coastal Fisheries

The total aquaculture production in SoutheastAsia increased from 1.12 million metric tons in1984 to 2.45 million metric tons in 1995.Southeast Asia’s contribution to globalaquaculture production in 1995 was 8.8 percentby weight and 15.3 percent by value. Indonesia,Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmarcontributed 29.4, 18.9, 9.0, 5.4, and 3.0 percentby weight, respectively. However, in terms ofvalue, Thailand ranked first in 1995 with a shareof 29.3 percent, while Indonesia and thePhilippines accounted for 28.8 and 19.6 percent,respectively. To a large extent, the relativeproduction of high-value species such as penaeidshrimp accounts for these differences in thecountries mentioned. Indonesia and thePhilippines contributed over half (53.5 and 51.5percent, respectively) of fish to total animalprotein consumption in 1993. Thus, aquacultureplays a significant role in local food fishproduction and animal protein consumption in

was to investigate how road building that facilitatesthe transportation of rubber also accelerates thedevelopment of rubber production activities in theforest by local smallholders. The second focuswas on the effects deforestation had on landinequality. The study examines the impact ofd e f o r e s t a t i o n o n l a n d s c a r c i t y , t h ecommercialization of land, and land inequityamong local populations. The third and final focusof the studies relates to the changes in land use bylocal communities in response to deforestation. Theobjective of this work is to analyze changes in landuse, such as intensification of farming systems.

This collaborative research is expected tomake positive contributions toward improvingthe present forestry policies of the IndonesianGovernment by enabling researchers to moreeffectively combat poverty and create asustainable forest management system inIndonesia.

most countries in this sub-region.The Research Institute for Coastal Fisheries

(RICF) is located in Maros, South Sulawesi(Sulawesi Island), Indonesia. Though it wasnamed the Research Institute for “Coastal”Fisheries, the institute itself is enclosed by ricefields, far from a coastal area, a consequence ofits predecessor being a research institute forfreshwater fisheries science. Currently, theResearch Institute for Freshwater Fisheries hasmoved to Sukamandi (Java Island). The ResearchInstitute for Coastal Fisheries in Jakarta and theResearch Stations for Freshwater Fisheries inGondol (Bali Island) and in Palembang (SumatraIsland) make up the other institutions under thesupervision of the Central Research Institute forFisheries in Jakarta.

Originally, when collaborative researchbetween JIRCAS and RICF started in 1996,RICF was overseen by the Ministry ofAgriculture, but since September 2000, the newlyestablished Ministry of Marine Affairs andFisheries became the institution’s administrator.RICF has also conducted joint research andresearch visits with the Australian Center forInternational Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

In the aquaculture of the brackish andseawater regions of Indonesia, the black tigerprawn (Penaeus monodon) i s the mosteconomically valuable species according to 1998FAO data, despite the fact that the species is onlythe third most produced species in terms ofvolume, behind the milkfish and red seaweed.The productivity decrease in prawn aquaculture,a viable way of acquiring foreign currency, is aserious problem in Indonesia and all of SoutheastAsia. Focusing on shrimp aquaculture, dozensof researchers are engaged in fisheries researchin the coastal region, which includes themangrove and coral reef areas. At a largeexperimental site in Marana near the laboratory,they have conducted research to find solutionsto such problems as disease, wastewatertreatment, and soil pollution that occur whenintensive aquaculture is increased. Moreover,research on the milkfish, a favorite food amonglocal people, is being conducted. Researchers arealso examining marine aquaculture using anaquaculture raft in Baruu located within twohours from the laboratory by car. JIRCAS hasdispatched a researcher who has worked at thislocation since 1996, where RICF and JIRCAScontinue to carry out collaborative research. Thetwo institutions conducted research concerningfish ecology for the first two-and-a-half years,and a study of the nutrient cycle of the tropicalcoastal areas for the following two-and-a-halfyears.

Courtyard of the ResearchIns t i t u te f o r Coas ta lF isher ies . (Photo: T .Shimoda)

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Time Frame Project Title Research Site

1995-2001

1996-2002

1997-2003

1997-2006

1998-2002

1998-2002

1999-2003

2000-2004

2000-2006

Development of sustainable agriculturaltechnology in Northeast Thailand

Comprehensive studies on the development of asustainable agro-pastoral system in the subtropicalzone of Brazil

Development of sustainable production andutilization of major food resources in China

Comprehensive soybean research project in SouthAmerica (multinational)

Evaluation and improvement of regional farmingsystems in Indonesia

Improving food security in West Africa throughincreased productivity in rainfed rice systems

Development of new technologies and theirpractice for sustainable farming systems in theMekong Delta (Phase II)

Development of agroforestry technology forconservation of tropical forest

Development of low-input technology for reducingpostharvest losses of staples in Southeast Asia

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE PROJECTSProjects are designated as either comprehensive or unidisciplinary. All projects are handled by theJIRCAS Research Divisions.

(A) COMPREHENSIVE

Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of LivestockDevelopment (DLD), Land Development Department (LDD),Asian Institute of Technology, and Khon Kaen University,Thailand

Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA),Center for Tropical Agriculture Technology (CIAT), andJATAK International Center for Agriculture Technology,Brazil

Institute of Agricultural Economics, Institute of NaturalResources and Regional Planning, Research Center for RuralEconomy, China Agricultural University, Institute of SoilScience (ISS), China National Rice Research Institute,Shanghai Fisheries University, the Soil and Fertilizer Institute(SFI) and the Soybean Institute of the Jilin Academy ofAgricultural Sciences (SIJAAS), People’s Republic of China

Agricultural Technology Center in Paraguay (CETAPAR),Paraguay; Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation(EMBRAPA), Brazil; and the National Institute forAgricultural Technology (INTA), Argentina

Agency for Agricultural Research and Development(AARD), Indonesia

West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), Côted’Ivoire

Cuu Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), CanthoUniversity (CTU), and the Southern Fruit Research Institute,(SOFRI), Vietnam

Sabah Forest Research Center, Malaysia

Kasetsart University, King Mongkut’s University ofTechnology, and the Department of Agriculture (DOA),Thailand

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(B) UNIDISCIPLINARY

Time Frame Project Title Research Site1996-2000

1996-2000

1996-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2001

1997-2002

1998-2000

1998-2001

1998-2000

Development of technology for sustainablemanagement of grasslands in Central Asia

Development of effective water management inpaddy fields in the dry season

Improvement of logging techniques in hilldipterocarp forests

The role of local people in the degradation andrehabilitation of tropical forests

Improvement of high-yielding wheat varietiesthrough biological procedures

Studies on technology for sustainable productionin closed coastal zones

The development of methods for the use of under-utilized timber resources in the tropics

Development of diagnosis and preventiontechnology for shrimp viral diseases

Investigation of the roles of TNFα in the courseof trypanosomiasis

Studies on the feeding management of cattle andpoultry in South America

Development of technology for water distributionmanagement for large scale paddy fields in tropicalmonsoon areas

Studies on material processing cycles in tropicalcoastal areas

Kazakh Institute of Agriculture, Republic of Kazakhstan

International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), Sri Lanka

Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia

International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)-Southeast Asia, Indonesia

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center(CIMMYT), Mexico

Kasetsart University, Thailand

School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains, Malaysia

Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), Malaysia

International Livestock Research Insitute (ILRI), Kenya

Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA),Brazil

Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) andMalaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute(MARDI), Malaysia

Research Institute for Coastal Fisheries (RICF), Indonesia

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1995-2001

1996-2002

1997-2003

1997-2006

1998-2002

1998-2002

1999-2003

2000-2004

2000-2006

Development of sustainable agriculturaltechnology in Northeast Thailand

Comprehensive studies on the development of asustainable agro-pastoral system in the subtropicalzone of Brazil

Development of sustainable production andutilization of major food resources in China

Comprehensive soybean research project in SouthAmerica (multinational)

Evaluation and improvement of regional farmingsystems in Indonesia

Improving food security in West Africa throughincreased productivity in rainfed rice systems

Development of new technologies and theirpractice for sustainable farming systems in theMekong Delta (Phase II)

Development of agroforestry technology forconservation of tropical forest

Development of low-input technology for reducingpostharvest losses of staples in Southeast Asia

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE PROJECTSProjects are designated as either comprehensive or unidisciplinary. All projects are handled by theJIRCAS Research Divisions.

(A) COMPREHENSIVE

Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of LivestockDevelopment (DLD), Land Development Department (LDD),Asian Institute of Technology, and Khon Kaen University,Thailand

Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA),Center for Tropical Agriculture Technology (CIAT), andJATAK International Center for Agriculture Technology,Brazil

Institute of Agricultural Economics, Institute of NaturalResources and Regional Planning, Research Center for RuralEconomy, China Agricultural University, Institute of SoilScience (ISS), China National Rice Research Institute,Shanghai Fisheries University, the Soil and Fertilizer Institute(SFI) and the Soybean Institute of the Jilin Academy ofAgricultural Sciences (SIJAAS), People’s Republic of China

Agricultural Technology Center in Paraguay (CETAPAR),Paraguay; Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation(EMBRAPA), Brazil; and the National Institute forAgricultural Technology (INTA), Argentina

Agency for Agricultural Research and Development(AARD), Indonesia

West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), Côted’Ivoire

Cuu Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), CanthoUniversity (CTU), and the Southern Fruit Research Institute,(SOFRI), Vietnam

Sabah Forest Research Center, Malaysia

Kasetsart University, King Mongkut’s University ofTechnology, and the Department of Agriculture (DOA),Thailand

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(B) UNIDISCIPLINARY

Time Frame Project Title Research Site1996-2000

1996-2000

1996-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2000

1997-2001

1997-2002

1998-2000

1998-2001

1998-2000

Development of technology for sustainablemanagement of grasslands in Central Asia

Development of effective water management inpaddy fields in the dry season

Improvement of logging techniques in hilldipterocarp forests

The role of local people in the degradation andrehabilitation of tropical forests

Improvement of high-yielding wheat varietiesthrough biological procedures

Studies on technology for sustainable productionin closed coastal zones

The development of methods for the use of under-utilized timber resources in the tropics

Development of diagnosis and preventiontechnology for shrimp viral diseases

Investigation of the roles of TNFα in the courseof trypanosomiasis

Studies on the feeding management of cattle andpoultry in South America

Development of technology for water distributionmanagement for large scale paddy fields in tropicalmonsoon areas

Studies on material processing cycles in tropicalcoastal areas

Kazakh Institute of Agriculture, Republic of Kazakhstan

International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), Sri Lanka

Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia

International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)-Southeast Asia, Indonesia

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center(CIMMYT), Mexico

Kasetsart University, Thailand

School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains, Malaysia

Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), Malaysia

International Livestock Research Insitute (ILRI), Kenya

Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA),Brazil

Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) andMalaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute(MARDI), Malaysia

Research Institute for Coastal Fisheries (RICF), Indonesia

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JIRCAS RESEARCH DIVISIONSThe following pages offer an introduction to

the wide range of activities pursued by the sevenResearch Divisions and the Okinawa SubtropicalStation. Each division summary features a briefoverview describing current research prioritieswithin the Division, followed by more detaileddescriptions of selected topics pursued duringFiscal Year (FY) 2000.

The Research Information Division fulfillsthree main responsibilities relating to researchoperations at JIRCAS. First, the Division collectsand analyzes information pertaining tosocioeconomic conditions and the state ofagricultural sciences in developing countries.Second, it attempts to formulate and coordinatecollaborative research projects with public andprivate organizations in developing countries. Inrecent years, this role has grown in relativeimportance as JIRCAS has become increasinglyinvolved in large-scale, comprehensive researchprojects with countries throughout the world.Final ly, the Division has assumed theresponsibility of developing and operating adatabase at JIRCAS.

The Division’s research coordinators andsenior scientists undertake the above tasks withtwo distinct perspectives in mind. The firstperspective is a strategic one, which focuses oncritically important world regions, includingChina, West Africa, Latin America, andmonsoonal, semi-arid and arid areas in Asia. Thesecond perspective concentrates on particularissues, with an emphasis on global problemsrelated to environmental degradation, foodinsecurity, and unbalanced patterns of rural

development. Combining these two perspectives,research coordinators in the ResearchInformation Division conduct studies onagriculture in specific regions and consider theprospects for collaborative studies. They designand coordinate comprehensive projects in whichscientists representing different disciplinarybackgrounds can work together toward commongoals. Since the establishment of JIRCAS, tenmajor comprehensive projects have beenimplemented.

In 1994, JIRCAS launched i ts f i rs tcomprehensive research project in Vietnam inorder to promote greater efficiency in combinedfarming systems currently used in the MekongDelta region. Following the conclusion of PhaseI of this project in 1998, JIRCAS initiated PhaseII in order to implement on-site trials and farmingsystem evaluations in Fiscal Year (FY) 1999. In1995, the Division began comprehensive projectsfocusing on tropical brackish water ecosystemsin Malaysia as well as sustainable agriculturaltechnology development projects in NortheastThailand. The Malaysian project concluded in1999 and obtained a number of findings in thearea of brackish water ecology. During 1996,another comprehensive project began involvingsustainable agro-pastoral rotation systems insubtropical Brazil. In FY 1997, the Divisioninitiated two more comprehensive projects, onetargeting sustainable production and processingof major food resources in China and the otherinvestigating new technological developments forsoybean production and utilization in SouthAmerican countries. In addition, the Divisionlaunched comprehensive projects on ricedevelopment in West Africa and farming systemsin Indonesia in FY 1998. During 2000, JIRCASinitiated two ongoing comprehensive projects.One is an a agro-forestry project for regenerationof tropical forest in Malaysia, and another is aproject for the reduction of post-harvest loss forcereals in Thailand. Moreover, JIRCAS beganpreparations for the implementation of asustainable aquaculture project in brackish waterarea in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand,which is scheduled to begin in FY 2001.

The Research Information Division is alsoinvolved in analyzing global issues. Incollaboration with the Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO) and other internationalagencies, the Division has assisted in thedevelopment of a sophisticated world food modelthat can be used to project world food supply anddemand and to simulate the effects of proposed

City market in Vient iane,Cambodia. (Photo: T. Hidaka)

RESEARCHINFORMATIONDIVISION

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policy changes on food resources. Findingsderived from ongoing collaborative researchprojects at JIRCAS are often incorporated intothese forecast simulations. Currently, researchersare attempting to expand the model so that theimpact of environmental changes and resourceconstraints can also be analyzed. In addition,researchers within the Division are studying ruraldevelopment strategies, with particular emphasison farming systems research, by reviewing recentdevelopment strategies and assisting researchersin the natural sciences who are currently involvedwith integrated rural development projects.

Another important task of the Division is todevelop and operate JIRCAS’s computer-baseddatabases. Since 1996, the Division has operateda comprehensive statistical database onagriculture, forestry and fisheries, which containsdata from many international agencies. TheDivision also maintains bibliographic and photo(slides) databases on tropical agriculture.

Finally, the Division serves as the secretariatfor numerous international seminars andworkshops that JIRCAS researchers conductthroughout the year. The largest of these is theJIRCAS International Symposium, whichaddresses topics of central importance toagricultural research. In FY 2000, theinternational symposium, “AgriculturalTechnology Research for Sus ta inableDevelopment in Developing Regions” was heldas a part of TARC-JIRCAS 30th anniversary.JIRCAS formerly operated under the name TARC(Tropical Agriculture Research Center). In all,328 participants from 32 countries attended thecommemorative symposium. (See “Symposia andWorkshops” section for additional details).

Table 1. U.S.-China WTO Accession Agreement: Tariff-rate quotas (thousand metric tons, %)

Prompted by news of China’s future inductioninto the World Trade Organization (WTO),JIRCAS studied and projected its effects onChina’s agricultural sector. The study investigatedthat the probable impact under the assumptionsthat the Chinese government will (1) continue toobserve the WTO’s “Agreement on Agriculture”and (2) adopt tariff-rate quotas in major crops andtariff reductions of other agricultural productsthat depend on the U.S.-China WTO AccessionAgreement. Subsequently, this analysis concludedthat, first, imports of wheat and maize willincrease up to the quota level if relative priceremains steady and operation of tariff-rate quotais fair. Excess imports over the quota level will

occur rarely. Second, while the Chinesegovernment provides large tariff-rate quotas, therice quota will be used infrequently becausedomestic prices of Indica and Japonica rice arelower than import prices. Third, a decline inedible oil production as well as soybeancultivation for oil manufacturing is inevitabledue to the fact that the domestic price is twice

China’s accession to the WTO andits impact on domestic agriculture

as high as the international price. Finally, theAggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) ofwheat, maize, and soybean was estimated tobe approximately 10 percent in 1999. Thisfigure implies that if China joins the WTO as anon-developing country, their prices willdecline, while if it joins as a developing country,prices will still not be allowed to increase.

(A. Ikegami)

Table 2. Domestic and foreign price differentials (RMB per metric ton, %).

Biological resources play a key role inmeeting global challenges in food security andprotection of the environment in developingcountries. In discussions in international fora suchas the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),the World Food Summit, and the Food andAgricultural Organization’s (FAO’s) Commissionon Genetic Resources, the internationalcommunity confirmed its commitment to the safeconservation, sustainable use and equitable sharingof the benefits of biodiversity. The active use ofgenetic diversity towards sustainable socio-economic development presents a tremendouschallenge for scientists and policy makers.

Over the last decade, we have witnessed

BIOLOGICALRESOURCESDIVISION

Domestic Price International Price(RMB) (RMB)

3801 -47～-46％2470 -19～-17％

Indica Rice The Yangtze basin 1580～2120 1868 -15～+13％Wheat (white) North China 1196～1420 764 +57～+86％

Northeast 92１～1000 +40～+52％North China 1036～1200 +58～+83％Northeast 1807 +26％

North China 2000～2200 +39～+53％Soybean oil North China 6980～7200 2930 +138～146％

Price DifferentialItem Area

Soybean

Wheat (yellow) 656

1436

Japonica Rice Northeast 2002～2050

In it ia l Year 2 0 0 4 Init ia l Year 2004１％

Processed products１０％Rice (short & medium gra in) 1330 2660

Rice ( long gra in) 1330 2660Wheat 7300 9636Maize 4500 7200

3261 ２０％（2005） (2005)

FAS, USDA, U.S.-China WTO Accession Agreement(FAS Online), February 2000.　　　 USTR, Market Access Commitments of the Government of China on Goods,Services and Agriculture (Press Release), April 1999.

７６％ ６５％

In-Quota Tari f fAbove-Quota Tariff

Grain (average)

Tar i f f-Rate Quota

1718Soybean oi l ７４％９％

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policy changes on food resources. Findingsderived from ongoing collaborative researchprojects at JIRCAS are often incorporated intothese forecast simulations. Currently, researchersare attempting to expand the model so that theimpact of environmental changes and resourceconstraints can also be analyzed. In addition,researchers within the Division are studying ruraldevelopment strategies, with particular emphasison farming systems research, by reviewing recentdevelopment strategies and assisting researchersin the natural sciences who are currently involvedwith integrated rural development projects.

Another important task of the Division is todevelop and operate JIRCAS’s computer-baseddatabases. Since 1996, the Division has operateda comprehensive statistical database onagriculture, forestry and fisheries, which containsdata from many international agencies. TheDivision also maintains bibliographic and photo(slides) databases on tropical agriculture.

Finally, the Division serves as the secretariatfor numerous international seminars andworkshops that JIRCAS researchers conductthroughout the year. The largest of these is theJIRCAS International Symposium, whichaddresses topics of central importance toagricultural research. In FY 2000, theinternational symposium, “AgriculturalTechnology Research for Sus ta inableDevelopment in Developing Regions” was heldas a part of TARC-JIRCAS 30th anniversary.JIRCAS formerly operated under the name TARC(Tropical Agriculture Research Center). In all,328 participants from 32 countries attended thecommemorative symposium. (See “Symposia andWorkshops” section for additional details).

Table 1. U.S.-China WTO Accession Agreement: Tariff-rate quotas (thousand metric tons, %)

Prompted by news of China’s future inductioninto the World Trade Organization (WTO),JIRCAS studied and projected its effects onChina’s agricultural sector. The study investigatedthat the probable impact under the assumptionsthat the Chinese government will (1) continue toobserve the WTO’s “Agreement on Agriculture”and (2) adopt tariff-rate quotas in major crops andtariff reductions of other agricultural productsthat depend on the U.S.-China WTO AccessionAgreement. Subsequently, this analysis concludedthat, first, imports of wheat and maize willincrease up to the quota level if relative priceremains steady and operation of tariff-rate quotais fair. Excess imports over the quota level will

occur rarely. Second, while the Chinesegovernment provides large tariff-rate quotas, therice quota will be used infrequently becausedomestic prices of Indica and Japonica rice arelower than import prices. Third, a decline inedible oil production as well as soybeancultivation for oil manufacturing is inevitabledue to the fact that the domestic price is twice

China’s accession to the WTO andits impact on domestic agriculture

as high as the international price. Finally, theAggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) ofwheat, maize, and soybean was estimated tobe approximately 10 percent in 1999. Thisfigure implies that if China joins the WTO as anon-developing country, their prices willdecline, while if it joins as a developing country,prices will still not be allowed to increase.

(A. Ikegami)

Table 2. Domestic and foreign price differentials (RMB per metric ton, %).

Biological resources play a key role inmeeting global challenges in food security andprotection of the environment in developingcountries. In discussions in international fora suchas the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),the World Food Summit, and the Food andAgricultural Organization’s (FAO’s) Commissionon Genetic Resources, the internationalcommunity confirmed its commitment to the safeconservation, sustainable use and equitable sharingof the benefits of biodiversity. The active use ofgenetic diversity towards sustainable socio-economic development presents a tremendouschallenge for scientists and policy makers.

Over the last decade, we have witnessed

BIOLOGICALRESOURCESDIVISION

Domestic Price International Price(RMB) (RMB)

3801 -47～-46％2470 -19～-17％

Indica Rice The Yangtze basin 1580～2120 1868 -15～+13％Wheat (white) North China 1196～1420 764 +57～+86％

Northeast 92１～1000 +40～+52％North China 1036～1200 +58～+83％Northeast 1807 +26％

North China 2000～2200 +39～+53％Soybean oil North China 6980～7200 2930 +138～146％

Price DifferentialItem Area

Soybean

Wheat (yellow) 656

1436

Japonica Rice Northeast 2002～2050

In it ia l Year 2 0 0 4 Init ia l Year 2004１％

Processed products１０％Rice (short & medium gra in) 1330 2660

Rice ( long gra in) 1330 2660Wheat 7300 9636Maize 4500 7200

3261 ２０％（2005） (2005)

FAS, USDA, U.S.-China WTO Accession Agreement(FAS Online), February 2000.　　　 USTR, Market Access Commitments of the Government of China on Goods,Services and Agriculture (Press Release), April 1999.

７６％ ６５％

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Grain (average)

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remarkable progress in science and technologicaltools for better use and understanding of geneticdiversity. For example, practically alleconomically useful plants are now amenable fortransformation. The molecular base of biologicalfunctions such as stress tolerance is much betterunderstood. Genomic science is providing soundand useful tools for manipulation of genes forplant improvement. The Division is taking fulladvantage of such progress to contribute to thechallenges facing developing countries in theactive use of genetic diversity for sustainablesocioeconomic development.

Exciting work is proceeding with CIMMYTin the development of resistance of wheat toFusarium head blight and rust diseases. TheDivision has studied the complex mechanisms ofresistance to Fusarium and has developedmethods for reliable screening. More than 600molecular markers have been mapped using adoubled haploid population segregating for redand yellow rust resistance with the objective ofQTL mapping of genes involved in resistance. Twochromosomal segments on 7AS and 7DS werefound to increase resistance to red rust. In thecase of yellow rust, researchers identified severalchromosomal locations, including 2D and 7D,conferring resistance according to QTL analysis.The studies have indicated environmental effectsare significant as well.

As a part of JIRCAS’s comprehensive projectentitled, “Comprehensive soybean researchproject in South America”, the Division staff, incollaboration with EMBRAPA-CNPsoja, isworking on the genetic improvement ofprocessing quality and pest resistance insoybeans. Isoflavones are a group of plantcompounds that have potential antihaemolytic,antioxidative, antifungal, estrogenic andantitumorial actives, and also exhibit undesirablebitter and astringent tastes. Therefore, enhancing,reducing, or eliminating isoflavone compounds

could help improve soybean products.Researchers found a wide variety of contentsand composition among the more than 300South American cultivars used in the studies.Genetic studies also indicated that isoflavonecontent in a seed is determined by the genotypeof the embryo rather than the genotype of thematernal parent, and that low isoflavone contentis recessive.

JIRCAS has enjoyed long-term collaborationwith the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences(People’s Republic of China) in rice geneticresources utilization. The collaboration hasresulted in many fruitful outputs in both practicalbreeding and genetic studies. For instance, ricecultivars produced by this collaborative work nowoccupy more than 200,000 ha in the YunnanProvince due to their stable yield, blast resistance,cold tolerance and high quality. Many usefulgenetic resources have also been identified ordeveloped. Unrei 1 to 28 grow with a very highlevel of cold tolerance. QTL mapping studies haveindicated that five chromosomal regions areinvolved in cold tolerance. A remarkable level ofvariation was found for amylose content, a keyfactor in rice quality. Researchers found 22varieties lacking LOX-3, the major componentamong lipoxygenase isozymes in rice seeds, afterscreening 108 varieties of Yunnan rice geneticresources. The lack of lipoxygenase in rice grainsis expected to reduce oxidative deteriorationduring rice storage, resulting in reduced off-flavorand longer shelf-life.

This year the molecular biology group of theDivision, working with rice, has made importantsteps toward understanding the molecularmechanisms of a plant’s defense againstenvironmental stresses and their geneticmanipulation. Using knowledge of the droughtresponsive element binding protein (DREB) ofArabidopsis, OSREB1A, B, G1 and OsDREB2were isolated as homologues of DERB1 andDREB2, respectively. It was further found thatthose controlling elements in rice had a verysimilar structure and function as those found inArabidopsis. This strongly indicates the potentialfor engineering rice plants having abiotic stresstolerance as previously demonstrated by studieson Arabidopsis and tobacco plants.

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Fig. 1. Symptoms of Fusarium head blight caused by F. graminerum on wheatapikes (left) and kernels (upper right), and resultant mycotoxins harmful to animalsand human health.

cultivar, Sumai 3, is considered to be the mostuseful genetic source for resistance to FHB inJapan. It is also used extensively as a parental lineelsewhere in the world, resulting in the productionof many resistant lines such as the ‘Ning’selections in China. Similarly, the resistant line,Saikai 165, was developed from a hybrid betweenSumai 3 and a leading Japanese cultivar Asakaze-komugi. The genetic constitutions of sources forresistance to FHB originating from different genepools, however, have not yet been fully explained.It is essential to study the genetics of theresistance to FHB, including the identification ofthe genes for resistance to FHB in several genepools, so that different genes can be combinedto improve the overall resistance of wheat. Theobjectives of the current study are to examine thedifferences in genetic constitution of resistanceto FHB between Nobeokabouzu-komugi andSumai 3 using doubled haploid lines (DHLs)derived from F1 cross.

From the cross combination of both highlyresistant cultivars, researchers discoveredtransgressive segregants with a reaction ofmoderate resistance to FHB. Both parents seemto have at least one common gene for resistancebecause no DHL from a susceptible class wassegregated. A Chi-square test indicated that thesegregation for the reaction to FHB fitted a three-gene model (7 R : 1 MR) in the population (Fig.2). The study indicates that Nobeokabouzu-komugi has three dominant genes for resistance,of which two are unique and the third is identicalwith a gene in Sumai 3. This finding showspromise for pyramiding resistant genes fromdifferent genetic backgrounds. Furthermore,many lines having very high levels of resistancestemming from genes from both parents havebeen selected for possible use as parental lines.

(T. Ban)

Genetic differences in resistance toFusarium head blight in Japaneseand Chinese wheat cultivarsNobeokabouzu-komugi andSumai 3

Fig. 2. Frequency distribution ofFusarium head blight (FHB) se-verity and reaction to FHB in 120doubled haploid lines (DHLs)derived from an F1 cross ofNobeokabouzu-komugi / Sumai3. Bars ending with arrows showthe range of FHB severity andresistance levels of check culti-vars at resistant (R), moderatelyresistant (MR), and susceptible(S) reaction levels.

Fusarium head blight (FHB, scab), caused byFusarium graminearum, is one of the mostdestructive diseases of wheat in areas where theweather is warm and humid after the heading ofwheat. The disease reduces grain yield and qualitydue to shriveling. FHB also produces mycotoxinsharmful to animals and humans alike, such asdeoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2toxin, zearalenone (ZEA), and their derivatives inthe grain (Fig. 1). In order to control this disease,researchers are investigating host resistance.Previous studies indicate that level of resistanceto FHB varies not only among wheat cultivars butalso among some of their wild relatives. Noaccession, however, has yet been identified to becompletely immune to FHB among theGramineae. Tests also demonstrated that resistantwheat germplasm could be divided into three genepools: winter wheat from Eastern Europe, springwheat from China and Japan, and spring wheatfrom Brazil and Italy. Repeated screening of thegenetic resources led to the identification ofseveral resistant cultivars of spring wheat, suchas Shinchunaga, Nobeokabouzu-komugi, andNyubai from the Japanese gene pool. Sumai 3,Ning 7840 and CItr 11028 were also identifiedas resistant cultivars to FHB from the Chinesegene pool. Among them, Nobeokabouzu-komugiis highly resistant to FHB. Unfortunately, thiscul t ivar shows unfavorable agronomiccharacteristics such as late maturity, lodging, andpoor quality of flour. However, one Chinese wheat

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It has become increasingly important to breedcrops tolerant to environmental stress to copewith the world’s food crisis and environmentalpollution. Plant productivity is greatly influencedby environmental stresses, such as drought, highsalinity, and freezing. Genetic engineering can beused as a fast and precise means of achievingimproved stress tolerance. Scientists haveattempted several different approaches toimprove stress tolerance of plants by genetransfer. In our approach to improve stresstolerance, researchers used genes encodingenzymes for prol ine biosynthesis anddegradation.

Proline is a dominant amino acid thataccumulates in many plants exposed toenvironmental stresses such as drought, highsalinity, high temperature, freezing, UV radiation,and heavy metals. Under stressed conditions,proline has been thought to have an adaptive rolein mediating osmotic adjustment and protectingsubcellular structure. In particular, many studieson plants have focused on the roles of proline indefense mechanisms against impairments causedby osmotic stress. Some reports have indicated apositive correlation between the accumulation ofproline and stress tolerance in plants. However,other reports have proposed that increased levelsof free proline are merely a result of stress. Thusthe roles of proline in osmotolerance in plantsstill remain controversial, and there have beenfew concrete demonstrations of the function andthe mechanism of proline throughout plant growth.

In higher plants, proline is synthesized via theglutamic acid and ornithine pathways. The formeris considered to be a major pathway, especiallyunder osmotic stress. In the glutamic acid pathway(Fig. 1), proline is synthesized from glutamic acidvia two intermediates, glutamic-g-semialdehydeand D-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C). Twoenzymes catalyze this pathway, P5C synthetasein the first step and P5C reductase in the finalstep. Researchers have isolated genes encodingP5C synthetase and P5C reductase from variousplants, and have characterized their expressionand the func t ions o f t he i r p roduc t s .

Fig. 1. Metabolic path-way of proline in plants(glutamic acid path-w a y ) , g l u t a m i c - g -s e m i a l d e h y d e , 1 -pyrroline-5-carboxylate(P5C), P5C synthetase,P5C reductase, prolinedehydrogenase, P5Cdehydrogenase.

Consequently, research has shown that P5Csynthetase is the rate-limiting enzyme in prolinebiosynthesis in higher plants. On the other hand,proline is metabolized to glutamic acid via P5Cand glutamic-g-semialdehyde. Two enzymescatalyze this pathway, proline dehydrogenase inthe first step and P5C dehydrogenase in the finalstep.

Arabidopsis accumulates proline in responseto osmotic stresses due to drought, high salinity,and chilling. Stress-induced proline accumulationin Arabidopsis is caused by the activation ofproline biosynthesis, and by the inactivation ofproline degradation. The elevated expression ofan AtP5C synthetase gene encoding the P5Csythetase protein in Arabidopsis precedes theaccumulation of proline in response to thesestresses. In contrast, expression of the At-prolinedehydrogenase gene is repressed during the stressconditions. The manner of gene expression ofAtP5C synthetase and At-proline dehydrogenasefits in well with that of proline accumulation,suggesting that metabolic regulation is essentialfor the control of endogenous proline levels.

To investigate the function of prolinebiosynthesis and degradation in the accumulationof proline and to further elucidate roles of prolinein growth and stress tolerance in plants, JIRCASresearchers generated antisense transgenicArabidopsis plants with an AtP5C synthetase andan At-proline dehydrogenase cDNA, respectively.The AtP5CS antisense transgenic plants showedaltered morphology and were susceptible toosmotic stress. Mutated phenotypes in bothmorphology and osmotolerance were suppressedby the application of exogenous L-proline but notby D-proline, suggesting that proline alsofunctions as a compatible osmolyte with respectto osmotolerance in plants. Further investigationrevealed a specific effect of proline deficiencyon protein biosynthesis in the AtP5CS antisensetransgenics. Studies showed a significantreduction in proline and hydroxyproline contentsin hydrolysates of a purified cell wall fraction butnot in proline content of hydrolysates of solubleproteins in transgenic leaves. These results showthat proline deficiency specifically affects adefect in the biosynthesis of cell wall structuralproteins in the transgenic plants. Proline may actas a major constituent of structural proteins ofcell walls in osmotolerance as well asmorphogenesis of plants.

On the other hand, The At-prol inedehydrogenase antisense transgenic plants showedenhanced accumulation of proline, providingevidence for a pivotal role of prol inedehydrogenase in proline degradation. Thesetransgenic plants were more tolerant to freezing

Antisense suppression of prolined e g r a d a t i o n i m p r o v e senvironmental stress tolerance inArabidopsis

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and high salinity, indicating the efficiency ofsuppressing proline degradation in prolineaccumulation, and the contribution of proline tostress tolerance in higher plants (Fig. 2). In thisstudy, researchers not only confirmed key rolesof two enzymes, P5C synthetase and prolinedehydrogenase, for the regulation of prolineaccumulation, but also showed the positivecorrelation between proline and osmotolerancein higher plants using transgenic technologies.These results will help us improve crop toleranceto abiotic stresses. The constitutive accumulationof proline due to the inhibition of its degradationmay be a promising approach to creatingenvironmental stress tolerant crops.

(K. Yamaguchi-Shinozaki)

Fig. 2. Salinity tolerance of At-proline dehydogenaseantisense transgenic plants and phenotype of plantsexposed to salinity stress for 0.5 h. Plants used for analy-sis were wild-type and anti-At-proline dehydrogenase-12transgenic plants.

With the world population estimated to reach6.3 billion by the year 2000 and 10 billion by2050, the task of feeding this ever-increasingpopulation has become more and moreproblematic. Given these circumstances, it isnecessary to intensify crop cultivation and extendfarmlands into marginal areas and also to increasecrop productivity per unit area. Trade

ENVIRONMENTALRESOURCESDIVISION

liberalization in recent years has led to a sharpincrease in production of commercial crops inexporting countries, placing a damaging andexcessive burden to farmland soils throughcontinuous monoculture, overdoses of farmchemicals, and deforestation. Past experience hasshown that these practices accelerate farmlanddegradation and desertification on a global scale.Should they continue, such drastic changes in landuse will cause not only a decline in cropproductivity, but also a climatic transformationover extended regions that will bring aboutunpredictable weather-related impediments toexisting agricultural and forest ecosystems.Patterns of land utilization have been changingdue to population expansion since the 1940’sand 50’s. These changes, along with the rapidincrease in fossil fuel consumption, have had atremendous impact on the atmosphere throughintensified carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur gasemissions. If the present level of consumptioncontinues, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrationwill increase by 0.5 percent per year and doubleby the middle of this century. The 1995 IPCCreport suggests that a two-fold increase in CO2concentrations could cause an increase in meanglobal surface temperature by about 2°C by theyear 2100. Furthermore, research has shownthat the atmospheric concentrations of othergreenhouse gases such as methane and nitrousoxide have similarly increased within the pasttwo decades. If the effects of these trace gasesare jointly taken into account, global warmingis estimated to take place more rapidly than inthe case where the effects of CO2 are consideredindependently. The negative impact of modernagriculture is also evident in soils that receiveexcessive amounts of chemical fertilizers,herbicides, and pesticides and not enoughorganic substances such as crop residues andanimal feces that are thought to be effectivefor fertility maintenance. Although there is littlescientific evidence, soils may not be as fertileas they were in the past, meaning morechemicals will be required to produce the sameharvest. The excessive nitrogen that goes

Farming family in field with theircrops at a village near Kationa,North Côte d'Ivoire. (Photo: S.Tobita)

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and high salinity, indicating the efficiency ofsuppressing proline degradation in prolineaccumulation, and the contribution of proline tostress tolerance in higher plants (Fig. 2). In thisstudy, researchers not only confirmed key rolesof two enzymes, P5C synthetase and prolinedehydrogenase, for the regulation of prolineaccumulation, but also showed the positivecorrelation between proline and osmotolerancein higher plants using transgenic technologies.These results will help us improve crop toleranceto abiotic stresses. The constitutive accumulationof proline due to the inhibition of its degradationmay be a promising approach to creatingenvironmental stress tolerant crops.

(K. Yamaguchi-Shinozaki)

Fig. 2. Salinity tolerance of At-proline dehydogenaseantisense transgenic plants and phenotype of plantsexposed to salinity stress for 0.5 h. Plants used for analy-sis were wild-type and anti-At-proline dehydrogenase-12transgenic plants.

With the world population estimated to reach6.3 billion by the year 2000 and 10 billion by2050, the task of feeding this ever-increasingpopulation has become more and moreproblematic. Given these circumstances, it isnecessary to intensify crop cultivation and extendfarmlands into marginal areas and also to increasecrop productivity per unit area. Trade

ENVIRONMENTALRESOURCESDIVISION

liberalization in recent years has led to a sharpincrease in production of commercial crops inexporting countries, placing a damaging andexcessive burden to farmland soils throughcontinuous monoculture, overdoses of farmchemicals, and deforestation. Past experience hasshown that these practices accelerate farmlanddegradation and desertification on a global scale.Should they continue, such drastic changes in landuse will cause not only a decline in cropproductivity, but also a climatic transformationover extended regions that will bring aboutunpredictable weather-related impediments toexisting agricultural and forest ecosystems.Patterns of land utilization have been changingdue to population expansion since the 1940’sand 50’s. These changes, along with the rapidincrease in fossil fuel consumption, have had atremendous impact on the atmosphere throughintensified carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur gasemissions. If the present level of consumptioncontinues, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrationwill increase by 0.5 percent per year and doubleby the middle of this century. The 1995 IPCCreport suggests that a two-fold increase in CO2concentrations could cause an increase in meanglobal surface temperature by about 2°C by theyear 2100. Furthermore, research has shownthat the atmospheric concentrations of othergreenhouse gases such as methane and nitrousoxide have similarly increased within the pasttwo decades. If the effects of these trace gasesare jointly taken into account, global warmingis estimated to take place more rapidly than inthe case where the effects of CO2 are consideredindependently. The negative impact of modernagriculture is also evident in soils that receiveexcessive amounts of chemical fertilizers,herbicides, and pesticides and not enoughorganic substances such as crop residues andanimal feces that are thought to be effectivefor fertility maintenance. Although there is littlescientific evidence, soils may not be as fertileas they were in the past, meaning morechemicals will be required to produce the sameharvest. The excessive nitrogen that goes

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unutilized by crops disseminates from agriculturallands and pollutes underground and river water.Although farmers still have to produce more foodsfor the world’s increasing population, theenvironmental impacts of intensified agricultureshould be kept to a minimum through balancedmanagement of resources.

To address these problems, the EnvironmentalResources Division is organizing research toidentify and develop technologies that will improveagricultural activities and make them compatiblewith the environment and more specificecosystems such as arid lands, wetlands, slopedlands, and degraded lands. Other projects aim atdeveloping technologies for sustainable agricultureby analyzing mechanisms of nutrient cyclingwithin agro-ecosystems, which might in turn leadto a reduction in polluting substances and globalenvironmental conservation.

In the central west region of Brazil, grasslandshave been developed over large areas that wereoriginally savannas (Cerrados). Despite initialsuccess in soybean production, problems withdeclining productivity have arisen in recent yearsbecause of the reduction in soil fertility. Expertshave proposed agro-pastoral systems thatcombine soybeans and grasses in rotation in orderto sustain grassland productivity. One of theprimary advantages of these systems is thatgrasses can benefit from the residual lime andphosphoric fertilizer used for the previous year’scrop cultivation. Grasses also benefit from thenitrogen added to the system through N2 fixationby soybeans. However, another result is that the

Fig. 1. Concentration of NO3-N (mg/kg) in soil.

Nitrogen balance in soybean fieldsand grasslands in the central westregion of Brazil

Fig. 2. Nitrogen balancefor soybean fields andgrasslands. *1) Cadischet al. (1994); *2) Gaseousl o s s e s o f a m m o n i av o l a t i l i z a t i o n a n ddenitrification from animalexcreta.

organic matter content of the soil decreasessteadily under soybean cultivation. Researchersstudied nitrogen flow in the systems, N2 fixationby soybean, input from rain, nitrogen removal byharvest, and leaching in order to evaluate the agro-pastoral systems in terms of nitrogen economy.

The National Beef Cattle Research Center(CNPGC), part of the National Corporation ofAgricultural Research (EMBRAPA) in CampoGrande, MS, Brazil, has conducted a long-termfield experiment on soil classified as Purple RedLatosol. In beef cattle-grazed grassland, NPKfertilizer (14 kg N/ha, 70 kg P2O5/ha and 70 kgK2O/ha) was applied and Brachiaria decumbenscv. Basilisk was sown in November 1993. Insoybean fields, soybeans were sown everyNovember and harvested in April of the next year.PK fertilizer (80 kg P2O5/ha and 80 kg K2O/ha)was applied during the seeding stage of soybean.

Division researchers determined the rate ofN2

fixation of soybeans using a non-nodulatingisoline, T201, as a reference. The rate ranged from23 to 51 percent of the total nitrogen in the plants.Most of the plant nitrogen was harvested with thegrains, resulting in a negative nitrogen balance inthe soybean fields. It was shown that only a smallamount of nitrogen entered the system throughrainwater. Nitrate accumulation from the surfaceto a depth of 100 cm in the soil under soybeansindicated the potential leaching of nitrate. Theestimated amount of leaching from the soybean

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Nitrogen cycles on agriculturalpractices in Khon Kaen provinceduring 1990-92(kg N/ha/yr)Italic:input-output

Soils in Northeast Thailand are characterizedby their sandy texture and low capacity forsupplying nutrients. These inherited attributestypically indicate poor soil fertility and are majorlimiting factors to crop productivity. One possibleway to improve soil fertility is more efficient useof locally available nutrient resources such ascrop residues and animal feces. In order toidentify the available resources, it is necessaryto quantify nutrient cycles related to agriculturalactivities such as crop and livestock productionin the region. Moreover, it is essential to betterunderstand the soils’ limiting factors to achievethe most effective utilization of available nutrientresources. This study emphasizes nitrogen as amajor nutrient element.

A model has been developed to estimate thenitrogen cycle for agricultural production in KhonKaen Province by using data from many differentareas, including crop yields, animal feed supply,human food supply, production and usage of cropresidues, animal and human feces and garbage, andchemical fertilizer application rates. These datawere collected from agricultural statistics (1990-92), research reports, field observation,interviews with farmers, and information fromThai researchers.

Nitrogen left as crop residue amounted to 52kg/ha/yr, of which 12 kg was fed to animals, 29kg discharged into the air by burning, and 11 kgreturned to farmland. Although crop residues aremost likely the main nitrogen resource in the area,the rate of recycling back to the farmland shouldbe limited. Animals consumed 23 kg/ha/yr of

Fig.1. Nitrogen cycles underagricultural practices in KhonKaen province during 1990-1992 (kgN/ha/yr). (Italics :input, output)

TOPIC2

nitrogen from weeds as feeds separate from cropresidues and returned 22 kg/ha/yr of nitrogen tofarmland in the form of feces, 80 percent of thetotal amount of nitrogen returned to farmland.Nitrogen withdrawal resulting from crop harvests(30 kg/ha/yr) was more than the amount ofnitrogen restored as animal feces, suggesting thatit is not feasible to meet the crop demand fornitrogen through the application of the animalfeces alone because of the limited animalhusbandry in the area. Chemical fertilizerapplication was limited to only 18 kg/ha/yr ofnitrogen, clearly indicating that even in recentyears local farmers have either applied low ratesof chemical fertilizer to most crops or appliednone at all. Furthermore, nitrogen losses throughdenitrification, leaching, erosion, and emissionfar outweigh the nitrogen gains from atmosphericN2 fixation, irrigation, and rainfall. A roughestimation of the soils’ nitrogen balanceconsequently showed a negative value of 40 kg/ha/yr. Considering that 58 kg/ha/yr of nitrogen isnot returned to the farmland, more efficientutilization of organic resources is necessary toreduce the deficit in the soils’ nitrogen balance.

(N. Matsumoto)

Nitrogen cycles for agriculturalproduc t ion in Khon KaenProvince in Northeast Thailand

field was relatively large compared to that of thegrassland; a large negative nitrogen balance wasobserved in the soybean fields, whereas there wasonly a small negative nitrogen balance in thegrasslands.

