Significance of the Preservation of Crop Genetic Resources in the Islands of Kagoshima Michio ONJO
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KAWAI, K., TERADA, R. and KUWAHARA, S. (eds): The Islands of Kagoshima Kagoshima University Research Center for the Pacific Islands, 15 March 2013 Chapter 15 Significance of the Preservation of Crop Genetic Resources in the Islands of Kagoshima Michio ONJO 1. Characteristics of the Kagoshima Islands lilies have become an important mother stock of ince Nansei Islands are located in a transition- the garden lily cultivar. In Kagoshima Prefecture, Sal climatic zone having subtropical to temper- citrus varieties are abundant, and YAMAMOTO et ate regions, they show diverse plants and crops al. have been extensively investigating native that have adapted to the different weather condi- citrus in these islands. YAMAMOTO et al. (2003, tions (HOTTA 2002). The average annual rainfall in 2005, 2006, 2008) surveyed the native citrus in this region is more than 2,000 mm. Because of the Kikaijima Is., Tokunoshima Is., Amami-Oshima warm and humid environment, many endemic spe- Is., Kakeromajima Is., Yoroshima Is., Ukeshima cies are also found in this area. The numbers of Is., Okinoerabujima Is., and Yoronjima Is. diverse wild plants and endangered plant species Next, YAMAMOTO et al. (2006) introduced found in Amami-Oshima Is. are greater than those 25 native citrus varieties from these islands to found in any other region in Kagoshima; hence, the Toso Orchard, Experimental Farm, Faculty of importance of maintenance of crops in this region Agriculture, Kagoshima University, to undertake has been indicated (HOTTA 2002). Furthermore, the their preservation. The characteristics of fruit de- islands in Kagoshima harbor many wildlife spe- velopment and phytonutrients of Keraji (Citrus cies; the plants growing in these regions can be keraji hort. ex Tanaka) originating from Kikaijima utilized for food, medicinal, and ornamental pur- Is. were mainly investigated. Keraji is a seedless, poses. early-maturing cultivar, having fragrant fruits; it is Endangered species are recorded in the known to contain phytonutrient components. The red list category of the International Union for possibility of cultivation of this species for its eco- Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, nomic value has been reported to be high in the Ministry of Environment, Japan. As per this list, future (YAMAMOTO et al. 2008, 2009, 2010). most of the wildlife species found in these islands ISHIHATA et al. (1997) analyzed the content of are endangered. The National Institute of Agro- peel oil obtained from some native citrus species biological Science Gene Bank and National Center cultivated in Amami-Oshima Is., Tokunoshima for Seeds and Seedlings provide information on Is., Okinoerabujima Is., and Yoronjima Is. and crop (including cereals, vegetables, fruits, and root reported that the peel of a few citrus species had and tuber crops) preservation in Japan. However, high content of a characteristic fragrance; these information on the preservation of native crops is aromatic citrus were considered to be endemic to lacking, and few databases have recorded the culti- Amami Islands. vation methods and areas of native crops. However, because of the lack of sufficient in- vestigation and field research, the name of these 2. Examples of cultivated crops citrus species varied in different areas of the is- OTTA (2002) reported that Tamoto-yuri lands, and occasionally, the same variety was iden- H(Lilium nobilissimum Makino), which grows tified by homonymous names (YAMAMOTO et al. only in Kuchinoshima Is. and Uke-yuri (Lilium al- 2003). Therefore, establishment of plant preserva- exandrae Coutts.) found in Amami-Oshima Is. are tion systems are necessary in this region. HOTTA also designated as endangered wild species; these (2003) introduced yam (Dioscorea) and Taro or 92 The Islands of Kagoshima Satoimo in Japanese (Colocasia) from the south- ent, it is only found in Nansei Islands (SHIMONO ern area to Nansei Islands for cultivation. The yam 1980; Fig. 2). Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) mainly cultivated in Nansei Islands is water yam P. Beauv.) was also mainly cultivated in Nansei (Dioscorea alata L.) from South-East Asia (tropi- Islands, but it is now extinct in this region (KANO cal zone) and not the Chinese yam (Dioscorea op- 2007). ICHITANI et al. (2005) analyzed the DNA posita Thunb.) from the temperate zone. isolated from the native Japanese radish (Shima- Water yam with purple (red) and white tubers Daikon) planted in Yoronjima Is. and the improved are easily cultivated in home gardens in Nansei Japanese radish varieties marketed by seed com- Islands. In mid-January, red and white yams are panies. They found that these 2 varieties could used to decorate houses and to prepare for congrat- be naturally crossed, and that the resulting hybrid ulatory meal to celebrate New Year (Fig. 1). ONJO seeds were used for further cultivations. Hence, (2004) and ONJO et al. (2005) described that 30 % they emphasized that the local plants varieties of the water yam collected from Nansei Islands should be maintained and cultivated separately to were of the purple type, and they had a peculiar preserve them. name in this region. Hence, the purple yam may be considered to have a special ritual significance. 