NARO research achievements for priority dissemination 2016

In order to accelerate the transfer of technologies developed by NARO, research achievements for priority dissemination are selected every year starting from FY2016. The following researches have been selected for FY2016:

  • Environment-friendly swine feed with improved amino acid balance
  • Production system for high quality and low cost rice whole crop silage
  • Agro-Meteorological Grid Square Data System

Environment-friendly swine feed with improved amino acid balance

Feeding swine with improved amino acid balanced significantly reduces the total nitrogen concentration in pig house sewage as compared to feeding of conventional feed. It is possible to reduce the total nitrogen by about 35% using the existing wastewater purification treatment facility compared to supplying conventional feed. In addition to improving water quality, it also facilitates reduction in greenhouse gases.


Dissemination Activities

NARO made an announcement to organize a symposium targeting the pig farmers, animal husbandry dissemination organization, agricultural environment related administrators to be co-organized with the collaborators, namely, Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition Group Co., Ltd., Animal Nutrition Division of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., and the Ibaraki Prefectural Livestock Center. The symposium will focus on disseminating the merits of supplying an environment-friendly swine feed with improved amino acid balance via deepening current understanding on the difficulty in reducing nitrate nitrogen according to the general wastewater standards (100 mg/L) and the importance of countermeasures based on feed supply.

References

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/chikusan/87/4/87_373/_pdf (In Japanese)
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/chikusan1924/72/8/72_8_117/_article

Production system for high quality and low cost rice whole crop silage

The rice cultivars "Tachisuzuka" and "Tsukisuzuka" are characterized by high sugar content and easily digestible by cows and suitable for silage fermentation. Using these cultivars high-quality, low-cost rice whole crop silage (WCS) were produced by combining micro harvesting machine, high density transport, and Lactobacillus (Chikuso-2) which promotes fermentation even at low temperature and prevents deterioration.


Dissemination Activities

Demonstration of harvesting "Tachisuzuka" and "Tsukisuzuka" using harvesters will be carried out at local fields and seminars will be conducted manner targeting WCS rice producers mainly in the western part of the Kanto region, contractors, TMR centers, livestock farmers, livestock breeding organizations, livestock related administrators, etc. In case of "Chikuso-2", case examples of "Tsukisuzuka" for rice WCS will be accumulated and demonstration tests to improve the quality of other self-sufficing domestically produced feed mainly produced in paddy field etc. An exhibition booth will be set up at the Agribusiness Creation Fair 2017 to be held in Tokyo to conduct public relations activities. These activities are expected to increase awareness of the varieties and technologies and stimulate further development and expansion of domestic self-contained high quality and low cost feed production.


Agro-Meteorological Grid Square Data System

The Agro-Meteorological Grid Square Data System is a climate-smart tool which can provide 1-km grid square data of meteorological elements such as daily mean air temperature, humidity and precipitation for entire Japanese archipelago. The system provides 13 kinds of agricultural weather data seamlessly connecting values obtained since 1980, forecast values up to 26 days ahead, and average annual values. The data is maintained in units of about 1 km of mesh and can be acquired by arbitrarily selecting the necessary weather elements, regions, and periods. It can be used to create various cultivation management support information.


Dissemination Activities

The Agro-Meteorological Grid Square Data System will be promoted through briefing sessions and distribution of manuals to public agricultural research institutes, educational institutions, agricultural information business operators, food business operators, JA, farming corporations, etc. who intend to use agricultural weather data. In addition, case studies and information processing technologies will be made accessible through the web upon registration to this system to facilitate efficient use of the technology and to promote the utilization of weather information for cultivation management.

Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNNTI0Gftug(Japanese)

Centers・Institutes