Harmful nitrates that accumulated in thesubsoil during soybean cultivation can beabsorbed by grasses grown thereafter. Thus, agro-pastoral systems that alternate grass and soybeancultivation are considered to be more sustainable.It must be remembered, however, that bothsoybean fields and grasslands showed a negativenitrogen balance. From this study, researcherswere able to speculate that in order to sustainnitrogen fertility in agro-pastoral systems, someapplication of nitrogen fertilizer may be necessaryover time.

(K. Kanda)

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CROP PRODUCTIONAND POSTHARVESTTECHNOLOGYDIVISION

L o c a l m a r k e t s e l l i n gvegetables in Bangkok. (Photo:K. Nakahara)

It is obvious that global food production mustincrease greatly to meet rapidly growing demands.The need for food will be influenced primarilyby population growth. However, demand for foodwill also depend on the ability of consumers topurchase food, changing dietary patterns, andurbanization.

Although the growth rate has been decliningsteadily since about 1970, the world’s populationwill increase by approximately 90-100 millionpeople annually for the next several years. Ninety-five percent of the growth will occur indeveloping regions where food deficits arealready severe, and where alternative employmentopportunities and economic growth are limited.

In the developing regions, self-reliance seemsto take precedence over self-sufficiency. Whilethere are no definite ways to becoming self-reliant, there are various methods that ensure self-sufficiency and still preserve environmentalconditions of a particular country.

The Crop Production and PostharvestTechnology Division implements researchprojects on topics ranging from production andstorage to the processing and marketing ofagricultural products. Its research activitiesencompass a variety of disciplines includingagronomy, plant protection (pest, disease, andweed control), agricultural mechanization,irrigation, drainage, cropping systems, foodstorage, postharvest technology, farmmanagement, and agricultural economics.

Far too often, the problem of feeding theworld’s population is conceived in terms ofproducing a sufficient amount of food. Equallypressing problems related to preservation anddistribution, which affect food products betweenharvest and consumption, are frequentlyneglected. Postproduction operations inagriculture and horticulture include a wide range

of functions necessary for maintaining highquality food, reducing transaction costs, andraising domestic welfare. It is necessary to placeemphasis on postharvest studies on agriculturalproducts, such as quality improvement, safety,extension of shelf life, and control of insects andmicroorganisms in foodstuffs, all of which areimportant objectives of the Division.

Finally, sustainable production of agriculturalcommodities can only be ensured by thedevelopment of sustainable markets. The Divisionis working to develop technology that willenhance the value of agricultural products and toincrease incentives for farmers to practicesustainable production. Economic studies proveto be essential in such projects, which aim tofurther the development of target countries.

Food production involves a long chain ofproduction from the initial cultivation to the finalfood market. Post harvest technology, includingselection, preservation, packaging, andprocessing, has improved agricultural productionand has increased farmers’ incomes by raising thevalue of agricultural produce. Agriculture is verysensitive to the natural environment and there aremany constraints to the rapid increase ofproduction. Therefore, it is very important todevelop techniques to reduce post harvest lossesas well as to preserve and improve the quality,freshness, and nutritional value of agriculturalproduce until the products reach the consumer.

As ment ioned above , pos t harves ttechnologies encompass too many disciplinesgiven our limited human resources and researchbudget. Therefore, the Division gives priority tothe following technologies, which aid progresstoward a stable food supply of and an increase infarmers’ incomes in developing regions: dryingand keeping of freshness after harvesting,preservation and storage during collection andtransportation, safety assessment and selectionprior to processing, quality evaluation andprocessing for adding value and diversification,reduction and effective uses of waste andbyproducts during distribution and processing,quality assurance, and preservation of perishablesand processed foods during distribution.

While these technologies will be necessaryto achieve a stable food supply and to raisefarmers’ incomes, the infrastructure andgovernment policies relevant to food andagricultural products are still poor in developingregions. Therefore, the use of technologies needsto be selective, and project leaders shouldrecognize the obs tac les to immedia teimplementation to concur with the conditions indeveloping regions, while keeping in mind thatagricultural productivity is improved mainly

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through increasing the incentives of farmers.Among the technologies mentioned above,

the following technologies are common issuesin developing regions; drying and maintainingfreshness after harvesting, preservation andstorage during collection and transportation,safety assessment and selection prior to theprocessing, and improvement and development ofprocessing in accordance with cultural foodtradition. The first two fields can be collectivelyconsidered as preventive technology forpostharvest losses, the main focus being qualityevaluation.

The Division will concentrate its researchactivity on the prevention of post harvest losses,with emphasis on the improvement of dryingmethods, transportation and storage of theproducts, quality preservation, and evaluation andfood processing. The poor infrastructure and lackof relevant technological progress in developingregions result in the quality deterioration ofagricultural produce and in forcing farmers to selltheir products at lower prices. The Division willdevelop low-input preservation technologythrough identifying the factors that lead to qualitydeterioration during collection, storage, anddistribution. Also, since the price of agriculturalproducts is determined based on freshness, shape,size, color, flavor, texture, nutritional value,safety, damage caused by pests, and functionalproperties in processing, technology for qualitypreservation and evaluation will play a veryimportant role in the pricing of agriculturalproducts. However, since most of thesetechnologies have been designed in developedcountries, they must be adapted to the specificneeds of developing regions by making thetechnology more simple and inexpensive.Currently, traditional methods of food processingattempt to meet the demands of the domesticmarket, sometimes depending upon an unstablesupply of raw materials and limited level oftechnology.

The Division will attempt to analyze andimprove the various steps involved in thetraditional methods of food processing to meetthe increasing demand of consumers fordiversified and better quality foods, along withdeveloping new methods of food processingthrough better technology.

Drying rice after harvest inthe Philippines (Photo: T.Yoshihashi)

Nation-wide cultivation of high-yielding F1

TOPIC1Varietal resistances to thewhitebacked planthopper inChinese japonica rice

hybrid rice has significantly contributed toincreases in rice production in China starting inthe 1980’s. However, Chinese hybrid rice has alsocaused substantial changes in the status of insectpest because of its high vulnerability to insectinfestations. Among such pests, the whitebackedplanthopper, Sogatella furcifera, has stronglyemerged as a major pest to hybrid rice, despitebeing only a secondary insect pest to commoninbred rice. S. furcifera infests not only hybridrice, but also japonica rice grown in Middle Chinadue to massive migrations from the hybrid ricecultivation areas in southern China. To combat theupsurge of infestation, farmers have turnedincreasingly to intensive insecticide use. Thereis a growing fear that the sustainability of the riceproduction ecosystem will deteriorate underescalating insecticide treatments. Selecting ricevarieties with higher insect resistance is analternative way of coping with the threat of pestinfestation, and is also compatible withbiologically and ecologically favorableapproaches of pest management.

Researchers have found that a Chinesejapon ica r i ce , Chen j iang 06 (CJ-06) ,demonstrated a strong field resistance to S.furcifera infestation. Field experiments revealedthat the migrant S. furcifera did not prefer to settleon CJ-06, and ultimately failed to establishpopulations on this particular type of rice.Significantly less honeydew excretion by adultfemales of S. furcifera indicated their reluctanceto ingest CJ-06 sap, when confined to this variety.Nymphal development was not significantlyaffected by CJ-06. Adult fecundity and egghatchability were, however, markedly reduced onCJ-06 when young S. furci fera femalescontinuously fed on it. Fecundity on CJ-06 wasreduced to about one third of that of susceptiblevarieties due to suppressed sap ingestion of CJ-06. Additionally, S. furcifera eggs suffered froma high mortality rate in watery lesions atoviposition sites of CJ-06. The induction ofovicidal watery lesions and the subsequent

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mortality of eggs occurred within 1-2 days afteroviposition.

From these observations, it was found thatfield resistance to S. furcifera in CJ-06 wasexpressed by two distinct mechanisms ofresistance, namely sucking suppression andovicidal response. Sucking suppression was theprimary source of the antixenosis of CJ-06against S. furcifera immigrants, and functionedas an antibiotic factor in reducing fecundity ofinhabitants. Ovicidal function is related toantibiotic resistance induced by a specificinteraction between CJ-06 and S. furcifera, bywhich the population growth of S. furcifera nearlyceased.

The mode of inheritance of S. furciferaresistance in CJ-06 using two populations of F2plants obtained from reciprocal crosses betweenCJ-06 and the susceptible TN1 variety was thenanalyzed. The two resistance traits, suckingsuppression and ovicidal activity, were inheritedindependently. The two F2 populations weresegregated into 4 phenotypes, which wereexpressed by different combinations of suckingsuppression and ovicidal activity. The segregationrations fitted statistically to the theoreticallypredicted ratio of 45:15:3:1, where two dominantand one recessive gene presumably controlledsucking suppression and ovicidal activity,respectively. The F2 plants also showed dominantinheritance of sucking suppressive resistance inCJ-06 in crosses between CJ-06 and the Japanesejaponica rice, Koshihikari.

Preliminary genealogical analysis indicated

TOPIC2Evaluation of Indonesian soybeanvarieties for processing andimprovement of fermented foods

Soybean is one of the most important staplefoods in Indonesia. Soybean foods such as“tempe”, a fermented soybean food, tofu, “kecap”,an Indonesian soy sauce, and “tauco”, anIndonesian fermented soybean paste, are of greatsignificance to the diet of Indonesians as low-cost sources of proteins and seasonings. In

that dual resistance traits to S. furcifera in CJ-06were derived conjointly from a single parentalline, Xiushui 620 (XS-620). The other parentalline, C81-40, had only ovicidal activity. Suckingsuppression and ovicidal resistance in XS-620were independently inherited from Xiushui 04(XS-04) and Xianghu 24 (XH-24), respectively.XS-04 showed sucking suppression resistance,but not ovicidal resistance. Conversely, XH-24possessed ovicidal resistance, but not suckingsuppression resistance.

About a third of the 63 Chinese japonica ricevarieties used in the study exhibited as strongovicidal activity similar to CJ-06 against the S.furcifera eggs. Another third of the rice varietiesalso maintain some, but weaker, ovicidal activity.On the other hand, sucking suppressive resistanceto S. furcifera was detected only in 6 varieties.Of the six, four varieties were XS-04 and itsderivatives. Only CJ-06 and XS-620 had both thesucking suppressive and ovicidal resistance. NoJapanese japonica rice has been found to havesucking suppressive resistance to S. furcifera.JIRCAS researchers expect that the identificationof the genetic origin of the sucking suppressiveresistance in XS-04 will provide important cluesas to how to improve S. furcifera resistance inJaponica rice varieties.

(K. Sogawa)

Field resistance to whitebacked planthopper in Chenjiang06. Under intensive infestation with the whitebackedplanthopper, a susceptible variety of TN1 was completelydestroyed with hopperburn, but Chenjiang 06 plants be-tween the TN1 plots suffered little from planthopper dam-age. (Photo: K. Sogawa)

　 　CJ- 06

Mechanism of S. furcifela resistance in CJ-06

　OVICIDAL ACTIVITY

ANTIXENOSIS ANTIBIOSIS

　 EGG MORTALITY Non-preference

LOW POPULATION GROWTH

　 FIELD RESISTANCE

　 XS-04 XH-24，C81-40

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Photo 1. Tempe dealer inMalang, East Java, Indonesia.

are spread on a bamboo tray and are left for aperiod to make molded soybeans (kecap koji).Kecap manufacturers do not usually use anyinoculum in koji preparation, thereby allowingmolds to grow on the surface of the cookedsoybeans during fermentation as a result ofinfection from the environment. Conversely,agricultural products in Indonesia, like peanuts,are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, anatural carcinogen produced by fungi belongingto Aspergillus species, such as Aspergillusflavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Since thepossibility of aflatoxin contamination cannot beavoided in traditional koji processing, it isnecessary to use a pure culture starter forpurposes of food safety.

In a collaborative research project betweenJIRCAS and RILET on the improvement offermented soybean foods, koji samples were

1998, Indonesia produced about 1.3 milliontons of soybeans, yet approximately 0.6 milliontons of soybeans had to be imported to coverthe supply deficiency. Although tempemanufacturers prefer imported soybeans todomestic ones due to appearance, the effectsthat certain soybean characteristics, such aschemical composition, color, size, and cookingproperties, have on the quality of traditionalsoybean foods have yet to be clarified. In orderto promote domestic soybean production, it isessential to cultivate soybean varieties suited forfood processing. It is thus necessary to clarifythe characteristics of domestic soybeans incomparison to imported ones.

In this collaborative research project with theResearch Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops(RILET) of Indonesia, the physical, chemical, andprocessing characteristics of 14 Indonesiansoybean varieties were compared with importedsoybeans. Tests revealed that Indonesian soybeanscontain more proteins and fewer lipids than doimported soybean samples, as shown in Table 1.Except for Argomulyo, Bromo, and Burangrang,all other domestic varieties had lower 100-grainweights than those of imported ones.

Tofu was prepared using either glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) or acetic acid, commonly used inIndonesia as coagulants. The results obtained inthis work showed that the protein content ofsoybean is the most important factor for thehardness and yield of tofu prepared when usingeither GDL or acetic acid. Further researchdemonstrated that Indonesian soybeans aresuperior to imported varieties for preparing tofuusing either GDL or acetic acid as a coagulantdue to their high protein content and the whitishcolor of the final product. In making tempe, the100-grain weight of raw soybeans was found tobe most important factor for both yield andsensory evaluation. An Indonesian soybean varietyhaving a 100-grain weight of around 15 grams,about the same as imported soybeans, was foundto be best suited for tempe processing.

In Indonesia, traditional soybean-based foodsare widely produced by small-scale producersusing rather primitive methods. For example, inthe kecap fermentation process, cooked soybeans

Control 1-1 2-5 K-1

T-1 1-1A K-1A

Photo 2. Kecapkojis prepared byusing an aflatoxinproducer, selectedstrains, and white-spored mutants.

Strains were cultured on autoclaved soybeans for 3 days 28°CControl: autoclaved soybeans (black soybeans); 1-1: Koji with isolatefrom Kecap No.1; 2-5: Koji with Aspergillus sp. 2-5, an aflatoxin pro-ducer isolated from Kecap No. 2; K-1: Koji with the isolate fromJapanese Tane-koji; T-1: Koji with the isolate from Tempe starter; 1-1A:Koji with the white-spored mutant 1-1 Aspergillus sp.1-1; K-1A: Kojiwith the white-spored mutant K-1Aspergillus sp. K-1.

Table 1. Characteristics of Indonesian and imported soybeans. Indonesian soybeans 1) Soybeans imported from USA

min max mean S.D. Sample A Sample B

100-grain weight (g) 6.1 15.9 10.6 2.8 15.8 14.8

Protein content (%)2)3) 39.9 44.3 42.0 1.4 36.8 36.0

Lipid content (%)2) 16.6 20.0 18.6 1.2 21.7 21.4

1) Data obtained with 14 Indonesian varieties 2) Dry weight percentage 3) TN x 5.71

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TOPIC3

Most of the upland cropping area in NortheastThailand has been created through intensivedeforestation since the 1960’s and is characterizedby continuous sloping fields with gradualundulations. Soil erosion has become a seriousproblem, causing the disappearance of fertiletopsoil drained away by rainwater. Unpredictablerainfall in monsoon tropics, which causes frequentdrought and flooding, is another constraint tosustainable agriculture.

In response to these issues, a multidisciplinaryresearch project between Thailand and Japan isattempting to develop sustainable crop productionsystems (1995-2001) entitled “Comprehensivestudies on sustainable agricultural systems inNortheast Thailand”. The results obtained thusfar are described below.

Alley cropping for soil conservationIn order to realize an environmentally friendly

farming system, reforestation, particularly theconcept of tree-crop complexes, is stronglyrecommended to restore year-round vegetationin view of national land planning.

Participating researchers constructed a modelfield for alley cropping (0.5 ha: 50 x 100 m) witha leguminous t ree spec ies , Leucaenaleucocephala, planted on contour lines in the 5percent sloping area, in order to prevent erosionand to supply organic materials into upland fields.Studies focused first on the growth of crops(sweet corn, mungbean etc.) at various distancesfrom trees. Shading by tree canopy in the rainyseason and depletion of water by tree roots in thedry season were the main obstacles to cropgrowth when the trees and crops were planted tooclosely. The width of tree rows was optimal at20m for crop production, mechanized cropmanagement, and prevention of soil erosion.Pruning the trees and subsequently supplyingorganic materials was effective in improving soilproperties. Regeneration of twigs after pruningfollowed a similar pattern to the annual rainfall(Fig. 1). The appropriate frequency of pruningwas three times per year in order to save the laborunder sequential crop cultivation throughout therainy and dry seasons.

No-tillage cultivation for large-scale farmingUpland cropping in Northeast Thailand is

characterized by monoculture plantations thatgrow such crops as sugarcane or cassava, whichare susceptible to fluctuating prices in the worldmarket. Crop diversification and the introductionof new crops accompanied by large-scalecultivation methods will likely increase andstabilize the income of farmers.

In studies, no-tillage cultivation of seed crops(maize, legumes, etc.) showed promise todevelop into large-scale production under thevariable monsoon climates. No-tillage seedingalleviated farmers from the busy and laboriouschore of land preparation at the beginning of eachrainy season and prevented soil erosioncommonly observed after the tillage of fields.The system also effectively preserved soilmoisture during the dry season due to undisturbedsoil conditions. Higher soil moisture in no-tillagecultivation contributed to vigorous growth.Growth of crops in no-tillage cultivation was

Technologies for efficient uplandcrop cultivation in NortheastThailand

collected from kecap and tauco factories on theisland of Java. Aspergillus was dominant in fiveout of six koji samples, while one samplecontained Mucorales as dominant fungi.Aspergillus contributed to the hydrolysis ofsoybean prote ins much more than d idMucoraceous fungus from the tempe starter.Although no aflatoxins were detected in these kojisamples, two out of 24 isolates from the kecapand tauco koji samples produced aflatoxins.

In order to develop a pure culture starter forkecap koji, white-spored mutants were isolated byirradiation of ultraviolet rays from the selectedAspergillus strains. All white-spored mutantsproved to be aflatoxin-negative. The kecap kojiprepared by inoculating with the mutant could bedistinguished from that inoculated with the originalkoji mold strain or the aflatoxin producer by thedevelopment of its white color spores during kojimaking (Photo 2). The formol nitrogen contentsof the kecap mashes prepared by using white-spored mutants were almost same as thoseprepared by using original strains. Therefore, it isexpected that the white-spored mutant willimprove safety when applied as a starter forprocessing kecap koji.

(S. Nikkuni)

Fig. 1. Seasonal pattern of re-generat ion of Leucaenaleucocephala.

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generally superior to that in tillage seeding.During the rainy season, crust formation on thesoil surface inhibited growth in tillage seeding,a problem that did not occur in the no-tillagefields.

A no-tillage seeder with a rotary disk anddrill seeder was manufactured and tested forapplicability, and was found to work sufficientlyon sandy soil, performing accurate groovingand seeding (Fig. 2).

Mechanical weeding for labor-saving cropcultivation

Hand weeding is a common yet laboriouspractice in upland cropping since hightemperature and humidity favor the proliferationof weeds. The adoption of labor-saving weedcontrol systems is indispensable not only forraising the productivity of crops but alsotowards easing the farmers’ work.

Mechanical weeding with the use of a smallrotary tiller attached to a soil manipulator waseffective in controlling a dominant upland weed,Richardia scabra L (Fig. 3). Inter-tillagebetween rows of crops could be conducted atwalking speed (1.6 sec/min), making the hardlabor of hand weeding unnecessary. Weeds losttheir water content after uprooting, eventuallyleading to withering and extermination. In thefield experiment, two to three hours was enough

Fig. 2. Seeding with no-tillage seeder

to reach this water deficit, which could be usedas a criterion of operation under variableweather conditions.

Research also focused on the impact ofmechanical weeding on the growth of crops andweeds. Fast-growing crops such as maize andsorghum were more tolerant to weeds, meaningthe frequency of weeding could be reducedcompared with relatively slow-growing crops suchas rice and mungbean. Mechanical weeding alsosuppressed weed proliferation for fast-growingcrops.

Subsoiling for efficient water utilizationNortheast Thailand is plagued with frequent

drought and flooding. One countermeasure toavoid these disasters is to enhance the waterholding capacity of soil. While the incorporationof organic materials is known to improve soiltexture, development of a direct method toaccumulate water is also an important way toretain a sufficient amount of water during therainy season.

Researchers conducted subsoiling treatmentat the beginning of the rainy season by crackingsoil layers (50-60cm depth) following thecontour lines in sloping fields. The crackseffectively accumulated running rain water,leading to a higher moisture content in the deeplayer of soil during the drying process in the dryseason (Fig. 4). The soil was also softer afterusing the subsoiling treatment, reflecting highersoil moisture.

Crop growth was accelerated by the increasedavailability of water, which was more distinctiveduring dry season cultivation. Crops exhibitedenhanced physiological activity of leaves,depicted by leaf color index and transpiration.In sum, subsoiling in combination with no-tillagecultivation shows the potential to be extremelyadvantageous to crops.

(N. Kabaki)

Fig. 4. Changes of soil waterretention at different depthsof soil layer.

Fig. 3. Mechanical weeding with soil manipulator

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TOPIC 4Optimum seed rates in wet-seeded rice culture in the MekongDelta of Vietnam

Rice is the staple food in Vietnam, and isgrown on approximately 80 percent of thecountry’s arable land. In 1997 alone, Vietnamproduced 27.7 million tons of unhulled rice. Inthe same year, the Mekong Delta area, locatedin the downstream part of the Mekong riverbasin, produced 14.8 million tons of rice, about50 percent of national production, contributinggreatly to the 3.68 million tons of exportedmilled rice. Currently, double and triplecropping in wet-seeded rice culture is thepredominant cultivation method, practiced onover 2.5 million hectares. The process involvesbroadcasting pre-germinated seeds on wet soilafter draining out standing water and other suchland preparation. The process saves labor feesfor transplanting rice seedlings and shortens therice planting duration to minimize the threatpotential of flood damage. However, the averagerice yield per hectare under wet-seeded riceculture has stagnated since 1995. Wet-seededrice culture also uses seed rates as high as 200to 300 kg/ha, leading some researchers to try tofind more efficient methods of rice cultivation.Looking to increase the yield per hectare and tolower seed usage, researchers attempted toidentify optimum seed rates.

Scientists conducted most field trials on seedrates at the Cuu Long Delta Rice ResearchInstitute in Omon district in Cantho Provinceduring the dry season in 1998-99 and duringthe wet season in 1998. The trial fields weredivided into three sections. The first plotcontained the very early variety “OMCS” andthe early variety, “IR64”. Different seed rates

were used for the subplots (25, 50, 75, 100, and200 kg/ha in dry season 1998- 99 and 25, 50,100, 150 and 200 kg/ha in wet season 1998).One field trial conducted during the dry season1998-99 was based on the application of 100kg/ha of nitrogen, 40 kg/ha of phosphate, and40 kg/ha of potassium, respectively. Anotherfield trial during wet season 1998 applied 100kg/ha of nitrogen, 50 kg/ha of phosphate and50 kg/ha of potassium, respectively. The weedsin the field trials were controlled by spraying apre-emergence herbicide and by hand weeding.The seed rates in other experiments are shownin Table 2.

The number of panicles per square metersignificantly decreased as the seed ratedecreased from the conventional rate (200 kg/ha) in both dry and wet seasons. In contrast,filled grains per panicle significantly increasedas the seed rate decreased in both seasons. Thiscompensatory relationship between the twocharacter is t ics i s cons is tent wi th ourunderstanding of seeded and transplanting rice.The percentage increase seems to indicate thatfilled grains at lower seed rates have advantagesover those grown using conventional seed rate(Table 1). As the weight of 1,000 filled grainsare almost the same even at different seed rates,the yields at different seed rates are determinedby number of filled grains per square meter.

The ratios of filled gains per square meterat lower seed rates to that at conventional seedrate (200 kg/ha) increased while the seed ratedecreased from 200 kg/ha to 100 kg/ha. Thehighest ratios ranged between seed rates of 50kg/ha and 100 kg/ha, while the ratio at the lowestseed rate, 25 kg/ha, slightly decreased comparedwith those at seeds rates of 50 to 100 kg/ha(Fig.1). The same tendency was observed inboth dry and wet seasons.

Thus, the highest rice yields were obtainedat seed rates from 50 to 100 kg/ha in both dryand wet seasons. The rice yields at both lowerseed rates (25 kg/ha) and higher ones (150 to200 kg/ha) decreased as compared with thoseat the seed rates of 50 to 100 kg/ha. Optimumseed rates were also confirmed in another on-farm trial on nitrogen application and suitableseed rates at the Song Hau State Farm and ThotNot District during the dry and wet seasons(Tables 1 and 2).

In conclusion, studies have shown that,taking a sufficient number of seedlingestablishments and lowering vacant spot areas(failed seedling establishment area) intoconsideration, 80 to 100 kg/ha is the optimalseed rate in wet-seeded rice culture in theMekong Delta Area. The recommended seed

Early growing stage at high seed rates under wet- seeded rice culture in the

Mekong Delta.

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Fig.1. Yield determinants atvar ious seeding rates ascompared to that at the rate of200kg/ha in the dry season of1998-99.

Table 1. Yields and yieldcomponents at different seedrates under wet-seeded riceculture in the Mekong Deltaarea.

TOPIC5Nutritional diagnosis of sulfur insoybean plants

Soybean cultivation is rapidly expanding tothe northeastern areas of Brazil, making itnecessary to undertake studies on soil fertilityto serve as a basis for soil management.Brazilian acid soils generally lack sulfur (S)needed for modern cropping, but this deficiencyhas been covered by the use of sulfate fertilizerssuch as nitrogen sulfate and superphosphate.Recently, farmers have been applying higherguaranteed analysis fertilizers, causing sulfurdeficiency to occur more frequently, particularlyin newly developed savanna fields (cerrado) thataccumulate few sulfur components. Theapplication of sulfate materials easily inducesmicroelement def ic iencies due to theacidification of the soil. To address theseproblems, researchers are working to develop amethod to maintain appropriate quantities ofelements in soils and plants. This study is part

of a collaborative project entitled “Soybeanimprovement, production and utilization inSouth America,” with the Soybean ResearchCenter of the Brazilian Agricultural ResearchCorporation (EMBRAPA-Soja).

The study tested two native cerrado soils—a clay soil from Gerais and a sandy clay loamsoil from Sambaiba, in Maranhao, Brazil.Project collaborators used greenhouses run byEMBRAPA-Soja to house various soybeanplants, and watered the plants using multiplesolutions, each lacking a different element;solutions were deficient in sulfur, manganese,zinc, boron, or copper. The experiment revealedthat sulfur was the primary growth-limitingfactor for soybean among the tested elementsin both soils. The lack of sulfur treatment wasresponsible for leaf yellowing that spread fromthe top of the plant (Fig. 1) to appear at

Table 2. Percentage of yields atdifferent seed rates as comparedwith the yield at conventionalseed rates (200 kg/ha) underwet-seeded rice culture.

rates not only increase the average yield, butalso save 1/3 to 1/2 of seeds needed fortraditional methods. The seeds should be appliedto fields with smooth, level land and with goodirrigation and drainage facilities. Additionalproductivity can be obtained through farmerswho practice good weed control and seedlingestablishment.

(H. Hiraoka)

Seed rates No. of panic les No. of f i l led grains Fi l led grain Grain yield(kg/ha) (m- 2) per panicle ( % ) ( ton/ha)

DS 98-99 WS1998 DS98-99 WS1988 DS98-99 WS1998 DS98-99 WS199825 429 e 361 c 46 a 30 a 82 b 62 a 5 .48 c 3 .02 b50 475 d 410 b 44 b 29 a 84 a 60 ab 5 .69 b 3 .33 a75 507 c - 44 b - 85 a - 6 .13 a -

100 547 b 437 a 38 c 27 a 83 ab 60 ab 5 .66 bc 3 .29 a150 - 453 a - 21 a - 59 b - 2 .70 c200 611 a 446 a 31 d 18 b 78 c 55 c 5 .09 d 2 .25 d

DS: Dry season; WS: Wet season.Values followed by the same letters are not significant at the level of 5% within treatments.

Year Cropp ing Treatment Seed ing rates (kg/ha) Yie ld season 25 5 0 7 5 80 100 1 5 0 2 0 0 ( ton/ha )

1998-99 DS SRT 110 116 123 - 115 - 1 0 0 4 . 8 41998-99 DS NAM - - - - 9 8 - 1 0 0 4 . 9 31998-99 DS SHSF - - - 108 - - 1 0 0 5 . 4 01999-00 DS T N - - - - 109 - 1 0 0 6 . 1 1

1 9 9 8 WS SRT 136 149 - - 144 123 1 0 0 1 . 9 71 9 9 8 WS NAM - 127 - - 124 - 1 0 0 2 . 6 51 9 9 8 WS SHSF - 111 - - 106 - 1 0 0 2 . 9 42 0 0 0 WS T N - - - - 106 - 1 0 0 3 . 6 5

SRT: Seeding rate test; NAM: Nitrogen application test. SHSF: Test at Song Hau State Farm; TN: Test in Thot Not District, Cantho Province.

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concentrations of 1 g/kg at all positions of plantfoliage. Therefore, a third leaf commonlysubmitted to routine chemical analysis can beused simultaneously as an indicator of thenutritive conditions of the plant. Subsequentexperiments used soybean plants grown usingdifferent doses of sulfur (Fig. 2). The sulfurconcentration in the third leaf at flowering andin the grains at harvest varied almost at a 1:1ratio (y = 0.94x + 0.13, R2 = 0.65**). Therelative grain weight was 20 percent smaller forplants with low sulfur concentrations, andmeasured less than 2 g/kg in both of the parts.Neither the plant dry weight nor the third leafcolor showed a correlation with sulfurconcentration close to or above critical values.Sulfur a lso showed effects on proteincomposition in grains; electrophoresis analysisshowed that sulfur application decreased in ßsub-unit concentrations in ß-conglycinin andincreased in glycinin. Sulfur concentration wasmore than 2.3 g/kg when the compositionbecame equal with the original seeds cultivatedunder sufficient fertilization. These resultsclassify sulfur concentration in the third leaf andin grains into the following categories: deficientin cases less than 1 g/kg; very low in plants thatrange from 1.0 g/kg to 2.0 g/kg; low from 2.0 g/kg to 2.3 g/kg; and normal when more than 2.3g/kg. The sulfur concentration variation withinthe soil layers was large in a cultivated field,and the depth of the accumulation layer varieddepending on the physical characteristics of the

Fig.1. Sulfur deficiency insoybean in soil from Sambaiba,two months after sowing. a)Leaf yellowing started at thetop of the plant; b) the third leafof plants cultivated under Sdeficiency was smaller andmore yellow than that of plantsgrown under a comple tenutrition regimen.

Fig. 2. Soybean growth andobtained grains with sulfur ap-plication in the A horizon ofSambaiba soil.

soil and on climate. Therefore, it is difficult toformulate a generalized method of soil samplingand to obtain critical soil sulfur concentrationfor deficiency. To obtain satisfactory productionboth in terms of grain weight and quality, it isessential to analyze soybean leaves or grains andapply a sulfuric material for the next croppingbefore sulfur concentrations become lower than2.3 g/kg.

(K. Hitsuda)

TOPIC6

For centuries, Asian countries have utilizeda great variety of fermented foods as importantingredients in various cuisines. Since somecomponents in these fermented foods exhibitcertain physiological functions, it has beensuggested that fermented foods may helpprevent numerous human chronic diseases.

In recent decades, the number of patientssuffering from chronic diseases that are mostlycaused by obesity, such as heart disease,diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, andthrombosis, has increased all over the world.

Inhibition of the adipocyted i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f 3 T 3 - L 1preadipocytes by amino acidderivatives in traditional Asianfermented foods

Fig. 1. RS-MTCA crystals (photograph) and MTCAstructures. SS-MTCA and RS-MTCA were purified tohomogeneity using a Wakogel C-18 column (55 X 300mm) and a TSKgel ODS-80Ts column (21.5 X 300mm, Tosoh), and recrystallized. SS-MTCA crystalsconsisted of yellowish white needles and those of RS-MTCA were colorless prisms. The final yield from 5 kgof fresh miso was 340 mg and 136 mg, respectively.The UV, FAB-MS and 1H-NMR (300 MHz) and 13C-NMR(150 MHz) spectra of SS-MTCA and RS-MTCA wereidentical to those of the authentic preparations.

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The change is most likely correlated with thealteration of diet composition, characterized bythe excessive consumption of energy andsaturated fat. In response to these trends, thesestudies focused on food components thatmodulate fat cell (adipocyte) differentiation.

The current project studies the effects of thecomponents in fermented foods on 3T3-L1preadipocytes, a useful tool for the in vitro studyon adipose differentiation. A total of ten typesof fermented foods (five from Indonesia, fourfrom Thailand, and one from Japan) were usedfor the study. Results from a preliminaryscreening showed definite inhibitory activity inthe methanolic extracts of miso (Japanesefermented soybean paste), soy sauce (Japan andThailand), tau-jaw (fermented soybean inThailand, semi-liquid style), and su-fu(fermented tofu in Thai land) . Act iveconstituents were fractionated from miso byreversed-phase column chromatography,monitoring the inhibitory activity as a guide.Finally, two compounds that exhibitedinhibitory activity on adipose differentiation of

Fig. 2. Inhibition of differentia-tion of 3T3-L1 preadipocytesby RS-MTCA. 3T3-L1preadipocyte cells weremaintained in DMEM/ 10%FCS in 60 mm plastic culturedishes (3003, Falcon, USA).Adipose differentiation wasinduced by treating theconfluent cells with DMEM/10% FCS containing 0.1 mMinsulin, 1 mM dexamethasone(DEX), 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (MIX) for twodays. Next, cells werereplaced by DMEM/ 10% FCSsupplemented only withinsulin. The medium wasreplenished every two days.Morphological aspects ofadipose differentiation wereobserved by light microscopy.A: control culture without RS-MTCA treatment; B: RS-MTCA added to the culturemedia at a concentration of20 µg/ml through theinduction.

3T3-L1 preadipocytes were isolated from miso(Figure 1). They were identified as (-)-(1S,3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolin-3-carboxylic acid (SS-MTCA) and (-)-(1R,3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolin-3-carboxylic acid (RS-MTCA) by mass andnuclear magnetic resonance spectrometries. Themorphological change in 3T3-L1 adiposedifferentiation in the presence of thesecompounds was suppressed (Fig. 2). Thei n d u c t i o n o f g l y c e r o l - 3 - p h o s p h a t edehydrogenase activity, which is involved in thesynthesis of lipids, was suppressed to 44.9± 2.7percent and 55.9± 3.1 percent by SS-MTCA andRS-MTCA, respectively, at a concentration of20 µg/ ml. When cells were treated with MTCAin the presence of dexamethasone (DEX) andmethylisobutylxanthine (MIX) at the earlystages of differential induction, adiposedifferentiation was suppressed. Conversely,when cells were treated with MTCA only aftercompleting treatment by DEX and MIX, adiposedifferentiation was not suppressed. Adiposedifferentiation of 3T3-F442A, a DEX-MIX

Fig. 3. Content of MTCA’s inAsian fermented foods. Thecontent of MTCA in variousfermented foods wasdetermined by an HPLC (PX-8020 system equipped with aphotodiode array detector,Tosoh) with a TSK gel super-ODS column (4.6x100 mm,Tosoh) maintained at 40°C.The mobile phase systemwas a linear gradient using0.5% formic acid andacetonitrile, operating at aflow rate of 1.0 mL/min.Quantification was calculatedfrom the calibration curve ofauthentic preparations basedon the concentrationscalculated by their molecularextinction coefficients.

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ANIMALPRODUCTION ANDGRASSLANDDIVISION

Domesticated animals are in many waysbeneficial to people’s lives in developingcountries. Animals not only produce meat, milk,and hide, which are essential in daily life andare an important source of income, but alsogenera te d ra f t power fo r t i l l age andtransportation and produce wastes that can beused as fertilizer and fuel. Despite thesebenefits, livestock production remains at lowlevels throughout the developing world due toconstraints such as low genetic potential, poorquality feeds, disease prevalence, harsh climaticconditions, and management inexperience.

The Animal Production and GrasslandDivision conducts research aimed at achievingsustainable increases in animal productionwithout generating adverse environmentalconsequences. In order to reach this goal, theDivision seeks to enhance the productivecapacity of natural resources, manage grasslands

to secure feed resources, enhance the utilizationof agro-industrial by-products, control invasiveanimal diseases, and improve managementpractices in developing regions of the world.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, a researchinvestigation entitled, “Development oftechnologies for sustainable management ofgrasslands in Central Asia” moved towardcompletion. The project was part of a broadercollaborative project with the Kazakh Instituteof Agriculture (KIA) entitled “Development ofsustainable systems of grassland managementand animal production”. The workshop onpasture and livestock production in Central Asiawas held in collaboration with Kazakhstan’sNational Academy Center for AgricultureResearch at JIRCAS in September 2000.JIRCAS also hosted the final evaluation meetingof the project in March 2001. In addition tothis project, five long-term internationalresearch projects ranging in duration from oneto three years are currently underway. Divisionresearchers are working with the ThaiDepartment of Livestock Development (DLD)to improve cattle production and feeding withlocally available feed resources in NortheastThailand. Cooperative research on agro-pastoral systems being carried out with theNational Center for Research on Beef Cattle(CNPGC-EMBRAPA), the National Center forSoybean Research (CNPSo) in Brazil, and theInternational Center for Tropical Agriculture(CIAT) in Colombia focuses on sustainablemanagement and utilization of grasslands. Acomplementary collaborative research project,started in 1998, analyzes technology related toraising small livestock. Finally, two joint studieson trypanosomiasis and lactic acid bacteriabegan in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Theformer is a study on the mechanisms of infectionand development of trypanosomiasis, usingmice lacking genes related to trypanotolerance,and draws on assistance from the InternationalLivestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya.The second project involves research on the useof lactic acid bacteria for agricultural productsin Thailand with the Department of Agriculture(DOA), the DLD of Thailand, and KasetsartUniversity.

In addition to long-term projects, theDivision conducted the following studies onshort-term assignments of one to three months:(1) studies on the development of low-costproduction technology for feed silage, (2) theevaluation of the potential of local grassresources for year-round supply for forage inNortheast Thailand, and (3) the analysis ofnutrient requirements of Holstein milk-cows in

insensitive mutant of the 3T3 cell was notsuppressed by MTCA’s. These data suggest thatMTCA’s inhibit early processes induced by DEXand MIX in 3T3-L1 adipose differentiation.

Previous studies have demonstrated thatMTCA’s occur in soy sauce, wine, beer, winevinegar, toasted bread, and yogurt. In these foods,MTCA’s are spontaneously synthesized by acondensation reaction between tryptophan andaldehydes under acidic pH. Asian fermentedfoods that exhibited inhibitory activity on thedifferentiation of 3T3-L1 cells contained higheramounts of MTCA’s (Fig. 3). In spite of itswide occurrence in foods, the biological activityof MTCA’s is not established. This studydemonstrates a potential role of MTCA’s in thehuman body.

(K. Nakahara)

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TOPIC 4Optimum seed rates in wet-seeded rice culture in the MekongDelta of Vietnam

Rice is the staple food in Vietnam, and isgrown on approximately 80 percent of thecountry’s arable land. In 1997 alone, Vietnamproduced 27.7 million tons of unhulled rice. Inthe same year, the Mekong Delta area, locatedin the downstream part of the Mekong riverbasin, produced 14.8 million tons of rice, about50 percent of national production, contributinggreatly to the 3.68 million tons of exportedmilled rice. Currently, double and triplecropping in wet-seeded rice culture is thepredominant cultivation method, practiced onover 2.5 million hectares. The process involvesbroadcasting pre-germinated seeds on wet soilafter draining out standing water and other suchland preparation. The process saves labor feesfor transplanting rice seedlings and shortens therice planting duration to minimize the threatpotential of flood damage. However, the averagerice yield per hectare under wet-seeded riceculture has stagnated since 1995. Wet-seededrice culture also uses seed rates as high as 200to 300 kg/ha, leading some researchers to try tofind more efficient methods of rice cultivation.Looking to increase the yield per hectare and tolower seed usage, researchers attempted toidentify optimum seed rates.

Scientists conducted most field trials on seedrates at the Cuu Long Delta Rice ResearchInstitute in Omon district in Cantho Provinceduring the dry season in 1998-99 and duringthe wet season in 1998. The trial fields weredivided into three sections. The first plotcontained the very early variety “OMCS” andthe early variety, “IR64”. Different seed rates

were used for the subplots (25, 50, 75, 100, and200 kg/ha in dry season 1998- 99 and 25, 50,100, 150 and 200 kg/ha in wet season 1998).One field trial conducted during the dry season1998-99 was based on the application of 100kg/ha of nitrogen, 40 kg/ha of phosphate, and40 kg/ha of potassium, respectively. Anotherfield trial during wet season 1998 applied 100kg/ha of nitrogen, 50 kg/ha of phosphate and50 kg/ha of potassium, respectively. The weedsin the field trials were controlled by spraying apre-emergence herbicide and by hand weeding.The seed rates in other experiments are shownin Table 2.

The number of panicles per square metersignificantly decreased as the seed ratedecreased from the conventional rate (200 kg/ha) in both dry and wet seasons. In contrast,filled grains per panicle significantly increasedas the seed rate decreased in both seasons. Thiscompensatory relationship between the twocharacter is t ics i s cons is tent wi th ourunderstanding of seeded and transplanting rice.The percentage increase seems to indicate thatfilled grains at lower seed rates have advantagesover those grown using conventional seed rate(Table 1). As the weight of 1,000 filled grainsare almost the same even at different seed rates,the yields at different seed rates are determinedby number of filled grains per square meter.

The ratios of filled gains per square meterat lower seed rates to that at conventional seedrate (200 kg/ha) increased while the seed ratedecreased from 200 kg/ha to 100 kg/ha. Thehighest ratios ranged between seed rates of 50kg/ha and 100 kg/ha, while the ratio at the lowestseed rate, 25 kg/ha, slightly decreased comparedwith those at seeds rates of 50 to 100 kg/ha(Fig.1). The same tendency was observed inboth dry and wet seasons.

Thus, the highest rice yields were obtainedat seed rates from 50 to 100 kg/ha in both dryand wet seasons. The rice yields at both lowerseed rates (25 kg/ha) and higher ones (150 to200 kg/ha) decreased as compared with thoseat the seed rates of 50 to 100 kg/ha. Optimumseed rates were also confirmed in another on-farm trial on nitrogen application and suitableseed rates at the Song Hau State Farm and ThotNot District during the dry and wet seasons(Tables 1 and 2).

In conclusion, studies have shown that,taking a sufficient number of seedlingestablishments and lowering vacant spot areas(failed seedling establishment area) intoconsideration, 80 to 100 kg/ha is the optimalseed rate in wet-seeded rice culture in theMekong Delta Area. The recommended seed

Early growing stage at high seed rates under wet- seeded rice culture in the

Mekong Delta.

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Fig.1. Yield determinants atvar ious seeding rates ascompared to that at the rate of200kg/ha in the dry season of1998-99.

Table 1. Yields and yieldcomponents at different seedrates under wet-seeded riceculture in the Mekong Deltaarea.

TOPIC5Nutritional diagnosis of sulfur insoybean plants

Soybean cultivation is rapidly expanding tothe northeastern areas of Brazil, making itnecessary to undertake studies on soil fertilityto serve as a basis for soil management.Brazilian acid soils generally lack sulfur (S)needed for modern cropping, but this deficiencyhas been covered by the use of sulfate fertilizerssuch as nitrogen sulfate and superphosphate.Recently, farmers have been applying higherguaranteed analysis fertilizers, causing sulfurdeficiency to occur more frequently, particularlyin newly developed savanna fields (cerrado) thataccumulate few sulfur components. Theapplication of sulfate materials easily inducesmicroelement def ic iencies due to theacidification of the soil. To address theseproblems, researchers are working to develop amethod to maintain appropriate quantities ofelements in soils and plants. This study is part

of a collaborative project entitled “Soybeanimprovement, production and utilization inSouth America,” with the Soybean ResearchCenter of the Brazilian Agricultural ResearchCorporation (EMBRAPA-Soja).

The study tested two native cerrado soils—a clay soil from Gerais and a sandy clay loamsoil from Sambaiba, in Maranhao, Brazil.Project collaborators used greenhouses run byEMBRAPA-Soja to house various soybeanplants, and watered the plants using multiplesolutions, each lacking a different element;solutions were deficient in sulfur, manganese,zinc, boron, or copper. The experiment revealedthat sulfur was the primary growth-limitingfactor for soybean among the tested elementsin both soils. The lack of sulfur treatment wasresponsible for leaf yellowing that spread fromthe top of the plant (Fig. 1) to appear at

Table 2. Percentage of yields atdifferent seed rates as comparedwith the yield at conventionalseed rates (200 kg/ha) underwet-seeded rice culture.

rates not only increase the average yield, butalso save 1/3 to 1/2 of seeds needed fortraditional methods. The seeds should be appliedto fields with smooth, level land and with goodirrigation and drainage facilities. Additionalproductivity can be obtained through farmerswho practice good weed control and seedlingestablishment.

(H. Hiraoka)

Seed rates No. of panic les No. of f i l led grains Fi l led grain Grain yield(kg/ha) (m- 2) per panicle ( % ) ( ton/ha)

DS 98-99 WS1998 DS98-99 WS1988 DS98-99 WS1998 DS98-99 WS199825 429 e 361 c 46 a 30 a 82 b 62 a 5 .48 c 3 .02 b50 475 d 410 b 44 b 29 a 84 a 60 ab 5 .69 b 3 .33 a75 507 c - 44 b - 85 a - 6 .13 a -

100 547 b 437 a 38 c 27 a 83 ab 60 ab 5 .66 bc 3 .29 a150 - 453 a - 21 a - 59 b - 2 .70 c200 611 a 446 a 31 d 18 b 78 c 55 c 5 .09 d 2 .25 d

DS: Dry season; WS: Wet season.Values followed by the same letters are not significant at the level of 5% within treatments.

