Agriculture and Science 2021/12

Sakai Farm built by our predecessors (Part 2)
〜120 Years of History - A Look Back at the Transition of Varieties, Fertilizers, etc. as Reflected in the Transcripts

JA Fukui Sakai Farm
　Akira Nagatagawa Former Farm Manager

III. Showa Era (1st to 20th century, prewar)

　The national average yield during the Taisho era was 290 kg/10a, slightly higher than at the end of the Meiji era, but still low.
It was a quasi
　In 1927, as in the Taisho Era, paddy rice was grown alone, using lime superphosphate, nitrogen lime, ammonium sulfate, and potassium sulfate.
We have been conducting detailed tests such as fertilizer and pest control tests. In 1939, the government bred
The company is conducting cultivation trials of No. 1 and No. 6 varieties, as well as rice fever disease control trials.
　In 1941, the Pacific War began, and in 1942, the Food Control Law was enacted, which required the government to purchase all rice.
The first time the project was completed, the project was completed.

(1) Outline of variety testing (from local native varieties to government-bred varieties such as Norinbayashi-go 1)

　According to the report of 1927, seeds were mainly obtained from the Fukui Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station, and also from Honma Farms in the Hokuriku area and Yamagata Prefecture. Twenty-six varieties were grown, including "Oba," "Yonemitsu," "Sakata Sasai," "Akachinko," "Hybrid 25," "Late 3," and others. Around 1939, seeds were ordered from the Fukui Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station and other places in the prefecture, and from Toyama Prefecture outside the prefecture. Seventeen varieties, including "Norin No. 1," "Kinki No. 19," and "Kyo Shin Ishi Shiro," were grown in addition to native varieties, many of which were bred at national and other experimental stations. The main varieties in Fukui Prefecture in 1941 were "Norin No. 1," "Fukui Ginbojo," "Shirachinji," "Norin No. 6," and "Chusei Asahi," with "Norin No. 1" and "Fukui Ginbojo" accounting for 43% of the total, and the concentration of varieties has progressed even more than in the Taisho era.

(2) Outline of fertilizers, etc. (from soybean meal to chemical fertilizers and mono-fertilizers)

　According to the 1927 application standards, nursery fertilizers (soybean meal, lime superphosphate, and ammonium sulfate) and main field fertilizers (soybean meal and ammonium sulfate) were used.
　Around 1939, nursery fertilizers (potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, and superphosphate lime) and rice field fertilizers (lime nitrogen, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate lime, and soybean meal) were in general use, and the weight of chemical fertilizers was higher than in the Taisho era.
　In 1939, the fertilizer cost (medium raw material) per 1 反 was 2 kan of potash sulfate, 17 kan of soybean meal, 6 kan of lime nitrogen, etc., for a total of 11 yen.
The price of rice was 16.35 yen per bale. The price of rice was 16.35 yen per bale, and the fertilizer cost as a percentage of rice income was 131 TP3T, which is the same as around 1924.
It was almost the same.

IV. Showa Era (FY21-FY63)

　The national average yield from the first to the 20th year of the Showa Era was 300 kg/tract, almost the same level as the 290 kg/tract during the Taisho Era (1912-1926). In addition to weather disasters such as cold damage, shortages of production materials such as fertilizers are thought to have been a major factor.
　In addition to variety and fertilizer tests, in FY2013, five years after the end of the war, a fertility test was conducted to clarify the relationship between weather and paddy rice growth, and technical information on growth was provided, which was considerably enhanced compared to the prewar period. In addition, the company has improved seedling cultivation methods by conducting comparative tests of heat-retaining eclectic nurseries and normal nurseries, and has conducted detailed surveys of urea fertilizer, ammonium sulfate, and potassium chloride as well as other methods of ear fertilization.
　The national average yield from 1946 to 1965 was 357 kg/10a (353 kg in Fukui Prefecture), a significant increase from the first half of the Showa period (1912-1945).

　Unfortunately, the farm's records up to 1973 have since been lost and are unknown.
　In 1961, the Basic Agricultural Law was enacted to promote self-sustaining management, and in 1969, the Basic Agricultural Law was enacted to promote the production of high quality rice such as Koshihikari.
To promote the distribution of rice, a voluntary rice distribution system was initiated.
　Yields continued to increase after 1966, and for the first time in history, rice went from being in short supply to being in excess, and from 1969, a trial period began.
The work was carried out.
　In 1974, the direct seeding cultivation of the early-season variety Koshishiki was introduced for the purpose of mechanization and low cost, and the direct seeding cultivation of good-tasting varieties.
The change of the times can be felt as we strive to secure and provide seed for the expansion of the Koshihikari crop in Japan. From 1978
In the 1980s and 1990s, full-scale production adjustment and paddy field utilization restructuring measures were implemented. The measures ranged from the pursuit of yield-increasing technologies to the development of labor-saving, quality, and cost-efficient technologies.
There has been a major shift in emphasis to eating quality.
　In 1988, we conducted high-yield trials of early-season rice, such as early-season Fukuhikari and mid-season Koshihikari, as well as high quality rice, and also conducted trials for reducing rice fall.
In addition to these measures, the company is also conducting trials of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice with a view to using rice for other purposes, in response to the expansion of the area under shifting cultivation.
We are working on