3. Preservation method of native crops Taro (Colocasia) cultivars are roughly divided s mentioned above, Nansei Islands is a very into 2 types on the basis of the chromosome num- Aunique region harboring many original and ber: diploid and triploid. The diploid type cultivars native crops because of the warm and humid are mainly cultivated in the tropical zone and the weather condition. triploid type in the temperate region. The triploid HOTTA (2003) indicated that these crops have varieties are more common in the northern part of been cultivated since the period of Satsuma feu- Kyushu, Japan, and the diploid varieties are usu- dal clan, and hence, are precious genetic re- ally found from the southern part of Kyushu, to sources; these crops are found from Southern Nansei Islands, Japan (HOTTA 2003, ANKEI 1993, Kyushu to Nansei Islands, but are now becoming 1995). Nansei Islands have been thought to be an scarce. Although there is lack of research, these important cultivation area of taro in Japan. native crops that have traditional values have Another type of taro (Colocasia) known as been cultivated over generations at a local scale. “Taimo,” which grows in paddy fields or swamps, Furthermore, the functional ingredients of some has been found from Taiwan to Kyushu. At pres- of the native crops have been identified, and their Fig. 1. Purple water yam used for decoration Fig. 2. Taro (Taimo) cultivated in a paddy field during New Year celebrations in Amami-Oshi- in Amami-Oshima Is. ma Is. (Arrow shows the yam). Photo: Seigi MATSUI. 93 Kagoshima University Research Center for the Pacific Islands application in ways other than as food has been of Crop Genetic Resources. 209 pp., Rural Culture considered. Association, Tokyo. (in Japanese) ONJO, M. 2004. Yam cultivation from Kagoshima to Nansei Because of the rapid expansion of cash crops, Islands. Amami News letter, 11: 1-7. (in Japanese) the numbers of native crops are declining. Further, ONJO, M., ICHITANI, K., TOMINAGA, S. and HIDAKA, T. 2005. this phenomenon has been noted not only in the Yam's strains and their preservation cultivated in Nansei Islands, Japan. Kagoshima Univ. Res. Center Kagoshima Islands but also worldwide. Identifying for the Pac. Island Occasional Papers, 42: 131-135. (in groups, places, and methods for the preserva- Japanese with English abstract) tion of native crops is a difficult task. NISHIKAWA SHIMONO, T. 1980. Cultivation, methods of cooking and eti- (2005) proposed the Stakeholder Participation for quette. Folklore in Nansei Islands Ⅰ. pp. 33-65, Hosei University Press, Tokyo. (in Japanese) Management of Crop Genetic Resources method. YAMAMOTO, M. NESUMI, H., MATSUMOTO, R. and TOMINAGA, This method might be very useful for preserving S. 2003. Confusion between two Mandarin (Citrus native crops even in the islands. In fact, in Amami- spp.) cultivar (Keraji and Kabuchi) that originated on the Amami Archipelago. Bull. Fac. Agr. Kagoshima Oshima Is. and Tokara Islands, a non-profit organi- Univ., 53: 15-19. (in Japanese with English abstract) zation (NPO) preserves the native crops, and such YAMAMATO, M. and TOMINAGA, S. 2005. Exploretion and efforts need to be considered in the future. classification of Citrus genetic resources in Yoron Island. Kagoshima Univ. Res, Center for the Pac. Island, Occasional Papers, 42: 136-139. (in Japanese References with English abstract) NKEI A , T. 1993. A study of the genus Colocasia (Araceae) YAMAMATO, M., KUBO, T. and TOMINAGA, S. 2008. Exploration on Nakanoshima Island, Tokara Archipelago. Biol. of Citrus depressa Hayata germplasms in Okinoerabu Mag. Okinawa, 31: 21-28. (in Japanese with English Island. Bull. Exp. Farm Fac. Agr. Kagoshima Univ., 30: abstract) 15-17. (in Japanese with English abstract) NKEI A , T. 1995. External mophology and Chromosome num- YAMAMATO, M., MATSUMOTO, R., UECHI, Y., KUBO, T. and ber of the genus Colocasia (Araceae) on Yakushima TOMINAGA, S. 2010. Content of Limoninglucoside and Island with special reference to the folk knowledge limonin in local citrus accession in Kikai-jima Islands of its cultivars. Bull. Mag. Okinawa, 33: 31-41. (in of Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. Bull. Exp. Farm Japanese with English abstract) Fac. Agr. Kaghoshima Univ., 32: 7-12. (in Japanese HOTTA, M. 2002. Plant world and people in Amami. In: with English abstract) KIMICHI Wildlife and regional community (Ed. A , T.), YAMAMATO, M., MATSUMOTO, R., UECHI, Y., ICHIJI, T., KUBO, pp. 156-182, Showado, Kyoto. (in Japanese) T. and TOMINNAGA, S. 2008. The Polymethoxy fla- HOTTA, M. 2003. Natural environment and people life vones content of local citrus accession on the Island from Southern Kyushu to Nansei Islands. Human and of Kikaijima in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Bull. Environmental Forum, 13: 40-45. (in Japanese) Fac. Agr. Kagoshima Univ., 58: 1-7.