Year Cropp ing Treatment Seed ing rates (kg/ha) Yie ld season 25 5 0 7 5 80 100 1 5 0 2 0 0 ( ton/ha )

1998-99 DS SRT 110 116 123 - 115 - 1 0 0 4 . 8 41998-99 DS NAM - - - - 9 8 - 1 0 0 4 . 9 31998-99 DS SHSF - - - 108 - - 1 0 0 5 . 4 01999-00 DS T N - - - - 109 - 1 0 0 6 . 1 1

1 9 9 8 WS SRT 136 149 - - 144 123 1 0 0 1 . 9 71 9 9 8 WS NAM - 127 - - 124 - 1 0 0 2 . 6 51 9 9 8 WS SHSF - 111 - - 106 - 1 0 0 2 . 9 42 0 0 0 WS T N - - - - 106 - 1 0 0 3 . 6 5

SRT: Seeding rate test; NAM: Nitrogen application test. SHSF: Test at Song Hau State Farm; TN: Test in Thot Not District, Cantho Province.

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concentrations of 1 g/kg at all positions of plantfoliage. Therefore, a third leaf commonlysubmitted to routine chemical analysis can beused simultaneously as an indicator of thenutritive conditions of the plant. Subsequentexperiments used soybean plants grown usingdifferent doses of sulfur (Fig. 2). The sulfurconcentration in the third leaf at flowering andin the grains at harvest varied almost at a 1:1ratio (y = 0.94x + 0.13, R2 = 0.65**). Therelative grain weight was 20 percent smaller forplants with low sulfur concentrations, andmeasured less than 2 g/kg in both of the parts.Neither the plant dry weight nor the third leafcolor showed a correlation with sulfurconcentration close to or above critical values.Sulfur a lso showed effects on proteincomposition in grains; electrophoresis analysisshowed that sulfur application decreased in ßsub-unit concentrations in ß-conglycinin andincreased in glycinin. Sulfur concentration wasmore than 2.3 g/kg when the compositionbecame equal with the original seeds cultivatedunder sufficient fertilization. These resultsclassify sulfur concentration in the third leaf andin grains into the following categories: deficientin cases less than 1 g/kg; very low in plants thatrange from 1.0 g/kg to 2.0 g/kg; low from 2.0 g/kg to 2.3 g/kg; and normal when more than 2.3g/kg. The sulfur concentration variation withinthe soil layers was large in a cultivated field,and the depth of the accumulation layer varieddepending on the physical characteristics of the

Fig.1. Sulfur deficiency insoybean in soil from Sambaiba,two months after sowing. a)Leaf yellowing started at thetop of the plant; b) the third leafof plants cultivated under Sdeficiency was smaller andmore yellow than that of plantsgrown under a comple tenutrition regimen.

Fig. 2. Soybean growth andobtained grains with sulfur ap-plication in the A horizon ofSambaiba soil.

soil and on climate. Therefore, it is difficult toformulate a generalized method of soil samplingand to obtain critical soil sulfur concentrationfor deficiency. To obtain satisfactory productionboth in terms of grain weight and quality, it isessential to analyze soybean leaves or grains andapply a sulfuric material for the next croppingbefore sulfur concentrations become lower than2.3 g/kg.

(K. Hitsuda)

TOPIC6

For centuries, Asian countries have utilizeda great variety of fermented foods as importantingredients in various cuisines. Since somecomponents in these fermented foods exhibitcertain physiological functions, it has beensuggested that fermented foods may helpprevent numerous human chronic diseases.

In recent decades, the number of patientssuffering from chronic diseases that are mostlycaused by obesity, such as heart disease,diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, andthrombosis, has increased all over the world.

Inhibition of the adipocyted i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f 3 T 3 - L 1preadipocytes by amino acidderivatives in traditional Asianfermented foods

Fig. 1. RS-MTCA crystals (photograph) and MTCAstructures. SS-MTCA and RS-MTCA were purified tohomogeneity using a Wakogel C-18 column (55 X 300mm) and a TSKgel ODS-80Ts column (21.5 X 300mm, Tosoh), and recrystallized. SS-MTCA crystalsconsisted of yellowish white needles and those of RS-MTCA were colorless prisms. The final yield from 5 kgof fresh miso was 340 mg and 136 mg, respectively.The UV, FAB-MS and 1H-NMR (300 MHz) and 13C-NMR(150 MHz) spectra of SS-MTCA and RS-MTCA wereidentical to those of the authentic preparations.

NH

NH

COOH

CH3 NH

NH

COOH

CH3

(1R, 3S)-MTCA(1S,3S)-MTCA

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The change is most likely correlated with thealteration of diet composition, characterized bythe excessive consumption of energy andsaturated fat. In response to these trends, thesestudies focused on food components thatmodulate fat cell (adipocyte) differentiation.

The current project studies the effects of thecomponents in fermented foods on 3T3-L1preadipocytes, a useful tool for the in vitro studyon adipose differentiation. A total of ten typesof fermented foods (five from Indonesia, fourfrom Thailand, and one from Japan) were usedfor the study. Results from a preliminaryscreening showed definite inhibitory activity inthe methanolic extracts of miso (Japanesefermented soybean paste), soy sauce (Japan andThailand), tau-jaw (fermented soybean inThailand, semi-liquid style), and su-fu(fermented tofu in Thai land) . Act iveconstituents were fractionated from miso byreversed-phase column chromatography,monitoring the inhibitory activity as a guide.Finally, two compounds that exhibitedinhibitory activity on adipose differentiation of

Fig. 2. Inhibition of differentia-tion of 3T3-L1 preadipocytesby RS-MTCA. 3T3-L1preadipocyte cells weremaintained in DMEM/ 10%FCS in 60 mm plastic culturedishes (3003, Falcon, USA).Adipose differentiation wasinduced by treating theconfluent cells with DMEM/10% FCS containing 0.1 mMinsulin, 1 mM dexamethasone(DEX), 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (MIX) for twodays. Next, cells werereplaced by DMEM/ 10% FCSsupplemented only withinsulin. The medium wasreplenished every two days.Morphological aspects ofadipose differentiation wereobserved by light microscopy.A: control culture without RS-MTCA treatment; B: RS-MTCA added to the culturemedia at a concentration of20 µg/ml through theinduction.

3T3-L1 preadipocytes were isolated from miso(Figure 1). They were identified as (-)-(1S,3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolin-3-carboxylic acid (SS-MTCA) and (-)-(1R,3S)-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolin-3-carboxylic acid (RS-MTCA) by mass andnuclear magnetic resonance spectrometries. Themorphological change in 3T3-L1 adiposedifferentiation in the presence of thesecompounds was suppressed (Fig. 2). Thei n d u c t i o n o f g l y c e r o l - 3 - p h o s p h a t edehydrogenase activity, which is involved in thesynthesis of lipids, was suppressed to 44.9± 2.7percent and 55.9± 3.1 percent by SS-MTCA andRS-MTCA, respectively, at a concentration of20 µg/ ml. When cells were treated with MTCAin the presence of dexamethasone (DEX) andmethylisobutylxanthine (MIX) at the earlystages of differential induction, adiposedifferentiation was suppressed. Conversely,when cells were treated with MTCA only aftercompleting treatment by DEX and MIX, adiposedifferentiation was not suppressed. Adiposedifferentiation of 3T3-F442A, a DEX-MIX

Fig. 3. Content of MTCA’s inAsian fermented foods. Thecontent of MTCA in variousfermented foods wasdetermined by an HPLC (PX-8020 system equipped with aphotodiode array detector,Tosoh) with a TSK gel super-ODS column (4.6x100 mm,Tosoh) maintained at 40°C.The mobile phase systemwas a linear gradient using0.5% formic acid andacetonitrile, operating at aflow rate of 1.0 mL/min.Quantification was calculatedfrom the calibration curve ofauthentic preparations basedon the concentrationscalculated by their molecularextinction coefficients.

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ANIMALPRODUCTION ANDGRASSLANDDIVISION

Domesticated animals are in many waysbeneficial to people’s lives in developingcountries. Animals not only produce meat, milk,and hide, which are essential in daily life andare an important source of income, but alsogenera te d ra f t power fo r t i l l age andtransportation and produce wastes that can beused as fertilizer and fuel. Despite thesebenefits, livestock production remains at lowlevels throughout the developing world due toconstraints such as low genetic potential, poorquality feeds, disease prevalence, harsh climaticconditions, and management inexperience.

The Animal Production and GrasslandDivision conducts research aimed at achievingsustainable increases in animal productionwithout generating adverse environmentalconsequences. In order to reach this goal, theDivision seeks to enhance the productivecapacity of natural resources, manage grasslands

to secure feed resources, enhance the utilizationof agro-industrial by-products, control invasiveanimal diseases, and improve managementpractices in developing regions of the world.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, a researchinvestigation entitled, “Development oftechnologies for sustainable management ofgrasslands in Central Asia” moved towardcompletion. The project was part of a broadercollaborative project with the Kazakh Instituteof Agriculture (KIA) entitled “Development ofsustainable systems of grassland managementand animal production”. The workshop onpasture and livestock production in Central Asiawas held in collaboration with Kazakhstan’sNational Academy Center for AgricultureResearch at JIRCAS in September 2000.JIRCAS also hosted the final evaluation meetingof the project in March 2001. In addition tothis project, five long-term internationalresearch projects ranging in duration from oneto three years are currently underway. Divisionresearchers are working with the ThaiDepartment of Livestock Development (DLD)to improve cattle production and feeding withlocally available feed resources in NortheastThailand. Cooperative research on agro-pastoral systems being carried out with theNational Center for Research on Beef Cattle(CNPGC-EMBRAPA), the National Center forSoybean Research (CNPSo) in Brazil, and theInternational Center for Tropical Agriculture(CIAT) in Colombia focuses on sustainablemanagement and utilization of grasslands. Acomplementary collaborative research project,started in 1998, analyzes technology related toraising small livestock. Finally, two joint studieson trypanosomiasis and lactic acid bacteriabegan in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Theformer is a study on the mechanisms of infectionand development of trypanosomiasis, usingmice lacking genes related to trypanotolerance,and draws on assistance from the InternationalLivestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya.The second project involves research on the useof lactic acid bacteria for agricultural productsin Thailand with the Department of Agriculture(DOA), the DLD of Thailand, and KasetsartUniversity.

In addition to long-term projects, theDivision conducted the following studies onshort-term assignments of one to three months:(1) studies on the development of low-costproduction technology for feed silage, (2) theevaluation of the potential of local grassresources for year-round supply for forage inNortheast Thailand, and (3) the analysis ofnutrient requirements of Holstein milk-cows in

insensitive mutant of the 3T3 cell was notsuppressed by MTCA’s. These data suggest thatMTCA’s inhibit early processes induced by DEXand MIX in 3T3-L1 adipose differentiation.

Previous studies have demonstrated thatMTCA’s occur in soy sauce, wine, beer, winevinegar, toasted bread, and yogurt. In these foods,MTCA’s are spontaneously synthesized by acondensation reaction between tryptophan andaldehydes under acidic pH. Asian fermentedfoods that exhibited inhibitory activity on thedifferentiation of 3T3-L1 cells contained higheramounts of MTCA’s (Fig. 3). In spite of itswide occurrence in foods, the biological activityof MTCA’s is not established. This studydemonstrates a potential role of MTCA’s in thehuman body.

(K. Nakahara)

Regular cattle crossedwith Dama cattle havingresistance for trypanoso-miasis on an experimentalfarm at ILRI. (Photo: T.Taniguchi)

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ANIMALPRODUCTION ANDGRASSLANDDIVISION

Domesticated animals are in many waysbeneficial to people’s lives in developingcountries. Animals not only produce meat, milk,and hide, which are essential in daily life andare an important source of income, but alsogenera te d ra f t power fo r t i l l age andtransportation and produce wastes that can beused as fertilizer and fuel. Despite thesebenefits, livestock production remains at lowlevels throughout the developing world due toconstraints such as low genetic potential, poorquality feeds, disease prevalence, harsh climaticconditions, and management inexperience.

The Animal Production and GrasslandDivision conducts research aimed at achievingsustainable increases in animal productionwithout generating adverse environmentalconsequences. In order to reach this goal, theDivision seeks to enhance the productivecapacity of natural resources, manage grasslands

to secure feed resources, enhance the utilizationof agro-industrial by-products, control invasiveanimal diseases, and improve managementpractices in developing regions of the world.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, a researchinvestigation entitled, “Development oftechnologies for sustainable management ofgrasslands in Central Asia” moved towardcompletion. The project was part of a broadercollaborative project with the Kazakh Instituteof Agriculture (KIA) entitled “Development ofsustainable systems of grassland managementand animal production”. The workshop onpasture and livestock production in Central Asiawas held in collaboration with Kazakhstan’sNational Academy Center for AgricultureResearch at JIRCAS in September 2000.JIRCAS also hosted the final evaluation meetingof the project in March 2001. In addition tothis project, five long-term internationalresearch projects ranging in duration from oneto three years are currently underway. Divisionresearchers are working with the ThaiDepartment of Livestock Development (DLD)to improve cattle production and feeding withlocally available feed resources in NortheastThailand. Cooperative research on agro-pastoral systems being carried out with theNational Center for Research on Beef Cattle(CNPGC-EMBRAPA), the National Center forSoybean Research (CNPSo) in Brazil, and theInternational Center for Tropical Agriculture(CIAT) in Colombia focuses on sustainablemanagement and utilization of grasslands. Acomplementary collaborative research project,started in 1998, analyzes technology related toraising small livestock. Finally, two joint studieson trypanosomiasis and lactic acid bacteriabegan in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Theformer is a study on the mechanisms of infectionand development of trypanosomiasis, usingmice lacking genes related to trypanotolerance,and draws on assistance from the InternationalLivestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya.The second project involves research on the useof lactic acid bacteria for agricultural productsin Thailand with the Department of Agriculture(DOA), the DLD of Thailand, and KasetsartUniversity.

In addition to long-term projects, theDivision conducted the following studies onshort-term assignments of one to three months:(1) studies on the development of low-costproduction technology for feed silage, (2) theevaluation of the potential of local grassresources for year-round supply for forage inNortheast Thailand, and (3) the analysis ofnutrient requirements of Holstein milk-cows in

insensitive mutant of the 3T3 cell was notsuppressed by MTCA’s. These data suggest thatMTCA’s inhibit early processes induced by DEXand MIX in 3T3-L1 adipose differentiation.

Previous studies have demonstrated thatMTCA’s occur in soy sauce, wine, beer, winevinegar, toasted bread, and yogurt. In these foods,MTCA’s are spontaneously synthesized by acondensation reaction between tryptophan andaldehydes under acidic pH. Asian fermentedfoods that exhibited inhibitory activity on thedifferentiation of 3T3-L1 cells contained higheramounts of MTCA’s (Fig. 3). In spite of itswide occurrence in foods, the biological activityof MTCA’s is not established. This studydemonstrates a potential role of MTCA’s in thehuman body.

(K. Nakahara)

Regular cattle crossedwith Dama cattle havingresistance for trypanoso-miasis on an experimentalfarm at ILRI. (Photo: T.Taniguchi)

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Northeast Thailand were joint projects with theKhon Kaen Animal Nutrition Research Centerand DLD. Other projects, including (4) studieson the nutritional status of swine in the MekongDelta, (5) pathological diagnosis of major swinediseases in the Mekong Delta, (6) chemicalstudies on water pollutants associated withswine production in the Mekong Delta, and (7)identification of bacteria isolated from the waterpollutants associated with swine productionwere conducted with Cantho University inVietnam. Still other projects, such as (8) studieson the estimation of the potential productivityof main forage crops and pastures in agro-pastoral systems in Brazil and (9) the evaluationof vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizae intropical forage grasses were aided by theCNPGC. In addition, the Chinese AgriculturalUniversity in northern China assisted (10)studies on the feed composition analysis of cornstalk silage in China and (11) evaluation of thefeed value of corn stalk silage and agriculturalby-products. Finally, (12) studies on glucosemetabolism and hepatic function in murinetrypanosomiasis and (13) the effects of tumornecrosis factor alpha (TNFα) on trypanosomescultured in vitro in relation to trypanotolerancewere jointly investigated with ILRI in Kenya.

The Division receives numerous requestsfrom institutions in developing countries topursue collaborative research, primarilyc o n c e r n i n g t h e i n c o r p o r a t i o n o fbiotechnological applications and enhancementof overall levels of research. In order to addresssuch needs, the Division has been promotingbasic research at JIRCAS’s Tsukuba premisesin support of overseas activities. At present, astudy on the evaluation and utilization ofendophytic bacteria of grass constitutes thefocus of domestic research.

TOPIC1Forage productivity and qualityof Panicum maximum in two agro-pastoral systems in the BrazilianSavannas

Since the 1970’s, Brachiaria spp. ofAfrican origin, such as B. decumbens and B.brizantha, have been rapidly introduced intothe Brazilian savannas. However, extensivepasture utilization without basic fertilizerapplication has caused pasture degradation inover 50 percent of the grass pastures in whichBrachiaria was introduced. Recently, the useof agro-pastoral systems (sustainable crop-pasture rotation systems) has been discussed

as an option for pasture renovation in thesavanna regions. The most important advancein agro-pastoral systems relating to forageproduction is the use of residual fertilizerapplied to the preceding year’s crops. It isexpected that such usage will make possiblehigh quality forage species even on the highlyinfertile savanna soils. Panicum maximum is apromising forage species of high productivityand nutritive value. Thus, in this study,researchers visited the Brazilian savannas toexamine the availability and capacity of P.maximum in agro-pastoral systems.

The National Beef Cattle Research Centerof the Brazil ian Agricultural ResearchCorporation in Campo Grande, Brazil ,conducted a grazing experiment where P.maximum pastures were established after twodifferent cropping sequences: one anteriorcropping sequence with four years of soybeancultivation in summer (SO-PM), and the otherinvolving four years of rotating summersoybeans with winter millet for grazing (SO/MI-PM). The average soybean yield of theanterior four years was 2,559 kg/ha. On the P.maximum pastures, herbage samples wereharvested at six-week intervals during a periodof 253 days, after which dry matter productivitywas evaluated. Table 1 shows the average valueof total biomass (plant top combined withexisting litter) during the experimental period.The average b iomass in SO-PM wassignificantly higher than that in SO/MI-PM.Total dry matter production of SO-PM wasmuch higher than in SO/MI-PM. During theinvestigation period, leaf samples were takenat two different times to evaluate nutritivevalues. Significant differences were observedin the contents of crude protein and nitrogen.These data indicated that forage productivityand quality of SO-PM are much higher than

Photo: Grazing experiment onPanicum maximum pasturesestablished after 4-year cultiva-tion of soybean (SO-PM; front)and 4-year rotation of summersoybean with winter millet(back: SO/MI-PM). Leaf color ofSO/MI-PM is more yellow thanthat of SO-PM, due to nitrogendeficit.

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those of SO/MI-PM. Results of soil analysisindicated that, in the rotation of SO/MI-PM, apart of the soil nitrogen was immobilized intothe plant residue of millet, while the other partof the nitrogen was lost due to livestock grazingon millet during the winter. Thus, P. maximumcould not utilize soil nitrogen after SO/MI-PMrotation.

In terms of farming practice, crop rotationof summer soybean and winter millet appearsto be more effective than restricting harvests tosummer soybean cultivation; the winter milletsare of crucial importance because they supplysufficient forages to grazing animals during thedry seasons. Studies show that if P. maximumis planted after the cropping sequence ofsummer soybean and winter millet, a minimumamount of nitrogen fertilizer should be appliedto maintain the productivity of P. maximumpastures. In sum, the utilization of P. maximum-legume mixture is one viable option forestablishing sustainable agro-pastoral systemsin the Brazilian savannas.

(T. Kanno)

Table 1. Average biomass, drymatter production, and nutritivevalues of Panicum maximumpastures established after afour-year cultivation of soybeanand four-year rotation of sum-mer soybean with winter millet.

TOPIC2The roles of tumor necrosis factorα in genetic resistance of mice toTrypanosoma congolense infection

Trypanosoma congolense is a protozoanparasite that causes disease and mortality indomestic livestock in large areas of sub-SaharanAfrica. Despite numerous efforts to control thespread of the parasite, African trypanosomiasisstill has a substantial negative impact onlivestock productivity. Genetic mapping ofmurine trypanosomiasis resistance genessuggests that tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)is one of the primary factors of trypanosomiasisresistance. A research group at the NationalInstitute of Animal Health (NIAH) hasgenerated TNFα-gene-deficient mice, whichthey infected with Trypanosoma congolense IL1180. Scientists then studied pathological andphysiological responses of these mice tounderstand the roles of TNFα in murine

trypanosomiasis.TNFα - d e f i c i e n t m i c e w e r e h i g h l y

susceptible to T. congolense infection, with amean survival time of 35 days in this study(Fig.1). In contrast, the mean survival time ofwild-type mice was 67 days. Therefore, TNFαhas an essential role in prolonging the mice’ssurvival during T. congolense infection. Inaccordance to the shorter survival time, TNFα-deficient mice showed higher parasitaemialevels than wild-type mice (Fig. 2). Theseresults confirm that TNFα plays an importantrole in controlling parasitaemia levels duringexperimental T. congolense infection in mice.

TNFα-deficient mice did not show anygerminal center structures in the lymph organs.However, titers of T. congolense-specific, aswell as non-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M andIgG in sera of TNFα-deficient mice were similarto those in wild-type mice. Therefore, TNFα-deficient mice were able to mount a humoralimmune response to the same extent and of thesame quality as wild-type mice.

TNFα is an important mediator for theinduction of acute phase proteins. To determinewhether the increased susceptibility to T.congolense infection of TNFα-deficient miceis due to a reduced acute phase response, studiesquantif ied three acute phase proteins.Ceruloplasmin,α1-acid glycoprotein, andserum amyloid P rapidly increased 11 days afterinfection, when the first peak of parasitaemiawas observed. The levels of these proteinsdecreased at day 14, then moderately increasedagain after 21 days after infection. Overallprofiles of these acute phase proteins weregenerally similar in TNFα-deficient and wild-type mice, indicating that the acute phaseresponse can be elicited in the absence of TNFα.Moreover, the increased susceptibility of TNFα-deficient mice to T. congolense infection, bycomparison with wild-type mice, could not beattributed to a failure of production of these acutephase proteins.

Research confirms that TNFα plays animportant role in mice infected with T.congolense, possibly by controlling parasitaemialevels. However, how TNF α con t ro l sparasitaemia in infected animals remains

Average biomass

Dry matter production

Crude protein

In vitro digestibility

Nitrogen

(DMt/ha) (DM t/ha/253 days) (%) (%) (%)

After soybean cultivation 12.7 16.6 12.7 56.0 1.92

After soybean+millet cultivation

9.0 10.3 8.6 51.8 1.31

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Fig.1. Survival rates of differentmouse strains with ( ) and with-out ( ) the presence of the TNFαgene after infect ion with T.congolense.

Fig. 2. Changes in mean para-site numbers in the peripheralblood in wild-type ( ) and TNFα-deficient ( ) mice after infec-tion with T. congolense. Signifi-cantly different at P<0.05(*) andP<0.001(**) between the twomouse strains.

unknown. Further studies will be necessary todetermine whether TNFα controls T. congolenseparasitaemia directly or indirectly, and in eithercase, whether or not such control is a factor inthe variation in resistance/susceptibility betweenmouse strains.

(H. Kitani)

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FORESTRY DIVISIONIncreasing demand for food compels farmers

to make use of larger amounts of arable land.As a result, vast areas of natural forests in thetropics have disappeared. Large-scalecommercial logging has also been detrimentalto forest preservation. Forest degradation hasgenerated serious economic and environmentalproblems, not only at the local level but also ona global scale. Providing methods forrehabilitation and sustainable management offorest areas thus remains an urgent issue.Improving forest production systems andpostharvest technologies in local communitiesis an essential means of preventing forestdestruction.

The Forestry Division conducts a wide rangeof research in developing countries, addressingissues from production to end-use. The Divisiongenerally undertakes projects that fall under oneof two categories: silvicultural and forestmanagement technologies or processingtechnologies for forest products. In theseprojects, researchers utilize their expertise invarious disciplines, including silviculture, forestecology and plant eco-physiology, soil scienceand forest conservation, mycology, forestmechanization, socioeconomics, and woodtechnology.

Enrichment and rehabilitation of degradedforests are the initial steps toward thedevelopment of sustainable management offorest reserves. In an effort to make these initialgoals attainable, the Forestry Division hasconcentra ted i t s research on re levanttechnologies in silviculture, site evaluation, andconse rva t ion , whi l e a l so t ak ing in toconsideration natural environmental conditions.At the same time, the Division has beenmanaging studies on species behavior, systemsfor natural forest regeneration, enrichmentplanting methods, and harvesting systems.These s tudies are designed to supportsustainable production of forest products, whichconstitute a principal trading commodity in

Although scientists have studied andimproved management systems for tropicalnatural forests, sustainability of the forestmanagement is yet to be attained. One of thecauses of this problem is the lack of properharvesting techniques. Currently, the onlyoption for selective cutting in the forests is theground-based harvesting method, bulldozerlogging, in which bulldozers penetrate forestareas and seek tagged trees for extraction. Thepathways left by bulldozers damage surfacevegetation and produce severe site disturbance.In addition, because the work is normally doneat the bulldozer operator’s discretion, largeportions of the harvested area tend to remainheavily disturbed after harvesting. Thus, manyoperations also damage the remaining trees thatare meant to grow as dominant trees in thefollowing years. In one study, 25 out of 40 treesleft after harvest per hectare were damagedthrough breakage of treetops or branches,peeling bark, and root trampling, and otherinjuries.

According to our observations, more than50 percent of the bulldozer logging area wasdisturbed by such operations. Soil disturbancelevels were categorized as “mineral soil exposedwith heavy compaction”, “mineral soil exposedwith light compaction”, “mineral soil partiallyexposed”, or “mineral soil not exposed”.According to the study, the areas classified as“mineral soil exposed with heavy compaction”,

TOPIC1

thirty-three developing countries around theworld. If achieved, sustainable production willhelp to stabilize levels of land abuse, both innatural forests and on plantations.

Finally, the Forestry Division has focusedits research on problems with shif t ingcultivation, which remains a major cause offorest degradation in developing countries.Such problems require the development offorest production and planning systems thatstimulate local economies. In those countrieswhere forest biological resources face completeannihilation, development of technology forconservation and rehabilitation are urgentissues. To minimize forest degradation, theDivis ion recent ly in i t ia ted s tudies ondevelopment of technologies available for agro-forestry systems in order to restore and enhancebiological diversity in tropical forests.

Monoculture plantations withprimary growing trees, Acaciamangium, in Kinarut, Sabah,M a l a y s i a . ( P h o t o : K .Nakashima)

Development of low impactharvesting methods for tropicalnatural forests

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Category Ratio (%)

Bulldozer

Logging trail 5.4 Skid trail 4.8 Dragged area 7.2 Total 17.4

Cable System

Dragged in corridor 0.7 Lateral hauling 0.9 Total 1.6

Table 1. Comparison of disturbed area between bulldozer logging andcable logging.

and “minera l soi l exposed wi th l ightcompaction”, were likely to remain uncoveredwith vegetation for an extended period when inareas with steep gradient. The factors thatcontr ibuted to such dis turbances wereconstruction of landings, steep gradient roads,or heavy traffic on skid trails.

The cable logging system provides afavorable alternative, reducing the area ofdisturbance because there is no need to useheavy machinery or construct skid trails.However, in selective cutting, heavy weight logsare scattered throughout tropical natural forests,creating difficulties for conventional cablelogging systems. In order to develop a cablelogging system suitable for these circumstances,researchers have developed a combinationsystem (‘cable yarding system’) of standingskyline and running skyline using a small wirerope 20-mm in diameter for the heavy timbers.To maintain adequate safety, researchersinstalled the skyline very loosely, withmaximum sag value 0.1, and added a specialfunction that controls the skyline tension andsag according to log weight.

Using this combination system, we haveconducted several trials in a 30-hectare researchplot in Compartment 51, located in the JengaiForest Reserve, Terengganu, PeninsularMalaysia (Photo 1). Our experiment showedthat logs weighing up to five tons could becarried safely when using a 0.08 sag value and230 meter span setting. Table 1 shows the ratioof disturbed area by the bulldozer and cablelogging operation. The disturbance in the cablesystem only occurred in steep slopes where logsslip more frequently. The study showed that theratio of disturbed area is much less under cablelogging than under bulldozer logging.

Currently, researchers continue to makeimprovements to the system, seeking techniquesthat will lead to more efficient and lessdamaging harvests. We hope that this cableyarding system will be of practical use in the

Photo 1. Harvesting opera-tion using the cable loggingsystem.

near future and contribute to the sustainablemanagement of tropical forests.

(S. Sasaki)

FISHERIES DIVISIONBiotic factors in the marine environment can

be characterized in terms of interactions amongorganisms. Four distinct levels of organizationoccur in the biotic sector of the environment:(1 ) i nd iv idua l s , (2 ) popu la t ions , (3 )communities, and (4) ecosystems. Ecosystemsinterrelate on a global scale, forming the Earth’sbiosphere. The Fisheries Division conductsresearch concerning these four levels of bioticmarine environments. The Division conductsfive major international research projects inAsian countries, including projects to improvethe management of fisheries resources and thecoastal environment in Malaysia and Indonesia,aquaculture in Thailand and Vietnam, andfisheries product processing in China. Inaddition to these studies, the Division also takespart in a research project targeting prawn viraldiseases in Southeast Asian countries includingthe Philippines and Malaysia.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, the Divisioncarried out research on fisheries resourcemanagement in Malaysia with cooperation fromthe Fisheries Research Institute (FRI). Theproject involved the integration of studies infisheries and forestry. JIRCAS has successivelydispatched senior researchers to Penang,Malaysia, to provide long-term oversight for theongoing research, and several short-termscientists specializing in fish larval ecology. InMarch 2001, JIRCAS held a project meeting toextend the research to an international

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Category Ratio (%)

Bulldozer

Logging trail 5.4 Skid trail 4.8 Dragged area 7.2 Total 17.4

Cable System

Dragged in corridor 0.7 Lateral hauling 0.9 Total 1.6

Table 1. Comparison of disturbed area between bulldozer logging andcable logging.

and “minera l soi l exposed wi th l ightcompaction”, were likely to remain uncoveredwith vegetation for an extended period when inareas with steep gradient. The factors thatcontr ibuted to such dis turbances wereconstruction of landings, steep gradient roads,or heavy traffic on skid trails.

The cable logging system provides afavorable alternative, reducing the area ofdisturbance because there is no need to useheavy machinery or construct skid trails.However, in selective cutting, heavy weight logsare scattered throughout tropical natural forests,creating difficulties for conventional cablelogging systems. In order to develop a cablelogging system suitable for these circumstances,researchers have developed a combinationsystem (‘cable yarding system’) of standingskyline and running skyline using a small wirerope 20-mm in diameter for the heavy timbers.To maintain adequate safety, researchersinstalled the skyline very loosely, withmaximum sag value 0.1, and added a specialfunction that controls the skyline tension andsag according to log weight.

Using this combination system, we haveconducted several trials in a 30-hectare researchplot in Compartment 51, located in the JengaiForest Reserve, Terengganu, PeninsularMalaysia (Photo 1). Our experiment showedthat logs weighing up to five tons could becarried safely when using a 0.08 sag value and230 meter span setting. Table 1 shows the ratioof disturbed area by the bulldozer and cablelogging operation. The disturbance in the cablesystem only occurred in steep slopes where logsslip more frequently. The study showed that theratio of disturbed area is much less under cablelogging than under bulldozer logging.

Currently, researchers continue to makeimprovements to the system, seeking techniquesthat will lead to more efficient and lessdamaging harvests. We hope that this cableyarding system will be of practical use in the

Photo 1. Harvesting opera-tion using the cable loggingsystem.

near future and contribute to the sustainablemanagement of tropical forests.

(S. Sasaki)

FISHERIES DIVISIONBiotic factors in the marine environment can

be characterized in terms of interactions amongorganisms. Four distinct levels of organizationoccur in the biotic sector of the environment:(1 ) i nd iv idua l s , (2 ) popu la t ions , (3 )communities, and (4) ecosystems. Ecosystemsinterrelate on a global scale, forming the Earth’sbiosphere. The Fisheries Division conductsresearch concerning these four levels of bioticmarine environments. The Division conductsfive major international research projects inAsian countries, including projects to improvethe management of fisheries resources and thecoastal environment in Malaysia and Indonesia,aquaculture in Thailand and Vietnam, andfisheries product processing in China. Inaddition to these studies, the Division also takespart in a research project targeting prawn viraldiseases in Southeast Asian countries includingthe Philippines and Malaysia.

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, the Divisioncarried out research on fisheries resourcemanagement in Malaysia with cooperation fromthe Fisheries Research Institute (FRI). Theproject involved the integration of studies infisheries and forestry. JIRCAS has successivelydispatched senior researchers to Penang,Malaysia, to provide long-term oversight for theongoing research, and several short-termscientists specializing in fish larval ecology. InMarch 2001, JIRCAS held a project meeting toextend the research to an international

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multidisciplinary project, inviting colleaguesfrom the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.Attendees agreed to continue with studies toestablish methods of encouraging low- andminimal-input synthetic foods and drug-basedaquacultural procedures that take advantage ofthe naturally occurring circulation systems inmangrove forests. They also agreed to furtherpursue the development of aquaculturalprocedures based on the rearing of newindigenous aquatic species of high commercialvalue. After such sustainable productionsystems in brackish mangrove areas are put intopractice, studies will be needed to analyze andpublicize their economic and environmentaladvantages to promote their wider use.

At the same time, the Division remainsinvolved in several other ongoing projects.These include collaborative studies with theResearch Institute for Coastal Fisheries (RICF),under the jurisdiction of the Central ResearchInsti tute for Fisheries (CRIFI), on theenvironmental management of the coastalwaters of Indonesia; a research team is currentlyconducting ecological and chemical analyses inMaros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The projectaims to deepen understanding of planktonecology and its environmental interaction toimprove marine resource management methods.One researcher has been dispatched to Marosas a long-term resident scientist.

The Division’s collaborative work on thedevelopment of sustainable aquaculturetechnology in Southeast Asia also continued atKasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand. Inaddition, the Division has been participating ina comprehensive project entitled “Developmentof new technologies and their practice forsustainable farming systems in the MekongDelta (Phase II)” in conjunction with the Collegeof Agriculture at Cantho University in Vietnam.This project involves multidisciplinary studiesof integrated farming systems to addressproblems in rice production, animal husbandry,freshwater aquaculture, and socioeconomics.

JIRCAS has dispatched one researcherspecializing in crustacean endocrinology andone Fisheries Agency scientist specializing infish nutrition on a short-term basis to overseethe aspects of the project relating to fisheriesmanagement.

In fisheries products processing, theDivision has continued collaborative researchon postharvest technology and the processingof freshwater fish in China with the Faculty ofFood Science and Technology at ShanghaiFisheries University. JIRCAS again dispatchedone senior researcher to Shanghai, and has senttwo short-term scientists specializing inpostharvest technology to lend support to theproject. Finally, under numerous JIRCASinvitation programs, several scientists from thePhilippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesiahave been invited to Tsukuba to undertakecooperative studies on aquatic animal ecology.These scientists are expected to become corescientists in JIRCAS’s counterpart institutionsand to contribute to the continued developmentof collaborative studies.

TOPIC1

In the Southeast Asian countries includingIndonesia, people rely on prawn aquaculture toacquire foreign currency. Coastal areas,including large areas of mangrove forests, havebeen destroyed in order to develop more of thisc o m m e r c i a l l y v a l u a b l e a q u a c u l t u r e .Consequently, wastewater containing largequantities of nutrient material is discharged fromaquaculture ponds, causing environmentaldeterioration in coastal waters.

The studies outlined below were initiated inorder to analyze the effectiveness of improvingthe quality of wastewater using mangrove areasand the mangrove ecological system prior to thedischarge of wastewater into the environment(investigation site shown in Fig. 1). Wastewaterfrom a prawn culture pond was introduced intoa mangrove reforestation area. The mangrovestands consisted of saplings aged 0 to 2 years,planted in a pond at intervals of 40 cm. Waterthat had passed through the mangrove pond wasrecirculated into the prawn culture pond via anoyster pond and a seaweed pond. Thirty percentof the water in the prawn pond was exchanged

Study of treatment systemsfor wastewater of prawnaquaculture ponds using thenatural purification ability ofmangrove areas

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Fig. 1. Investigation site in Maranak, South Sulawesi,Indonesia.

１０ｍ

⑨

⑭

⑬

⑫

⑩

⑪

⑤⑥⑦

⑮

⑱

①

③④

⑯

⑰

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①～⑱: Sampling points①: Oyster (Crassostrea iredalei)

②and③: Seaweed (Gracillariasp.)

④and⑱: Watercourse

⑤: Pool

⑥～⑭: Mangrove (Rhizophora sp.)

⑮: Control (For check salinity)

⑯～⑰: Prawn (Penaeus monodon)

Well

Resorvior②

River

once every three days. Water evaporation andseepage into the soil were compensated by addingriver or well water, depending on the degree ofsalinity. Researchers conducted investigationevery 15 days, measuring water temperature,salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and theconcentrations of nutrients (ammonia, nitrate,nitrite, phosphate and silicate) and chlorophyll-a.

Water temperature ranged from 25 to 30°C.Salinity exceeded 40 psu in the dry season andfell below 30 psu in the rainy season. From thebeginning of the experiment, ammonia (NH3)(Fig. 2) and nitrate (NO3) concentrationsremained high and increased in the oyster andseaweed ponds. Phosphate (PO4) concentrationwas initially high because the concentration inthe supplied river water was also high.Subsequently, the level of concentration firstdecreased, and then slightly increased in all theponds. Silicate (SiO2) concentration increasedin the oyster pond, as well as in the seaweedand mangrove ponds due to the composition ofthe well water supplied. In the prawn pond, onthe other hand, after initially increasing, levelsdecreased due to an increase in the populationof diatoms, which have a silicious skeleton.chlorophyll a concentrations increased graduallyin the prawn pond, and exceeded 160 mg/l atthe end of the experiment (Fig. 2).

In this experiment, the pond in whichwastewater was most effectively disposed was theoyster pond. Since oysters feed on phytoplankton

while excreting ammonia, the phytoplanktonconcentration was very low after 30 days whilethe ammonia concentration remained high.Therefore, the amount of phytoplankton, whichis organic in nature, markedly decreased. Theammonia and phosphate concentrations in theseaweed pond adjacent to the oyster pond werelower than those in the oyster pond, indicatingthat the seaweed consumed nutrients. Theammonia concentration in the mangrove pond wasalways higher than that in the prawn pond andcontinued to gradually increase. Studies showedthat the amount of nutrients generated from feedand excreta were greater than those consumedby the mangrove stands, presumably becausethe area of the mangrove pond was smaller thanthe aquaculture pond. Subsequent studies willattempt to obtain an afforestation area thatcorresponds to the area of the aquaculture pondby analyzing the material balance in themangrove stands and the amount of nutrientstaken up per unit area of the mangrove stands.

(T. Shimoda )

Polyculture of black tiger prawnsand green mussels in Thailand

TOPIC2

Although it is possible to achieve high ratesof production, intensive prawn culture resultsin the discharge of organic wastes into theenvironment. In the collaborative study“Development of sustainable aquaculturetechnology in Southeast Asia” betweenKasetsart University and JIRCAS, scientists inThailand ran studies on polyculture, combiningthe culture of the black tiger prawn Penaeusmonodon and green mussel Perna viridis in bothconcrete tanks and earthen ponds. The goal wasto reduce the amount of organic wastes, using

Fig. 2. Changes in ammoniaand chlorophyll a concentra-tions in mangrove, oyster, sea-weed, and shrimp cultureponds.

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the green mussel as a biofilter to absorb organicmatter from the phytoplankton. In concretetanks having an area of 17 – 23 m2, black tigerprawns were reared together with green mussels(polyculture) and in isolation (monoculture) atvarious stocking densities of prawn for 145days. The survival rates of prawn at densitiesof 20, 30, 50 ind./m2 were 68, 65, 59 percentunder polyculture and 75, 70, 62 percent undermonoculture. The survival rates of greenmussels were 43, 24 and 0.3 percent ,respectively. The average weight of prawns ata density of 20 ind./m2 was 19g in polycultureand 12g in monoculture, while the conversionratio of nitrogen in the prawn’s feed was 21percent under polyculture and 16 percent undermonoculture. Ratios for discharge were 56 and71 percent, respectively. Assimilation by greenmussel was estimated at 0.5 percent of the totalfed nitrogen. JIRCAS and Kasetsart Universityalso conducted rearing experiments in earthenponds of 6,700 m2 using polyculture and 8,200m2 using monoculture, at a stocking density of20 ind./m2 for 118 days (Photo 1). The productionof prawns under polyculture and monoculturewere 1.5 and 2.05 tons/ha, respectively. Lowerproduction in the polyculture pond was due tothe low concentration of dissolved oxygen (3mg/l) during the night; bamboo poles used forgreen mussels prevented water flow andsubsequently decreased the level of dissolvedoxygen. However, the average thickness of the

Photo 1. Monoculture pond forblack tiger prawn (left) andbamboo poles for green musselin a polyculture pond (right).

organic sediment was 6.7 cm under polycultureand 17.1 cm under monoculture. Fig. 1 showsthe result of nitrogen in feed as percentages inboth culture ponds. The conversion ratio ofnitrogen in feed to prawn under monoculturewas slightly higher than under polyculture, andthe nitrogen content of organic soil undermonoculture was much higher, while nitrogencontents of effluent water that included higherconcentrations of phytoplankton underpolyculture exceeded that under monoculture.In sum, these experiments showed thatpolyculture combining giant tiger prawn andgreen mussel led to a reduction of the amountof organic wastes compared with prawnmonoculture, presumably due to the biofilterrole played by the green mussel.

(J. Higano)

OKINAWASUBTROPICALSTATION

The Okinawa Subtropical Station is locatedon Ishigaki Island, nearly 2,000 km southwestof Tokyo. The island is only 230 km2 in area,and its climate is humid subtropical with anaverage temperature of 24°C and an annualprecipitation of 2,100 mm. The organization ofthe Station consists of the AdministrationSection, the International CollaborativeResearch Section, the Field ManagementSection, and five laboratories: the CropIntroduction and Cultivation Laboratory, CropBreeding and Rapid Generation AdvanceLaboratory, Tropical Fruit Tree Laboratory,Plant Protection Laboratory, and Soil FertilityLaboratory. The staff consists of 24 researchersand 14 people in the Administration and FieldManagement Sections. In addition, the Stationinvited 10 post-doctoral scientists fromBangladesh, China, Ghana, India, Indonesia,Pakistan, and Vietnam to conduct advancedresearch under the auspices of the “JIRCASVisiting Research Fellow Program at Okinawa”.The scientists worked closely with one anotherto develop technology on optimum utilizationof bio-resources and the promotion ofsustainable agricultural production in the tropicsand subtropics.

During Fiscal Year 2000, the Stationconducted studies on a wide range of subjects,including (1) reduction in the incidence of tip-burn and internal rot in Chinese cabbage byreducing nitrogen application using subsurfacedrip fertigation (a technology combiningfertilization and irrigation), (2) complete

22.0 20.9

2.815.4 19.8

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Rat

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Green mussel

Effluent water

Organic soil

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the green mussel as a biofilter to absorb organicmatter from the phytoplankton. In concretetanks having an area of 17 – 23 m2, black tigerprawns were reared together with green mussels(polyculture) and in isolation (monoculture) atvarious stocking densities of prawn for 145days. The survival rates of prawn at densitiesof 20, 30, 50 ind./m2 were 68, 65, 59 percentunder polyculture and 75, 70, 62 percent undermonoculture. The survival rates of greenmussels were 43, 24 and 0.3 percent ,respectively. The average weight of prawns ata density of 20 ind./m2 was 19g in polycultureand 12g in monoculture, while the conversionratio of nitrogen in the prawn’s feed was 21percent under polyculture and 16 percent undermonoculture. Ratios for discharge were 56 and71 percent, respectively. Assimilation by greenmussel was estimated at 0.5 percent of the totalfed nitrogen. JIRCAS and Kasetsart Universityalso conducted rearing experiments in earthenponds of 6,700 m2 using polyculture and 8,200m2 using monoculture, at a stocking density of20 ind./m2 for 118 days (Photo 1). The productionof prawns under polyculture and monoculturewere 1.5 and 2.05 tons/ha, respectively. Lowerproduction in the polyculture pond was due tothe low concentration of dissolved oxygen (3mg/l) during the night; bamboo poles used forgreen mussels prevented water flow andsubsequently decreased the level of dissolvedoxygen. However, the average thickness of the

Photo 1. Monoculture pond forblack tiger prawn (left) andbamboo poles for green musselin a polyculture pond (right).

organic sediment was 6.7 cm under polycultureand 17.1 cm under monoculture. Fig. 1 showsthe result of nitrogen in feed as percentages inboth culture ponds. The conversion ratio ofnitrogen in feed to prawn under monoculturewas slightly higher than under polyculture, andthe nitrogen content of organic soil undermonoculture was much higher, while nitrogencontents of effluent water that included higherconcentrations of phytoplankton underpolyculture exceeded that under monoculture.In sum, these experiments showed thatpolyculture combining giant tiger prawn andgreen mussel led to a reduction of the amountof organic wastes compared with prawnmonoculture, presumably due to the biofilterrole played by the green mussel.

