Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO

Crop Breeding Group

We carry out research to develop new varieties adapted to the Tohoku region and the suitable breeding programs for winter crops such as wheat, barley, oilseeds, and summer crops such as buckwheat. We also conduct DNA marker development to support these breeding programs.

In winter, snow covers most areas of Tohoku region and hence winter crops must have cold tolerance. Therefore, most varieties of the winter crops developed here are able to survive more than 70 days under snow without damage. For example, we have developed the wheat variety "Yukichikara" which can survive up to 110 days under snow.

Wheat High end quality domestic wheat varieties are required for making bread, noodle and confectioneries. In order to respond to this demand, we put forth our efforts to improve protein quantity, ash content, flour yield and color. To accelerate this work, marker assisted selection has been introduced and new DNA markers to identify gluten subunits and starch content have been developed. We have developed a low amylose variety, "Nebarigoshi" which is very suitable for Japanese alkaline noodles (Udon). Another registered variety, "Yukiharuka" has low protein content and is suitable for cake making. For bread making, we have developed "Yukichikara" which has a higher protein content and strong dough properties, and the flour also suitable for Chinese noodles or ramen. We have recently registered a strong wheat variety "Ginganochikara". When the flour of this variety is blended with regular domestic wheat flour, bread loaf volume is increased and quality is improved. In addition to these regular types of varieties, we have also developed unique wheat varieties. The world's first waxy wheat (amylose-free wheat) developed in 1995 allowed us to register waxy varieties such as "Mochihime". Sweet and staling resistant types of wheat were also developed. With the staling resistant line, bread remains soft for longer time, the registration process for this variety is underway.

Barley We have developed a six-row barley variety "Sinjuboshi" which is characterized by early maturity, good pearled grain whiteness and good boiled grain whiteness. For malting, we have developed a two-row barley variety "Koharu Nijo" classified as having moderate cold tolerance, but its cold and snow mold torelance are higher than those of other two-row barley varieties.

Rapeseed We are the only group continuously working on rapeseed breeding in Japan, and so we are breeding new varieties suitable for various regions in Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south: We have developed single low (zero erucic acid) varieties "Kitanokirameki" and "Nanaharuka", suitable for Hokkaido region and Kyushu region respectively, and a double low variety "Kirakiraginga" suitable for Tohoku region.

Buckwheat During the cultivation of buckwheat in paddy fields, growth problems such as flooding stress often occur which causes yield loss. Therefore, we are trying to develop cultivation methods for resolving such growth problems. We have also developed summer sown variety "Nijiyutaka", which has high logging tolerance, and spring sown variety "Natsukichi".

Wheat variety "Ginganochikara". Blending the flour of this variety with and other domestic varieties increases the volume of bread loaf.

Group Leader

TAKAYAMA Toshiyuki

Group Members

Centers・Institutes