(J. Higano)

OKINAWASUBTROPICALSTATION

The Okinawa Subtropical Station is locatedon Ishigaki Island, nearly 2,000 km southwestof Tokyo. The island is only 230 km2 in area,and its climate is humid subtropical with anaverage temperature of 24°C and an annualprecipitation of 2,100 mm. The organization ofthe Station consists of the AdministrationSection, the International CollaborativeResearch Section, the Field ManagementSection, and five laboratories: the CropIntroduction and Cultivation Laboratory, CropBreeding and Rapid Generation AdvanceLaboratory, Tropical Fruit Tree Laboratory,Plant Protection Laboratory, and Soil FertilityLaboratory. The staff consists of 24 researchersand 14 people in the Administration and FieldManagement Sections. In addition, the Stationinvited 10 post-doctoral scientists fromBangladesh, China, Ghana, India, Indonesia,Pakistan, and Vietnam to conduct advancedresearch under the auspices of the “JIRCASVisiting Research Fellow Program at Okinawa”.The scientists worked closely with one anotherto develop technology on optimum utilizationof bio-resources and the promotion ofsustainable agricultural production in the tropicsand subtropics.

During Fiscal Year 2000, the Stationconducted studies on a wide range of subjects,including (1) reduction in the incidence of tip-burn and internal rot in Chinese cabbage byreducing nitrogen application using subsurfacedrip fertigation (a technology combiningfertilization and irrigation), (2) complete

22.0 20.9

2.815.4 19.8

49.0 41.3

13.6 15.2

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Green mussel

Effluent water

Organic soil

Others

240.6kg 159.5kg

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nucleotide sequence and genetic organizationof the papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus RNA,(3) molecular cloning of Na+-ATPase cDNAfrom a marine alga, Heterosigma akashiwo, (4)simple crossing method of snap bean based onphysiological pollen sterility due to hightemperature treatment, (5) occurrence of malesterile cytoplasm in “Kurodane Kinugasa” snapbean, and (6) detection of sucrose phosphatesynthase loci in sugarcane.

Like the main organization of JIRCAS, theOkinawa Subtropical Station will be structurallyreorganized in the next fiscal year, starting inApril 2001. The International CollaborativeResearch Section will strengthen its ties withnew research groups, such as the IslandEnvironment Management Laboratory,Environmental Stresses Laboratory, CropBreeding Laboratory, Tropical Fruit CropsLaboratory, and Plant Protection Laboratory.Along with the structural changes, the Station’sprojects will be shifted to be much more orientedtoward sustainable agricultural production insmall tropical and subtropical islands in orderto contribute to the agricultural development ofthese islands.

TOPIC1Reduction in the incidence oftipburn and internal rot inChinese cabbage by reducingnitrogen appl icat ion usingsubsurface drip fertigation

Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp.pekinensis) has been one of the most importantvegetable crops in eastern Asia for manycenturies. However, the sensitivity of traditionalcultivars to high temperature limits its potential

as an alternative crop in tropical and subtropicalareas. Tipburn and internal rot (Photo 1) are veryserious problems often encountered whenChinese cabbage is grown at high temperatures.They are most likely caused by calcium (Ca)deficiency at tr ibutable to a variety ofenvironmental, physiological, and nutritionalfactors. To minimize the occurrence of tipburnand internal rot, efficient management of soil,water, and fertilizer is strongly needed. Recently,fertigation, a technology combining fertilizationand irrigation, particularly subsurface dripfertigation, has shown considerable potential inaddressing some of the pressing concernsrelated to soil, water, and nutrient management.Thus, researchers studied the potential ofsubsurface drip fertigation in reducing theincidence of tipburn and internal rot in Chinesecabbage and compared the resu l t s toconventional fertilization.

Two field trials were conducted on yellowsoil at the Okinawa Subtropical Station over twocropping seasons. One trial, conducted in thefall (from November to January), used coolseason cultivars obtained from mainland Japan,while the other, taking place in the spring (fromMarch to May), used high temperature tolerantvarieties from the Asian Vegetable Research andDevelopment Center in Taiwan. Subsurface dripirrigation tubing was installed 20 cm below thesoil surface in both the fertigation andconventional fertilization plots. In the fertigationplot, scientists applied nutrient solution througha subsurface drip irrigation system (Photo 2)once a week for eight consecutive weeks. Thenitrogen (N) rate was equivalent to 5 gN/m2,far lower than the conventional rate of 25 gN/m2 from compound fertilizer containingcrotonylidene diurea applied before plantingand given similar subsurface drip irrigation. A

Group photo o f Ok inawaSubtropical Station Staff.

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Photo1. Tipburn and internal rotin Chinese cabbage. net row cover protected plants in both plots.

Studies showed that Chinese cabbage couldgrow under warm subtropical conditions. Thesoil moisture content was well within theadequate range favorable for normal growth anddevelopment. Conventionally fertilized andfertigated plots produced comparable yields.However, the incidence of tipburn and internalrot in both autumn and spring-grown Chinesecabbage was significantly higher underconventional fertilization. Disease incidence wasmore frequent in spring than in autumn trials.

High temperature is one of the environmentalfactors that contributes to the vulnerability ofChinese cabbage to physiological disorders.Mean maximum air temperatures in autumn(22.5 °C) and spring (25.4 °C) were high enoughto induce or exacerbate the incidence of tipburnand internal rot. On the other hand, these highpercentages of disease incidence were reducedby 47 and 97 percent in autumn and spring,respectively, when nutrients were applied byfertigation, and had no deleterious effect on

yield.In both autumn and spring trials, plant tissue

analysis showed that total nitrogen (TN) in theinner leaves was higher in the conventionallyfertilized plants than in fertigated plants. Thelevel of TN in the inner leaves was highlycorrelated with the incidence of tipburn andinternal rot. Though calcium content was 6 to 7times higher in the outer than in the inner leaves,no significant variation was noted in the latteras a result of fertilization treatments. Theexceedingly low Ca concentration in the innerleaves may have been induced by the increasedsupply of N, presumably by a dilution effect.As nitrate reduction increased, the demand forCa simultaneously increased in response to theneed for the formation and expansion of cellwalls. Such a high demand for Ca may havecaused membrane disintegration when tissuecontent of Ca fell below a critical level.However, absolute values of Ca alone were notsufficient to evaluate the critical level requiredfor cell wall stabilization and membraneintegrity. Summarily, the ratio between Ca andN was found to have a more profound effect onthe incidence of tipburn and internal rot.Maintaining a high Ca/TN ratio in the innerleaves effectively reduced the disease incidencein Chinese cabbage. Conversely, lower ratiosdecreased the plants’ resistance to injury.Increasing the Ca/TN ratio by increasing Casupply to the roots may prove beneficial.However, it may not be feasible as most Catransport in plants occurs mainly in the xylemby mass flow, and reduced transpiration couldrestrict its transport to the developing leaves.Thus, it would appear that reducing N rate tothe minimum is a more practical approach inobtaining an optimum Ca/TN ratio necessaryfor good yield and reduced physiological injuryin Chinese cabbage.

The significant and consistent reduction inthe incidence of tipburn and internal rot byfertigation can be attributed to the reduced Nrate and regulated nutrient application.Fertigation made it possible to apply fertilizerin small quantities, allowing soil solutionnutrient concentrations to remain relatively lowwhile still meeting crop nutrient needs.Subsurface drip fertigation has tremendouspotential for improving not only the yield andquality of Chinese cabbage but also inpromoting soil environmental protectionthrough its ability to improve nutrient efficiencyand minimize nutrient losses below the rootzone.

(K. Sugahara, T. Masuda and L.G.Hernandez)

Photo 2. Subsurface dripfertigation.

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Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the mostimportant fruit trees in tropical and subtropicalareas. Papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus(PLDMV) and papaya ringspot virus P type(PRSV-P) were reported as the causal virusesof papaya disease in Japan. Both of these belongto the genus Potyvirus, and between them,PLDMV is the more destructive factor to papayaproduction in Japan (Fig. 1).

TOPIC2Complete nucleotide sequenceand genetic organization ofPapaya leaf distortion mosaicvirus RNA

Fig.1. Diseased papayafruit due to PLDMV infec-tion.

T h e c o m p l e t enucleotide sequence ofthe RNA genome ofPLDMV was determinedusing six overlappingcDNA clones and primerextension. The genomicR N A i s 1 0 , 1 5 4nucleotides in length,excluding the poly(A)tract, and contains onelarge open reading frame(ORF) that s tar ts atnucleotide positions 135

Fig. 2. Genomic map forPLDMV.

to 137 and ends at positions 9940 to 9942,encoding a polyprotein of 3269 amino acids. The5´ untranslated region (UTR) of PLDMVproceeding the ORF was 134 basic pairs andcontained a box-a (example: ACAAAACTT)and a box-b (example: TCAATACA) sequencewhich were highly conserved sequencescompared to other reported potyviruses.

Cleavage sites were predicted by analogywith other potyviruses. The genetic organizationof PLDMV RNA is proposed to be P1, the firstproteinase; Hc-Pro, helper componentproteinase; P3, the third protein; 6K1 and 6K2,6kDa protein 1 and 2; CI, cytoplasmic inclusionprotein; NIa, nuclear inclusion protein “a”including the VPg (NIa-Vpg) and NIa proteinase(NIa-Pro); NIb, nuclear inclusion protein “b”;and CP, coat protein (Fig. 2). The geneticorganization of PLDMV is similar to that of theother potyviruses. The P1 protein processedfrom the N terminus of the polyprotein consistsof 480 amino acids. It is larger than those of theother potyviruses except that of PRSV-P, whichconsists of 548 amino acid residues. The P1protein of potyviruses is the most variable andmay be cons idered impor tan t for theidentification of individual potyviruses. It mayprove useful to distinguish between PLDMV and

PRSV-P by RT-PCR. The sequence will be usedfor transformation into papaya in order todevelop a PLDMV-resistant papaya.

(T. Maoka)

TOPIC3

More than 40 percent of the world’s irrigatedland is affected by salinity, making it a majorabiotic concern in plant agriculture. Its growingimpact is due to the accumulative effects overdecades or centuries of using water containingdissolved salts on the soil of arid regions.Reclamation, drainage and water control canminimize the extent and spread of saline soils;however, the resulting engineering andmanagement costs are extremely high. Breedingof sa l t to lerant crops through genet icengineering is considered to be one alternativesolution to the problem of high cost.

Recently, several genes have been provedto be crucial for salt tolerance in plants. Na+-transporter, which can prevent the accumulationof sodium ions into the cytoplasm, is a currentsubject of genetic engineering. Unlike animalcells, which have an Na+-pump (Na+/K+-ATPase), higher plant cells do not have an Na+-pump and instead have an Na+/H+-antiporter.However, a marine algae Heteros igmaakashiwo, possesses Na+-ATPase activity on itsplasma membrane (Fig. 1).

Station researchers cloned a novel Na+-ATPase cDNA from H. akashiwo as a targetgene for the transformation. The full-length Na+-ATPase cDNA was 4467-bp long and coded fora 1330-amino acid protein with a molecularweight of 146,306 Da. Na+-ATPase showedhomology with animal Na+/K+-ATPase α -subunits (Fig. 2) at a level of 40 percent identity.

Molecular cloning of the sodiumpump in plant cells, Na+-ATPasecDNA from marine a lgae ,Heterosigma akashiwo

Fig. 1. Na+ -transportermodel on the p lasmamembrane of Heterosigmaakashiwo.

Fig. 2. Comparison ofsecondary structure amongP-type ATPases.

6K1 6K2

NIa- Vpg

NIa- Pro NIb CPP1 HC- Pro P3 CI PolyA

5'UTR

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FIg.2

A hydrophilic sequence of 285 amino acidresidues that showed no homology with anysequence listed in databases existed in the M7-M8 junction of Na+-ATPase. Northern blottinganalysis revealed a transcript of 4.8 kb (data notshown) and immunoblotting analysis detectedan approximately 146,000 Da polypeptide atalmost the same abundance in all batches of cellscultured for one week at various concentrationsof NaCl ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 M (Fig. 3). Aphylogenetic tree of a P-type ATPase family isshown in Fig. 4. The tree comprises three majorclusters, mainly correlating with cationspecificity, which are Ca2+-ATPases, H+-ATPases, and Na+/K+-ATPases. Na+-ATPase isincluded in the cluster of Na+/K+-ATPases, beingespecial ly close to Na +/ K+- ATPases ininvertebrates such as brine shrimp (Artemia) ,fruit flies (Drosophila) or hydra. However, yeastNa+-ATPases are classified into the cluster ofCa2+-ATPases. This is the first report on theprimary structure of a putative Na+ transportingATPase from plant cells.

(M. Shono)

Fig. 3. Immunoblotting analysis ofalgae Na+-ATPase. Heterosigmaakashiwo cells were cultured for 5days at 20°C under 16 hours oflight and 8 hours of darkness inASP-7 medium, which containedvarious concentrations of NaClranging from 0.3 M to 0.5 M.

Fig. 4. Phylogenetic tree for P-typeATPases, constructed using then e i g h b o r - j o i n i n g m e t h o d(GrowTree Phylogram WisconsinGCG DNA sequence analysissoftware). Sequences of ATPaseswere obta ined through theGenBank, EMBL, and SWISS-PROT databases.

TOPIC4

The snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) ishighly sensi t ive to heat s t ress . Hightemperatures easily cause pollen sterility,

Simple crossing method of snapbean based on physiological pollensterility due to high temperaturetreatment

resulting in flower abscission and a decrease inpod yields. By screening about 350 accessionsof snap bean germplasm for heat tolerance(evaluated based on high pod setting under hotconditions), the Okinawa Subtropical Stationsuccessfully developed a heat-tolerant snap beanvariety, ‘Haibushi’.

To increase the diversity of snap beanvarieties cultivated in tropical and subtropicalareas, the Station is now attempting toincorporate high yielding capabilities into othercultivars through crossbreeding methods, whilemaintaining tolerance to high temperaturesexhibited by ‘Haibushi’. However, crossing thesnap bean by conventional bud pollinationmethods is difficult since the keel petal, whichenvelopes the pistil and stamen, curls into aspiral (Fig. 1). This structure makes the processof castration difficult, during which the pistil iseasily injured. We successfully appliedphysiological pollen sterility caused by hightemperature treatments to the crossing of snapbeans without the need for castration.

The study then focused on exposing the‘Light Green’ snap bean to high temperaturesat the flowering stage after cultivation underfavorable growth conditions, using a growthchamber heated to 35°C for 72 hours .Thereafter, the plants were returned to favorableconditions. During the period of 8 to 17 daysafter exposure to high temperatures, pod settingcaused by self-pollination was examined. Asshown in Fig. 2, flowers that opened 8 to 12days after the heat treatment did not undergospontaneous pod setting. Pod setting began 13days after the treatment, reaching 75 percentafter 15 days.

The study also examined pod setting of theheat-treated ‘Light Green’ snap bean cross-

Fig. 1. Bud pollination method. (a) Flower buds 1 to 2 daysbefore flowering. (b) Standard petal is opened for castration.(c) Pistil is ready for being cross-pollinated.

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pollinated with ‘Haibushi’ pollen. Crossing wasaccomplished on the day of flowering withoutcastration. The stigma can be easily extendedfrom the open mouth of keel petal by pressingdown the wing petals with one’s fingers. Thestigma was then pollinated with fertile pollenof ‘Haibushi’. Subsequently, pod setting wasnearly 100 percent 11 to 15 days after thetreatment (Fig. 2). However, pod setting wasrelatively low (6.3 percent) 9 days after the onsetof the high temperature treatment. It is probablethat female reproductive organs were alsoseriously damaged at that time by heat treatment,although the ovule was obviously less affectedby heat stress than was the pollen (Fig. 2).

The color of the hypocotyl of the ‘LightGreen’ snap bean is green, while those of‘Haibushi’ and F1 hybrids between these twotypes are reddish purple. Based on thecoloration of the hypocotyl, hybridity of seedsobtained by crossing ‘Light Green’ with‘Haibushi’ were examined. The plants obtainedfrom crossing 8 to 12 days after heat treatmenthad reddish purple hypocotyl and were judgedto be hybrids, although some self-pollinatedseeds of ‘Light Green’ also occurred whencrossed 13 to 15 days after the heat treatment(Table 1).

The study demonstrated that the crossingmethods proposed here do not require skillfulcastration techniques and makes possible a morefacile production of F1 hybrids for practical andexperimental usages.

(Y. Egawa)

Fig. 2. Pod setting of ‘Light Green’ snap beans by self-pollination and by cross-pollination with fertile ‘Haibushi’pollen after high temperature treatment (35°C for 72 hours).

Table 1. Hybridity of seeds obtained from crossing*, ‘Light Green’treated by high temperature × ‘Haibushi’.

During the course of crossing experiments

TOPIC5Occurrence of male sterilec y t o p l a s m i n ‘ K u r o d a n eKinugasa’ snap bean

for incorporating high yielding ability underhigh temperatures exhibited by ‘Haibushi’ intoother cultivars, the ‘Kurodane Kinugasa’ snapbean was found to produce semi-sterile hybridswhen crossed as a seed parent with ‘Haibushi’.The pollen stainability of the hybrid plantsdetermined by aceto-carmine staining was 36.8percent. Since the reciprocal cross, ‘Haibushi’× ‘Kurodane Kinugasa’ exhibited a high pollenstainability (83.8 percent), the occurrence ofmale sterility in this cross combination isthought to be cytoplasmic in character.

B1F1 progeny derived from (‘KurodaneKinugasa’ × ‘Haibushi’) × ‘KurodaneKinugasa’ segregated into semi-sterile (12.8 to26.5 percent pollen stainability) and fertile (87.0to 95.4 percent pollen stainability) plants in a1:1 ratio. ‘Kurodane Kinugasa’ is consideredto have a single major restoring gene whoseaction is gametophytic.

Pod setting of the F1 plants (‘KurodaneKinugasa’ × ‘Haibushi’) by self-pollinationwas 0.8 percent. However, pod setting was veryhigh (90 percent) when the F1 was pollinatedwith ‘Haibushi’ pollen on the day of floweringas illustrated in Fig. 1. Backcrossing to the F1progeny with ‘Haibushi’ pollen by conventionalbud pollination produced pods successfully,with 30 percent pod setting. Cytoplasmic male

self-pollination of'Light Green'cross-pollination,'Light Green'X'Haibushi'

B B B B B

B B

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8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Days after the onset of high temperature treatment

B

J

Days after No. of seeds No. of seeds Hybridity**heat-treatment examined germinated Yes No

10 24 16 16 011 30 21 21 012 16 9 9 013 22 19 15 4 14 30 26 19 715 18 10 4 6

* Pollinated without castration on the day of flowering ** Confirmed based on hypocotyl coloration

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TOPIC6

Sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) isconsidered to be an important enzyme involvedin sucrose accumulation in sugarcane stems, aswell as in sucrose transportation in thephotosynthesis of higher plants. Breedingsugarcane with higher sucrose content requiresthe deve lopmen t o f me thods fo r t heidentification of SPS loci.

The SPS cDNA cloned from maize wasdivided into four fragments and used these asprobes in Southern blotting analysis. Sugarcanegenomic DNA was analyzed followingsubjection to one of three restriction enzymedigest ions. Bands that were detectedcorrespond to the SPS gene; the same bandpatterns were observed in detection patternsusing the four probes produced by using Xba Ienzyme. A single band, produced by using SacI or Hind III enzyme and using a probe obtainedfrom the middle section of a maize SPS cDNA

Fig. 1. Cross-pollination usingcytoplasmic male sterility. (a)Flowers that opened on the dayof flowering. (b) Stigma easilyprotrudes from the open mouthof the keel petal. (c) Stigma wassubsequently pollinated.

Principle of detecting SPS loci variation. (1) Probefragments of maize SPS cDNA. (2) Results of Southernblot analysis on sugarcane and maize genomic DNA usingfour probes and three restriction enzymes. (3)Rearrangement of the Southern blot results in sugarcaneaccording to restriction enzyme. Results obtained using aD probe and SacI enzyme shows SPS loci variation. (4)Results of Southern blot analysis on sugarcane geneticresources which include hybrid canes, S. sinense and S.spontaneum.

Hind III Hind IIIHind III5’ 3’

A B C D 　　　　 A B C D 　 　 A B C D

HindⅢXbaⅠ SacⅠ

A 　　　　　　B 　　　　　C 　　　　　　　D 　

Southern blot analysis　

Probe fragments　of Maize SPS cDNA

A 　 B　 C 　 D

①

②

③

④

SPS

loci

var

iati

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sterility is thus very useful for producing hybridsefficiently and successfully.

According to the observations, F1 hybridsbetween ‘Haibushi’ and other varieties exhibitedhigh yields even at high temperatures. Thus, thisstudy has produced a cytoplasmic male sterilel i ne o f ‘Ha ibush i ’ t h rough r ecu r ren tbackcrossing. To establish F1 varieties of snapbean that exhibit high yielding ability duringsummer cultivation using male-sterile ‘Haibushi’as one parent, snap bean lines having asporophyt ic res torer gene agains t th iscytoplasmic male sterility are now beingexplored.

(Y. Egawa)

Detection of sucrose-phosphatesynthase loci in sugarcane

fragment was detected. Two recognition sitesin each enzyme commonly exist in sugarcaneSPS gene. Observations showed the existenceof plural bands using Sac I enzyme and a probethat was made from the 3’ end part of a maizeSPS cDNA fragment. Southern blot analysisusing Sac I enzyme and the probe of the 3’ endside fragment showed variation relating to SPSloci in sugarcane, as no Sac I recognition site

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was found from the 3’-end side of cloned SPSgene of sugarcane, with the exception of twocommon recognition sites. These studiesdemonstrated the existence of polymorphicband patterns in sugarcane genetic resources,which will enable the screening of SPS lociamong genetic resources. One band that existsin all varieties did not indicate any locus, leavingopen the possibility of the existence of avariation of an SPS gene that is undetectablethrough these methods.

(T. Terauchi)

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MISCELLANEOUSPROJECTS OUTLINE

In addition to international collaborativeprojects, JIRCAS conducts a variety ofmiscellaneous projects including domesticprojects in cooperation with other MAFFinstitutes, commissioned research, principally incooperation with universities, cross-ministry andcross-agency projects currently involving theScience and Technology Agency and theEnvironment Agency, and special allotmentprojects.

In close cooperation with other related Japaneseresearch institutes, JIRCAS conducts domesticresearch at its main premises in Tsukuba and atits Okinawa Subtropical Station in an effort tosupport its international collaborative projects. JIRCAS further enhances its comprehensiveprojects through its Tsukuba and Okinawaresearch fellowship programs in which foreignresearchers f rom J IRCAS counte rpar torganizations are invited to carry out studieswhich support ongoing collaborative projectsabroad. In addition, these programs also promotepositive relationships between JIRCAS andforeign institutions and facilitate future exchangesof individual research staff. JIRCAS domesticresearch has produced a variety of significantresults, especially in the areas of drought-resistantcrop development and world food supply anddemand analysis. By focusing on fields where itcan bring its strengths in research managementand coordination to bear, JIRCAS is able toeffectively utilize its limited budget and personnelin resolving critical agricultural and food supplyproblems in developing countries. Currentdomestic research focuses on 1) world foodsupply analysis; 2) development of sustainableagriculture; 3) technology development for theutilization of animal resources; 4) crop toleranceto low temperatures, drought, and blight; 5)circulation of nitrogen in soil; 6) the utilizationof remote sensing technology for evaluatingenvironmental resources; 7) technology for thepreservation and utilization of environmentalresources; 8) evaluation of foodstuff quality indeveloping countries; and 9) cultivation andpractical application of fisheries resources.

A comprehensive evaluation of the effectsof international trade fluctuation onresources and the environment(Research Information Division, 1996 - 2000)

Analysis and settlement of macro indicators(MI) for water resource changes affected bychanges in agricultural production andindustrial structure(Research Information Division, 1996 - 2000)

Development of tools for agriculturalinformation analysis using GeographicInformation Systems (GIS)(Research Information Division, 1997 - 2002)

Development of remote sensing methods toevaluate major food crops in Asia(Research Information Division, 1998 - 2001)

Effects of cold stress on the phenologicaldevelopment of plants and the analysis ofmechanisms for acquiring tolerance to coldstress(Biological Resources Division, 1998 - 2007)

Development of wheat lines highly resistantto Fusarium head blight by utilizing rice DNAmarkers(Biological Resources Division, 1998 - 2000)

G e n e t i c a n a l y s i s o f p a t h o g e n i cmicroorganisms and the development of itsapplication techniques(Biological Resources Division, 1995 - 2000)

Rice genome analysis and related projects(Biological Resources Division and OkinawaSubtropical Station, 1998 - 2008)

Search for possible natural enemies of thegolden apple snail and evaluation of theirefficacy(Crop Production and Postharvest TechnologyDivision, 1997 - 2000)

E s t a b l i s h m e n t o f h i g h l y p r o f i t a b l eagricultural technologies in subtropicalregions through the introduct ion ofvegetables and flowers(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 1998 - 2002)

DOMESTIC PROJECTS

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RESEARCH PROJECTSWITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAGENCIES AND MINISTRIES

In cooperation with the Science andTechnology Agency

Development of molecular markers for rapidscreening of resistance to biotic and abioticstresses under rigorous environmentalconditions in major crops(Biological Resources Division, 2000)

Elucidation of yolk protein structure and siteof synthesis during reproduction in selectedprawn species(Fisheries Division, 2000)

Elucidation of quality changes on staples andits effects on processing properties indeveloping region(Crop Production and Postharvest TechnologyDivision, 2000)

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Climatic changes in cool, dry areas andaccompanying environmental changes forcattle raising(Environmental Resources Divis ion incooperation with Tsukuba University, 1998-2000)

COMISSIONED RESEARCH

Primary characterization of rice geneticresources(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 1993 - 2000)

Development of the experimental rice,Nipponbare(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 1998 - 2000)

Rapid generation advance breeding of ricewith adaptability to direct seeding andcombined tolerance(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 1995 - 2000)

Study of natural infection mechanisms oftropical plant diseases by monoclonalantibodies(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 2000)

In cooperation with the Environment Agency

Evaluation, improvement and preservationof soil productivity for the establishment ofsustainable agricultural systems in Sub-Saharan West Africa(Research Information Division, 1999 - 2000)

Development of an evaluation method ofenvironmental security and its application inAsian regions(Research Information Division, 1999 - 2001)

Development of a logging system having lowdisturbance to forest ecosystems(Forestry Division, 1999 - 2000)

In cooperation with the Bio-orientedTechnology Research AdvancementInstitution (BRAIN)

Molecular analysis of drought and salt stresstolerant mechanisms and its application tobreeding(Biological Resources Division, 1996 - 2000)

Physiological and genetic studies of heat-tolerance of crops and development oftolerant crops(Okinawa Subtropical Station, 1998 - 2002)

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MAFF SPECIAL RESEARCH ALLOTMENTS

Physio-genetic studies on yield determinationand ecological adaptability for sustainableagriculture(JIRCAS in cooperation with the InternationalRice Research Institute (IRRI), 1999 - 2003)

Physiological and ecological studies for thedevelopment of IPM for economicallyimportant pests in Africa(JIRCAS in cooperation with the InternationalCentre of Insect Physiology and Ecology(ICIPE), 2000 - 2004)

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INVITATION PROGRAMS AT JIRCAS

FY2000

1) Administrative Invitation

In keeping with its role as an internationalresearch center, JIRCAS has implementedseveral invitation programs for foreignresearchers and administrators at counterpartorganizations. These programs facilitate theexchange of information and opinions concerningagriculture, forestry and fisheries administrationwhile strengthening international research tiesamong scientists and administrators in othercountries. Current programs are described ingreater detail below.

Under the Administrative Invitation program,JIRCAS invites administrators from counterpartorganizations to the Tsukuba premises to engage

in discussions and to review ongoing researchin order to ensure that collaborative projects runsmoothly. In addition, the program exposesadministrators to current activities at JIRCASand related MAFF research organizations.Finally, the program provides opportunities forthe exchange of information and opinionsconcerning policy-making and project design atthe administrative level, thereby contributing todeeper mutual understanding and internationalcooperation. Forty-eight individual visits toJIRCAS were made during FY 2000 under theAdministrative Invitation program, includingfourteen invitations to the InternationalSymposium. Invited administrators and theirhome institutions are listed below.

Han Lujia

John A. Otto

Malachy O. Akoroda

Lynda D. Wickham

Mathew George

Manuel C.M. Macedo

Azimhan A. Satybaldin

Kasym A. Asanov

ProfessorC h i n a A g r i c u l t u r a l U n i v e r s i t yChina

DirectorCrop Research InstituteGhana

ProfessorUniversity of IbadanNigeria

Senior LecturerThe University of West IndiesTrinidad and Tobago

Senior ScientistCentral Tuber Crop Research InstituteIndia

Project LeaderNational Beef Cattle Research Center(EMBRAPA)Brazil

PresidentKazakh Agricultural Research AcademyCenterKazakhstan

DirectorKazakh Scientific Research Institute ofFeed and PastureKazakhstan

July 26-Aug. 6, 2000

Sep. 10-16, 2000

Sep. 10-16, 2000

Sep. 10-16, 2000

Sep. 10-16, 2000

Sep. 20-29, 2000

Sep. 25-Oct. 3, 2000

Sep. 25-Oct. 3, 2000

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Amirbekova J.Abdigapparovna

Mercedes C. Carrao-Panizzi

Alfred R. Lattanzi

Sun Huan

Caio Vidor

Tawachai N. Nagara

Panya Ekmahachai

Pichai Wichaidit

Henk Breman

Zhou Ying Qi

Zhu Xigang

Tang Huajun

Li Shuyun

LecturerKazakh National State UniversityKazakhstan

ResearcherNational Center for Soybean Research(EMBRAPA) Brazil

DirectorINTA EEA Marcos JuarezArgentina

Vice DirectorJilin Academy of Agricultural SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Director GeneralNational Center for Soybean Research(EMBRAPA)Brazil

DirectorSoil Sciences DivisionDepartment of Agriculture (DOA)Thailand

DirectorKhon Kaen Field Crops Research CenterDepartment of Agriculture (DOA)Thailand

DirectorSoil Survey and Classification DivisionLand Development Department (LDD)Thailand

DirectorInternational Fertilizer Development Center(IFDC)-AfricaTogo

PresidentShanghai Fisheries UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

DirectorResearch Center for Chinese AgriculturalEconomyPeople’s Republic of China

DirectorResearch Center for Agricultural NaturalResourcesPeople’s Republic of China

DirectorIndustrial BureauPeople’s Republic of China

Sep. 25-Oct. 3, 2000

Oct. 12-28, 2000

Oct. 14-27, 2000

Oct. 14-21, 2000

Oct. 14-24, 2000

Oct. 26-Nov. 3, 2000

Oct. 26-Nov. 3, 2000

Oct. 26-Nov. 3, 2000

Dec. 5-9, 2000

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

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Wang Weiqin

Zhu Jianguo

Zhao Linping

Huang Hongxiang

Cai Zucong

Feng Wei

Liu Kai

Li Lite

Zhang Zhitao

Bui Ba Bong

Nguyen ThanhPhuong

YuthasakChiamchaisri

Weli Zhang

Suhaimi Napis

Vice DirectorInternational DepartmentChinese Agricultural MinistryPeople’s Republic of China

ResearcherInstitute of Nanking Soil SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Vice ResearcherInstitute of Soils and FertilizersPeople’s Republic of China

Vice DirectorInstitute of Soils and FertilizersPeople’s Republic of China

ResearcherInstitute of Nanking Soil SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

DirectorJilin Academy of Agricultural SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

DirectorJilin Research Institute of SoybeanPeople’s Republic of China

Vice DirectorChina Agricultural UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

Vice DirectorChina National Rice Research InstitutePeople’s Republic of China

Director GeneralCuu Long Delta Rice Research InstituteVietnam

Vice DirectorResearch Institute for Marine AquacultureCollege of AgricultureCantho UniversityVietnam

ScientistInformation Service CenterThailand

ScientistInstitute of Soil and FertilizerPeople’s Republic of China

Assistant ProfessorPutra Malaysia UniversityMalaysia

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2001

Feb. 5-9, 2001

Feb. 5-9, 2001

Feb. 18-24, 2001

Feb. 18-24, 2001

Feb. 18-24, 2001

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Pisuth Paiboonrat

Guoying Pan

PrathakTabthipwon

Md. Akhir Arshad

Erlinda C. Lacierd

Clarissa L. Marte

Su Xiuxia

Kiran K. Sharma

Jonathan H.Crouch

Swapan Datta

Karabi Datta

Chittima Aryuthaka

Peter C. Kerridge

ScientistInformation Service CenterThailand

Assistant ProfessorJiaozuo Institute of TechnologyPeople’s Republic of China

Vice DirectorKasetsart UniversityThailand

Senior Research OfficerFisheries Research Institute (FRI)Malaysia

Senior ScientistSoutheast Asian Fisheries DevelopmentCenter ( SEAFDEC )Philippines

Division HeadSoutheast Asian Fisheries DevelopmentCenter ( SEAFDEC )Philippines

Deputy Director GeneralJilin Academy of Agricultural SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Senior ResearcherInternational Crops Research Institute for theSemi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)India

ChiefInternational Crops Research Institute for theSemi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)India

ChiefInternational Rice Research Institute(IRRI)Philippines

ResearcherInternational Rice Research Institute(IRRI)Philippines

Associate ProfessorKasetsart UniversityThailand

CoordinatorCIAT Regional OfficeLaos

Feb. 18-24, 2001

Feb. 18-24, 2001

Mar. 4 -16, 2001

Mar. 4 -16, 2001

Mar. 4-16, 2001

Mar. 4-16, 2001

Mar. 5-17, 2001

Mar. 10-17, 2001

Mar. 10-17, 2001

Mar. 5-15, 2001

Mar. 5-15, 2001

Mar. 4-18, 2001

Mar. 16-26, 2001

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Willam D. Dar

PedroA. Sanchez

Stein W. Bie

RonaldP. Cantrell

Greg Johnson

Eric T. Craswell

S.A. Prathapar

MerylJ. Williams

Harold J .McArthur

David W. Norman

Achmad M. Fagi

Director GeneralInternational Crops Research Institute forthe Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)India

Director GeneralInternational Center for Research inAgroforestry (ICRAF)Kenya

Director GeneralInternational Service for NationalAgricultural Research (ISNAR)Netherlands

Director GeneralInternational Rice Research Institute(IRRI)Philippines

Program Co-ordinatorAustralian Center for InternationalAgricultural Research (ACIAR)Australia

Director GeneralInternational Board for Soil Research andManagementThailand

DirectorInternational Water Management Institute(IWMI)Pakistan

Director GeneralInternational Center for Living AquaticResources Management (ICLARM)Malaysia

DirectorInternational Relation SectionUniversity of HawaiiUSA

ProfessorUniversity of HawaiiUSA

SecretaryAgency for Agricultural Research andDevelopmentIndonesia

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

International Symposium invitees, FY 2000

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The Counterpart Researcher InvitationProgram provides invitations for periods of upto six months to researchers engaged incollaborative work with members of the JIRCASresearch staff. Counterparts conduct in-depthresearch at JIRCAS, at other MAFF researchinstitutes, at prefectural research institutes, orat national universities. This invitation program

aims both to enhance the quality of researchconducted in foreign countries and to facilitateexchanges between individual research staff.Twenty-seven researchers were invited under theCounterpart Researcher Invitation programduring FY 2000. Invited researchers, theiraffiliated research organizations, and theirresearch activities are summarized below.

2) Counterpart Researcher Invitation

FY 2000

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station andNational Institute of Animal Industry, May 31- July 25, 2000Yan Quaojuan Improvement of silage making and estimation

of nutritional values of silage

Study on energy requirements of dairy heifer

Genetic engineering as a tool in the developmentof drought tolerant transgenic soybean plants

Molecular analysis of soybean mosaic virus(SMV ) isolates from Brazilian strains

Biological nitrogen fixation with soybeans

Measurements of ammonia volatilization frompaddy soils

Edi Abdurachman

Bangbang Suprihatno

S.D.G. Jayawardena

HeadAgency for Agricultural Research andDevelopmentIndonesia

DirectorResearch Institute of VegetablesIndonesia

DirectorGeneral Department of Agriculture Ministryof Agriculture and LandsSri Lanka

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2000

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, National Agriculture Research Center and NationalInstitute of Animal Industry, May 9 - July 29, 2000

WitthayaSumamal

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Tohoku National Agricultural Experiment Station andUniversity of Tokyo, Aug. 18 - Sept. 25, 2000

Alexandre LimaNepomuceno

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station,July 3-Aug. 30, 2000

Alvaro ManuelRodrigues Almedia

China Agricultural University, Food CollegePeople’s Republic of China

Khon Kaen Animal Nutrition Research CenterThailand

National Soybean Research CenterEMBRAPABrazil

National Soybean Research CenterEMBRAPABrazil

National Soybean Research Center EMBRAPABrazil

Chinese Academy of SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

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At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, National Agriculture Research Center, National Instituteof Agrobiological Resources and Tohoku University, July 17-Aug. 16, 2000

Mariangela Hungriada Cunha

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Akita Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station,July 18-Dec. 14, 2000

Liu Gang

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At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural sciences, Akita Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station andTohoku National Agricultural Experiment Station, July 20-Oct. 17, 2000

ZouChangming

Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

China Agricultural University, Food CollegePeople’s Republic of China

Cuu Long Delta Rice Research InstituteVietnam

Lambang Assessment Institute for AgriculturalTechnologyIndonesia

Soil Science Division, Department of Agriculture(DOA)Thailand

Soybean Institute of the Jilin Academy ofAgricultural SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Southern Fruit Research InstituteVietnam

Center for Soil and Agroclimate ResearchIndonesia

Chinese Academy of SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Research Institute for Legume and Tuber CropsIndonesia

Shanghai Fisheries UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

Measurement of ammonia volatilization fromfertilized soils

Developing of sterilizing technologies usingelectrolyzed water

Eco-physiological study of lodging tolerance inrice varieties grown by direct sowing cultivation

Evaluation, characterization and classificationof indigenous vegetable germplasm in Indonesia

Development of an inoculation-method ofendophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to sugarcaneand pineapple under the project entitled"Comprehensive studies on sustainableagricultural systems in Northeast Thailand"

Soybean breeding and analysis of soybeancomponents

Technical methodology for research on citrusvirus and greening diseases

Spatial analysis of farming systems using GIS

Analysis of environmental changes of winterwheat production using multi-temporal remotesensing data and GIS

Improvement of kecap fermentation processusing starter culture

Degradation mechanisms of freshwater fishsurimi gel

Le Thi Thu Hong

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, National Food Research Institute and University ofKyoto, June 26-Sep.22, 2000

Zhao Zhaohui

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Tohoku National Agricultural Experimaent Station,July 24-Oct.21, 2000Trinh QuangKhuong

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Aug. 30-Oct.20, 2000

Muhammad Iskandarshaq

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and National Grassland Research Institute, Sep. 11-Nov. 3, 2000

SompongMeunchang

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Chugoku National Agricultural Experiment Station,Oct. 3, 2000-Jan. 30, 2001

Wang Yang

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Fruit Tree Research Station, Sep.11-Dec. 8, 2000

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and University of Gifu, Sep. 26-Dec. 22, 2000

Wahyu WahdiniMarta

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and University of Gifu, Sep. 4-Dec. 1, 2000

Chen Zhongxin

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Industral Technical Center of Kumamoto Prefecture,Oct. 12-Nov. 22, 2000

Joko Susilo Utomo

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science andNational Research Institute of Aquaculture, Nov. 27, 2000 - Feb. 23, 2001

Cheng Yu-Tong

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Analysis of biotypic variation in S. furcifera

Physiology and molecular effects ofbrassinosteroids on thermotolerance of tomato

Major factors affecting the transformation of ruralcommunities and production structures in thecourse of recent economic development in China

Material budget in mangrove re-afforestationregions

Analysis of nutrient movements in soil and plantfor development of efficient methods of fertilizerapplication to sugarcane

Analysis and evaluation of physical factors forsustainable agricultural systems

Status of inorganic and organic nitrogen in organicmatter amended soils

Studies on ecology and control of major diseasesof soybean

Spatial analysis of rainfall distribution in WestJava

Study on international research collaborationapplying APAN

China National Rice Research InstitutePeople’s Republic of China

Indian Institute of Sugarcane ResearchIndia

Research Center for Rural EconomyPeople’s Republic of China

Research Institute for Coastal FisheriesIndonesia

Suphan Buri Field Crops Research CenterThailand

Land Development DepartmentThailand

Khon Kaen Field Crops Research CenterThailand

National Agricultural Experiment Station,Marcos JuarezArgentina

Center for Soil and Agroclimate ResearchIndonesia

Padjadjaran UniversityIndonesia

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, National Institute of Sericultural and EntomologicalSciences, Hokuriku National Agricultural Experiment Station and Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station ,Jan.16-Mar. 27, 2001

Shen Junhai

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Oct.1-Nov. 22, 2000

Iswar Singh

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and National Research Institute of Agricultural Economics,Jan. 31-Mar. 2, 2001

Liu Ziren

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and National Research Institute of Fisheries Sciences,Mar. 1 -29, 2001

Emma Suryati Hala

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station,Jan. 8-Feb. 8, 2001

Praphan Prasertsak

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Jan. 9-Feb. 1, 2001

Somsak Sukchan

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences and National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences,Jan. 9 -Feb.22, 2001

ChairoWongwiwatchai

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Jan. 9- Mar. 24, 2001

Eduardo AlejandroGuillin

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Jan. 22 -Mar. 30, 2001

Erni Susanti

At Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Jan. 30-Feb. 24, 2001

Ronnie S.Natawidjaja

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3) JIRCAS Visiting Research Fellowship Program at Okinawa

The Okinawa Visiting Research FellowshipProgram was initiated in FY 1992, prior to thereorganization of the Tropical AgriculturalResearch Center (TARC) into JIRCAS. Theprogram invites post-doctoral scientists toconduct research for a period of one year at theOkinawa Subtropical Station. Researchers mustfocus on important topics relating to tropicalagriculture in developing countries within oneof several broad categories: development oftechniques for environmental control utilizingplants and microorganisms specific to the tropicsand subtropics, studies on heat-tolerancemechanisms in tropical and subtropical crops,identification and evaluation of salt-tolerantcrops, or evaluation and development of long-term conservation techniques of geneticresources of vegetatively propagated crops in thetropics and subtropics. Ten fellows are choseneach year, beginning their terms on October 1and ending on September 30 of the following

year. Recent invitees and their research activitiesare summarized below.

More information on the Okinawa VisitingResearch Fellowship Program can be obtainedby contacting the International Relations Section,Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences, 1-1, Ohwashi, Tsukuba,Ibaraki, 305-8686, Japan. (Tel.:+81-298-38-6335; Fax:+81-298-38-6337; e-mail:irs@jircas.affrc.go.jp ).

Okinawa Fellows in 2000 pose for group photograph.

Development of techniques for environmental control by using plants and microorganisms specific to the tropics andsubtropics

Studies on the mechanism of heat-tolerance of tropical and subtropical crops

Identification and evaluation of salt-tolerant crops

Evaluation and development of long-term conservation techniques of genetic resources of vegetatively propagatedcrops in the tropics and subtropics

from October 1999 to September 2000

Md. Khalilur Rahman

Lauro Gumasing Hernandez

Sayed Fathey El-Sayed

Nguyen Thi Lang

Werapon Ponragdee

Lin Tong-Xiang

Liu Xiaochuan

University of DhakaBangladesh

Bureau of Soils and Water ManagementPhilippines

Cairo UniversityEgypt

Cuulong Delta Rice Research Institute(CLRRI)Vietnam

Khon Kaen Field Crops Research CenterThailand

Fujian Agricultural UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

China National Rice Research InstitutePeople’s Republic of China

Subsurface drip irrigation for certainvegetable crops

Effects of subsurface “drip fertigation”on Chinese cabbage tipburn

Genetic studies on heat tolerance in snapbean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants

QTL mapping and evaluation of salttolerance genes in rice

Intergenetic crossing in sugarcane forgreater environmental tolerance

A n a l y s i s o f D N A m a r k e r s i nDimocarpus longan and development ofa test kit

Tagging heterosis trait with molecularmarkers in rice

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Ishwar Singh

Maribel ReglaQuintana Sanz

Fan Shuguo

Md. Khalilur Rahman

Le Van Hoa

Abdul Awal Howlader

Vijay Kumar Yadav

Ling Jiang

Jalal Ud Din

Liu Xiaochuan

Liu Yunxia

Lawrence Misa Aboagye

Arfin NoorSugiharuto

Indian Institute of Sugarcane ResearchIndia

Institute of Pastures and Forages ResearchCuba

South China Institute of Botany, AcademiaSinicaPeople’s Republic of China

University of DhakaBangladesh

Cantho UniversityVietnam

Bangladesh Agricultural Research InstituteBangladesh

Rajasthan Agricultural UniversityIndia

Huazhong Agricultural UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

Land Resources Research InstitutePakistan

China National Rice Research InstitutePeople’s Republic of China

Institute of Biological ControlPeople’s Republic of China

Plant Genetic Resources CenterGhana

University of BrawijayaIndonesia

Mechanisms of heat tolerance in crop plantsunder sub-tropics

Molecular characterization in sugarcanegermoplasm

Obtainment, identification and evaluationof salt tolerant rice in vitro

Response of subsurface drip-irrigated rowcrops

Physiological and biochemical studies onaluminium-resistant plants

Molecular mechanism in biosynthesis andmetabolism of metabolites

Cloning of salinity genes in E. coli and itscharacterization

Establishment of genetic transformationtechnique in papaya plants

Physiological, biochemical and molecularbasis of heat tolerance in transgenic tomatoat the reproductive growth stages

Tagging heterosis trait with molecularmarkers in rice

Establishment of a regeneration system ofsweet potato for utilizing anthocyanintranscriptional activator genes

Characterization and evaluation of factorsfor early growth in sugarcane

Cloning of useful genes and transformationin sugarcane

from October 2000 to September 2001

Development of techniques for environmental control by using plants and microorganisms specific to the tropics andsubtropics

Studies on the mechanism of heat-tolerance of tropical and subtropical crops

Evaluation and development of long-term conservation techniques of genetic resources of vegetatively propagatedcrops in the tropics and subtropics

Identification and evaluation of salt-tolerant crops

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4) JIRCAS Visiting Research Fellowship Program at Tsukuba

A program similar to the Okinawa VisitingResearch Fellowship Program has beenimplemented on the Tsukuba premises sinceOctober 1995. The Tsukuba Visiting ResearchFel lowship Program a ims to promotecollaborative research to address variousproblems confronting countries in developingregions. The program allows for the invitationof eight researchers per year. Four researchersengage in two-year projects at JIRCAS and fourresearchers conduct short five-month projects atthe National Institute for AgrobiologicalResources (NIAR). Recent invitees and theirresearch activities are listed below.

More information on the Tsukuba VisitingResearch Fellowship Program can be obtainedby contacting the International Relations Section,

Tsukuba Fellows in 2000 pose for group photograph withJIRCAS host researchers.

Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences, 1-1, Ohwashi, Tsukuba,Ibaraki, 305-8686, Japan. (Tel.:+81-298-38-6335 Fax:+81-298-38-6337; e-mail:irs@jircas.affrc.go.jp ).

Methods for optimum utilization of biological resources

Long-term at JIRCAS from October 1998 to September 2000

Joseph Gogo Dubouzet

Vipaporn Na Thalang

Do Thi Thanh Huong

Guo Jianjun

University of the Philippines at Los Banos(UPLB),Philippines

Kasetsart UniversityThailand

Cantho UniversityVietnam

Research Center for Rural Economy (RCRE)People’s Republic of China

Molecular analysis of drought stress responses inrice

Chemical and biological evaluation of Thaivegetables

Physiological studies on reproduction andosmoregulation in the giant freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Economic analysis of food consumption of Chinesefarm households

Analysis and evaluation of the impact of climatic and anthropogenic factors on environmental resources

Systems analysis of food problems and rural development

Methods for optimum utilization of biological resources

Long-term at JIRCAS from October 1999 to September 2001

Malik A. Rabbani

Najeeb S. Alzoreky

ThanawanBoonpunt

Yin Changbin

National Agricultural Research CentrePakistan

Sana'a UniversityYemen

Kasetsart UniversityThailand

Natural Resources and Regional Planning(INRRP), CAASPeople’s Republic of China

Analysis of plant responses to environmentalstresses and gene expression

Analysis and evaluation of biological activity ofindigenous edible plants

Studies on changes in the physicochemicalproperties of rice grain during postharvestprocessing

Studies on regional food production, marketingand consumption in China

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Long-term at JIRCAS from October 2000 to September 2002

Short-term at NIAR from October 2000 to March 2001

Methods for optimum utilization of biological resources

Analysis and evaluation of the impact of climatic and anthropogenic factors on environmental resources

Tianjin Agricultural Academy of SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

Agricultural Genetics InstituteVietnam

Institute of Chemical TechnologyVietnam

International Crops Research Institute forthe Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)India

Mapping of resistance genes to Fusarium head blight(FHB) in wheat

Analysis of stress-inducible genes for transcriptionfactors in higher plants

Elucidation of quality change factors in stored rice

Physiological study on nitrification inhibition andnitrogen absorption by Brachiaria humidicola

Pathological, serological and molecular biologicalcharaterization of Thai strains of Ralstoniasolanacearum

The induction of high quality mutants and analysisfor mutation mechanisms in sweetpotato

Molecular evaluation of the rice cytoplasmicgenome

Isolation of cDNAs clones encoding proteins thatregulate freezing of cold hardy plant tissues

Methods for efficient use of food resources

Xu Donghe

Nguyen Van Dong

Nguyen Thi ThuHuong

Subbarao V.Guntur

WongBoonsuebsakul

Hong Chongjian

Shahid Masood

Tan Zhenbo

Department of AgricultureThailand

China Agricultural UniversityPeople’s Republic of China

National Agricultural Research CenterPakistan

Beijing Academy of Agricultural andForestry SciencesPeople’s Republic of China

5) Other fellowships for visiting scientists

The Government of Japan sponsors a post-doctoral fellowship program for both Japaneseand foreign scientists through the Science andTechnology Agency (STA). The program placespost-doctoral and sabbatical fellows in nationalresearch institutes throughout Japan accordingto research theme and prior arrangement with ahost scientist for a term of generally one monthto three years. Fellowships can be undertaken inany of the ministries and many fellows arecurrently working at the various institutes withinthe Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry andFisheries (MAFF). In 2000, the followingvisiting scientists resided at JIRCAS: Dr. Wei-Jun Yang (People’s Republic of China), FisheriesDivision; Dr.Vidya Jayasarkar (India), FisheriesDivision; Dr. Safiah Jasmani (Malaysia),

Fisheries Division; Dr. Yan Xiaoyuan (People’sRepublic of China), Environmental ResourcesDivision; Dr. Hua Xu (People’s Republic ofChina), Enviromental Resources Division; Dr.Dennis S. Simpson (United Kingdom),Biological Resources Division; Dr. MohammadM. Parvez (Bangladesh), Biological ResourcesDivision; Dr. Zhang Bing (People’s Republic ofChina), Research Information Division.

In addition, three Japanese fellows, Dr. T.Furihata, Biological Resources Division; Dr. T.Kitamado, Fisheries Division; and Dr. H. Abe,Biological Resources Division, Dr. Ito, BiologicalDivision; Dr.Y. Keibe, Biological Division; Dr.T. Watanabe, Enviromental Division, alsoconducted research at JIRCAS.

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1) INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIA

SYMPOSIA AND WORKSHOPS

Between 1967 and 1993, the TropicalAgriculture Research Center (TARC), JIRCAS’spredecessor, sponsored annual internationalsymposia in order to promote scientific exchangewhile accurately gauging and responding to theagriculture, forestry, and fisheries needs of theworld’s developing regions.

Since its transition from TARC, JIRCAS hascontinued this practice. At present, each year’sJIRCAS International Symposium is organizedaround themes of central importance to internationalagricultural research.

TARC-JIRCAS 30th Anniversary and the 7th JIRCAS International SymposiumAGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INDEVELOPING REGIONSHeld November 1-2, 2000, at the Tsukuba International Congress Center, “Epochal Tsukuba”, in conjunctionwith the National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), the National Institute of Agrobiological Resources(NIAR), the National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences (NIAES), and the National Research Instituteof Agricultural Economics (NRIAE), Japan.

Opening address and welcoming remarks· Inaugural address by Dr. Nobuyoshi Maeno, Director General, Japan International Research Center

for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan· Welcoming remarks by Dr. Mutsuo Iwamoto, Research Councilor, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Research Council Secretariat (AFFRC), Japan

Keynote addresses· “An assessment of technology development from the Green Revolution to today” by Dr. William D.

Dar, Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT),India

· “Key characteristics of agricultural sustainability” by Dr. Pedro A. Sanchez, Director General,International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), Kenya

· “Evolution and new directions using information systems for enhanced farmer partnership in NARSagricultural research” by Dr. Stein W. Bie, Director General, International Service for NationalAgricultural Research (ISNAR), Netherlands

Session 1: Technology development for increased production: accomplishments, needs, and potentialChaired by Dr. Masa Iwanaga, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS),Japan· Developing new crop varieties for stress and low-input conditions. Prof. Kazuyoshi Takeda, Okayama

University, Japan· Contribution of molecular biology to breeding and issues associated with its application in developing

countries. Dr. Ronald P. Cantrell, Director General, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI),the Philippines

· Distribution and processing systems for stable supply of products from agriculture, forestry, andfisheries. Dr. Greg Johnson, Program Manager, Postharvest Technology, Australian Centre forInternational Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Australia

Session 2: Concepts, needs, and approaches for agro-ecological sustainabilityChaired by Dr. Osamu Ito, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS),Japan· Sustainable land management for crop production. Dr. Eric T. Craswell, Director General,

The year 2000 marked JIRCAS’s 30th

anniversary. For JIRCAS, it was an opportunityto reassess the progress of agriculturaldevelopment in developing countries and toreexamine the future role of agriculturalresearch.

Appropriately, the 7 th JIRCAS InternationalSymposium, held in November 2000, focusedon “Agricultural Technology Research forSustainable Development in DevelopingRegions”. The program from the 7th JIRCASInternational Symposium appears below.

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International Board for Soil Research and Management (IBSRAM), Thailand· Sustainable water management for crop production. Dr. S. A. Prathapar, Director, International

Water Management Institute (IWMI), Pakistan· Sustainable aquaculture production and fisheries management. Dr. Meryl J. Williams, Director

General, International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), Malaysia

Session 3: Evolution of farmer-researcher extension private sector partnerships for technologydevelopment and disseminationChaired by Prof. Keiji Ohga, the University of Tokyo, Japan· Evolution of concepts and approaches of systems-oriented, farmer participatory agricultural

research. Dr. John S. Caldwell, International Research Coordinator, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

· Contributions of farmer knowledge to agricultural technology development. Prof. Harold J.McArthur, University of Hawaii

· Institutionalization of technology development. Prof. David W. Norman, Kansas State University,USA

Chaired by Dr. Yoshinori Morooka, National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Japan· Developing sustainable agricultural systems: case study examples, determinants, future

approaches, and roles of different partners, as viewed from the Cooperation Agency. Mr. NobuyukiSamejima, Managing Director, Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), Japan

· Developing sustainable agricultural systems: determinants, future approaches, and roles ofdifferent partners, as determined by the soybean breeding program for human nutrition, at theNational Soybean Research Center (EMBRAPA). Dr. Mercedes Concordia Carrao-Panizzi,National Soybean Center (EMBRAPA), Brazil

· Developing sustainable agricultural systems: determinants, future approaches, and role of differentpartners. Dr. Achmad M. Fagi, Secretary of the Agency for Agricultural Research andDevelopment (AARD), Indonesia

Session 4: Discussion and synthesis of key issues for agricultural technology research forsustainable developmentChaired by Dr. Masa Iwanaga and Dr. Osamu Ito, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan· Presentation of key issues from Sessions 1, 2, and 3 for agricultural technology research for

sustainable development· Future directions for JIRCAS’s collaboration with partners· Discussion and synthesis

Closing remarks by Dr. Ronald P. Cantrell, Director General, International Rice Research Institute(IRRI), the Philippines

2) SPECIAL PROGRAMS

WORKSHOP ON LINKAGES BETWEEN BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCERESEARCH IN THE NORTHEAST THAILAND COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT

Since 1995, the governments of Thailand andJapan have carried out a collaborative researchproject entitled “Comprehensive studies onsustainable agricultural systems in NortheastThailand”. The project consists of two sub-phases, a “fundamental research” sub-phase anda “constructive research” sub-phase. In the firstsub-phase, which ran from 1995 to 1998,reserachers focused on six areas: environmentalresources, biological resources, crop production,livestock production, postharvest technologies,and actual conditions of rural areas. In the secondsub-phase, the ongoing constructive research,

scheduled to last from 1999 to 2001, focuses ondeveloping methods of integrating crop andlivestock production, and evaluates the potentialapplicability of technologies developed in theproject’s first subphase. The ultimate goal ofthe project is the further development ofsus ta inable agr icul tura l sys tems. Onerecommendation for the project coming from amid-term evaluation in September 1999 was thatsocial science research be strengthened as ameans of focusing the project’s work on issuesmore relevant for the effective diffusion of newfarming systems.

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development in Northeast Thailand and (2) todiscuss progress in research on the developmentof rainfed lowland rice farming systems. Forty-three scientists from Thailand and 12 from Japanwere among those who attended the workshop,held on June 16 at the International TrainingCenter for Agricultural Development (ITCAD)in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The schedule of theworkshop is outlined below.

Morning session: Building on research for development of systems-compatible user technologiesby applying social sciences· Opening remarks by Mr. Paiwit Watanavitawas, Director, International Training Center for

Agricultural Development (ITCAD), Thailand· Message from the DOA by Dr. Ananta Dalodom, Director General, Department of Agriculture

(DOA), Thailand· Welcome address by Dr. Waewchark Kongpolprom, Director of the Office for Development of

Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), Thailand· Explanation of workshop objectives by Dr. Osamu Ito, Director, Environmental Resources

Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

-topics-· Socioeconomic perspectives on project goals, activities, and accomplishments to date. K. Tsurumi,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan· Farming system types in Northeast Thailand: importance, geographical distribution, and

technological needs. S. Ooraikul, Representative of the Office of Agricultural Economics,Thailand

· Internal conditions for technology acceptance: farmer needs, ease of use, economic viability,systems compatibility, and sustainability. J.S. Caldwell, Japan International Research Centerfor Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

· External conditions for technology acceptance: regional markets, village social structure, farmerorganizations, extension, and other support agencies. M. Ando, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

· Social science research focused on agriculture and agricultural technology development at KhonKaen University: accomplishments, current efforts, and possibilities for collaboration. N.Suphanchaimat, P. Prapertchob, W. Pak-Uthai, and C. Wongsamarn, Faculty of Agriculture,Khon Kaen University, Thailand

In response to this recommendation, JIRCASheld a joint workshop with Thai institutions suchas the International Training Center forAgricultural Development (ITCAD), Departmentof Agriculture (DOA), and the Ministry ofAgriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), focusingon two ways of creating closer linkage betweensocial and technological research within theproject: (1) to exchange research results and ideason socioeconomic aspects of technological

Afternoon session: Rice-based cropping systems in rainfed lowland ecosystems· Strategy and scope of research on rainfed lowland ecosystems. O. Ito, Japan International Research

Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan· No-tillage direct seeding method for crop establishment. U. Arromratana, Soil Science Division,

Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand· Cultural practices for dry direct seeding of rice. T. Wungkahart, International Training Center

for Agricultural Development (ITCAD), Thailand· Genotype requirements for rice varieties during drought and low fertility. S. Khonthasuvon,

Khon Kaen Rice Experiment Station, Thailand· Weed control in rainfed paddy fields. H. Morita, National Agriculture Research Center (NARC),

Japan· Water management in rainfed lowland areas. C. Ogura, Japan International Research Center for

Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), and S. Fujimori, National Research Institute of AgriculturalEngineering (NRIAE), Japan

· Water-saving cultivation techniques for upland crops and vegetables. S. Thipayarugs, KhonKaen Field Crop Research Center, Thailand

· Technologies for efficient and labor-saving cropping systems. N. Kabaki, Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

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・ Welcome Address by Dr. N. Saleh, Director, Research Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops(RILET), Indonesia, and Dr. A. Noguchi, Director, Crop Production and Postharvest TechnologyDivision, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Opening Remarks by Dr. D.S. Damardjati, Director, Central Research Institute for Food Crops(CRIFC), Indonesia

Keynote lecture・ Recent research and industrial achievements on soybean foods in Japan. Dr. A. Noguchi, Director,

Crop Production and Postharvest Technology Division, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Production and postharvest technology for soybeans・ Improved soybean production technology in Indonesia. T. Adisarwanto, Research Institute for

Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET), Indonesia.・ Soybean food utilization in Indonesia. J.S. Utomo, Research Institute for Legume and Tuber

Crops (RILET), Indonesia, and S. Nikkuni, Japan International Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Uniformity and improvement of soybean seeds in Indonesia. T. Sanbuichi and N. Sekiya, SoybeanSeed Project, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan; Jamaluddin, Central

RILET-JIRCAS WORKSHOP ON SOYBEAN RESEARCH

JIRCAS and the Research Institute forLegume and Tuber Crops (RILET), part of theIndonesian Ministry of Agriculture’s Agency forAgricultural Research and Development, held ajoint workshop in Malang, Indonesia onSeptember 28, 2000, entitled “RILET-JIRCASworkshop on soybean research”.

Soybean foods such as tempe (a fermentedsoybean food), tofu, kecap (an Indonesian soysauce), and tauco (an Indonesian fermentedsoybean paste), are of great significance to thediet of the Indonesian people, as low-cost sourcesof proteins and seasonings. These foods are alsoan integral part of Indonesian culture. Thecountry’s per capita average of directconsumption of soybeans along with the totaldemand for soybeans, has increased every year,rising from 4 kg per person in the early eightiesto 9 kg in 1994. Indonesia produced 1.5 milliontons of soybeans in 1996, but about 0.8 milliontons of soybeans had to be imported to cover the

deficiency. Since 1993, JIRCAS has dispatchedthree researchers on a long-term basis to RILETa nematologist (1993-1995), a soybean breeder(1995-1998) and a food scientist (1997-2000),to participate in collaborative research projetson soybeans and to promote Indonesian domesticsoybean production.The main purpose of the jointworkshop was to present and review thecollaborative research works on soybeanbetween JIRCAS and RILET as well as those ofrelated studies, and to discuss the futurestrategies of soybean research in Indonesia.

Forty scientists from the Japan InternationalCooperative Agency (JICA) Soybean SeedProject, JIRCAS, and related Indonesianinstitutes participated in the workshop. Supportedby the experienced staff of RILET, the workshopstimulated productive and in-depth discussions.The proceedings of the workshop will bepublished in 2001.

Representatives of JIRCAS, theResearch Institute for Legume andTuber Crops (RILET), CentralResearch Institute for Food Crops(CRIFC), and the Soybean SeedProject, Japan InternationalCooperat ion Agency (JICA)attending the RILET-JIRCASworkshop on soybean researchpose for a group photograph.

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Inter-cropping of the weed be-tween fast growing trees in SouthKalimantan, Indonesia. (Photo: K.Nakashima)

Foundation Seed Farm for Field Crops, Indonesia; Susanto, Seed Control and CertificationService, Indonesia; D.M. Arsyad and M. Adie, Research Institute for Legume and TuberCrops (RILET), Indonesia

JIRCAS-RILET Collaborative Research Works on Soybean・ Breeding soybean for insect resistance. Suharsono, M. Adie, and Tridjaka, Research Institute

for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET), Indonesia; K. Igita, Japan International Research Centerfor Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Evaluation of Indonesian soybean varieties for the processing and improvement of fermentedfoods, Part I: Evaluation of Indonesian soybean varieties for food processing. S.S. Antarlina,J.S. Utomo, E. Ginting, Reserach Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET), Indonesia,and S. Nikkuni, Japan International Reserach Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Evaluation of Indonesian soybean varieties for the processing and improvement of fermentedfoods, Part II: Improvement of kecap koji making process using a white-spored mutant of kojimold. S. Nikkuni, Japan International Research Institute for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS);T. Goto, National Food Research Institute (NFRI), Japan; S.S. Antarlina, E. Ginting, and J.S.Utomo, Research Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET), Indonesia

AARD/JIRCAS Research Collaboration in Indonesia・ AARD/JIRCAS Research Collaboration in Indonesia - Past, Present and Future. S. Asanuma,

Japan International Reserach Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Conclusions・ Closing address by Dr. Suwandi, Head, Planning Division, Central Research Institute for Food

Crops (CRIFC), Indonesia.

WORKSHOP FOR THE PROJECT “DEVELOPMENT OF AGRO-FORESTRYTECHNOLOGY FOR CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL FORESTS

The process of reforestation using fast-growing trees such as oil palms has beenexpanding in tropical countries. These types ofmonoculture forests are a serious threat to theconservation of biological diversity as well asto the sustainable use of forest resources in thetropics. The main purpose of the project is todevelop technology for the cultivation ofagricultural crops and valuable tree species underor between fast-growing trees inhabiting thesame land in order to restore biological diversity.

Prior to the start of the project, JIRCAS helda half-day workshop entitled “Development ofagroforestry technology for conservation oftropical forest” on September 1, 2000 inTsukuba, Japan, in order to facilitate a mutual

understanding of the project through an exchangeof information and to discuss the futuredevelopment of the project. The workshop wasattended by representatives of the project’s maincollaborator, the Forest Research Center, adivision of the Forestry Department in Sabah,Malaysia.

Specific objectives of the project include there-creation of productive environments for agro-forestry, development of agro-forestry techniqueswith utilization of shade trees, and socio-economic evaluation of agro-forestry. It isindispensable to construct close relationsbetween forestry and agricultural research inorder for the project to succeed.

Workshop schedule・ Inaugural address by Dr. T. Ishitani, Director, Research Information and Coordination Division,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ General outline of the project by Dr. T. Suzuki, Director, Forestry Division, Japan International

Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

-topics-・ Diversification of tropical forest ecosystems and evaluation methods for agriculture and forest

production systems. S. Kobayashi, Principal Research Coordinator, Forestry and Forest ProductsResearch Institute (FFPRI), Japan

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Increased rice production in West Africa ishampered by a number of constraints includingdiseases, pests, weed infestation, environmentalstresses, and lack of suitable varieties. To helpaddress these problems, JIRCAS initiated a five-year research project in conjunction with theWest Africa Rice Development Association(WARDA) in April 1998. This project involvesgenetic and ecophysiological characterization,and the use of Oryza glaberrima germplasm bycrossing it with O. sativa to combine theadvantages of the two species with a special focuson drought resistance. To further advance the

WORKSHOP ON ORYZA GLABERRIMA GENETIC RESOURCES: EVALUATION AND USE

project, JIRCAS organized with its collaboratorsin Japan a workshop entitled “Oryza glaberrimagenetic resources: its evaluation and use”, heldat Tsukuba on September 8, 2000. The workshop,attended by 57 participants, was successful instimulating active discussions assessing thecurrent status of research on the use of Oryzaglaberrima. Discussions led to an exchange inopinions concerning various strategic researchapproaches to improving drought resistance ofrice in West Africa.

・ Analysis of conditions of crop production and indexes for economic evaluation of agro-forestry.S. Tsuru, Director of Silviculture, Kyushu Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products ResearchInstitute (FFPRI), Japan

・ Thinning techniques in monoculture forests and silviculture techniques for growing cover forests.H. Kushima, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Evaluation of environment conditions for growing crops and trees in agroforestry. M.N. Inagaki,Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Development of techniques for cultivation and planting of useful tree seedlings in tropical forests.Y. Ochiai, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Development of techniques for growing fruit trees under shade trees. H. Fukamachi, JapanInternational Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Development of techniques for growing non-arboreal crops under shade trees. Y. Araki, NationalResearch Institute of Vegetables, Ornamental Plants and Tea (NIVOT), Japan

・ Development of techniques for recycling of forest resources in the tropical forest. A. Yokota,Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

General discussion・ Closing address by Dr. T. Ishitani, Director, Research Planning and Coordination Division,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Introductory session・ Opening address by Dr. Nobuyoshi Maeno, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural

Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ JIRCAS Collaborative Research Project on Rice in West Africa. Dr. Hiroko Takagi, Japan

International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session 1. Genetics and physiological background of Oryza glaberrimaChaired by Dr. Masa Iwanaga, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences

(JIRCAS), Japan・ Oryza glaberrima: its significance for genetic resources. H. Morishima, Professor Emeritus,

National Institute of Genetics, Japan・ Growth characteristics of Oryza glaberrima in reference to annuality. Y. Takasaki, Chiba

University, Japan・ Genetic analysis of Oryza glaberrima Steud. traits in O. sativa L. : development and utilization

of introgression lines. A. Yoshimura and K. Doi, Kyushu University, Japan

Session 2. Evaluation and use of Oryza glaberrima germplasm: collaborativeresearch projects at the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA)Chaired by Dr. Hiroko Takagi, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS), Japan

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・ Interspecific hybridization project of WARDA. S. Tobita, Japan International Research Centerfor Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Grain quality characteristics of Oryza glaberrima Steud. and interspecific progenies with thegoal of breeding high protein rice. H. Watanabe, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),Japan

・ Submergence tolerance and deep-water avoidance in Oryza glaberrima Steud. and interspecificprogenies. K. Futakuchi, West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), Côte d’Ivoire

Session 3. Physiological study and evaluation of drought resistance of riceChaired by Dr. Osamu Ito, Driector, Environmental Resources Division, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Ecophysiology of drought resistance in crop plants with emphasis on rice. Prof. T. Hirasawa,

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan・ Stabilization of rice production under water stress in the tropics. M. Kondo, National Agriculture

Research Center (NARC), Japan・ Study on drought resistance in Oryza glaberrima Steud. Y. Yamagishi and T. Fujimura, University

of Tsukuba, Japan・ Comparative studies on physiological responses among Asian and African rice varieties and

their interspecific hybrid lines to drought stress at the early growth stage. S. Tobita, JapanInternational Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, and Dr. T. Okawa,Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan

General discussionChaired by Dr. Osamu Ito, Driector, Environmental Resources Division, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

WORKSHOP ON PASTURE AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN THE CENTRAL ASIA

The Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) hosted aworkshop on “Pasture and Livestock Productionin the Central Asia” on September 27, 2000,which outlined an ongoing collaborative studyentitled “Development of sustainable systems ofgrassland management and animal production in

Central Asia” between the Kazakh Institute ofAgriculture and JIRCAS initiated in 1996. Thisresearch project focuses on the development ofgrassland conservation and sustainable livestockproduction in Central Asia, with specialemphasis placed on management, fertility, andvegetation of grassland in steppe soil. The mainpurpose of this workshop was to review updatedresults obtained during the implementation of theproject as well as other related studies, and todiscuss future strategy after completion of theproject. Approximately thirty scientists fromKazakhstan and Japan participated in theworkshop, which generated many fruitful results.All participants recognized the importance ofgrassland management and sustainableproduction of livestock in the Central Asia.JIRCAS will publish a proceedings of theworkshop.

Workshop schedule・ Opening address by Dr. Nobuyoshi Maeno, Director General, Japan International Research

Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Current conditions and problems of development agriculture of Kazakhstan and Central Asian

countries. Dr. Azimkhan A. Satybaldin, President of the CAC Regional Forum, National AcademyCenter for Agricultural Research (NACAR), Kazakhstan

Participants attending the work-shop on Pasture and Livestockproduction in Central Asia posefor group photograph. (photo: T.Taniguchi)

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ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES ANDTHEIR PRACTICE FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING SYSTEMS IN THE MEKONG DELTA(MEKONG II)

The comprehensive project ent i t led‘‘Development of new technologies and theirpractice for sustainable farming systems in theMekong Del ta (Mekong II)” has beenimplemented since 1999, after achieving a highdegree of success in the first phase of the project,entitled “Evaluation and improvement of farmingsystems combining agriculture, animalhusbandry, and fisheries in the Mekong Delta”.The Mekong II project focuses on theestablishment of commodities through thematerial circulation of by-products and wastesgenerated in VACR farming systems. VACR isa Vietnamese acronym standing for fruits andvegetables, aquaculture, livestock and rice.JIRCAS has conducted studies in collaborationwith Cantho University (CTU) and the Cuu LongDelta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) since1999, and with the Southern Fruit ResearchInstitute (SOFRI) since 2000.

From November 14, 2000, CTU hosted afour-day annual workshop for the comprehensiveproject on ‘Mekong II’ at the Mekong DeltaFarming Systems Research and DevelopmentInstitute (MDFSRDI) in Cantho, Vietnam. Themain purpose of the workshop was to review theresults and to examine the future researchdirection of the project.

There were more than 80 participants fromVietnamese organizations, including localauthorities such as agricultural extensiondepartments and Tan Phu Thanh villagerepresentatives (the research site for the on-farm

trial of the project), as well as faculty from CTUand CLRRI, in addition to the 12 Japaneseparticipants.

After greetings from Dr. Le Quang Minh,Vice Rector of CTU, and opening addresses byDr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director of the MDFSRDI,and by Dr. Osamu Ito, Director of theEnvironmental Resources Division of JIRCAS,52 reports were presented in 9 sessions duringthe first three days. Session A introduced anoutline of the project’s on-farm trial site.Researchers presented technical reports on ricecultivation in Session B. Session C coveredintegrated pest management in rice cultivation.Sessions D and E concerned topics on uplandcrops such as soybean with rice culture and ondrying technologies, respectively. Afterdiscussion on fruit production in Session F,results on pig production were presented inSession G. In Session H, 12 reports werepresented on aquaculture production includingfish and freshwater prawn. After Session I, whichcovered the development and evaluation offarming systems, the future direction anddevelopment for closer collaboration for thestudies were discussed comprehensively inSession J. On the last day, November 17, allparticipants visited Tan Phu Thanh village on afield trip. The workshop’s success arose fromthe strong commitment of the experienced staffof the MDFSRDI and CTU. JIRCAS laterpublished the workshop proceedings.

Participants exchanged views on the progress

-topics-・ Agricultural characteristics and research development in Central Asia. M. Oka, Japan

International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Relations between Japan and the Republic of Kazakhstan. A.A. Jalyn, Kazakh National State

University, Kazakhstan・ Pastures in Kazakhstan, past and present. K.A. Asanov, Director, Kazakh Research Institute of

Feed and Pastures, National Academy Center for Agricultural Research (NACAR), Kazakhstan・ Ecosystem distribution and issues on conservation in Kazakhstan: natural environment of livestock

production. Y. Morimoto, Professor, University of Osaka Prefecture, Japan・ Legumes available for soil fertilization and animal feeding, and establishment of esparcet

(Onobrychis) in the Kazakh steppe. K. Sato, Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station,Japan

・ Land use, animal husbandry, and grassland farming in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan. M.Nashiki, National Grassland Research Institute, Kazakhstan

・ General discussion

Closing remarks・ Closing address by Dr. Takasuke Ishitani, Director, Research Planning and Coordination Division,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

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Opening sessionChaired by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director, Mekong Delta Farming Systems Research andDevelopment Institute (MDFSRDI), Vietnam・ Introduction of guests by Dr. Hiroyuki Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for

Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Greetings address by Prof. Dr. Le Quang Minh, Vice Rector, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam・ Opening speeches by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Project Coordinator, and Dr. Osamu Ito, Director,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session A: General information on farming systems at Tan Phu Thanh Village, Chau Thanh,Cantho ProvinceChaired by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director, Mekong Delta Farming Systems Research andDevelopment Institute (MDFSRDI), Vietnam・ Classification of land mapping units based on soils and hydrological characteristics of Tan Phu

Thanh Village, Chau Thanh District, Cantho Province. V.Q. Minh, L.Q. Tri, Cantho University(CTU), Vietnam, and R. Yamada, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS), Japan

・ The classification of farming systems in Tan Phu Thanh village. R. Yamada, Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, N.Q. Tuyen, L.C. Dung, and V.V.Tuan, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ The agricultural production of Tan Phu Thanh village in recent years. N.Q. Tuyen, L.C. Dung,V.V. Tuan, N.D. Can, L.T. Giang, P.C. Huu, and V.V. Ha, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam,R. Yamada, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Farm households’ status in Tan Phu Thanh Village—results from benchmark survey in 2000.L.C. Dung, N.Q. Tuyen, N.D. Can, V.V. Ha, P.C. Huu, V.V. Tuan, L.T. Giang, T.T.N. Hiep,Cantho University, (CTU), Vietnam, R. Yamada, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, D.C. Muoi, Agricultural Extension Center (AED ofCantho), Vietnam, N.T. Hung, Agricultural Extension Center (AED of Chau Thanh), Vietnam,and N.V. Thanh, Agricultural Extension Office (AED of Tan Phu Thanh), Vietnam

Session B: Technology development for higher and stable production in direct seeding cultureChaired by Prof. Bui Ba Bong, Director General, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI),Vietnam・ Studies on genotypic variability in rice (Oryza sativa L.) in responses to salt stress. N.T. Lang,

N.V. Tao, T.T. Luy, B.C. Buu, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, andH. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Establishment of optimum seeding rate for row seeders. P.S. Tan, T.Q. Khuong, T.T.N. Huan,Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka, Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Optimum fertilizer—nitrogen rates for high yielding rice based on growth diagnosis in wet-seeded rice culture. T.T.N. Huan, P.S. Tan, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI),Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS), Japan

・ Establishment of water control methods. P.S. Tan, T.Q. Tuyen, N.T. Hoai, Cuu Long Delta RiceResearch Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session C: Development of technology for integrated pest management in rice and rice basedfarming systemsChaired by Prof. Dr. Bui Chi Buu, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam

of the project and confirmed the importance ofsuch studies. During the workshop, participantsconcluded that the development of sustainablefarming systems that combine rice cultivation,fruit production, animal husbandry, andaquaculture is essential, and organizationsinvolved in the project committed themselves to

devising new strategies for the furtherdevelopment of techniques towards theimprovement of farming systems in the MekongDelta.

The next annual workshop for the project willbe held at CLRRI in late November 2001.

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・ Collection and identification of lowland rice weeds. D.V. Chin, T.T.N. Son, C.V. Hach, CuuLong Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, K. Ito, National Institute of Agro-Environmental Science (JAEI), Japan, and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Study on sole and supplemental hand weeding for weed control in rice. D.V. Chin, T.T.N. Son,C.V. Hach, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, K. Ito (JAEI), and H.Hiraoka Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Comparison of effectiveness between the complete protection and partial protection from thefour leaves stage (20-21 days after sowing) of rice plants based on the effects of insect pests,natural enemy complexes, and rice yield. L.M. Chau, L.T. Phuong, Cuu Long Delta Rice ResearchInstitute (CLRRI), Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka Japan International Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Survey on pest constraints of the three rice crops in Tan Phu Thanh village in the Mekong Deltaof Vietnam. P.V. Du, H.D. Dinh, N.V. Tai, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI),Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS), Japan

Session D: Development of varieties and suitable technologies for uplands crops in rotation withriceChaired by Prof. Dr. Bui Chi Buu, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, (CLRRI), Vietnam・ Soybean breeding in the Mekong Delta—current situation and research directions. D. Le-Viet,

H.T. Tung, N.P. Dang, V.C. Thanh, T.T. Ngon, P.T.T. Thuy, T.T. Tuan Cantho University (CTU),Vietnam, H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS),Japan

・ Effect of organic and bio-fertilizer on soybean and rice under rice-based cropping systems.T.T.N. Son, V.V. Thu, D.V. Chin, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, (CLRRI), Vietnam,and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session E: Development of grain drying technologyChaired by Prof. Dr. Bui Chi Buu, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam・ Development of small dryers suitable for small farms and farms in remote areas. L.V. Banh, P.V.

Ngan, and H.B. Quoc, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, Y. Kanetaniand H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session F: Fruits productionChaired by Prof. Dr. Pham Van Kim, Cantho University, Vietnam・ First year progress report on fruit tree production based on integrated pest management (IPM) in

Tan Phu Thanh village of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. D. Minh, P.V. Kim, L.T. Sen, N.V.Huynh, L.V. Dung, L.T. Phong, and L.T. Liem, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, H. Hiraoka,Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, T.N. The, CropProtection Station (PPD of Chau Thanh), L.H. Man, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute(CLRRI), Vietnam

Session G: Pig productionChaired by Prof. Dr. Chau Ba Loc, Cantho University, Vietnam・ Study on helminthes in swine at Tan Phu Thanh village. N.H. Hung, Cantho University (CTU),

Vietnam, and H.Q. Tram, Department of Science, Technology, and Environment (DSTE of CanthoProvince),Vietnam

・ Digestion of coconut oil meal diets for finishing pigs. L.H. Manh, V.V. Son, L.V. Hung, N.N.X.Dung, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, and R. Takada (NIAI)

・ Isolation and antibacterial sensitivity of Escherichia coli isolated from piglets’ diarrhea. C.B.Loc, L.T.L. Khai, and T.T. Phan, Cantho University, Vietnam

・ Cross-sectional serology on porcine parvovirus, Japanese B encephalitis virus, and Brucellasuis specific antibodies in pigs in Tan Phu Thanh village. H.T.V. Thu, C.B. Loc, L.T. Thu,Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ Bacteriological indicators of fecal contamination of water in Tan Phu Thanh village. T.T. Phan,LyT.L. Khai, C.B. Loc, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

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Session H: Aquaculture productionChaired by Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Vice Director, Research Institute for Marine Aquaculture,College of Agriculture, Cantho University, Vietnam・ Progress report of the experiments on seed production and culture of freshwater prawn

(Macrobrachium rosenbergii). N.T. Phuong, T.N. Hai, T.T.T. Hien, D.T. Yen, B.T.B. Hang,N.L.H. Yen, D.H. Tam, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ Reproductive mechanisms in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii :identification of yolk protein structure and site of synthesis. M.N. Wilder, W-J. Yang, JapanInternational Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, D.T.T. Huong, CanthoUniversity (CTU), Vietnam

・ Observation on the growth, maturation and survival rate of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachiumrosenbergii). T.N. Hai, V.T. Toan and T.T.T. Hien, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ The effects of dietary lipid sources and lecithin on growth and survival rate of freshwater prawn(Macrobrachium rosenbergii) larvae, T.T.T. Hien, T.N.Hai, N.T.Phuong, Cantho University(CTU), Vietnam, H.Y. Ogata, National Research Institute of Agriculture (NRIA), Japan, M.N.Wilder Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ The effects of vitamin C on the larvae of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) T.T.T.Hien, T.N. Hai, N.T. Phuong, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, H.Y. Ogata, National ResearchInstitute of Agriculture (NRIA), Japan, M.N. Wilder, Japan International Research Center forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ The effects of larval sources and stocking density on the growth and survival rate of freshwaterprawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) larvae reared under the modified green water system andre-circulating systems. N.T. Phuong, T.N. Hai and N.C. Cuong, Cantho University (CTU),Vietnam

・ The effects of probiotics on culture conditions of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)larvae. D.T.H. Oanh, T.T.T. Hoa and N.T. Phuong, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ The evaluation of certain plants as dietary protein sources for fingerlings of tilapia (Oreochromisniloticus) and silver barb (Puntius gonionotus). D.T. Yen, T.T.T. Hien, N.T. Phuong, CanthoUniversity (CTU), Vietnam

・ Preliminary results on using hormones for artificial propagation of climbing perch (Anabastestudineus). N.V. Trieu and D.N. Long, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ Using hormones for artificial propagation of snakehead (Channa striatus Bloch) in the MekongDelta. N.V. Trieu, D.N. Long and L.S. Trang, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ Improvement of pond preparation technology and zones affected by acid sulfate soil. D.N.Long, L.M. Lan, D.T.H. Oanh, V.N. Son, N.T.K. Lien, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

・ Optimization of stocking density and stocking population in freshwater fish farming systems.D.N. Long, L.M. Lan, P.V. Manh, N.V. Lanh, L.T.N. Thanh, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam

Session I: Development and evaluation of sustainable farming systemsChaired by Dr. Ngo Ngoc Hung, Cantho University, Vietnam・ Improvement of soil fertility by rice straw manure. L.H. Man, V.T. Khang, Cuu Long Delta Rice

Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam, and T. Watanabe, Japan International Research Centerfor Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ On-farm trial of rice straw manure on summer-autunm rice crop in Tan Phu Thanh. N.N. De,N.T. Liem, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, L.H. Man, Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute(CLRRI), Vietnam, and H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS), Japan

・ Comparison of growth and yield between the row seeding and fertilizer application methodsrecommended by CLRRI and JIRCAS and conventional wet seeded methods by farm householdsat Tan Phu Thanh village and Omon District. H. Hiraoka, Japan International Research Centerfor Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, T.Q. Khuong, T.T.N. Huan and H.D. Dinh, CuuLong Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Vietnam

・ Nitrogen flow estimation in rural area in the Mekong Delta. T. Watanabe, Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Water quality and natural foods in ponds under pig-fish integrated systems. D.N. Long, L.M.Lan, D. Thi, H. Oanh, V.N. Son, N.T.K. Lien, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, T. Watanabe,Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

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・ Development of a low-cost plastic bio-gas digester in integrated farming systems: case studiesin Tan Phu Thanh village, Chau Thanh and Hoa An, Phung Hiep (Cantho). V. Lam, CanthoUniversity (CTU), Vietnam and T. Watanabe, Japan International Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Development of new methods of technology selection in integrated research projects. R. YamadaJapan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, N.Q. Tuyen, L.C.Dung, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, T. Monma, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan

・ Existing farm economic situation of on-farm trial households in Tan Phu Thanh village. N.Q.Tuyen, L.C. Dung, T.T.N. Hiep, V.V. Tuan, V.V. Ha, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, R.Yamada, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Analysis of problem relationships in farming systems by the demated method. R. Yamada,Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, N.Q. Tuyen,L.C. Dung, V.V. Tuan, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, T. Monma, Tokyo University ofAgriculture, Japan

Chaired by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director, Mekong Delta Farming Systems Research andDevelopment Institute (MDFSRDI),Vietnam・ An analysis of vegetable marketing channels in Cantho Province. N.P. Son, N.C. Phy, T.V.

Binh, T.M. Hai, N.M. Chau, L.N.M. Trang, N. Thi C. Chi, N.D. Loc, N.V. Thach, T.P. Hung,Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, T. Shimoyama (TNAES), R. Yamada, Japan InternationalResearch Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Present status of farmers organizations in Tan Phu Thanh village. L.C. Dung, N.Q. Tuyen, N.D.Can, V.V. Ha, V.V. Tuan, L.T. Giang, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, R. Yamada, JapanInternational Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, N.T. Hung, AgriculturalExtension Center (AED of Chau Thanh), Vietnam, and N.V. Thanh, Agricultural ExtensionCenter (AED of Tan Phu Thanh village), Vietnam

・ Sustainable farming systems research on acid sulphate soil: farmers’ plan. N.T. Binh, H.V.Nghiem, D.V. Ni, Cantho University (CTU), Vietnam, R. Yamada, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Session J: Discussion for activities in the futureChaired by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director, Mekong Delta Farming Systems Research andDevelopment Institute (MDFSRDI),Vietnam, and Dr. Tetsushi Hidaka, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Discussion on future research・ Closing remarks by Prof. Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, Director, Mekong Delta Farming Systems Research

and Development Institute MDFSRDI), and Dr. Osamu Ito, Director, Japan International ResearchCenter for Agricultural Aciences (JIRCAS), Japan

WORKSHOP ON POLYVOLTINE SERICULTURE AND POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES

The goal of the collaborative research projectentitled, “Comprehensive studies on sustainableagricultural systems in Northeast Thailand” isto promote the technological development of rice,field crops, vegetables, livestock, and sericultureindustries, as well as to develop a sustainableagricultural system combining multiple types offarming and animal husbandry. The agriculturaldevelopment of Northeast Thailand in recentyears is characterized by the intensification ofupland farming through introduction of cassavaand sugarcane as main cash crops. However,intensive upland farming has not yet broughtsufficient income to the farmers—family incomeis only 40 percent of the national average.Furthermore, the soils used for continuous uplandcrops have been showing signs of declining fertility.

In order to further develop agriculture in theregion, it is necessary to shift the agriculturalsystem from one that depends highly on a selectfew cash crops to a more sustainable system inwhich diverse cropping options are combinedwith more efficient utilization of local resources.Thus, a sericultural focus has been incorporatedinto the project in close collaboration with theNakhon Ratchasima Sericultural ResearchCenter. JIRCAS organized a workshop to discussthe research outputs with scientists from severalsericultural centers in Thailand. The workshopwas held on November 21, 2000 in NakhonRatchasima. More than 90 percent of allsericulture scientists in Thailand were among the61 participants attending the workshop.

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Workhop schedule・ Opening remarks by Dr. Osamu Ito, Director, Environmental Resources Division, Japan

International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

-topics-・ Silkworm disease and their control. M. Kaewwiset, Udornthani Sericultural Research Center,

Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Improvement of multivoltine-bivoltine hybrid silkworm “Udornthanee”. K. Saennamvong,

Udornthani Sericultural Research Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Ubonratchathani 90-35, a bipolyvoltine silkworm hybrid. S.Tengrattanaprasert, Ubonratchathani

Sericultural Experiment Station, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Sakhonnakorn Thai hybrid silkworm, the multivoltine × bivoltine silkworm. P. Nopphasenee,

Sakhonnakorn Sericultural Experiment Station, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Thai silkworm varieties. S. Boonman, Sisaket Sericultural Research Center, Department of

Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ A test on the efficiency of the cottage basin UB2 reeling machine. S. Tengrattanaprasert,

Ubonratchathani Sericultural Experiment Station, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Improvement of the traditional reeling machine “Denchai 1”. C. Pannengpet, Phare Sericultural

Research Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand・ Texture and durability of silk fabrics obtained from “Dokbua” cocoons. K. Tsubouchi, T. Akane,

National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science (NISES), Japan, A. Chauboonmee,Sisaket Sericultural Research Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand, and V.Raksang, Nakonratchasima Sericultural Research Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA),Thailand

・ Strength of silk fabric woven from polyvoltine and bivoltine silk yarn. V. Raksang,Nakonratchasima Sericultural Research Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand,and K. Tsubouchi, National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science (NISES), Japan

・ New materials from mulberry. W. Kaeruang and S. Wongchareonwanakit, Udornthani SericulturalResearch Center, Department of Agriculture (DOA), Thailand

・ Development of sustainable cropping systems in Northeast Thailand. N. Kabaki, JapanInternational Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

・ Non-kill reeling. V. Raksang, Nakonratchasima Sericultural Research Center, Department ofAgriculture (DOA), Thailand

PROJECT WORKSHOP “DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION ANDUTILIZATION OF MAJOR FOOD RESOURCES IN CHINA

Prior to the mid-term review meeting of thecollaborative research project in China, JIRCASheld a one-day workshop in order to facilitate amutual understanding of the significance andfuture development of the collaborative projectin China on February 1, 2001 in Tsukuba, Japan.Thirteen research administrators and scientistsfrom the participating Chinese institutionsattended the workshop, along with externalreviewers, officials from the Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries Research Council, andaffiliated Japanese scientists, bringing the totalnumber of workshop participants to 53.

The workshop began with two introductoryaddresses on the recent development of Chineseagriculture and research. The topics of the

workshop included (1) constraints andapproaches to Chinese agriculture, (2)sustainable agriculture and environmentalconservation, (3) development of rice productionand prevention to pest damage, (4) soybean andcorn research, (5) processing and utilization ofagricultural products, and (6) utilization offreshwater fisheries resources. The groupdiscussed ten presentations from Chineseinstitutions with the aim of deciding the futuredirection of the collaborative research project.Interests in the general discussion centered onagricultural investment toward infrastructure andthe development of market systems for improvingproduct quality.

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Workshop schedule・ Opening address by Dr. Takasuke Ishitani, Director, Research Planning and Coordination

Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan・ Inaugural addresses by Dr. Takahiro Inoue, Director General, Japan International Research

Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan, Wang Weiqin, Deputy Division, Director,Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), People’s Republic ofChina, T. Tsuchiya, Director, International Research Division, Research Council, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), and Li Shuyun, Senior Project Officer, InternationalCooperation Department, CAAS, People’s Republic of China

・ Outline of the collaborative research project by Dr. Akinori Noguchi, Director, Crop Productionand Postharvest Technology Division, Japan International Research Center for AgriculturalSciences (JIRCAS), Japan

Significance and future development of the collaborative research projectSession 1: Constraints and approaches to Chinese agriculture・ Current status of Chinese agriculture and policy direction. L. Zhiren, Senior Research Fellow,

Research Center for Rural Economy, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), People’s Republic ofChina

・ Current status of Chinese agricultural resources and supply of major products. T. Huajun, Instituteof National Resources and Regional Planning, CAAS, People’s Republic of China

・ New developmental stages in Chinese agriculture: increasing farmers’ incomes. Z. Xigang,Director, Institute of Agricultural Economics, CAAS, People’s Republic of China

Session 2: Sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation・ Utilization of chemical fertilizer and development of environmentally sound agricultural

technologies. H. Hongxiang, Vice Director, Institute of Soils and Fertilizers, CAAS, People’sRepublic of China

・ Evaluation of effects of agricultural pollution to water quality in Taihu Lake. C. Zucong and Z.Jianguo, Researcher, Institute of Nanjing Soil Sciences, CAS, People’s Republic of China

Session 3: Rice production and prevention of pest damage in China:・ Rice production and pest control. Z. Zhitao, Vice Director, China National Rice Research Institute,

People’s Republic of China

Session 4: Soybean and corn research in China・ Research at the Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS). F. Wei, President, Jilin Academy

of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS), People’s Republic of China・ Evaluation and utilization of soybean genetic resources in northeast China. L. Kai, Director,

Jilin Research Institute of Soybean, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS), People’sRepublic of China

Session 5: Outline of processing and utilization of agricultural products in China ・ Agricultural products in China. L. Lite, Vice President, China Agriculture University, People’s

Republic of China

Closing session: China-Japan collaborative research on freshwater fishieries resources・ Collaborative research on freshwater fisheries resources. Z. Yingqi, President, Shanghai Fisheries

University, People’s Republic of China・ Closing address by Dr. Takasuke Ishitani, Director, Research Planning and Coordination Division,

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Japan

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Attended jointly by JIRCAS researchers andforeign invitees, these workshops aim to facilitatediscussion regarding the numerous collaborative

June 16, 2000 Workshop on the Northeast Thailand comprehensive project: Linkage betweenbiological and social science research. Khon Kaen, ThailandAttended by representatives of JIRCAS, Japan; Department of Agriculture (DOA),the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), and the InternationalTraining Center for Agricultural Development (ITCAD), Thailand

July 18, 2000 Workshop on the West Africa project: Weather prediction for risk reduction incereal-based cropping systems.Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, Tohoku National Agricultural ExperimentStation (TNAES), Hokuriku National Agricultural Experiment Station (HNAES),and the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Japan

September 1, 2000 Project workshop on the establishment of reconstructive agro-forestry techniquesfor tropical forests.Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, National Research Institutes ofVegetables, Ornamental Plants and Tea (NIVOT), Forestry and Forest ProductsResearch Institute (FFPRI), Japan

September 8, 2000 Project workshop on the importance of Glaberrima and its potential uses.Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, National Institute of Genetics, NationalAgricultural Research Center (NARC), Chiba University, Tokyo Uninersity ofAgriculture and Technology, Kyushu University, Japan; West Africa RiceDevelopment Association (WARDA), Côte D`Ivoire

September 27, Project workshop on grassland and domestic animals management in Central2000 Asia.

Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, National Grassland ResearchInstitute (NGRI), Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station (KNAES),University of Osaka Prefecture, Japan, National Academy Center for AgriculturalResearch (NACAR), National State University, Kazakhstan

September 28, RILET-JIRCAS workshop on soybean research.2000 Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, Japan International Coorperation Agency

(JICA), Japan; Research Institute for Legume and Tuber Crops (RILET), CentralResearch Institute for Food Crops (CRIF), Indonesia

November 14-17, Workshop for the Mekong Delta project: Development and introduction of new2000 technologies regarding sustainable farming systems. Cantho, Vietnam.

Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, Japan; Mekong Delta Farming SystemsResearch and Development Institute (MDFSRDI), Cantho University (CTU),Agricultural Extension Center (AED), Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute(CLRRI), Vietnam

November 21, Project workshop on polyvoltine sericulture and postharvest technologies.2000 Nakon, Thailand.

Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, National Institute of Sericultural andEntomological Science (NISES), Japan; Department of Agriculture (DOA),Thailand

February 1, 2000 Project workshop on development of sustainable production and utilization of majorfood resources in China. 2000

3) INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH WORKSHOPS

research projects that JIRCAS is currentlyundertaking with counterpart institutionsthroughout the world.

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4) INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SEMINARS

International research seminars are heldthroughout the year, either on JIRCAS premisesor overseas. During these seminars, foreignguests, Japanese specialists, and JIRCAS staff

April 17, 2000 “Science with a human face” and an update on current ICRISAT projects. W.D.Dar

May 11, 2000 On the future of the CGIAR. E. Javier

June 1, 2000 Update on current SEAFDEC projects. S. Sugiura

June 22, 2000 Research collaboration through the IRRI-Japan Shuttle Project. T.W. Mew

July 14, 2000 The role of IRRI in the 21st Century. R.P. Cantrell

July 17, 2000 Research Activities of CIAT. J. Voss

July 28, 2000 Quality, quantity, and price changes of Chinese industry feed in the 1990’s. R.Kan

August 28, 2000 Soybean virus diseases in Brazil. A.M.R. Almeida

September 22, Sustainable soil fertility and grassland management in Brazil’s ‘cerrados’. M.C.M.2000 Macedo

October 17, 2000 Soybean research conducted by IITA. K. Dashiell

October 23, 2000 Report on current soybean research conducted in Brazil and Argentina. C. Vidorand A.R. de Lattanzi, Current condition of edible soybean varieties in Brazil.M.C.C. Panizzi

October 30, 2000 The role of Indonesia’s international collaborative research projects on agriculture.A.M. Fagi and E. AbdurachmanObstacles to raising vegetables in the plateaus on the island of Java: Currentactivities of RIV. B. Suprihatno

December 11, International seminar on soybean research preoject collaboration between JIRCAS2000 and EMBRAPA in Brazil.

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Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, Research Council, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan; Ministry of Agriculture(MOA), International Cooperation Department, CAAS, Institute of NationalResources and Regional Planning, CAAS, People’s Republic of China

February 19-20, APAN-AG workshop: Knowledge sharing for agricultural research2000 Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, National Agricultural Research Center

(NARC), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), and Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries Research Information Center (AFFRIC), Japan, and theNARs institutes of China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

March 5, 2000 Project workshop on the use of brackish water areas.Attended by representatives of JIRCAS, Research Council, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), Fisheries Agency, Forestry Agency,Japan; Fisheries Research Institute, Forestry Research Institute, Malaysia

give presentations on topics of importance relatedto international agricultural research. Thefollowing thirteen seminars were held in FY2000.

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7) REVIEW AND PROMOTION OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHCOLLABORATION - COMMITTEE MEETINGS

A series of committee meetings are heldthroughout the year in order to review andpromote international collaborative research.These committee members, who are responsiblefor all executive decisions pertaining toJIRCAS's activities, are headed by the Directorof the Research Planning and CoordinationDivision and consists of all directors of theResearch Divisions and International Research

Coordinators. Arrangements concerningdispatches of JIRCAS researchers on overseasassignments, project support by other domesticinstitutions are evaluated and authorized; thecommittee members are also responsible for theevaluation of ongoing projects and finaldecisions concerning the implementation of newresearch projects.

5) ANNUAL MEETING FOR REVIEW AND PROMOTION OF RESEARCH

JIRCAS conducts its Annual Meeting for theReview and Promotion of Research forInternational Collaboration in February, towardthe end of the fiscal year. The purpose of themeeting is to review and evaluate the year’sactivities in detail in preparation for thesubsequent fiscal year. All operations of JIRCASare outlined, and research achievements deemedof particular importance are highlighted (seeResearch Overview: Research Division topicsfor more detail). Those in attendance includeJIRCAS directors and invited representativesfrom the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Research Council (AFFRC), the ForestryAgency, the Fisheries Agency, and variousresearch institutes affiliated with the Ministryof Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. In fiscalyear 2000, the meeting’s primary focus was thenew independent structure of the administrationto be initiated on April 1, 2001. The structuralreorganization will no doubt bring about changesin the way research is planned, coordinated, andexecuted. Thus, the meeting was meant to be aforum where ideas about the new methods ofresearch could be exchanged.

6) JIRCAS RETURN SEMINARS

At JIRCAS, researchers returning fromoverseas dispatches or research projects give anoral presentation accompanied by a writtensummary of activities that is distributed toJIRCAS staff. These sessions are termed“JIRCAS Return Seminars” and are held during

the interim or upon the completion of researchprojects or dispatch assignments. Such seminarsare ordinarily held twice per month, and eachyear approximately thirty scientists givepresentations.

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1) JIRCAS Journal for Scientific Papers

2) JARQ (Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly)

3)Annual Report

4)JIRCAS Newsletter

5) JIRCAS Working Report Series

PUBLISHING AT JIRCAS

No. 8

Vol. 34-No. 2, No. 3, No. 4Vol. 35-No. 1

No. 6(1999)

No. 23, No. 24, No. 25, No. 26

No. 18 Learning from the Farming SystemsResearch Experiences in Indonesia

No.19 JIRCAS/EMBRABA Gado de CorteInternational Joint Workshop onAgropastral Systems in South America

No. 20 Development of Technology forUtilization and Processing ofFreshwater Fisheries Resources

OFFICIAL JIRCAS PUBLICATIONS

1) JIRCAS News

2) JIRCAS International Agriculture Series

No. 21, No. 22, No. 23, No. 24, No. 25

No. 9No. 10

In Japanese

In English

LIBRARY HOLDINGS

April 1,2000 – March 31, 2001

Books

Periodicals

(titles)

Materials

(Proceedings, maps and other)

Language Purchase Gift Total Purchase Gift Total Purchase Gift Total Japanese

182 ( 11 )

125 ( 9 )

307 ( 20 )

42 ( 28 )

424 ( 24 )

126 ( 52 )

22

461 483

foreign 66 ( 11 )

75 ( 4 )

141 ( 15 )

94 ( 26 )

204 ( 9 )

283 ( 35 )

10 232 242

Total 248 ( 22 )

200 ( 13 )

448 ( 35 )

136 ( 54 )

628 ( 33 )

409 ( 87 )

32 693 725

( ) Indicates separate holdings of the Okinawa Subtropical Station

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CHAPTER 2Farming systems research in Indonesia:Lessons learned and future d i r e c t i o n sMade Oka Adnyana

CHAPTER 3Farming systems research in Indonesia:Foreign assistance and commitmentAchmad Rachman and A. Abdurachman

CHAPTER 4Collaboration between natural and socialscientists on farming systems researchSumarno and Haerudin Taslim

CHAPTER 5Institutional framework andrestructuringHermanto

CHAPTER 6Technology and farming systemsapproachAhmad Dimyati

CHAPTER 7Challenges for today’s research andextension communityA. Soedradjat Martaamidiaji

CHAPTER 8Rural transformation under rapideconomic growth: Two case studies inWest JavaShigeki Yokoyama, Wayan Sudana, AlSri Bagyo and Amar K. Zakaria

CHAPTER 9A follow-up socioeconomic study of thebanana-based farming systems researchproject in Cibinong, Cianjur, West JavaJunko Goto, Henny Mayrowani, andAdang Agustian

CHAPTER 10Research and extension linkages infarming systems: A field experienceSurachman and K.B. Prajogo

CHAPTER 11Farming system research in SouthSuma t r a : Les sons l e a rned andimplicationsMade Oka Adnyana and Ketut Kariyasa

CHAPTER 12The perspec t ive o f sus ta inab leagricultural farming systems in Imperata

Satoshi Suyama, Syarifuddin Tonnek, and TaufikAhmad

Maturation cycle of short mackerel,Rastrelliger brachysoma, in SouthSulawesi, Indonesia

Poh-Sze Choo and Katsuhisa TanakaNutrient levels in ponds during the grow-out and harvest phase of Penaeusmonodon under semi-intensive orintensive culture

Ryoichi YamazakiRecent development of agriculturalpolicy in Vietnam

Kenichi KandaRapid anaerobic incubation method formeasuring nitrogen mineralizationpotential in soil

Tadashi YoshihashiSimple and rapid DNA extraction frommilled rice and its application to Thaiaromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) variety,Khao Dawk Mali 105

Michael J. Christensen, Keiichi, Takahashi,Katsuyuki Kohno, Takao Tsukiboshi andMakoto Kobayashi

Occurrence of an Ephelis fungus onIshigaki Island and Observations on itsepiphytic association with host grasses

Ryoichi YamazakiAgricultural zoning based on an economicviewpoint in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Yuji KohgoSaturated and unsaturated mechanicalproperties of typical soils distributed inNortheast Thailand

CHAPTER 1Farming systems research: Evolution,issues, and new direction building on 25years of contributionsJohn S. Caldwell

JIRCAS PUBLICATIONS ANDCONTENTS

JIRCAS Journal for Scientific Papers No.8March 2000

JIRCAS Working Report Series No.18Learning from the Farming SystemsResearch Experience in Indonesia

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Grassland Area, IndonesiaI. Wayan Rusastra and Ken Menz

CHAPTER 13Final discussion: New orientations,application and follow-upClosing RemarksList of Workshop ParticipantsJapanese Summary

A historical perspective of agropastoral systemsresearch in the savannas of South America

Peter C.Kerridge

Agropastoral systems: Activities developed bythe Cerrados Agricultural Reserch Center(EMBRAPA Cerrados)

Lourival Vilela, Miguel A. Ayarza, andJeanne C.C. de Miranda

Preliminary results of agropastoral systems inthe cerrados of Mato Grosso do Sul-Brazil

Manuel C.M. Macedo, Jose A. Bono, AdemirZimmer, Fernando P. Costa, Cesar H.B.Miranda, Armindo N. Kichel, and TsutomuKanno

Crop residues in agropastoral systemsCear H.B. Miranda, Manuel C. M. Macedoand Kenichi Kanda

On-farm trial of agropastoral systemsArmindo N.Kichel and Cesar H.B.Miranda

Ecoomic evaluation of agropastoral systems:Some alternatives for Central Brazil

Fernando P. Costa and Manuel C.M. Macedo

Development of grassland managementtechnology for sustainable agropastoral systemsin the sub-tropical zone in Brazil

Tsutomu Kanno, Manuel C.M. Macedo,Sunao Uozumi, Valeria P.B. Euclides, JoseA. Bono Yoshinori Yoshimura, Marcelo R.Correa and Joao D.G. Santos Jr.

Nitrogen cycling in agropastoral systemsKenichi Kanda, Motoki Takahashi andCesar H.B. Miranda

Can phosphorus fertilizer application enrich soilin an agropastoral system?

Noriharu Ae, Takashi Otani, Motoki

Takahashi, Kazuyuki Matsuo, and ManuelC.M. Macedo

Economic evaluation of agropastoral systems:A sector analysis approach

Yoshihiko Sugai, Hideki Ozeki, and AntonioR. Teixeira Filho

JIRCAS Working Report Series No.20Development of Technology for Utilizationand Processing of Freshwater FisheriesResources

1. The development of freshwater fisheries inChinaWu Wang

2. Freshwater fishery resources and circulationsystems in ChinaGuanghua Ge

3. Structure and function of fast skeletal myosinisoforms of carp expressed in association withtemperature acclimationShugo Watabe, Yaushi Hirayama, MisakoNakayama, Kiyoshi Kikuchi, and MakotoKakimura

4. Thermal and freeze denaturation process offish myosinKunihiko Konno, Tomoko Tazawa, andMasayuki Takahashi

5. Changes of ATP and its related compounds infreshwater fish muscle during ice storageShota Tanimoto, Takahashi Hirata, andMorihiko Sakaguchi

6. Properties of lipid and lipid hydrolase inmuscle of Chinese freshwater fishMasaaki Kaneniwa, Song Miao, ChunhongYuan, and Yutaka Fukuda

7. Development of a gravy product from Chinesefreshwater fishMotoharu Uchida, Jie Ou, Biwen Chen,Masataka Satomi, and Yutaka Fukuda

8. Research on technological process of leatherfishskinShengxiang Zou, and Qi Chen

9. Discussion on development of the freshwaterfish processing industryQusheng He, Xiangyang Li, Zheghua Fang,and Guosheng Yang

10.Seasonal effects on the thermostability of

JIRCAS Working Report Series No.19JIRCAS/EMBRAPA Gado de CorteI n t e r n a t i o n a l J o i n t W o r k s h o p o nAgropastoral Systems in South America

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myofibrillar protein in freshwater fishmuscleZao Wang, Fei Hu, and Zhao-yao Luo

11. Study on thermal denaturation of carp(Cyprinus carpo) muscleChenyu Qiu

12. Effects of rinsing operation on freezingdenaturation of surimi proteinZhihe Wang, Zao Wang, Shuiyue Tao,Caijuan Hu, Qing Xing, and Yunmei Zhu

13. Effects of freezing rate and frozen storagetemperature on the denaturation ofmyofibrillar protein of silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) muscleChunhong Yuan, Yutaka Fukuda, PeigenZhou, Shunsheng Chen, and Yudong Cheng

14. Characteristics of surimi and kamabokomade from Japanese common carpXi-chang Wang, Yoshinobu Hiraoka,Kimiyoshi Narita, Atsuko Joh, YutakaFukuda, Hiroyasu Oka, and MorihikoSakaguchi

15. Development of frozen surimi fromfreshwater fish meat produced in ChinaYutaka Fukuda, Shunsheng Chen, UdongCheng, Xi-chang Wang, Liping Zhou,Dongmei Zhang and Chunhong Yuan

16. Effect of freshness of iced silver carp(Hypophthalmichthy molitrix) on gelformationShunsheng Chen, Xichang Wang, LipingZhou, and Yutaka Fukuda

17. Study on gel degradation of surimi preparedfrom Chinese freshwater fishDongmei Zhang, Yutaka Fukuda, Luli Yuand Shunsheng Chen

18. Processing technology of frozen surimi fromsilver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)Xiangyang Li and Guosheng Yang

19 .Ef fec t o f superh igh p ressure onu l t r amic ros t ruc tu re and t ex tu ra lc h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f g r a s s c a r p(Ctenopharyngodon idella) muscleYuexin Shen, Song Miao, and XiaokangZhou

20. Study on gel formation of Alaskan pollackfrozen surimi by ohmic heatingLiping Zhou, Kunihiko Uemura, YutakaFukuda, and Akinori Noguchi

21.Study on temperature distribution incylindrically packaged food duringmicrowave heatingYudong Cheng, Noboru Sakai, and TamotsuHanazawa

JIRCAS Working Report Series No. 9Research on farming systems

Ⅰ. IntroductionChapter 1: General overview of farming systems

J.S. Caldwell

Ⅱ. Diagnoses and designsChapter 2: Combining disciplines in rapid

appraisal: the ‘sondeo’ approachP.E. Hidebrand

Chapter 3: Method for analysis by farmers: theprofessional challengeR. Chambers

Chapter 4: Subregional issues in theimplementation of farming systemsresearch and extension methodology:a case study in ZambiaR.E. Hudgens

Ⅲ. ExperimentsChapter 5: Institutional innovations in national

agricultural research: on-farmresearch within IDIAP, PanamaJ.C. Marinez and J.R. Arauz

Chapter 6: Integrating the livestock componentinto farming systems research:examples from North FloridaM.E. Swisher, E.C. French, J. Deanand P.E. Hidebrand

Chapter 7: A participatory experiment insustainable agricultureC. Lightfoot and R. Noble

Chapter 8: Reorientation, not reversal: Africanfarmer-based experimentationD. Baker

Ⅳ. Essays from project leadersChapter 9: A minimalist approach to

participatory extensionJ.G. Connell

C h a p t e r 1 0 : I n f o r m a l a g r i c u l t u r a lcommunication patterns in a remotearea of BangladeshS.M.A. Hossain, B.R.Crouch andChamala

Chapter 11: Mutual help systems among smallagricultural producers in colonia Caa-Guazu, Misiones, Argentina

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D. BarangerChapter 12: Methods and principles of farmer-

led muraokoshi (rural revitalization):results and potential applicabilityS. Hiyamas, S. Sato and J. S. Caldwell

Ⅴ. AssessmentChapter 13: Sustainability in agricultural

development: trade-offs amongproductivity, stability, and equitabilityG.R. ConwayChapter 14: Integrating householdfood security into farming systemsresearch extensionT. R. Frankenberger and P. E. Coyle

Chapter 15: Rural women in irrigated and rain-fed rice farming in the Philippines:decision-making involvement andaccess to productive resourcesD. Timsina, A.L. Ferrer, T. Paris andB. Duff

Ⅵ. Policies and InstitutionsChapter 16: Inability of farming systems research

to deal with agricultural policyD. Baker

Chapter 17: Institutional linkages that enhancethe value of on-farm research forsmallholder farmers: the ZimbabweexperienceE.M. Shumba

Chapter 18: On-farm research (OFR): impactson training in southern and easternAfricaP. Anandajayasekreram

Chapter 19: New resources for internationalagricultural cooperation: village-based self-help and agriculturalresearch in Japan T. Wada, J.S. Caldwell and S.Yokoyama

JIRCAS Working Report Series No. 10Development of farming systems in theMekong Delta

Current conditions of the Mekong Delta region1. Preface2. Geography and climate3. Agricultural status4. Differing farming practices in the northern,

middle, and southern parts of the MekongDelta

Chapter 1: About the Mekong Delta1. The Mekong River and the Mekong Delta2. Topography and soil

Chapter 2: Development of farming systems1. Before North-South unification2. 1976-19873. After 1988

Chapter 3: Technological development offarming systems

1. Outline of farming systems2. Technological developments in wet-land

rice cultivation3. Rice harvest and irrigation4. On animal husbandry5. Feed structure for pig farmers6. Current conditions of pig farming7. On aquaculture

Chapter 4: Farming systems management1. Large-scale rice farmers in the Mekong

Delta2. Excreta disposal using a ‘bio-digester’3. Living conditions at Song Hau State Farm4. Farmers’ survey results from Cantho

Province

Chapter 5: Steps toward further development offarming systems

1. Current conditions and issues for wet- landrice cultivation

2. Pest resistance for wet-land rice cultivation3. Recent advances in animal husbandry4. Current topics concerning prawn and

shrimp culture5. Issues and conditions of farming systems

Conclusions: Potential for further developmentof farming systems

1. Global changes affecting the MekongDelta

2. Ideal conditions for rice cultivation3. Problems with combining agricultural

practices4. Planning and implementation5. The future of farming systems research

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RESEARCH STAFF ACTIVITY2000-2001

Journal articles, book chapters,and monographs

Abe, H. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2000).Promoter analysis. In: Lab Manual ofModel Plants: Molecular Genetic andMolecular Bio logical Methods ,Iwabuchi, M., Okada, K. and Shimamoto,K. (eds.), Springer, 231-241. (J)

Ando, S., Meunchang, S., Vadisirisak, P. andYoneyama,T. (2000). Estimation ofnitrogen input by N2 fixation to field-grown pineapples in Thailand. ActaHorticulturae, 529: 03-206.

Ban, T. (2000). Analysis of quantitative traitloci associated with resistance toFusarium head blight caused byFusarium graminearum Schwabe and ofresistance mechanisms in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.). BreedingScience, 50: 131-137.

Ban, T. and Suenaga, K. (2000). Geneticanalysis of resistance to Fusarium headblight caused by Fusarium graminearumin Chinese wheat cultivar Sumai 3 andJapanese cultivar Saikai No. 165.Euphytica, 113: 87-99.

Borkert, C.M., Sfredo, G.J., Lantmann, A.F. andHitsuda, K. (2000). Soybean cultivationin Brazil: Management of soil fertility.CD-ROM of Soybean Cultivation inBrazil of the Brazilian AgriculturalResearch Corporation, Soybean ResearchCenter. (P)

Cheng, M., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000).Influences of rice varieties and grindingprocesses on rice flour characteristics.Cereal and Feed Industry (China),1 6 0 :16-19.(C)

Cheng, M., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000).Evaluation systems of non-fermented ricenoodle. Journal of the Chinese Cerealsand Oils Association,15 (5):14-18. (C)

Dionisio-Sese, M.D and Tobita, S. (2000).Effects of salinity on sodium content andphotosynthetic responses of rice seedlingsdiffering in salt tolerance. Journal of PlantPhysiology, 157 (1): 54-58.

Fukuta, Y., Sato, T., Morita, S., Nagamine, T.,Tamura, K., Yano, H. and Yagi, T. (2000).QTL analysis for rolled leaf induced bydry stress in the rice hybrid population,Milyang23/Akihikari recombinant inbredlines. Hokuriku Crop Science, 47-49. (J)

Fukuta, Y., Sasahara, H.,Tamura, K.andFukuyama, T. (2000). RFLP linkage mapincluded the information of segregationdistortion in a widecross populationbetween indica and japonica rice (Oryzasativa L.).Breeding Science, 50: 65-72.

Hamanishi, T., Hatta, T., Jong, F.S., Kainuma,K. and Takahashi, S. (2000). Relativecrystallinity, structure, and gelatinizationproperties of sago starches at differentgrowth stages. Journal of AppliedGlycoscience, 47 (3-4): 335-341. (J)

Hatta, T. (2000). Crystal structure andidentification of clay minerals. Invitationto Clay Science, Clay MineralogicalSociety of Japan, 254-257; 261-262. (J)

Hatta, T. (2000). Methods of study on clayminerals. Invitation to Clay Science, ClayMineralogical Society of Japan ed., 85-87, 91-92. (J)

Hatta, T. (2000). Methods of study on thephysical and chemical properties of clayminerals. Invitation to Clay Science, ClayMineralogical Society of Japan, 281-283.(J)

Hosen, Y., Tsuruta, H. and Minami, K. (2000).Effects of the depth of NO and N2Oproductions in soil on their emission ratesto the atmosphere: Analysis using asimulation model. Nutrient Cycling inAgro-Ecosystems, 57 (1): 83-98.

Huong, D.T.T., Yang, W-J., Okuno, A. andWilder, M.N. (2000). Changes in freeamino acids in the hemolymph of giantfreshwater prawn Macrobrachiumrosenbergii exposed to varying salinities:

(J) Denotes articles written in Japanese; (P) denotes articles written in Portuguese; (S) denotes articleswritten in Spanish; (C) denotes articles written in Chinese; bold lettering indicates staff members atJIRCAS during FY 2000.

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Relationship to osmoregulatory ability.Compara t ive Biochemis t ry andPhysiology Part A, 128: 317-326.

Igarashi, Y., Yoshiba, Y., Takeshita, T., Nomura,S., Otomo, J., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Molecularcloning and characterization of a cDNAencoding proline transporter in rice. Plantand Cell Physiology, 41 (6): 750-756.

Ise, K., Liu, J., Sun, Y., Zhao, G., Dai, L.,Araki, H., Kudo, S. and Sunohara, Y.(2000). Rice eating quality of varietiesdeveloped during the Japan and Chinajoint breeding project in Yunnan, China.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,44 (4): 284-293. (J)

Ise, K., Sun, Y., Dai, L. Ye, C., Sunohara, Y.,Tomita, K., Nagamine, T., Tanno, H. andKudo, S. (2000). Genetic variation inendosperm amylose content in ricegenetic resources of Yunnan, China andartificial induction of mutants with lowamylose content. Japanese Journal ofTropical Agriculture, 44 (4): 269-275. (J)

Ise, K.,. Sun, Y., Zhou, T., Liu, J., Kudo, S.,Tannno, H. and Sunohara, Y. (2000).Genotype by environment interactionanalysis for rice yield in Yunnan, China.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,45 (1): 22-32. (J)

Ise, K., Tomita, K., Liu, J., Sun, Y., Sunohara,Y. and Kudo, S. (2000). Genetics andcharacterization of mutants with lowamylose content in endosperm inducedfrom the rice variety Hexi 4 of Yunnan,China.Japanese Journal of TropicalAgriculture, 44 (4): 276-283. (J)

Iuchi, S., Kobayashi, M., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).A stress-inducible gene for 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase involved inabscisic acid biosynthesis under waterstress in drought-tolerant cowpea. PlantPhysiology, 123 (2): 553-562.

Kijima, Y., Sakurai, T. and Otsuka, K. (2000).Iriaichi: collective versus individualizedmanagement of community forests inpostwar Japan. Economic Developmentand Cultural Change, 48 (4): 867-886.

Koo, W.W., Mao, W. and Sakurai, T. (2001).

Wheat demand in Japanese flour millingindustry: a production theory approach.Agricultural Economics, 24 (2): 167-178.

Kotoda, N., Wada, M., Komori, S., Kidou, S.,Abe, K., Masuda, T. and Soejima, J.(2000) . Express ion pa t t e rn o fhomologues of floral meristem identitygenes LFY and API during flowerdevelopment in apple. Journal ofAmerican Society for HorticulturalSciences, 125(4): 398-403.

Koyama, O. (2000). Food security andmanagement of rural environment inAsia. Global Environmental Research,3(2): 79-87.

Li, C., Luo, C., Li, J., Shen, Y. and Ise, K. (2000). Mapping avirulence gene in the

rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea.Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 33 (3): 49-53.

Li, F., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000). Effect ofelectrostatic field on process of freezingand thawing of distilled water and tofu.Food Science and Technology (China),21(12): 48-51. (C)

Li, L., Chen, F. and Tatsumi, E. (2000). Studyon optical properties of the gel ofsoybean protein isolates. Food Scienceand Technology (China), 21(10): 18-22.(C)

Li, L, Liu, Z. and Tatsumi, E. (2000). Effectsof processing conditions on tofu-gelphysical qualities. Food Science (China),21(5): 26-29. (C)

Li, X., Li, L., Uemura, K. and Tatsumi, E.(2000). Electroosmotic dewatering of‘okara’ in different elecrtric fields.Transactions of the CSAE (China),16(3): 100-103. (C)

Liu, Z., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000). Soybeanisoflavons and their physiologicalfunctions. Science and Technology ofFood Industry (China), 21(1): 78-80.(C)

Liu, Z., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000). Studyon properties of tofu salt coagulant andmechanism of tofu coagulation. Journalof the Chinese Cereals and Oils

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Association, 15(3): 39-43. (C)

Mikami, K., Iuchi, S.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki,K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000). A novelArabidopsis thaliana dynamin-likeprotein containing the pleckstrinh o m o l o g y d o m a i n . J o u r n a l o fExperimental Botany, 5 1 ( 3 4 3 ) :317-318.

Miyamoto, M. (2000). Deforestation andchange of land tenure of rubber garden:a case study of Danau village in CentralSumatra, Indonesia. Journal of ForestEconomics, 46(1): 27-32. (J)

Murai, M., Hari Bahadur K.C., and Ise, K.(2000). Relation between dwarfing genesand chilling injury at seedling stage inrice. Environmental Control in Biology,38 (3): 135-147.

Nakano, H., Kobayashi, M. and Terauchi, T.(2000). Heat acclimation and de-acclimation for pod setting in heat-tolerant variety of the common bean(Phaseolus vulgaris L.). JapaneseJournal of Tropical Agriculture, 44 (2):123-129.

Nakashima, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Northern hybridization. In: LabManual of Model Plants: MolecularGenetic and Molecular BiologicalMethods, Iwabuchi, M., Okada, K. andShimamoto, K. (eds.), Springer, 181-188.(J)

Nakashima, K., Shinwari, Z.K., Sakuma, Y.,Seki, M., Miura, S., Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2000).Organization and expression of twoArabidopsis DREB2 genes encodingDRE-binding proteins involved indehydration- and high-salinity-responsivegene expression. Plant MolecularBiology, 42 (4): 657-665.

Nakazaki, T., Ihara, N., Fukuta, Y. and Ikehashi,H. (2000). Abundant polymorphism inthe flanking regions of two loci for basicPR-1 proteins as markers for indica-japonica differentiation in rice (Oryzasativa L.). Breeding Science, 50: 173-181.

Nouchi, I. and Kanda, K. (2000). Emission ofsulfur gases from soil, plant and ocean.

Japanese Journal of Soil Science, 71: 903-913. (J)

Park, G-S., Takeuchi, T., Seikai, T. andYokoyama, M. (2001). The effects ofdietary taurine on growth and taurinelevels in whole body of juvenile Japaneseflounder Paralichtys olivaceus. NipponSuisan Gakkaishi, 67 (2): 238-243. (J)

Quimio, C.A., Torrizo, L.B., Setter, T.L., Ellis,M., Grover, A., Abrigo, E.M., Oliva, N.P.,Ella, E.S., Carpena, A., Ito, O., Peacock,W.J., Dennis, E. and Datta, S.K. (2000).Enhancement of submergence tolerancein transgenic rice overproducing pyruvatedecarboxylase. Journal of PlantPhysiology, 156: 516-521.

Sasaki, S. (2000) Problems rerated to theharvesting methods of tropical forests.The Malaysian case. The TropicalForestry, 49: (J)

Sakuma, Y. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Protein complex synthesis. In:Lab Manual of Model Plants: MolecularGenetic and Molecular BiologicalMethods, Iwabuchi, M., Okada, K. andShimamoto, K. (eds.), Springer, 258-267.(J)

Sayama, M., Homma, Y. and Takenaka, S.(2001). Biological control of Rhizoctoniadamping-off and root rot of sugar beet byVerticillium biguttatum. Japanese Journalof Phytopathology, 67: 12-18. (J)

Sayama, M., Homma, Y. and Takenaka, S.(2000). Effect of wild oats and sugar beetcultivar cultivation on the population ofPolymyxa betae as a fungal vector ofrhizomania disease of sugar beets in fieldsoil. The Annual Report of the Society ofPlant Protection of North Japan, 51: 73-76. (J)

Sayama, M., Homma, Y., Furuya, H. andTakenaka, S. (2001). Some properties ofsuppressive soil induced by successiveinoculations of Rhizoctonia solania n a s t o m o s i s g r o u p 2 - 2 . S o i lMicroorganisms, 55: 37-44. (J)

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Abe, H., Kasuga, M.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Carninci, P.,Hayashizaki, Y. and Shinozaki, K.(2001). Monitoring the expression pattern

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of 1,300 Arabidopsis genes underdrought and cold stresses using a full-length cDNA microarray. The Plant Cell,13 (1): 61-72.

Shono, M., Wada, M., Hara, Y. and Fujii, T.(2001). Molecular cloning of Na+-ATPase cDNA from a marine algae,Heterosigma akashiwo. Biochimica etBiophysica Acta, 1511(1): 193-199.

Sogawa, K., Liu, G. and Yan, Q. (2000). Riceplanthopper resistance of interspecificprotoplast fusion line. Chinese RiceResearch Newsletter, 8(1): 5-6.

Sogawa, K., Liu, G., Zhang, H., Zhu, C. andHe, Y. (2000). Mode of inheritance ofwhitebacked planthopper resistance inChinese japonica rice Chunjiang 06.Kyushu Plant Protection Research, 46:40-43. (J)

Suzuki, K., Miyake, H., Taniguchi, T. andMaeda, E. (2000). Cellularization of thefree nuclear endosperm in rice caryopsisrevealed by l ight and e lec t ronmicroscopy. Plant Production Science,3 (4): 446-458.

Suzuki, K., Takeda, H. and Egawa, Y. (2000).Morphological aspect of blossom-endrot in fruits of tomato. Acta Horticulture,511: 257-264.

Tabuchi, H., Hashimoto, N., Takeuchi, A.,Terao, T. and Fukuta, Y. (2000).Genetic analysis of semi-dwarfism of thejaponica rice cultivar. Kinuhikari.Breeding Science, 50: 1-7.

Takagi, H. (2000). Recent developments incryopreservation of plant geneticr e s o u r c e s . C r y o b i o l o g y a n dCryotechnology, 46 (1): 30-37. (J)

Takahashi, S., Katagiri, T., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).An Arabidopsis gene encoding a Ca2+-binding protein is induced by abscisicacid during dehydration. Plant andCell Physiology, 41 (7): 898-903.

Terauchi, T. and Matsuoka, M. (2000). Idealcharacteristics for the early growth ofsugarcane. Japanese Journal of CropScience, 69 (3): 286-292. (J)

Terauchi, T., Harazono, Y., Matsuoka, M.,Nakagawa, H. and Nakano, H. (2000).Evaluation of suitability of sugarcane aswindbreak hedge. Japanese Journal ofTropical Agriculture, 44 (4) : 252-258.(J)

Terauchi, T., Matsuoka, M., Kobayashi, M.and Nakano, H. (2000). Activity ofsucrose phosphate synthase in relation tosucrose concentrations in sugarcaneinternodes. J a p a n e s e J o u r n a l o fTropical Agriculture, 44 (3): 147-151.

Tsutsui, N., Kawazoe, I., Ohira, T., Jasmani, S.,Yang, W-J., Wilder, M.N. and Aida, K.(2000). Molecular characterization of acDNA encoding vitellogenin and itsexpression in the hepatopancreas andovary during vitellogenesis in the kurumaprawn, Penaeus japonicus. ZoologicalScience, 17: 651-660.

Uchida, S. (2000). Sub-pixel classification ofland use using temporal profile of NDVI.Journal of the Japan Society ofPhotogrammetry and Remote Sensing,40 (1): 43-54.

Uno, Y., Furihata, T., Abe,H., Yoshida, R.,Shinozaki , K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2000). Arabidopsis basicleucine zipper transcription factorsinvolved in an abscisic acid-dependentsignal transduction pathway underdrought and high-salinity conditions.Proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences, 97 (21): 11632-11637.

Urao, T., Miyata, S., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Possible Histo Asp phosphorelay signaling in anArabidopsis two-component system.FEBS Letters, 478(3): 227-232.

Watanabe,T., Tsuruta, H. and Minami, K.(2000). Nitrous oxide emissions fromfertilized upland fields in Thailand.Nutrient Cycling in Agro-Ecosystem,57 (1): 55-65.

Wilder, M.N., Huong, D.T.T., Atomomarsono,M., Hien T.T.T., Phu, T.Q. and Yang, W-J. (2000). Characterization of Na/K-ATPase in Macrobrachium rosenbergiiand the effects of changing salinity onenzymatic activity. ComparativeBiochemistry and Physiology Part A, 125:377-388.

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Published proceedings andconference presentations

Wilder, M.N., Huong, D.T.T., Okuno, A.,Atomomarsono, M. and Yang, W-J.(2001). Ouabain-sensitive Na/K-ATPaseactivity increases during embryogenesisin the g iant f reshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii. FisheriesSciences 67: 182-184.

Xia, B., Li, L., Li, X. and Tatsumi, E. (2000).The development of electroosmoticdewatering and its application research.Food Science and Technology (China),115: 10-11. (C)

Yadegari, R., Kinoshita, T., Lotan, O., Cohen,G., Katz, A., Hoi, Y., Katz, A.,Nakashima, K., Harada, J.J., Goldberg,R.B., Fischer, R.L. and Ohad, N. (2000). Mutations in the FIE and MEA genesthat encode interacting polycomb proteinscausing parent-of-origin effects on seeddevelopment by distinct mechanisms. ThePlant Cell, 12 (12): 2367-2381.

Yagi, K. (2000). Interaction betweengreenhouse gases and soil ecosystems. 4.Halocarbons and soil ecosystem.Japanese Journal of Soil Science andPlant Nutrition, 71 (5): 718-725. (J)

Yagi, K. (2000). Material cycling in agro-ecosystems of Japan and China. Journalof Tropical Animal Husbandry Societyof Japan, V (P): 13-21. (J)

Yamada, R.C., Tuyen, N.Q.C., Lai, N.X. andDung, L.C. (2000). Existing constraintsand future direction on the developmentand extension of farming systems in theMekong Delta of Vietnam. Journal ofAgricultural Development Studies, 11(1): 72-79.

Ya n g , W-J . , Oh i r a ,Y. , Tsu t su i , N . ,Subramoniam, T., Huong, D.T.T., Aida,K . a n d Wilder, M . N . ( 2 0 0 0 ) .Determination of amino acid sequenceand site of mRNA expression of fourvitellins in the giant freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Journal ofExperimental Zoology, 287: 413-422.

Yao, H., Yagi, K. and Nouchi, I. (2000).Importance of physical plant propertieson methane transport through several ricecultivars. Plant and Soil, 222: 83-93.

Yasunobu, K.,Tuyen, N,Q. and Yamada, R.(2000). Diversified farm managementwith crop, livestock, and fish componentsand the size of component in the MekongDelta, Vietnam. Japanese Journal of FarmManagement, 38 (2): 1-13. (J)

Ye, C., Kato, A., Saito, K., Ise, K., Dai, L. andYang, Q. (2000). QTL analysis of coldtolerance at the booting stage in Yunnanrice variety Chongtui. Chinese Journal ofRice Science, 15 (1): 13-16.

Abe, H., Urao, T. , Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001).Rd22BP1(MYC) and ATMYB2(MYB)act as transcriptional activators in ABAsignaling. The 2001 Annual Meeting ofthe J apanese Soc ie ty o f P l an tPhysiologists, 298: S330. (J)

Abe, H., Urao, T., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.a n d S h i n o z a k i , K . ( 2 0 0 0 ) .Rd22BP1(MYC) and ATMYB2(MYB)act as transcriptional activators in ABAsignaling. The 23rd Annual Meeting ofthe Molecular Biology Society of Japan,122: 2PC-322. (J)

Abe, H., Urao, T., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.and Shinozaki, K. (2000). The regulationof drought- and ABA-inducible geneexpression of Arabidopsis rd22 gene. 6th

Internat ional Congress of PlantMolecular Biology, Quebec, Canada:S09-1.

Aboagye, L.M., Terauchi, T., Matsuoka, M.and Arifin, N.S. (2001). Evaluation oftreatments for the sustainability of cutsugarcane stalks. Japanese Journal ofTropical Agriculture, 45 (1): 73-74.

Adachi, T., Nakamura, S., Hassanali, A.,Downham,M.C.A. and Tatsuki, S.(2000). Population dynamics and efficacyof synthetic pheromone traps in thelegume pod borer, Maruca vitrata in acowpea field of Kenya.World CowpeaResearch Conference III, Abstracts ofpaper and poster presentations, Ibadan,Nigeria, 3: 10

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Ban, T. (2000). Review - Studies on the geneticsof resistance to Fusarium head blightcaused by Fusarium graminearum inwheat. Proceedings of the InternationalSymposium on Wheat Improvement forScab Resistance, Shuzou and Nangjin,People’s Republic of China: 82-93.

Ban, T. and Inagaki, M. (2000). Geneticdifference of resistance to Fusarium headb l igh t in two whea t cu l t iva rs ,Nobeokabouzu-komugi and Sumai 3. 6th

International Wheat Congress, Budapest,Hungary: 57.

Banzai, K., Masuda, T., and Sugahara, K.(2000). The volume of red soil loss insloping plot frame of sugarcane. The 49th

Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainageand Reclamation Engineering (JSIDRE)Annual Congress: 518-519. (J)

Borkert, C.M., Sfredo, G.J., Lantmann, A.F. andHitsuda, K. (2000) . Ef fec t o fmicronutriton on soybean production inBrazil. Abstracts of the 22nd AnnualMeeting on Soybean Research for theCentral Region of Brazil, Cuiaba, MatoGroso, Brazil: 169. (P)

Caldwell, J.S. (2000). Rainfed agriculture inMali: an example of cropping systemsin semi-arid West Africa. JapaneseJournal of Tropical Agriculture, 88 (2):116-121. (J)

Carrao-Panizzi, M.C., Almeida, L.A., Kiihl,R.A.S., Miranda, L.C., Kikuchi, A.,Mandarino, J.M.G., Bordignon, J.R.,Shimanuki, S. , Degawa, H. andTsukamoto, C. (2000). Breeding effortsfor nutritional and food processingquality of soybean at EMBRAPA, Brazil.Proceedings of the 3rd InternationalSoybean Processing and UtilizationConference: 37-40.

Carrao-Panizzi, M.C., Almeida, L.A., Miranda,L.C., Kiihl, R.A.S., Mandarino, J.M.G.and Kikuchi, A. (2000). Geneticbreeding of chemical and nutritionalcompositions in soybeans. Proceedings ofthe National Symposium for FunctionalAliments in the New Millennium: 17-18.(P)

Casagrande, E.C., Nepomuceno, A.L., Farias,J.R.B., Neumaier, N., Oya, T. and

Pedroso, J.C. (2000). Expressao genicadiferencial em cultivares de sojasubmetidas ao deficit hidrico. ResumosXXII Reuniao de pesquisa de soja daregiao central do Brasil, Cuiaba, Brazil:117-118. (P)

Casagrande, E.C., Nepomuceno, A.L., Farias,J.R.B., Neumaier, N., Oya, T. andPedroso, J.C. (2000). Identificacao degenes diferencialmente expressos durantea seca em cultivares de soja (Glycine maxL. Merril). Genetics and MolecularBiology (46 Congresso Nacional deGenetica, Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil), 23(3) (Supplement): 224-225. (P)

Chen, Z.X. and Uchida, S. (2000). Estimatingwinter wheat acreage using remotelysensed imagery wi th sub-p ixe lclassification algorithm. Proceedings ofthe Conference of Japan Society ofPhotogrammetry and Remote Sensing:19-22.

Cheng, M., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2000).Influences of rice varieties and millingprocesses on rice flour characteristics.99 th International Symposium andExhibition on Cereals and Their FoodProcessing Technology and Equipment,Beijing, People’s Republic of China. (C)

Chuah, T.T., Oseko, N., Palanisamy, V., Kua,B.C., Siti-Zahrah, A. and Azila, A.(2000). An assessment of cell-lines in fishvirus detection. Proceedings of the 2nd

National Fisheries Symposium inMalaysia: 25.

Correa, M.R., Kanno, T., Macedo, M.C.M.,Santos Jr., J.D.G. and Beretta, L.G.(2001). Effects of fertilization and legumeintroduction on the forage production ofBrachiaria decumbens pastures.Proceedings of the 19th InternationalGrassland Congress, Sao Pedro, Brazil:818-819.

Daud, W.R.W., Peng, L.C. and Tanaka, R.(2000). Variables affecting the sodapulping of oil palm fiberes (EFB).Proceedings for 5th National Seminar onUtilization of Oil Palm Tree. (J)

Dubouzet, J.G., Sakuma, Y., Dubouzet, E.G.,Miura, S., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Isolation and

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characterization of the DREB family ofgenes in r ice, Oryza sat iva . 4 th

International Rice Genetics Symposium,Los Banos, Philippines: 150-151.

Dubouzet, J.G., Sakuma, Y., Dubouzet, E.G.,Miura, S., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.and Shinozaki, K. (2000). OsDREBgenes in rice, Oryza sativa and stress-responsive transcription activators. The23rd Annual Meeting of the MolecularBiology Society of Japan: 162, 3PC-254.

Dubouzet, J.G., Sakuma, Y., Dubouzet, E.G.,Shinozaki , K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). DREB genes inrice, Oryza sativa L. The 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists: 399, S413.

Egawa,Y., Takeda, H., Suzuki, K., Tsukaguchi,T., Nakano, H. and Momonoki, T. (2000).Heat tolerance of Phaseolus vulgaris. 7.Incorporation of heat tolerance exhibitedby Haibushi into other cultivars.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,44 (Extra issue 1): 47-48. (J)

Egawa, Y., Tsukaguchi, T., Takeda, H. andSuzuki, K. (2001). Heat tolerance ofPhaseolus vulgaris. 10. Simple crossingmethod of snap bean using physiologicalpol len s ter i l i ty caused by hightemperature treatment. Japanese Journalof Tropical Agriculture, 45 (Extra issue1): 41-42. (J)

Egawa, Y., Tsukaguchi, T., Takeda, H. andSuzuki, K. (2000). Heat tolerance ofPhaseolus vulgaris. 9. Occurrence ofmale sterility in a hybrid between snapbean cultivars, Haibushi and KurodaneKinugasa. Japanese Journal of TropicalAgriculture, 44 (Extra issue 2): 81-82.(J)

Egawa, Y., Tsukaguchi, T., Takeda, H. andSuzuki, K. (2001). Heat tolerance ofPhaseolus vulgaris. 11. Development ofcytoplasmic male sterile line of Haibushi,a heat-tolerant snap bean variety.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,45 (Extra issue, P): 43-44. (J)

Ferreira, M.P., Kikuchi, A., Ida, E.I. andCarrao-Panizzi, M.C. (2000). Evaluationof isoflavone content in tempe.Proceedings of the 3rd International

Soybean Processing and UtilizationConference: 353-354.

Fukami, K., Yamamoto, K. and Hatta, T.(2000). Physical properties of grindedcorn feeds. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society ofApplied Glycoscience, 49: 454 (J)

Fukuta, N., Fukuta, Y. and Matsumura, O.(2000). Varietal difference in snowtolerance of broad bean (Vicia faba L.)7: Genetic and growth analysis of Rinrei,the hardiest snow-tolerant and dwarfvariety. Japanese Journal of CropScience, 69 (Separate vol.2): 186-187. (J)

Fukuta, Y., Kobayashi, K., Tsunematsu, H.,Ebron, L.A., Kato, H., Umemoto, T.,Morita, S., Sato, T., Yamaya, T., Nemoto,H., Maeda, H., Hamamura, K., Ogawa,T., Matsue, Y., Ichitani, K. and Takagi,A. (2000). QTL reaction of heading datein different sites from tropical totemperate regions. The 4th InternationalRice Genetics Symposium (Abstracts):100.

Fukuta, Y., Kobayashi, S., Tsunematsu, H.,Ebron, L.A., Kato, H., Umemoto, T.,Morita, S., Sato, T., Yamaya, T.,Nagamine, T., Fukuyama, T., Ashikawa,I., Tamura, K., Nemoto, H., Maeda, H.,Hamamura, K., Ogata, T., Matsue, U.,Ichitani, K., and Takagi, A. (2000).Genetic and breeding analysis usingmolecular marker. 19. Reaction patternof QTL for heading date at differentlocations. Breeding Research, 2 (Separatevol.1): 118. (J)

Fukuta, Y., Ueno, K., Sato, T. and Tsunematsu,H. (2000). Study of seed germinationusing QTL analysis in rice (Oryza sativaL.). Japan Journal of Crop Science, 69(Separate vol.1): 54-55. (J)

Fukuta, Y., Ueno, K., Tsunematsu, H. and Sato,T. (2000). QTL analysis for seedgermination in rice (Oryza sativa L.). 3rd

International Crop Science Congress:215.

Furihata, T., Uno, Y., Abe, H., Parvez, M.M.,Yoshida, R., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.a n d S h i n o z a k i , K . ( 2 0 0 0 ) .Characterization of bZIP transcriptionfactor, AREB (ABA responsive element

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binding protein) involved in drought-responsive, ABA-dependent geneexpress ion in Arab idops i s . 6 th

Internat ional Congress of PlantMolecular Biology, Quebec, Canada:S09-22.

Furihata, T., Uno, Y., Abe, H., Yoshida, R.,Shinozaki , K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Analysis of ABA-dependent regulation of drought-responsive gene expression by bZIPt r a n s c r i p t i o n f a c t o r A R E B i nArabidopsis. The 2001 Annual Meetingof the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, Fukuoka, Japan, 401:S415. (J)

Furihata, T., Uno, Y., Abe, H., Yoshida, R.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Analysis of ABA-responsive gene expression through bZIPtranscription factor AREB1 and AREB2in Arabidopsis.The 23rd Annual Meetingof the Molecular Biology Society ofJapan, 162: 3PC-248. (J)

Hara,Y., Fukushima, K., Shono, M., Wada, M.and Urayama, O. (2000). Expression ofNa+/K+-ATPase gene from marine algain animal cells. Seikagaku: The Journalof Japanese Biochemical Society, 72 (8):885. (J)

Hatta, T., Nemoto, S. and Kainuma, K. (2000).The uppermost surface and bulk structureof starch granules. Abstract of the AnnualMeeting of The Japanese Society ofApplied Glycoscience, 49: 56. (J)

Hidaka, T., Komori, S., Fukamachi, H. andOgawa, K. (2000). Effective rootingsystem for tissue-cultured papaya.Journal of the Japanese Society ofHorticultural Science, 69 (Supplement 1):214 (J)

Hidaka, T., Komori, S., Fukamachi, H. andOgawa, K. (2000). Regeneration systemof papaya (Carica papaya L.) tissueculture. Journal of the Japanese Societyof Horticultural Science, 69 (Supplement1): 76. (J)

Hiraoka, H. (2000). The progress and featuresin wet-seeded rice cultivation in theMekong Delta in Vietnam. Proceedingsof the Conference on Rice Research and

Development in Vietnam for the 21st

Century: Aspects of Vietnam-IndiaCooperation, Cantho, Vietnam: 195-208.

Hirota, Y., Eguchi, T., Doi, K., Ohmomo, S.and Ogata, S. (2001). On the gene codedbiosynthesis of and immunology againstbacteriocin, Enterocin SE-K4, inEnterococcus faecalis K-4 (2Y4a13).Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of theJapan Soc ie ty fo r B iosc i ence ,Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry in2001: 213. (J)

Hitsuda, K., Sfredo, G.J. and Klepker, D.(2000). Sulfur and micronutrientsupplying capacity of two cerrado soilsfrom northeastern Brazil; (1) Sulfur asthe first growth-limiting factor forsoybean in a series of elements. Abstractsof the 24th Meeting of the BrazilianSociety of Soil Science and PlantNutrition. Santa Maria, Rio Grande doSur, Brazil: 41. (P)

Hitsuda, K., Sfredo, G.J. and Klepker, D.(2000). Sulfur and micronutrientsupplying capacity of two cerrado soilsfrom northeastern Brazil; (2) Criterion ofsulfur application. Abstracts of the 24th

Meeting of the Brazilian Society of SoilScience and Plant Nutrition, Santa Maria,Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil: 141. (P)

Hitsuda, K., Sfredo, G.J. and Klepker, D.(2000). Sulfur and micronutrientsupplying capacity of two cerrado soilsfrom northeastern Brazil; (3) Predictionof sulfur application. Abstracts of the22nd Annual Meeting on SoybeanResearch for the Central Region ofBrazil, Cuiaba, Mato Groso, Brazil: 171-172. (P)

Hitsuda, K., Sfredo, G.J. and Lantmann, A.F.(2000). Sulfur and micronutrientsupplying capacity of two cerrado soilsfrom northeastern Brazil; (1) Sulfur as agrowth-limiting factor for soybean plants.Abstracts of the 46th Conference ofJapanese Society of Soil Science andPlant Nutrition: 46151. (J)

Hosen, Y., Yan, X.Y. and Yagi, K. (2000).Nitrogen dynamics in an Andisol uplandfield and the environmental impact. (2)Effect of fertilizer placement and type onnitric oxide emissions. Abstracts of the

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Annual Meeting, Japanese Society ofSoil Science and Plant Nutrition: 46:207. (J)

Ichitani, K., Fukuta, Y., Koba, K., Taura, S.and Sato, M. (2000). Molecular mappingof Hwc-2, one of complementaryweakness genes. The 4th InternationalRice Genetics Symposium (Abstracts):98.

Ichitani, K., Kiba, K., Fukuta, Y., Taura, S.and Sato, M. (2000). Identification of oneof complementary hybrid weakness geneloci, Hwc-2, in rice (Oryza sativa L.).Breeding Research, 2 (Separate vol.1):60 (J)

Igarashi, Y., Yoshiba, Y., Sanada, Y., Wada, K.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Relationship ofproline accumulation and salt tolerancein rice under salt stress. The 2000 Japan/Korea Joint Symposium of Plant Science,Shizuoka, Japan, 147: A-5.

Ishikawa, T. (2000). Nitrification suppressionin soil by root of a tropical grass:Nitrogen absorption by tropical grasses.Abstracts of the Annual Meeting,Japanese Society of Soil Science andPlant Nutrition, Tokyo, 46: 106. (J)

Ishiki, K. and Rubio, A. (2000). Variation ofoligofructan content among yaconcultivars of South America. Yacon, 3: 10-11. (J)

Ishiki, K., Salazar, C., Salgado, V., Galarza,R. and Vinueza, J. (2000). Karyotypeanalysis of arracacha (Arracaciaxanthorrhiza). Breeding Research, 2(Extra issue 2): 204. (J)

Ishiki, K., Galarza, R., Salgado, V., Vinueza,J. and Salazar, C. (2000). Characteristicsand karyotype of ulluco (Ullucustuberosus). Breeding Research, 2 (Extraissue 1): 236. (J)

Ishiki, K., Rubio, A., Salgado, V. and Sugiura,M. (2000). Evaluation of oligofructancontent in yacon (Smal lanthussonchifolius) germplasm. TwelfthSymposium of the International Societyfor Tropical Root Crops (ISTRC), Bookof Abstracts: 141.

Ishiki, K., Salazar, C., Salgado, V., Galarza,R. and Vinueza, J. (2000). Plant type andy ie ld o f a r r acacha (Arracac iaxanthorrhiza) cultivated in Ecuador.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,45 (Extra issue 1): 65-66. (J)

Ito, O. (2000). Crop and resource managementfor improved productivity in dry-landfarming system. Proceedings of theI n t e r n a t i o n a l S y m p o s i u m o nManagement Technologies for theImprovement of Problem Soils: 61-68.

Ito, O. (2000). Green revolution from theviewpoint of the International RiceResearch Ins t i tu te . Pos t -GreenRevolution, Part 3: 15-49. (J)

Ito, O. and Kondo, M. (2000). Crop andresource management for improvedproductivity in dryland farming systems.Proceedings of the 12 th ToyotaConference: Challenge of plant andagricultural sciences to the crisis ofbiosphere on the Earth in the 21st century:99-106.

Iwatake, A., Eguchi, T., Doi, K., Ohmomo, S.and Ogata, S. (2001). Characteristics ofthe production of bacteriocin inEnterococcus faecalis K-4 (1Y1p24).Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of theJapan Soc ie ty fo r B iosc i ence ,Biotechnology, and grochemistry in 2001:98. (J)

Kanda, K. and Miranda, C.H.B. (2000). N andC mineralization under the agropastoralsystems. Japan Soil and Plant NutritionAcademy, 47: 341. (J)

Kaneniwa, M., Yokoyama, M. Murata, Y. andKuwahara, R. (2000). Enzymatichydrolysis of lipids in muscle of fish andshellfish during cold storage. Book ofAbstracts, 2000 International ChemicalCongress of Pacific Basin Societies,Hawaii, 1-119.

Kaneniwa, M., Yokoyama, M., Yuan, C.,Deng, D., Chen, S., and Fukuda, Y.(2000). Enzymatic hydrolysis of lipidsin muscle of Chinese freshwater fish.Abstracts Book, The Third WorldFisheries Congress, Beijing, People’sRepublic of China: 222.

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Kanno, T., Macedo, M.C.M., Bono, J.A.,Santos Jr., J.D.G., Correa, M.R. andBeret ta , L.G.R. (2001) . Forageproductivity of Panicum maximumpastures in two different agropastoralsystems. Proceedings of the 19 th

International Grassland Congress, SaoPedro, Brazil: 737-738.

Kasuga, M., Miura, S., Liu, Q., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Isolation of transgenic tobacco targetgenes that overexpress DREB1A cDNAfor transcription factors involved indehydration and cold responsive geneexpression. The 23rd Annual Meeting ofthe Molecular Biology Society of Japan:2PB-214. (J)

Kasuga, M., Miura, S., Liu, Q., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2001).Overexpression of the ArabidopsisDREB1A gene for a stress-inducibletranscription factor improved drought,salt, and cold stress tolerance intransgenic tobacco. Gordon ResearchConference: Temperature Stress in Plants,Ventura, California, USA.

Kasuga, M., Nanjo, T., Satoh, R., Shinozaki,K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2001). Accumulation of proline in thetransgenic Arabidopsis overexpressingthe DREB1A gene. The 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, 402: S416. (J)

Kawano, N., Yamauchi, Y., Tanaka, K.,Evangelina, S.E. and Ito, O. (2000).Importance of ascorbic acid insubmergence tolerance. Abstracts of the64th Annual Meeting of the BotanicalSociety of Japan, 215. (J)

Kikuchi, A., Sakai, T., Shimada, H., Mandarino,J.M.G., Bordignon, J.R., Takada, Y.,Adachi, T., Tabuchi, K., Carrao-Panizzi,M.C. and Shimada, S. (2000). Geneticdiversity and inheritance of isoflavonecontents in soybean seeds. Proceeding ofthe 3rd International Soybean Processingand Utilization Conference, 59-60.

Kimoto, H., Ohmomo, S. and Okamoto, T.(2001). Lactic acid bacteria of the genusLactococcus as a probiotic. Proceedingsof the Annual Meeting of the JapaneseSociety of Zootechnical Science in 2001:

47. (J)

Kimoto, H., Kobayashi, M., Ohmomo, S. andOkamoto, T. (2001). Relationshipbetween bile acid tolerance and plasmidin L a c t o c o c c u s s p . ( 2 Y 1 a 1 4 ) .Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of theJapan Soc ie ty fo r B iosc i ence ,Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry in2001: 205. (J)

Kiso, K., Mahyam, I.S. and Fadzil, M.H.(2000). Demersal fish fauna underdifferent levels of developmental activityin mangrove areas of West CoastPeninsular Malaysia. Proceedings of theUJNR Aquaculture Panel, 29th JointMeeting Satellite Symposium: 8.

Kitani, H., Momotani, E., Yagi, Y., Naessens,J., Sekikawa, K., Teale, A. and Iraqi, F.(2000). TNFα gene knockout mice arehighly susceptible to Trypanosomacongolense infection. The 129th AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society ofVeterinary Science: 59. (J)

Kitani, H., Naessens, J., Momotani, E., Yagi,Y., Sekikawa, K., Teale, A. and Iraqi, F.(2000). The roles of tumor necrosis factoralpha in Trypanosoma congolenseinfection in mice. The 71st AnnualMeeting of the Zoological Society ofJapan, 128. (J)

Kobayashi, M., Nomura, M., Ohmomo, S. andOkamoto, T. (2001). On the metabolicburden by a plasmid of Lactococcal strain(3Y3p15). Proceedings of the AnnualMeeting of the Japan Society forBioscience, Biotechnology, andAgrochemistry in 2001: 354. (J)

Kohno, K. (2000). Development andreproduction of Antilochus coqueberti( H e t e r o p t e r a : P y r r h o c o r i d a e ) .Proceedings of the 60th Annual Meetingof the Entomological Society of Japan,Vol. 60: 21. (J)

Kohno, K., Takahashi, K. and Konishi, K.(2000). Occurrence of the Asian citruspsylla and its parasitic natural enemiesin Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan .Symposium Booklet InternationalSymposium on Tropical and SubtropicalFruits: 27-28.

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Koyama, O. (2001). Food security and multi-functionality of agriculture. Proceedingso f A P O S e m i n a r o n R o l e o fMultifunctionality in Agriculture PolicyReform, 58-71.

Koyama, O. (2001). Projections of world foodsupply and demand, using a long-termdynamic simulator. Proceedings of FFTCInternational Seminar on Issues in theManagement of Agricultural Resources:24-36.

Kubota, S., Saito, K., Egdane, J., Fukuda, N.,Ishii, R. and Ito, O. (2000). Carbontranslocation from flag leaf to panicleduring maturity in NPTis. JapaneseJournal of Crop Science, 69 (S1): 8-9.

Kuwahara, R., Kaneniwa, M., Murata, Y. andYokoyama, M. (2000). UV-B absorbingsubstance in aquatic animals. Book ofAbstracts, 2000 International ChemicalCongress of Pacific Basin Societies,Hawaii, USA: 9-1764.

Li, L., Li, X., Isobe, S., Uemura, K. andTatsumi, E. (2000). Electroosmoticdewatering of soybean products. TheThird International Soybean Processingand Utilization Conference, Tsukuba,Japan: 553-554.

Lin, T. and Ishiki, K. (2000). AFLP analysis ofgene t i c d ive r s i t y and cu l t i va rclassification in longan (Dimocarpuslongan Lour.). Breeding Research, 2(Separate vol. 2): 206.

Lin,T., Chen, Z.G., Wu, N.H. and Ishiki, K.(2000). Analysis of rbcL gene in longan(Dimocarpus longan Lour.). BreedingResearch, 2 (Separate vol.1): 112.

Liu, X., Ishiki, K. and Wang, W.X. (2000).Association of the genetic diversity ofparental lines with the performance ofhybrid rice revealed by AFLP. BreedingResearch, 2 (Separate vol. 2): 205.

Liu, X., Ishiki, K. and Wang, W.X. (2000).Current status and prospect of hybrid riceresearch in China. Breeding Research, 2(Extra issue 1): 124.

Luo, Y., Kuwahara, R., Kaneniwa, M., Murata,Y. and Yokoyama, M. (2000). Gel

properties of surimi from Alaska pollockand common carp as affected by SPIcontent and setting conditions. AbstractsBook, The Third World FisheriesCongress, Beijing, People’s Republic ofChina: 240

Macedo, M.C.M., Bono, J.A., Zimmer, A.H.,Costa, F.P., Kanno, T., Miranda, C.H.B.and Kichel, A.N. (2001). Agropastoralsystems as an alternative to revert pasturedegradation in the cerrados of Brazil:preliminary results. Proceedings of the19th International Grassland Congress,Sao Pedro, Brazil: 966-967.

Mandarino, J.M.G., Kikuchi, A. and Carrao-Panizzi, M.C. (2000). The promotion ofsoybean utilization as human food inBraz i l . P roceed ings o f the 3 r d

International Soybean Processing andUtilization Conference: 571-572.

Maoka, T. and Noda, C. (2000). Developmentof transgenic papaya plants withmultivirus/multistrain resisitance:Reactions of PRSV resistant papayacultivar 'Sun Up' to PRSV Asian isolatesand PLDMV. Japanese Journal ofPhytopathology, 66 (2): 169. (J)

Maoka, T., Xiao, H., Kohno, K., and Noda, C.(2000). Geographical distribution andmolecular poperties of papaya's virusesin China. International Symposium onTropical and Subtropical Fruits,Symposium booklet: 79.

Martins, P.K., Oya, T., Neumaier, N., Farias,J.R.B., Casagrande, E.C., Pedroso, J.C.,Breton, M.C. and Nepomuceno, A.L.(2000). Expressao genica em raizes desoja (Glycine max L., Merril) submetidasa condicoes de deficit hidrico. Geneticsand Molecular Biology, 46 CongressoNacional de Genetica, Aguas de Lindoia,Brazil, 23 (3) (Supplement): 451.

Masuda, T., Katsuta, Y., Arasaki, M. andSugahara, K. (2000). Effect of controlledrelease fertilizer application on springtransplanting cultivation of the lateralshoot seedlings in sugarcane. Abstractsof the Annual Meeting, Japanese Societyof Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 46:163. (J)

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Matsuhisa, M., Kyono, A., Kimata, M., Hatta,T. and Nishida, N. (2000). Mineralogicaleffect of the lone pair of Sb on stibnite.Abstracts of the Annual Meeting ofMineral. Society of Japan: 123. (J)

Matsumoto, N., Kabaki, N. and Wangkahart,T. (2000). Nutrient cycles on alleycropping systems in Northeast Thailand.Abstracts of the 46th Annual Meeting ofJapanese Society of Soil Science and PlantNutrition, Tokyo, 149. (J)

Matsuo, K. (2000). Control of soybean cystnematode with animal feces: sustainablefood production in cropping systems oftemperate regions. Proceedings ofInternational Workshop: 93-104.

Matsuoka, M., Ideta, O., Tanio, M. andTe r a u c h i , T. ( 2 0 0 1 ) . E d i b l einflorescence formation of Saccharumedule in Ishigaki island, Okinawa.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,45 (Extra issue 1): 77-78. (J)

Matsuoka, M., Kyousou, T., Inaishi, Y., Ideta,O., Tanio, M., Hayakawa, A. and Miwa,H. (2000). Agrobacterium-mediatedtransformation of sugarcane using cellsuspension culture. Japanese Journal ofTropical Agriculture, 45 (Extra issue 2):17-18. (J)

Miyata, N., Yamauchi, Y., Tanaka, K. and Ito,O. (2000). Analysis of inducive genes insalt tolerant r ice varieties usingdifferential display. Abstracts of the 64th

Annual Meeting of the Botanical Societyof Japan, 215. (J)

Murata, Y., Sata, N., Yokoyama, M. ,Kuwahara, R., Kaneniwa, M., and Ohara,I. (2000). Quantitative determination ofpulcherrimine in sea urchin. Abstracts ofthe Annual Meeting, the Japanese Societyof Fisheries Science: 110. (J)

Murata, Y., Yokoyama, Y., Unuma, T., Sata, N.,Kuwahara, R. and Kaneniwa, M. (2000).Seasonal changes in bitter taste of seaurchin ovary from Iwaki. Abstracts ofthe Annual Meeting, the Japanese Societyof Fisheries Science: 110. (J)

Nagata, K., Fukuta, Y., Shimizu, H., Yagi, T.and Terao,T. (2000). Eco-physiologicalstudies for the improvement of ripening

traits in the rice plant (Oryza sativa L.).(3) Quantitative trait loci for sink sizeand ripening traits in the back-crossedinbred lines derived from the crossSasanishiki/Habataki//Sasanishiki.Japanese Journal of Crop Science, 69(Separate vol.2): 134-135. (J)

Nagata, K., Fukuta, Y., Shinizu, H., Yagi, T.and Terao, T. (2000). Eco-physiologicalstudies for the improvrment of ripeningtraits in rice plant (Oryza sativa L.) (S)Analysis of the mechanisms that the twoQTL’s controlling sink size differentlyaffect ripening traits. Japanese Journal ofCrop Science, 69 (Separate vol.2): 136-137. (J)

Nakamura, S. (2000). Multiple oviposition bythe parasitoid fly, Exorista japonica, isadvantageous in interspecific competitionwith the microtype-egg strategist, Palespavida . Proceedings of the 21 st

International Congress of Entomology,Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, 21: 405.

Nakamura, S. and Okuda, T. (2000). JHbiosynthesis by corpora allata in Locustamigratoria and Schistocerca gregaria onartificial diet. Proceedings of the 21st

International Congress of Entomology,Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, 21: 624.

Nakano, M. and Liao, L. (2000). Soybean virusdiseases in Northeast China. Proceedingsof the 1st Asian Conference of PlantPathology, Beijing, People’s Republic ofChina: 150.

Nakashima, K., Miura, S., Ohgawara, E.,Shinozaki , K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Isolation andcharacterization of Arabidopsis mutantsaltered in cold-, salinity-, and ABA-induction of rd29A gene expression. The2001 Annual Meeting of the JapaneseSociety of Plant Physiologists, Fukuoka,Japan, 238 (F301). (J)

Nakashima, K., Narusaka, Y., Abe, H.,Furihata, T., Sakuma, Y., Shinwari, Z.K.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2001). The relationshipof the two cis-acting elements, DRE andABRE, in the dehydration, high salt andlow temperature responsive expression ofthe rd29A gene in Arabidopsis thaliana.G o r d o n R e s e a r c h C o n f e r e n c e :

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Temperature Stress in Plants, Ventura,California, USA.

Nakashima, K., Narusaka, Y., Simpson, S.D.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Promoter analysisof the erd1 gene encoding Clp proteaseregulatory subunit homolog undersenescence and dehydra t ion inA r a b i d o p s i s .11 t h I n t e r n a t i o n a lConference on Arabidopsis Research,Madison, USA: 115.

Nanjo, T., Kobayashi, M., Yoshiba, Y.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Evaluation ofabiotic stress tolerance of antisensetransgenic Arabidopsis with suppressedproline degradation. Plant responses toenvironments: molecular mechanisms andapplications to biotechnology. The 2000Japan/Korea Joint Symposium of PlantScience, Shizuoka, Japan, 147: A-6.

Narusaka, Y., Nakashima, K., Abe, H.,Furihata, T., Sakuma, Y., Shinwari, Z.K.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). The relationship ofthe two cis-acting elements, DRE andABRE, in the dehydration, high salt andlow temperature responsive expression ofthe rd29A gene in Arabidopsis thaliana.11 th International Conference onArabidopsis Research, Madison, USA:116.

Narusaka, Y., Nakashima, K., Abe, H.,Sakuma, Y., Furihata, T., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).The relationship of the two cis-actingelements, DRE and ABRE, in thedehydrat ion, h igh sa l t and lowtemperature responsive expression of therd29A gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. The23rd Annual Meeting of the MolecularBiology Society, 162: 3PC-249. (J)

Narusaka, Y., Nakashima, K., Shinwari, Z.K.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2001). Promoter analysisof DREB1 genes encoding transcriptionfactors involved in cold responsive geneexpression in Arabidopsis. The 2001Annual Meeting of the Japanese Societyof Plant Physiologists, Fukuoka, Japan,246: F309. (J)

Nikkuni, S., Ginting, E., Antarlina, S.S. andUtomo, J.S. (2000). Isolation of white-spored mutants from the koji molds forthe production of kecap, an Indonesian soysauce. Proceedings of the 3rd InternationalSoybean Processing and UtilizationConference, Tsukuba, Japan: 345-346.

Nishida, N., Kimata, M. and Hatta, T. (2000).The cause of color on two types ofsandstone. Abstracts from the AnnualMeeting of Mineralogical Society ofJapan: 125. (J)

Nishiguchi, M., Okada, Y., Sonoda, S., Mori,M., Kimura, T., Hanada, K., Sakai, J.,Murata, M., Matsuda, Y., Fukuoka, H.,Miyazaki, T., Nakano, M., Usugi, T. andSaito, A. (2001). Sweet potato featherymottle virus-driven resistance: CPmediated resistance and gene silencing.International Workshop on SweetpotatoCultivar Decline Study: 120-124.

Nishio, Z., Li, S., Takata, K., Kuwabara, T. andBan, T. (2000). Evaluation of resistanceto Fusarium head blight in wheatintroduced from CIMMYT and USDAusing injection methods. Report of theJapanese Society of Breeding, HokkaidoBranch and Crop Science Society ofJapan, Hokkaido Branch: 41. (J)

Noda, C. and Maoka, T. (2000). A potyvirusisolated from sunflower in Ishigaki.Japanese Journal of Phytopathology, 66(2): 145. (J)

Noda, C. and Kawabe, K. (2000). A potyvirusisolated from sunflower in Ishigaki.Japanese Journal of Phytopathology,66(3): 261. (J)

Noda, C. and Maoka, T. (2000). Production ofmonoclonal antibodies against thebacteria-like organism associated withcitrus greening disease occurring inJapan. International Symposium onTropical and Subtropical Fruits, 2000, 11,Symposium booklet: 80.

Obara, M., Fukuta, Y., Yano, M., Yamaya, T.and Sato, T. (2000). QTL analysis fordiscoloration of flag leaves duringripening period in r ice. The 4 th

International Rice Genetics Symposium(Abstracts), 298.

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Osakabe, Y., Urao, T., Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001).Functional analysis of Arabidopsisresponse regulators ATRR1/ARR4/IBC7and ATRR3/ARR8 in transgenic plants.The 2001 Annual Meeting of the JapaneseSociety of Plant Physiologists, Fukuoka,Japan, 297: S329. (J)

Osakabe, Y., Urao, T., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki,K. and Shinozaki, K. (2001). Functionalanalysis of Arabidopsis responseregulators ATRR1/ARR4/IBC7 andATRR3/ARR8, in transgenic plants.G o r d o n R e s e a r c h C o n f e r e n c e :Temperature Stress in Plants, Ventura,California, USA.

Osakabe, Y., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Functional analysisof a stress-inducible receptor-like kinase,RPK1, in ABA perception using anti-sense transgenic plants. The 23rd AnnualMeeting of the Molecular Biology Societyof Japan, 76: 1PC-262. (J)

Oseko, N., Chuah, T.T., Kua, B.C., Palanisamy,V. and Maeno, Y. (2000). Occurrence ofmass mortalities in sea cage culturedmarine fishes, sea bass (Lates calcarifer)and red drum (Scianops ocellatus), inLangkawi Island, Malaysia. Proceedingsof the 2nd National Fisheries Symposiumin Malaysia: 20.

Oseko, N., Maeno, Y., Thye, C.T., Chu, K.B.and Palanisamy, V. (2000). Occurrenceof the mass mortalities in sea cage culturedmarine fishes, sea bass (Lates calcarifer)and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), inLangkawi Island, Malaysia. NationalFisheries Symposium, Malaysia.

Oumawari, M., Yamauchi, Y., Tanaka, K. andIto, O. (2000). Analysis of inducive genesin submergence-tolerant rice varietiesusing differential display. Abstracts of the64th Annual Meeting of the BotanicalSociety of Japan: 216. (J)

Oya, T., Nepomuceno, A.L., Neumaier, N. andFarias, J.R.B. (2001). Agronomic andphysiological responses of severalBrazilian soybean cultivars to droughtstress. Japanese Journal of Crop Science,70 (Extra issue 1): 136-137. (J)

Park, G-S., Takeuchi, T. and Yokoyama, M.

(2000). Taurine requirement andmetabolism in juvenile Japanese flounder.Abstracts of the Annual Meeting, theJapanese Society of Fisheries Science,137. (J)

Parvez, M.M., Furihata, T., Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001).Promoter analysis of AREB genes in theregulation of dehydration- and ABA-responsive gene expression of rd29B inArabidopsis. The 2001 Annual Meetingof the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, Fukuoka, Japan, 324: F425.

Quintana, M., Werapon, P. and Terauchi, T.(2000). Sucrose phosphate synthase geneexpression in sugarcane leaf and stem.Breeding Research, 2 (2): 61.

Rabbani, M.A., Abe, H., Saito, F., Narusaka, M.,Seki, M., Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Monitoringexpression profiles of osmotic stress-inducible genes using cDNA microarrayin rice. The 2001 Annual Meeting of theJapanese Society of Plant Physiologists,Fukuoka, Japan: 387 (S401). (J)

Saito, K., Kubota, S. and Ito, O. (2000). Tilleringcharacteristics of 'New Plant Type' ricelines developed in IRRI. Japanese Journalof Crop Science, 69 (S1): 212-213.

Sakai, T., Kikuchi, A., Shimada, H., Takahashi,K., Takada,Y. and Shimada, S. (2000).Genetic diversity and genetic analysis ofisoflavone contents in soybeans. BreedingResearch, 2 (Supplement 2): 162. (J)

Sakuma, Y., Dubouzet, J.G., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Analysis of DNA recognition by the ERF/AP2 domain of dehydration responsiveelement binding factors (DREBs). The23rd Annual Meeting of the MolecularBiology Society of Japan, Kobe, 162:3PC-251. (J)

Sakuma, Y., Liu, Q., Abe, H., Dubouzet, J.G.,Yamaguchi -Sh inozak i , K . a n dSh inozak i , K . (2000) . B ind ingcharacteristics of DRE binding proteins,DREBs involved in dehydration-, lowtemperature- and high salt-responsivegene expression in Arabidopsis. 6 th

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Sakuma, Y., Miura, S., Dubouzet, J.G.,Dubouzet, E.G., Stepanov, A.N., Ecker,J.R., Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Isolation ofArabidopsis DREB homologues involvedin dehydration: cold and functionalanalysis of DREB2A using ArabidopsisT-DNA insertion mutant. The 2001Annual Meeting of the Japanese Societyof Plant Physiologists, Fukuoka, Japan,392: S406. (J)

Sakurai, T. and Palanisami, K. (2000). Tankirrigation management as a local commonproperty: the case of Tamil Nadu, India.XXIV International Conferences ofAgricultural Economists.

Sanmiya, K., Suzuki, K., Singh, I., Liu, J. andShono, M. (2000). Tissue specificexpression of the small heat shock proteing e n e s i n t o m a t o f l o w e r a n doverexpression of the mitochondrial smallheat shock protein gene in tobacco flower.6 th International Congress of PlantMolecular Biology Abstracts, 31-106.

Sanmiya, K., Suzuki, K., Singh, I., Wang, H.Y.,Liu, J. and Shono, M. (2000). Expressionpattern of mitochondrial and ER sHSPgene in reproductive organ. 23rd AnnualMeeting of The Molecular BiologySociety of Japan, Abstracts: 718. (J)

Santos Jr., J.D.G., Kanno, T., Macedo, M.C.M.,Correa, M.R. and Beretta, L.G. (2001).Mineral acquisition and utilizationstrategy of three tropical forages atdifferent phosphorus and nitrogen supply.Proceedings of the 19th InternationalGrassland Congress, Sao Pedro, Brazil:188-189.

Sasaki, S. (2000). Impacts of tractor and cablelogging systems in diptercarp forests ofPeninsular Malaysia. IUFRO 2000 KualaLumpur, Malaysia

Sasaki, S., Oikawa, R., Ahmad, S., Adnan, A.,Yamada, T. (2000). Trials of mobileskyline yarder for low impact harvestingin Malaysian forests. Transactions of the112th Annual Meeting of the JapaneseForest Society: 196-204.

Sato, T. (2000). In-situ conservation researchon wild relatives of tomatoes in Chile:Collaborative research between Chile and

Japan. MAFF International Workshop onGenetic Resources in situ ConservationResearch: 165-186.

Sato, T., Nishioka, K., Toukairin, H.,Minamisawa, A., Nakamura, I., Fukuta,Y., Ishikawa, T., and Sato, Y.I. (2000).Detection of endophytic nitrogen-fixingbacteria in wild rice collection inMyanmer and Cambodia. BreedingResearch, 2 (Separate vol.): 232. (J)

Sato, Y.I., Sato, T., Nakamura, I., Fukuta, Y.,Ishikawa, T. and Urairong, H. (2000).Wild rice strains propagated vegetatively.Breeding Research, 2 (Separate vol.1):283. (J)

Sato, Y.I., Yamanaka, S. and Fukuta, Y. (2000).Diphyletic origins of cultivated rice, basedon genetics and archaeology. The 4th

International Rice Genetics Symposium(Abstracts), 197.

Satoh, R., Nakashima, K., Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001).Promoter analysis of ProDH gene inducedby hypoosmolarity and L-Pro inArabidopsis thaliana. The 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, Fukuoka, Japan: 396(S410). (J)

Satoh, R., Nakashima, K., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Promoter analysis of ProDH gene inducedby hypoosmolarity and L-Pro inArabidopsis thaliana. 6th InternationalCongress of Plant Molecular Biology,Quebec, Canada: S09-65.

Savadogo, K., McCracken, C.A. and Sakurai,T. (2000). Soil degradation and fertilitym a n a g e m e n t i n B u r k i n a F a s o .Understanding Adoption Processes forNatural Resource Management Practicesfor Sustainable Agricultural Productionin sub-Saharan Africa.

Savadogo, K., McCracken, C.A. and Sakurai,T. (2000). Socioeconomic determinantsof soil and water conservation in BurkinaFaso. Integration and Regional ResearchActivities to Combat Desertification.Present State and Future Prospects.

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Abe, H., Kasuga, M.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Carninci, P.,

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Hayashizaki, Y. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Monitoring the expression pattern of1,300 Arabidopsis genes under droughtand cold stresses using a full-length cDNAmicroarray. The 23rd Annual Meeting ofthe Molecular Biology Society of Japan,Kobe, 129, 3PA-065. (J)

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Abe, H., Kasuga, M.,Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Carninci, P.,Kawai, J., Hayashizaki, Y. and Shinozaki,K. (2000). Monitoring expression patternof Arabidopsis genes by using a full-length cDNA microarray. The 11 th

Arabidopsis thal iana Workshop,Okazaki, Japan: 22. (J)

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Abe, H., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Carninci, P., Hayashizaki,Y. and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Constructionof Arabidopsis full-length cDNA librariesby biotinylated CAP trapper andmonitoring gene expression pattern underdehydration and cold stress using full-l e n g t h c D N A m i c r o a r r a y. 11 t h

International Conference on ArabidopsisResearch, Madison, Wisconsin, USA: 59.

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Abe, H., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Carninci, P., Hayashizaki,Y. and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Constructionof full-length Arabidopsis cDNA librariesby biotinylated CAP trapper andmonitoring gene expression pattern underdehydration and cold stress using a full-length cDNA microarray. 6th InternationalCongress of Plant Molecular Biology,Quebec, Canada: S01-77.

Seki, M., Narusaka, M., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki,K., Carninci, P., Kawai, J., Hayashizaki,Y. and Shinozaki, K. (2001). Towards theconstruction of an Arabidopsis full-lengthcDNA encyclopedia. Symposium of thethe 2001 Annual Meeting of the JapaneseSociety of Plant Physiologists: FutureDevelopment of Arabidopsis Research,S06: S1-04.

Sfredo, G.J., Borkert, C.M., Lantmann, A.F.,Klepker, D. and Hitsuda, K. (2000).Effect of sulfur application on soybeangrowth in Brazilian soils. Abstracts of the22nd Annual Meeting on SoybeanResearch for the Central Region of Brazil,Cuiaba, Mato Groso, Brazil: 170. (P)

Sfredo, G.J., Borkert, C.M., Lantmann, A.F.,

Klepker, D. and Hitsuda, K. (2000).Response of soybean growth to copperapplication in southern Maranhon.Abstracts of the 22nd Annual Meeting onSoybean Research for the Central Regionof Brazil, Cuiaba, Mato Groso, Brazil:171. (P)

Sfredo, G.J., Borkert, C.M., Lantmann, A.F.,Klepker, D. and Hitsuda, K. (2000).Response of soybean growth to sulfurapplication in Parana. Abstracts of the24th Meeting of the Brazilian Society ofSoil Science and Plant Nutrition, SantaMaria, Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil: 152.(P)

Shimizu, K., Centurion, F. and Minagawa, N.(2000). Plant parasitic nematodes in asoybean field in Paraguay. CongressoBrasilerro de Nematologia: 120.

Shimizu, K., Centurion, F., Narabu, T. andMinagawa, N. (2000). Plant parasiticnematodes in a soybean field in Paraguay.Congresso Brasilerro de Nematologia:140.

Shimoda, T. and Ahmad, T. (2001). Fluctuationof the concentration of nutrients in theeffluent introduced from aquacultureponds to the mangrove wetland. Abstractsof the Annual Meeting, the JapaneseSociety of Fisheries Science: 301. (J)

Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Molecular responses andtolerance to drought stress in Arabidopsis.The 2000 Japan/Korea Joint Symposiumof Plant Science, Shizuoka, Japan: 75.

Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Molecular responses andtolerance to osmotic stress geneexpression and signal transduction. 6th

International Congress of Plant MolecularBiology, Quebec, Canada: 31-100.

Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Molecular responses andtolerance to osmotic stress: geneexpression and signal transduction.Kumho Life and Environmental ScienceLaboratory Workshop No.5, Kumho,Korea: 20-25.

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Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000). Regulation of gene expressionand biosynthesis of ABA during osmoticstress. 27th Annual Meeting of the PlantRegulation Society of America heldjointly with Japanese Society for theChemical Regulation of Plants, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA: 26.

Shono, M., Singh, I., Liu, J. and Sanmiya, K.(2001) . Func t iona l ana lys i s o fmitochondrial s-HSP in transgenictobacco. Plant and Cell Physiology, 42(Supplement): s124.

Simpson, S.D., Nakashima, K., Narusaka, Y.,Shinozaki , K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Promoter analysisof e rd1 : an Arabidops is ClpA-homologous-gene, up-regulated inresponse to dark-induced senescence anddehydration stress. The 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, 393: S407.

Simpson, S.D., Nakashima, K., Narusaka, Y.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Promoter analysisof erd1: an Arabidopsis gene up-regulatedin response to drought and senescence.The 2000 Japan/Korea Joint Symposiumof Plant Science, Shizuoka, Japan, 146:A-4.

Simpson, S.D., Narusaka, Y., Nakashima, K.,Yamaguchi -Shinozaki , K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Investigations intopromoter elements involved in theexpression of the erd1 gene duringsenescence in Arabidopsis. The 23rd

Annual Meeting of the Molecular BiologySociety of Japan, Kobe, 110: 2PC-121.

Singh, I., Liu, J., Sanmiya, K. and Shono, M.(2000) . Heat-s t ress response ofmitochondrial sHSP in transgenictobacco. 18th Annual Meeting of JapaneseSociety for Plant Cell and MolecularBiology Abstracts: 138.

Singh, I., Sanmiya, K. and Shono, M. (2000).Heat-stress response of tomato genotypes.Journal Japan Society of HorticalScience, 69 (Supplement 2): 172. (J)

Sugahara, K, Masuda, T., Banzai, K. andHernandez, L.G. (2001). Application ofthe alleviation method to the incidence of

internal tipburn in high temperaturetolerant varieties of spring-grown Chinesecabbage. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting, Japanese Society of Soil Scienceand Plant Nutrition, 47: 179. (J)

Sugahara, K., Masuda, T., Banzai, K. andHernandez, L.G. (2001). Alleviation ofthe incidence of internal tipburn inChinese cabbage by subsurface dripfertigation. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting, Japanese Society of Soil Scienceand Plant Nutrition, 47: 178. (J)

Sulistyo, J., Dinoto, A. and Nakahara, K.(2000) . Enzymat ic synthes is ofpolyphenol glycosides from Indonesiantempeh waste materials. Proceedings, TheThird International Soybean Processingand Utilization Conference: 529-530.

Suzuki, K. (2000). A morphological study onthe development of rice endosperm.Journal of Crop Science, 69 (Extra issue,P): 234-235. (J)

Takagi, A, Ichitani, K., Fukuta, Y., Ogata, T,Sato, T., Taura, S. and Sato, M. (2000).QTL analysis for ratooning in rice (Oryzasativa L.). Breeding Research, 2(Separate vol.1): 21. (J)

Takeda, H., Boonmalison, D., Tepjun, V.,Ratanatavorn, T. and Yanagihara, S.(2000). Utilization of local vegetablevarieties for organic farming in thenorthern region of Thailand. JapaneseJournal of Tropical Agriculture, 44 (Extraissue 2): 73-74.

Takeda, H., Tsukaguchi, T., Kawamitsu, Y.,Suzuki, K. and Egawa, Y. (2000). Heattolerance of Phaseolus vulgaris. 8.Change of osmotic potential and freeproline content in young floral-bud of theheat-tolerant snap bean 'Haibushi' grownat high temperature. Japanese Journal ofTropical Agriculture, 44 (Extra issue 2):79-80. (J)

Takeda, H., Tsukaguchi, T., Suzuki, K. andEgawa, Y. (2000). Response of prolinecontents to high temperature in youngbuds of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL). Japanese Journal of Crop Science, 69(Extra issue 1): 74-75. (J)

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Yokoyama, M. (2000). Is taurineessential for larval and juvenile marinefinfish? Abstracts, the 9th InternationalSymposium on Nutrition and Feeding inFish, Miyazaki, Japan: 59.

Tamura, K., Ban, K., Sakai, M., Sato, H.,Fukuta, Y. and Imbe, T. (2000). Geneticanalysis of lodging resistance in rice.Breeding Research, 2 (Separate vol.2):39. (J)

Tamura, K., Fukuta, Y., Hirae, M., Ooya, S.,Yagi, T. and Ashikawa, I. (2000).Genetic analysis of the green riceleafhopper (Nephotettix cincticepsUHLER) resistance VII RFLP mappingof Grh4 (t). Breeding Research, 2(Separate vol.2): 180. (J)

Tanaka, R. and Daud, W.R.W.Pen, L.H.(2000). Oxygen delignification of sodapulping of oil palm empty fruit bunches.Proceedings for 5th National Seminar onUtilization of Oil Palm Tree: 173-178.

Tanaka, R. and Daud, W.R.W. (2000).Preliminary studies on preparation ofdissolving pulp from oil palm empty fruitbunches. Proceedings for the 5th PacificRim Bio-based Composites Symposium:499-502.

Tanaka, C., Kainoh, Y., Nakamura, S. andHonda, H. (2000). Host location behaviorof the parasitoid fly, Exorista japonica,Townsend (Diptera: Tachinidae).Proceedings of the 21st InternationalCongress of Entomology, Foz do Iguassu,Brazil: 21, 423.

Tanio, M., Matsuoka, M. and Ideta, O. (2000).Time to heading of wheat in a subtropicalc l imate . Breed ing Research , 2(Supplement 2): 267. (J)

Terauchi, T., Matsuoka, M., Ponragdee, W.and Hiramatsu, N. (2001). Effect of tillerremoval on early growth in sugarcane.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,45 (1): 75-76. (J)

Terauchi, T., Quintana, M., Bangwaek, C. andMatsuoka, M. (2000). Gene analysis onsucrose accumulation-related enzyme.ISSCT Breeding Workshop Abstracts, 6:8.

Tomooka, N., Kaga, A., Egawa, Y., Vaughan,D.A., Kashiwaba, K. and Doi, K. (2001).Searching for sources of vegetative stagehigh temperature tolerance in the genusVigna subgenus Ceratotropis. JapaneseJournal of Tropical Agriculture, 45 (Extraissue) 47-48. (J)

Tsukaguchi, T., Egawa, Y., Takeda, H., Suzuki,K., Nakano, H. and Zakimi, H. (2000).Heat tolerance of Phaseolus vulgaris. 6.Pollen fertility under high temperature ingenerations of F1 and F2 between heattolerant 'Haibushi' and other cultivars.Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture,44 (Separate vol.1): 45-46. (J)

Tsukaguchi, T., Fukamachi, H., Takeda, H.,Suzuki, K. and Egawa, Y. (2000).Greater water uptake and transpirationability in heat tolerant snap bean variety‘Haibushi’ (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).Japanese Journal of Crop Science, 70(Extra issue 1): 138-139. (J)

Tsukaguchi, T., Takeda, H., Suzuki, K. andEgawa, Y. (2000). Water status in flowerbuds and leaves in snap bean (Phaseolusvu lgar i s L . ) when a f fec ted bytemperature. Japanese Journal of CropScience, 69 (Separate vol.2): 208-209.(J)

Tsunematsu, H., Yanoria, M.J.T., Ebron, L.A.,Hayashi, N., Ando, I., Mercado, D.M.,Kato, H., Fukuta, Y. and Imbe, T. (2000).Development of near-isogenic lines forrice blast resistance. The 4th InternationalRice Genetics Symposium (Abstracts):37.

Tsutsui, N., Jasmani, S., Ohira, Y., Kawazoe,I., Yang, W-J., Wilder, M.N. and Aida,K. (2000). Molecular cloning ofvitellogenin in the kuruma prawn, Penaesjaponicus: Structural analysis and site ofproduction. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting, the Japanese Society ofFisheries Science: 197 (J).

Uchida, S. (2000). Characterization ofvegetation status in the Sub-Saharanregion using remote sensing. Integrationand regional research to combatdesertification: present state and futureprospects, Tsukuba, Japan: 37.

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Uchida, S. (2000). Sub-pixel classification usingmulti-temporal NDVI for winter wheatcultivation area of China. Proceedings ofthe Conference of Japan Society ofPhotogrammetry and Remote Sensing:29-32. (J)

Uchida, S., Yamamoto, Y. and Wahyu, W.M.(2000). Analysis of spatial variation ofrice cultivation in West Java using multi-temporal satellite data. Proceedings of theConference of Japan Society ofPhotogrammetry and Remote Sensing:31-34. (J)

Urano, K., Yoshiba, Y., Igarashi, Y., Sekiguchi,F., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Increase by waterstress treatment and tissue-specificlocalization of polyamines in Arabidopsisthaliana. The 2000 Japan/Korea JointSymposium of Plant Science, Shizuoka,Japan, 148: A-7.

Urao, T., Osakabe, Y., Shinozaki, K. andYamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001).Analysis of transgenic plants over-expressing dominant-negative ATHK1cDNAs in Arabidopsis. The 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists, 296: S328. (J)

Urao, T., Osakabe, Y., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki,K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000). Possibleinvolvement of an Arabidopsis histidinekinase ATHK1 in osmosensing in plant.The 23rd Annual Meeting of the MolecularBiology Society of Japan, 35: W4F-5. (J)

Urao, T., Osakabe, Y., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki,K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000). SAP1a,novel zinc-finger proteins that interactwith the Arabidopsis hybrid-typehistidine kinase ATHK1. 6th InternationalCongress of Plant Molecular Biology,Quebec, Canada: S09-81.

Utomo, J.S., Ginting, E., Antarlina, S.S. andNikkuni, S. (2000). Evaluation ofIndonesian soybean varieties for tofu andtempe processing. Proceedings of the 3rd

International Soybean Processing and

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Werapon, P., Terauchi, T. and Quintana, M.(2000). Response of sugarcane andErianthus to water deficit conditions.Breeding Research, 2 (2): 138.

Wilder, M.N., Okuno, A., Huong, D.T.T., Yang,W-J., Ohira, Y., Tsutsui, N., Kawazoe,I., Jasmani, S., Aida, K. and Okumura,T. (2000). Comparison of vitellinstructure and site of expression in threespecies of prawns. 20th Conference ofEuropean Comparative Endocrinologists,Faro, Portugal: 95.

Wilder, M.N., Yang, W-J., Huong, D.T.T.,Maeda, M., Hien, T.T.T., Phu, T.Q.,Phuong, N.T. and Ogata, H.Y. (2000).R e p r o d u c t i v e m e c h a n i s m s i nMacrobrachium rosenbergii andcooperative reseach to improve seedproduction technology in the MekongDelta region of Vietnam. Spawning andMaturation of Aquaculture. Proceedingsof the 28th U.S.-Japan Aquaculture PanelSymposium (U.S.-Japan CooperativeProgram in Natural Resources: UJNR),Kihei, Hawaii, USA: 149-156.

Wopereis, M.C.S., Sakurai, T., Idinoba, P. andKent, R. (2001). Constraints andopportunities for rice cropping in WestAfrica 's inland valley lowlands.Conference on Integrated WatershedManagement of Small Inland Valley inGhana, Accra, Ghana.

Yagi, K., Hosen, Y., Zhang, R., Zuo, Y.B. andLi, Z.J. (2000). Nitrogen cycling inwheat-corn rotation system in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting, Japanese Society of Soil Scienceand Plant Nutrition, Tokyo, 46: 180. (J)

Yagi, K., Li, Z., Sakai, H. and Kobayashi, K.(2000). Effect of elevated CO2 onmethane emission from a Japanese ricepaddy. Abstracts of FACE 2000Conference, 40.

Yagi, T., Fukuta, Y., Tamura, K. and Ashikawa,I. (2000). Mapping for QTL of spikeletnumber in rice (Oryza sativa L.) II.Breeding Research, 2 (Separate vol.1):55. (J)

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Yagi, T., Fukuta, Y., Tamura, K. and Ashikawa,I. (2000). Mapping for QTL SIY1(t) ofspikelet number in rice (Oryza sativa L.)III. Breeding Research, 2 (Separatevol.2): 24. (J)

Yamada, Y. (2000). Flood analysis usingsatellite data and geomorphologicalsurvey map showing classification offlood-inundated areas. SupplementProceedings CD-ROM Commission 4 ofthe 19th Congress of ISPRS, Commision4: 96-100.

Yamada, Y. (2000). Flood and its inundatedfarmland monitoring in the Central Plainof Thailand using satellite data.Proceedings and Papers of the 2000Annual Meeting of Japan Society ofPhotogrammetry and Remote Sensing:21-22. (J)

Yamada, Y. (2001). Land use change in largearea and change characteristic of waterresources in Northeast Thailand.Proceedings of the Annual Meeting ofJapanese Society of Irrigation, Drainageand Reclamation Engineering: 352-353.(J)

Yamada, Y., Korver, M.W. and Utashiro, K.(2000). Data retrieval and mappingsystem with global maps for theinternational statistics on agricultureusing Web-based GIS tools. Proceedingsof Global Mapping Forum 2000, PS-12:1-9.

Yamada, Y., Korver, M.W. and Utashiro, K.(2001). Web GIS Application toagriculture especially for agriculturalproduction group. Proceedings of theSpring Meeting of the JapaneseAgricultural Systems Society, 16(Separate vol.1): 62-63. (J)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (1999). Plantdrought tolerance and gene expression.The 4 th Wheat Molecular BiologyWorkshop, (J)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2000). Isolationand functional analysis of dehydrationstress-inducible genes. Gamma FieldSymposium, Mito, Japan: 6-8. (J)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. (2001). Regulationof gene expression and signaling

pathway under low temperature anddehydra t ion . Gordon Resea rchConference: Temperature Stress inPlants, Ventura, California, USA.

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K.(2000). Improving plant drought, salt, andfreezing tolerance by gene transfer of asingle stress-inducible transcriptionfactor. Molecular aspects of abiotic andbiotic stress in plant roots, Slagelse:Denmark, 4.

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K.(2000). Responses and tolerance toenvi ronmenta l s t ress in p lants .Symposium of the Japanese Society ofAgricultural Chemistry, 2000: 451. (J)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K.(2001) . Func t iona l ana lys i s o ftranscription factors, DREBs, involved indrought- and cold-inducible geneexpression. Workshop of the 2001 AnnualMeeting of the Japanese Society of PlantPhysiologists: Plant Transcription FactorStudies in the Post-genome Era: W24(W3-01).

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Kasuga, M., Liu,Q., Sakuma, Y., Abe, H., Miura, S. andShinozaki, K. (2000). Improving drought,salt and freezing stress tolerance intransgenic plants. The 12 th ToyotaConferences on Challenge of Plant andAgricultural Sciences to the Crisis ofBiosphere on the Earth in the 21st Century,Watanabe K. and Komamine A. (eds.),Landes Bioscience: 223-230.

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K., Uno, Y., Furihata,T., Abe, H. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Absc is ic -ac id-dependent s igna ltransduction pathway under drought andhigh salinity conditions. 27th AnnualMeeting of the Plant Regulation Societyof America Held Jointly with the JapaneseSociety for the Chemical Regulation ofPlants, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA: 132.

Yamamoto, Y. and Matsuo, K. (2000). Changein the land productivity with the annualapplication of organic matter. JapaneseJournal of Crop Science 69 (Supplement1): 244-245. (J)

Yamamoto,Y. and Sukchan, S. (2000).Classification of soil salinity in Northeast

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Thailand by multi-temporal satellite datasets. Japan Agriculture System Society,16 (Separate vol.1): 52-53. (J)

Yan, X.Y., Hosen, Y. and Yagi, K. (2000).Nitrogen dynamics in an Andisol uplandfield and the environmental impact. (1)Effect of fertilizer placement and type onnitrous oxide emissions. Abstracts of theAnnual Meeting, Japanese Society of SoilScience and Plant Nutrition, Tokyo, 46:207. (J)

Yang, W-J., Ohira, Y., Tsutsui, N., Aida, K.,Huong, D.T.T., Subramoniam, T. andWilder, M.N. (2000). Purification ofyolk protein in the giant freshwaterprawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii:S t ruc tura l ana lys i s and mRNAexpression. Abstracts of the AnnualMeeting, the Japanese Society ofFisheries Science: 197. (J)

Yanoria, M.J.T., Imbe, T., Tsunematsu, H.,Ebron, L.A., Mercado, D., Kato, H. andFukuta, Y. (2000). Development ofnear-isogenic lines with two geneticbackgrounds, IR24 and IR49830-73-1-2-2, for rice blast resistance. The 4th

International Rice Genetics Symposium(Abstracts): 397.

Yokoyama, M., Takeuchi, T., Park, G-S. andNakazoe, J. (2000). Cysteinesulfinatedecarboxylase activities in the livers ofseveral fish species. Abstracts of theAnnual Meeting, the Japanese Society ofFisheries Science: 137. (J)

Yokoyama, M., Takeuchi, T., Park, G-S. andN a k a z o e , J . ( 2 0 0 0 ) . H e p a t i ccysteinesulfinate decarboxylase activityin fish. Abstracts, The 9th InternationalSymposium on Nutrition and Feeding inFish, Miyazaki: 137.

Yoshihashi, T., (2000). Formation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in aromatic rice. NipponNogeikagaku Kaishi, 74(s): 267

Yoshihashi, T. , Boonpunt T., (2001).Postharvest properties of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in aromatic rice. NipponNogeikagaku Kaishi, 75(s): 290

Other publications

Banzai, K. (2000). The story of the soil erosion,variously. The Conference of SoilConservation's Day in Ishigaki: 1-5. (J)

Banzai, K. (2000). Flow measurement andautomatic water sampler suitable forstreams. Field and Soil, 32 (10)(11): 21-26. (J)

Banzai, K., Masuda, T., and Sugahara, K.(2000). The volume of red soil loss insloping plot frame of sugarcane and grassintercropping. The Interchange Meetingof Prevention Techniques for FlowSediment Red Soil, Okinawa Prefecture:37-41. (J)

Banzai, K., Sugahara, K., and Furuhata, A.(2001). Measurement of soil erosion andsediment transport in farm land and itsexamples. AICAF Expert Bulletin, 21(5): 19-40. (J)

Cheng, M., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2001). Ricenoodle: Ingredient requirements,evaluation systems and processing. Newcereal processing technology, China: 292-296. (C)

Chien, H. (2000). Demand and supply trendsof livestock and maize in China.Changing Food Consumption, RegionalAnalysis in China: 163-171.

Han, D., Li, L., Jiang, Z., Tatsumi, E. andChein, C. (2001). Study on instant dryingtofu. New Cereal Processing Technology,China: 208-211. (C)

Ikegami, A. (2000). China's WTO accessionand outlook of grain production and trade.The Grain Importers Association Journal,623: 1-7. (J)

Ikegami, A. (2000). The accession to the WTOand issues of agricultural policy in China.International Cooperation of Agricultureand Forestry, 23 (1): 1-11. (J)

Ikegami, A. (2000). China: WTO accession.Journal of Agriculture and ForestryStatistics, 50 (8): 33-40.

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Ikegami, A. (2001). Situation and outlook ofChinese agricultural trade. InternationalCooperation of Agriculture and Forestry,23 (9-10): 2-10.

Ise, K. (2000). A brief review of internationalresearch on rice breeding and geneticresources at the Japan InternationalResearch Center for AgriculturalSciences. Agriculture and Horticulture, 75(9): 967-973. (J)

Ishiki, K. (2000). The National Institute ofEcuador and JIRCAS collaborate on theevaluation of Andean root crops. GRPNewsletter, 36: 4.

Jiang, Z., Xue, W, Zhao, Z., Tatsumi, E. andAkiyama, Y. (2001). Study on theprocessing technology of soy ice cream.New Cereal Processing Technology,China: 234-238. (C)

Koyama, O. (2000). Methodologies for regionalfood supply-demand models. ChangingFood Consumption, Regional Analysis inChina: 172-181.

Li, B., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2001). The effectof activated water on Bacillus subtillis insoybean milk. New Cereal ProcessingTechnology, China: 322-326. (C)

Li, L., Chen, F. and Tatsumi, E. (2001).Advancement of studying protein geloptical properties. New Cereal ProcessingTechnology, China: 39-46. (C)

Li, L., Jiang, Z., Han, D., Cheng, M. andTatsumi, E. (2001). A study on improvingquality of instant fresh bifen. New CerealProcessing Technology, China: 250-255.(C)

Li, L., Li, F. and Tatsumi, E. (2001).Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying ofokara cake. New Cereal ProcessingTechnology, China: 196-202. (C)

Li, X., Li, L., Uemura, K. and Tatsumi, E.(2001). Electroosmotic dewatering of tofusheet. New Cereal Processing Technology,China: 202-208. (C)

Liu, Z., Li, L, Wang, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2001).The effect of soybean variety on tofu-gel.New Cereal Processing Technology,China: 186-192. (C)

Lu, S., Deng, H., Li, L. and Tatsumi, E. (2001).Processing technology of rice and relatedproducts. New Cereal ProcessingTechnology, China: 383-386. (C)

Matsuo, K. (2000). Control of soybean cystnematode with animal feces. PlantProtection, 54: 337-341. (J)

Matsuoka, M. (2001). Sugarcane breeding inIndonesia. Sugar Information, 54: 8-17.(J)

Matsuoka, M. (2000). Sugarcane research inCuba. Sugar Information, 49: 13-20. (J)

Matsuoka, M. (2000). Exploration forcollection of sugarcane wild relatives inNorth and Northeast Thailand. SugarInformation, 45: 21-25. (J)

Nakano, M. (2001). Ecology and control ofdiseases. Ecology and control of virusdiseases. (1) Mosaic disease in soybean.Explanatory Notes of Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries Research Reports,Agriculture, Forestry, and FisheriesResearch Council (ed.), Norin ToukeiKyoukai, Tokyo. (J)

Nakashima, K., Kasuga, M., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K. and Shinozaki, K. (2000).Responses to environmental stress inplants: Master switch related todehydration- and low-temperature-responsive gene expression. Kagaku toSeibutsu, Japan Society for Bioscience,Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry, 38(6): 564-565. (J)

Noda, C. (2000). Diseases of hibiscus plants.Diagnosis and protection from pests anddiseases on ornamental plants. RuralCulture Association, 7: 91-96. (J)

Ogawa, K. (2001). Consumption of fruitsrecovers fatigue. Kajitsu Nippon, 56 (1):65-67. (J)

Okada, K. (2000). Crop breeding for low-fertility soils: Case studies for tropicalupland crops. International Cooperationof Agriculture and Forestry, 23 (4): 36-45. (J)

Saito, M. (2001). Optimization of foodp r o c e s s i n g c o n d i t i o n s f o r t h eimprovement of rheological properties.

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New Cereal Processing Technology,China: 329-333. (J)

Sato, T. (2000). Vegetable production and plantgenetic resources in the northern regionof the Republic of Chile. The Seeds,Tokyo, Japan, 53 (4): 27-33. (J)

Sato, T. (2000). Pepper. Practical use of regionalresources superintendence of foodprocessing. Vol.10. Vegetables, EdibleWild Plants and Other Herbaceous Plants.Nosan-Gyoson-Bunkakyokai, Tokyo,Japan, 10: 385-395. (J)

Sato, T. (2001). Pepper. Handbook of VegetableGrowing, Yokendo, Tokyo, Japan: 605-612.

Sato, T. (2001). Sweet pepper. Handbook ofVegetable Growing, Yokendo, Tokyo,Japan: 588-605.

Shinozaki, K. and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K.(2000) . Molecular responses todehydration and low temperature:Differences and cross-talk between twostress signaling pathways. CurrentOpinion in Plant Biology, 3 (3): 217-223.

Sogawa, K. (2000). Varietal resistance to thewhitebacked planthopper in Chinesejaponica rice. Plant Protection, 54: 28-31.(J)

Takagi, H. and Iwanaga, M. (2000). JIRCAS'sinternational collaborative researchactivities for utilization of biologicalresources. International Cooperation onAgriculture and Forestry, 23 (1): 27-28.(J)

Tatsumi , E . ( 2 0 0 1 ) . P r o s p e c t s f o rindustrializaion of Chinese food industry.New Cereal Processing Technology:China, 30-32. (J)

Tobita, S. (2000). Rice breeding research inWest Africa. International Cooperation inAgriculture and Forestry, 23 (3): 11-34.(J)

Wilder, M.N. (2000) . Elucidat ion ofreproductive mechanisms in significantprawn species and applications toaquaculture: A case study relating tofarming systems development in Vietnam.R&D Fronts, Science and Technonews

Tsukuba, 54: 30-32. (J)

Ya m a g u c h i - S h i n o z a k i , K . ( 2 0 0 1 ) .Improvement of super plants tolerant todrought, cold, and high salinity. Biotechnician, 19 (1): 3-6. (J)

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FINANCIAL OVERVIEW Fiscal Year 2000

TOTAL BUDGET 2,993,540

OPERATING COSTS 1,920,563

Personnel (159)* 1,414,825

Director General (1)

Administrators I (32)**

Administrators II (11)***

Researchers (115)*

*Number of persons shown in ( )

**General administration

***Field management and transportation

Administrative Costs 505,738

RESEARCH PROMOTION COSTS 1,072,977

Research Development 41,381

Overseas Dispatches 278,762

Research Exchange/Invitation 44,339

Research Information Collection 16,104

International Collaborative Projects 460,763

Comprehensive (425,633)

Unidisciplinary (35,130)

Fellowship Programs

Budget FY 2000 (Graph)

thousands of yen

Researchers115 persons; 72%

Administrators II 11 persons; 7%

Administrators I32 persons; 20%

Director General1 person

Staff

159 persons

Total Budget

￥2,993,540

Research Promotion Costs￥1,072,977; 37%

Operating Costs￥1,920,563; 63%

(thousands of yen)

231,628

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ADVISORS AND PRINCIPAL STAFF

Dr. Hisao Azuma

Dr. Ronald P. Cantrell

Mr. Tadao Chino Dr. Keiji Kainuma

Mr. Sakue Matsumoto Dr. Keiji Ohga

Dr. Kazuo Shima

Dr. Kunio Takase Dr. Hiroyuki Watanabe

Vice-President, Japan International Cooperation Agency

Director General, International Rice Research Institute

President, Asian Development Bank Board Member, Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institute

Chairman, Organization of Food Marketing Structure Improvement

Professor, University of Tokyo

President, Japan Fisheries Resource Conservation Association Board Member, International Development Center of Japan

Professor, Kyoto University 

Advisors

 

JIRCAS Advisory Committee FY 2000

The JIRCAS Advisory Committee membersgenerally convene one time each year for a roundtable discussion regarding policy formation,research direction, and project design atJIRCAS. The Committee consists of scientistsand administrators representing various fields ofinternational development. We actively seek their

advice and opinions throughout the year andgreatly value their participation in the affairs ofJIRCAS. The Committee was formed at therequest of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestryand Fisheries (MAFF) and the Agriculture,Forestry, and Fisheries Research Council(AFFRC).

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Research Planning andCoordination Division

Takasuke Ishitani, Director

Research Planning SectionShuichi Asanuma, Section Head(Masanori Inagaki*, Section Head)Yukihito Ochiai, Senior ResearcherTomohide Sugino, Senior ResearcherMarcy N. Wilder, Senior Researcher in Fisheries Division, Joint Appointment

Research Coordination SectionOsamu Koyama, Section Head(Masahito Sato*, Section Head)Shoichi Kawasugi, Senior ResearcherKazuo Ise, Senior Researcher

International Relations SectionTakahito Noda, Section Head(Sho Kosugi*, Section Head)Hiromasa Hamada, Senior Researcher

International Research CoordinatorRyoichi Ikeda, Agronomy

Research Information OfficerTadahiro Hayashi, Information Engineering

Publication and Documentation Section

Accounting SectionHisashi Kamimura, Section ChiefHideo Azechi, Assistant Section ChiefIsao Takahashi, Financial ManagerNobuo Shinotsuka, Financial OfficerTsutomu Wada, Accounting ManagerMichito Kimura, Accounting OfficerYoshihiko Sumomozawa, Auditing HeadKoji Ito, Supplies/Equipment ManagerRyo Okamoto, Supplies/Equipment OfficerMitsumasa Sato, TransportationKuniaki Katsuyama, Facilities Manager

Overseas Staff Support SectionKazuyoshi Kita, Section ChiefTeruki Kurihara, Overseer Stationed OverseasNobuharu Fukui, Overseas Affairs OverseerHideko Shimada, Overseas Operations ManagerHiroshi Tanaka, Overseas Expenditures ManagerYoshio Tanaka, Overseas Shipments Manager

JIRCAS STAFF FY 2000

Director General

Nobuo Ueno, Chief LibrarianKiriko Hashimoto, Librarian

Administration Division

Akira Mizushima, Director(Kenji Murakami*, Director)

General Affairs SectionNorio Kikuchi, Section ChiefHarumi Yakushiji, Assistant Section ChiefGaku Takeda, Section Manager(Masayuki Matsumoto*, Section Manager)Naomi Yamamoto, Section OfficerYasuhiro Onozaki, Personnel HeadToshiki Kikuchi, Personnel OfficerMasayuki Matsumoto, Social Affairs Head(Yoshihiro Saito*, Social Affairs Head)

Research Information Division

Kazuyuki Tsurumi, Director

International Research CoordinatorsShuichi Asanuma*, Soil MicrobiologyJohn S. Caldwell, Horticulture and Farming SystemsTetsushi Hidaka, Fruit BreedingOsamu Koyama*, Agricultural EconomicsHiroko Takagi-Watanabe, Plant BreedingKensuke Okada, Crop PhysiologyMasaharu Yajima, Plant Physiology

Research StaffMasao Ando, Agricultural EconomicsJun Furuya, Agricultural EconomicsChien Hsiaoping, Agricultural EconomicsAkihide Ikegami, Agricultural EconomicsSho Kosugi, Agricultural EconomicsTakeshi Sakurai, Agricultural EconomicsYasuharu Yamada, Geographic Information SystemsShigeki Yokoyama, Agricultural Land Improvement

Associated ResearchersKiyoko Hitsuda, Soil Fertility and Plant NutritionTetsuo Oya, Agronomy

Biological Resources Division

Masaru Iwanaga, Director

Takahiro Inoue(Nobuyoshi Maeno*)

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Research StaffTaizan Adachi, Soybean BreedingTomohiro Ban, Wheat BreedingYoshihisa Honma, Agricultural EngineeringKazunori Igita, Soybean BreedingMasanori Inagaki, Wheat BreedingKazuo Ise*, Rice BreedingMie Kasuga, BiochemistryAkio Kikuchi, Soybean BreedingYasufumi Kunihiro, Rice BreedingMasaaki Nakano, Plant PathologyKazuo Nakashima, Plant Molecular BiologyTakuji Nakamura, Soil and Plant NutritionMitsunori Oka, AgronomyTakanori Sato, Rice BreedingKazuhiro Suenaga, Wheat BreedingHiroshi Tsunematsu, Rice BreedingTakeshi Urao, Plant Molecular BiologyKazuko Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Plant Molecular Biology

Environmental Resources Division

Osamu Ito, Director

Research StaffShotaro Ando, Soil MicrobiologyTamao Hatta, GeologyYasukazu Hosen, Soil Physics and ChemistryTakayuki Ishikawa, Plant PhysiologyKenichi Kanda, Soil FertilityNaruo Matsumoto, Environmental ConservationChikara Ogura, Agricultural Land ImprovementSatoshi Tobita, Plant Nutrition and PhysiologySatoshi Uchida, GIS and Remote SensingTakeshi Watanabe, Soil ChemistryKazuyuki Yagi, Bio-geochemistryYukiyo Yamamoto, GIS and Remote Sensing

Crop Production and PostharvestTechnology Division

Akinori Noguchi, Director

Research StaffHiroyuki Hiraoka*, AgronomyNaoki Horikawa, Water ManagementNobuyuki Kabaki, AgronomyKazuyuki Matsuo, AgronomyKazuhiko Nakahara, Food ChemistrySayuki Nikkuni, FermentationTakahito Noda*, Plant PathologyMasayoshi Saito, Food ScienceKei Shimizu*, NematologyKazushige Sogawa, Insect EcologyEizo Tatsumi, Food ScienceTomio Usugi*, Plant Virology

Mitate Yamada, AgronomyRyuichi Yamada, Agricultural EconomicsEmiko Yamamoto*, NematologyTadashi Yoshihashi, Food Evaluation

Field Management SectionHaruo Tamura, ChiefTakashi Komatsu, Field Operator

Animal Production andGrassland Division

Toshiaki Taniguchi, Director

Research StaffYasuo Ando, Plant MicrobiologyTsutomu Kanno, Pasture EcologyKiyomi Kosaka, Animal NutritionYoshio Nakamura, Veterinary ParasitologyMasaharu Odai, Animal FeedingSadahiro Ohmomo, Applied MicrobiologySeishi Yamasaki, Pig Feeding

Forestry Division

Terunobu Suzuki, Director

Research StaffMasahiro Inagaki, Forest Soil ScienceKoichi Kamo, SilvicultureHiromichi Kushima*, SilvicultureMotoe Miyamoto, Social ForestryShozo Sasaki, Forest EngineeringKazunori Takahashi, SilvicultureRyohei Tanaka, Cellulose ChemistryAkihiko Yokota, Mycology

Fisheries Division

Masachika Maeda, Director

Research StaffJunya Higano, Coastal EcologyKatsuhiro Kiso*, Fisheries ResourcesYukio Maeno, Fish PathologyNorihisa Oseko, Fish PathologyToru Shimoda, Coastal EcologyMarcy N. Wilder, Crustacean EndocrinologyMasahito Yokoyama, Fish Biochemistry

Okinawa Subtropical Station

Masaaki Suzuki, DirectorKiyoshi Ozawa, Associate Director for Research

General Affairs SectionKenichi Hatsuse, Section Chief(Katsuhide Masumoto*, Section Chief)

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Satoshi Kawamitsu, Section Manager(Hideki Yoneyama*, Section Manager)Toshiaki Shoni, Section OfficerYuho Maetsu, TransportationHiroyuki Nakazato, Accounting ManagerMakoto Nishiyama, Accounting OfficerHitoshi Sekiguchi, Accounting Officer

International Collaborative ResearchSectionChiyoichi Noda, Plant Virology, Head(Takahito Noda*, Plant Pathology, Head)Koshun Ishiki, Plant Breeding and Genetic ResourcesKen Nakamura, Soil ScienceMariko Shono, Plant MorphologyTakayoshi Terauchi, AgronomySeiji Yanagihara*, Plant Breeding

Crop Introduction and CultivationLaboratoryYoshinobu Egawa, Plant Genetic Resources, HeadKatsumi Suzuki, Plant MorphologyHiroyuki Takeda, Plant Physiology

Crop Breeding LaboratoryMakoto Matsuoka, Plant Breeding, HeadOsamu Ideta, Rice BreedingMasahiko Tanio, Wheat Breeding

Tropical Fruit Tree LaboratoryKazunori Ogawa, Plant Chemistry, HeadHiroshi Fukamachi, PomologySadao Komori, Fruit Tree Breeding

Crop Protection LaboratoryChiyoichi Noda*, Plant Virology, HeadKatsuyuki Kohno, EntomologyTadafumi Nakata, EntomologyKunimasa Kawabe, Plant Virology

Soil Fertility LaboratoryKenji Banzai, Environmental Conservation,HeadTaizo Masuda, Soil Science

Field Management SectionYoshimitsu Katsuda, Crop Breeding, HeadMasakazu Hirata, Machine OperatorHirokazu Ikema, Machine OperatorMasayoshi Kuwada, Machine OperatorYuho Maetsu, Machine OperatorJunichi Sawase, Machine OperatorMasato Shimajiri, Machine OperatorKoji Yamato, Machine OperatorAkio Yoshida, Machine Operator

Researchers on Loan to OtherInstitutions

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Kunio Tsubota, Agricultural Economics

International Center of Insect Physiology andEcology (ICIPE)Satoshi Nakamura, Insect Ecology

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)Yoshimichi Fukuta, Rice BreedingTakuhito Nozoe, Soil ChemistrySeiji Yanagihara, Plant Breeding

Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA)Eitaro Imaizumi*, Animal NutritionAkinori Oshibe, Animal FeedingTomio Usugi, Plant VirologyMasahito Sato, Rural DevelopmentShigeki Yokoyama, Agricultural Land Improvement

Part-Time informal employeesNearly 90 persons are working at JIRCAS asnon-permanent staff. They serve as editorial ad-visors for many of JIRCAS’s publications, per-form much of the institute’s secretarial work,function as laboratory technicians, and maintainthe buildings and laboratories. Their services toJIRCAS are highly valued.

* Indicates transfer within JIRCAS, relocation,orretirement during the Fiscal Year covered by thisAnnual Report.

( ) Indicates previous position holder

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THE JAPANESE FISCAL YEARAND MISCELLANEOUS DATA

The Japanese Fiscal Year

About Annual Report 2000

The Japanese fiscal year is defined as aperiod of fiscal activity occurring from April 1through March 31 of the following year. Thus,Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 covers the period fromApril 1, 2000 through March 31, 2001. Annual

Buildings and campus data Land ( units: m2 )

Tsukuba premises 109,538

Okinawa Subtropical Station 294,912

Total 404,450

Buildings ( units: m2 )

Tsukuba premises 10,749

Okinawa Subtropical Station 8,696

Total 19,445

aaaaaaReport 2000 is intended to summarize the fullextent of JIRCAS activities that occurred duringthis time period. The following Annual Reportwill detail events and activities from April 1,2001, through March 31, 2002 (FY 2001).

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JIRCAS ORGANIZATION ANDSTAFF AS OF APRIL 1, 2001

Main number: 0298-38-6313. Four-digit num-bers are extensions that follow the first six dig-its

PresidentTakahiro Inoue (Tel.: 6301)

Vice-PresidentYoshinori Morooka (Tel.: 6701)

Executive Advisor & AuditorKunihiko Kato (Tel.: 6702)Shozo Fujimoto (Tel.: 6703)

International Research OverseerTakasuke Ishitani (Tel.:6391)

Research Planning andCoordination DivisionAkinori Noguchi, Director (Tel.: 6302)

Research Planning SectionShuichi Asanuma, Section Head (Tel.: 6331)Yukihito Ochiai, Senior Researcher (Tel.: 6332)Tomohide Sugino, Senior Researcher (Tel.:6331)Marcy N. Wilder, Senior Researcher in Fisheries Division, Joint Appointment (Tel.: 6630)

Research Coordination SectionOsamu Koyama, Section Head (Tel.: 6333)Shoichi Kawasugi, Senior Researcher (Tel.: 6334)Kazuo Ise, Senior Researcher (Tel.: 6334)

International Relations SectionTakahito Noda, Section Head (Tel.: 6335)Hiromasa Hamada, Senior Researcher (Tel.: 6336)

International Research CoordinatorMasanori Inagaki (Tel.: 6704)

Public Information OfficerTadahiro Hayashi (Tel.: 6708)

Publication and Documentation SectionNobuo Ueno (Tel.: 6340)Hiromi Miura (Tel.: 6341)

Field Management SectionHaruo Tamura, Chief (Tel.: 37-1521)

Takashi Komatsu, Field Operator (Tel.: 36-5551)

Administration DivisionKatsuyuki Kiryu, Director (Tel.: 6303)

General Affairs SectionNorio Kikuchi, Section Chief ( Tel.: 6310)Masao Tachiya, Assistant Section Chief (Tel.: 6311)Harumi Yakushiji, Personnel Overseer (Tel.: 6319)Gaku Takeda, Section Manager (Tel.: 6313)Naomi Yamamoto, Section Officer (Tel.: 6312)Yasuhiro Onozaki, Personnel Head (Tel.: 6314)Toshiki Kikuchi, Personnel Officer (Tel.: 6314)Masayuki Matsumoto, Social Affairs Head (Tel.: 6315)

Accounting SectionHisashi Kamimura, Section Chief (Tel.: 6320)Hideo Azechi, Assistant Section Chief (Tel.: 6321)Yoshinori Ohnuma, Accounting Overseer (Tel.: 6329)Isao Takahashi, Financial Manager (Tel.: 6332)Nobuo Shinotsuka, Financial Officer (Tel.:6332)Tsutomu Wada, Accounting Manager (Tel.:6323)Michito Kimura, Accounting Officer (Tel.: 6323)Yoshihiko Sumomozawa, Auditing Head (Tel.: 6324)Koji Ito, Supplies/Equipment Manager (Tel.: 6326)Ryo Okamoto, Supplies/Equipment Officer (Tel.: 6327)Kuniaki Katsuyama, Facilities Manager (Tel.: 6325)Tomoko Maeno, Facilities Officer (Tel.: 6325)

Overseas Staff Support SectionRyoichi Hizukuri, Section Chief (Tel.: 6372)Teruki Kurihara, Overseas Affairs Overseer (Tel.: 6373)Nobuharu Fukui, Overseer Stationed Overseas (Tel.: 6374)Hideko Shimada, Overseas Operations Manager (Tel.: 6375)Hiroshi Tanaka, Overseas Expenditures Man-ager (Tel.: 6376)Makoto Shibagaki, Overseas Shipments Man-ager (Tel.: 6386)Yoshio Tanaka, Overseas Equipment Manager (Tel.: 6377)

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Development Research DivisionKazuyuki Tsurumi, Director (Tel.: 6304)

Development Research CoordinatorsJohn S. Caldwell (Tel.: 6384)Tetsushi Hidaka (Tel.: 6346)Takashi Mori (Tel.: 6343)Hiroko Takagi-Watanabe (Tel.: 6350)Masaharu Yajima (Tel.: 6345)Ryuichi Yamada (Tel.: 6347)Yukiyo Yamamoto (Tel.: 6349)Norihiro Yamashita (Tel.: 6344)

Research StaffMasao Ando ( Tel.: 6366)Jun Furuya (Tel.: 6383)Chien Hsiaoping (Tel.: 6350)Sho Kosugi (Tel.: 6348)Satoshi Uchida (Tel.: 6395)Takeshi Sakurai (Tel.: 6383)Yasuharu Yamada (Tel.: 6381)

Biological Resources DivisionMasaru Iwanaga, Director (Tel.: 6305)

Research StaffTaizan Adachi (Tel.: 6352 )Tomohiro Ban (Tel.: 6364)Yoshihisa Honma (Tel.: 6352)Kazunori Igita (Tel.: 6352)Mie Kasuga (Tel.: 6641)Akio Kikuchi (Tel.: 6352)Kazuo Nakashima (Tel.: 6641)Takanori Sato (Tel.: 6364)Kazuhiro Suenaga (Tel.: 6364)Hiroshi Tsunematsu (Tel.: 6364)Takeshi Urao (Tel.: 6641)Kazuko Yamaguchi-Shinozaki (Tel.: 6641)

Crop Production andEnvironment DivisionOsamu Ito, Director (Tel.: 6306)

Research StaffShotaro Ando (Tel.: 6355)Hiroshi Fujimoto (Tel.: 6355)Tamao Hatta (Tel.: 6634)Naoki Horikawa (Tel.: 6359)Yasukazu Hosen (Tel.: 6353)Takayuki Ishikawa (Tel.: 6354)Nobuyuki Kabaki (Tel.: 6362)Hiromi Kobayashi (Tel.: 6362)Kazuyuki Matsuo (Tel.: 6362)Naruo Matsumoto (Tel.: 6355)Takuji Nakamura (Tel.: 6354)Chikara Ogura (Tel.: 6359)Kensuke Okada (Tel.: 6354)

Kazunari Sogwa (Tel.: 6362)Satoshi Tobita (Tel.: 6355)Takeshi Watanabe (Tel.: 6355)Mitate Yamada (Tel.: 6362)

Associated ResearchersKiyoko Hitsuda (Tel.: 6359)Tetsuo Oya (Tel.: 6359)

Animal Production andGrassland DivisionToshiaki Taniguchi, Director (Tel.: 6308)

Research StaffYasuo Ando (Tel.: 6356)Akemi Kamakawa (Tel.: 6356)Tsutomu Kanno (Tel.: 6365)Kiyomi Kosaka (Tel.: 6365)Yoshio Nakamura (Tel.: 6365)Masaharu Odai (Tel.: 6365)Sadahiro Ohmomo (Tel.: 6365)Seishi Yamasaki (Tel.: 6365)

Food Science and Technology DivisionToru Hayashi, Director (Tel.: 6307)

Research StaffKazuhiko Nakahara (Tel.: 6358)Sayuki Nikkuni (Tel.: 6358)Masayoshi Saito (Tel.: 6358)Eizo Tatsumi (Tel.: 6358)Tadashi Yoshihashi (Tel.: 6358)

Forestry DivisionKiyoshi Nakashima, Director (Tel.: 6309)

Research StaffMasahiro Inagaki (Tel.: 6360)Koichi Kamo (Tel.: 6360)Motoe Miyamoto (Tel.: 6363)Syoji Noguchi (Tel.: 6363)Kazunori Takahashi (Tel.: 6360)Ryohei Tanaka (Tel.: 6363)Akihiko Yokota (Tel.: 6360)

Fisheries DivisionMasachika Maeda, Director (Tel.: 6370)

Research StaffYasuki Ogawa (Tel.: 6608)Yukio Maeno (Tel.: 6609)Norihisa Oseko (Tel.: 6357)Toru Shimoda (Tel.: 6608)Marcy N. Wilder (Tel.: 6630)Masahito Yokoyama (Tel.: 6630)

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Okinawa Subtropical Station

Main number: 09808-2-2306. Five-digitnumbers are extensions that follow the first fivedigits

Masaaki Suzuki, Director (Tel.: 3-9101)Kiyoshi Ozawa, Associate Director (Tel.: 8-1607)

General Affairs SectionKenichi Hatsuse, Section Chief (Tel.: 8-6102)Satoshi Kawamitsu, Section Manager (Tel.: 8-6103)Toshiaki Shoni, Section Officer (Tel.: 8-6103)Takao Ohga, Accounting Manager (Tel.: 8-6105)Makoto Nishiyama, Accounting Officer (Tel.: 8-6106)Hitoshi Sekiguchi, Accounting Officer (Tel.: 8-6106)

International Collaborative ResearchSectionChiyoichi Noda (Tel.: 8-6201)

Island Environment ManagementLaboratoryKenji Banzai (Tel.: 3-7112)Taizo Masuda (Tel.: 3-7112)Ken Nakamura (Tel.: 3-7112)

Enviromental Stresses LaboratoryYoshinobu Egawa (Tel.: 8-6108)Katsumi Suzuki (Tel.: 8-6108)Mariko Shono (Tel.: 8-6108)

Crop Breeding LaboratoryMakoto Matsuoka (Tel.: 8-6301)Koshun Ishiki (Tel.: 8-6301)Yasuaki Tamura (Tel.: 8-6301)Masahiko Tanio (Tel.: 8-6301)Takayoshi Terauchi (Tel.: 8-6301)

Tropical Fruit Crops LaboratoryKazunori Ogawa (Tel.: 3-6110)Hiroshi Fukamachi (Tel.: 3-6110)Hidenori Kato (Tel.: 3-6110)

Plant Protection LaboratoryMasatoshi Ohnuki (Tel.: 3-9111)Katsuyuki Kohno (Tel.: 3-9111)Tadafumi Nakata (Tel.: 3-9111)Kunimasa Kawabe (Tel.: 3-9111)

Field Manegement SectionYoshimitsu Katsuda (Tel.: 8-6311)Masakazu Hirata (Tel.: 8-6312)Hirokazu Ikema (Tel.: 8-6312)Atsushi Ogasawara (Tel.: 8-6312)Masayoshi Kuwada (Tel.: 8-6312)Yuuhou Maetsu (Tel.: 8-6312)Masato Shimajiri(Tel.: 8-6312)Koji Yamato (Tel.: 8-6312)Masaki Yoshida (Tel.: 8-6312)

Researchers on Loan to OtherInstitutions

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Kunio Tsubota

International Center of Insect Physiology andEcology (ICIPE)Satoshi Nakamura

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)Yoshimichi FukutaTakuhito NozoeSeiji Yanagihara

Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA)Akinori OshibeMasahito SatoShigeki Yokoyama

143

Annual Report 2000(April 2000-March 2001) No.7(Sept. 2001)

Published byJapan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8686 JAPANTel. (0298) 38-6330Fax.(0298) 38-6316