(1) Outline of variety testing (from No.1 to Hounenwase and Koshihikari)

　In the first half of this period, variety tests focused on yield, and later on harvest time and taste. In 1951, 14 varieties were tested, including "Norin No. 32," "Kanto No. 41," "Kinki No. 33," and "Senbon Asahi," based on "Norin No. 1" and other varieties. The main variety in Fukui Prefecture at that time was "Norin No. 1," which accounted for 21% of the total planted area.
　Around 1974, "Hounenwase," "Koshihikari," and "Kimpa" were the standard varieties, and "Echinan 111," "Echinan 110," and "Tokai 41" were grown in trials, with many of these varieties bred at the Fukui Agricultural Experiment Station, a designated national experimental site. The main varieties grown in Fukui Prefecture in 1973 were "Hounenwase," "Kimpa," and "Koshihikari," with "Hounenwase" accounting for about 501 TP3T of the total.
　In 1988, five varieties, including "Echigo-Nan 140," "Echigo-Nan 143," and "Yamahikari," were planted, with the early variety "Fukuhikari" and the late variety "Nihonbaru" as the standard. The main varieties in Fukui Prefecture in 1983 were "Koshihikari," "Fukuhikari," and "Nihonbaru," with "Koshihikari" accounting for approximately 371 tons of the total. Koshihikari" was a variety that met the needs of the times, from increased food production to good taste. In 1988, the price of Koshihikari rice for voluntary distribution (Fukui Prefecture) was 22,300 yen per bale, which was higher than the government rice price.

(2) Outline of fertilizers, etc. (from mono-fertilizers to compound fertilizers and advanced compound fertilizers)

　In 1951, the standards for application were: nursery fertilizers (compost, lime superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium chloride) and field fertilizers (compost, lime superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium chloride, lime nitrogen), and as a new fertilizer test, solid fertilizer, granular lime nitrogen, and urea were used.
　Around 1973, rice field fertilizers (rice No. 23 and Oyaishi composite fertilizer) were used, and there was a shift from single fertilizers to compound fertilizers. In 1988, the first and second fertilizers were used, and the Koshihikari rice was fertilized about 12 kg/10a in N content and three times with ear fertilizer. The reason for the much higher amount of N applied to Koshihikari than today is thought to be that the fertilizer absorption and growth characteristics of Koshihikari were not fully understood, and that yield was still more important than quality and taste in the face of high prices.
　Fertilizers were mainly highly chemical fertilizers, and today's bases were established around this time. In addition, the names and packages of fertilizers were standardized throughout the prefecture, and each manufacturer was able to demonstrate its own originality in the ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride types, etc.
　Fertilizer costs in 1973 and 1988 were 3,459 yen/10a and 10,605 yen/10a, respectively, according to the Annual Report of Prefectural Crop Statistics. The price of rice increased from 10,390 yen per bale in 1973 to 16,743 yen per bale in 1988. The fertilizer cost as a percentage of rice income in 1988 was about 81 TP3T.

No Soil - No. 7
　　Conditions for Good Soil Chemical Properties - Part 2
　　Soil that causes acid damage and soil that does not cause acid damage

Hokkaido Branch Office, JCM Agri Co.
　Teruo Matsunaka Technical Advisor

　Last month, I pointed out that the appropriate pH (pH measured using pure water H2O) for good soil for crop production is in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. The reason why the appropriate range is slightly on the acidic side is that the soil in Japan is subject to acidification due to abundant rainfall, and crops suitable for such conditions are grown in Japan. He also pointed out that, of the factors that cause soil acidification and adversely affect crop growth, aluminum (Al) is the factor that has the greatest adverse effect.
　However, there are various kinds of soils that are highly acidic with a pH lower than 5.0 but do not cause serious damage to crops. This month, we will consider why this is the case.

1. soil that allows corn to grow vigorously even in highly acidic conditions

　First, look at Figure 1. This is the result of corn cultivation using two types of soil derived from volcanic ash widely distributed in Japan (commonly known as volcanic ash soil, or more correctly, black box soil).

　The two soils on the left in Figure 1 are typical Japanese black granite soils called allophenolic black granite soils (hereafter abbreviated as A black granite soil). The name is derived from the presence of clay minerals (such as allophene and imogolite) that do not form a clear crystal structure. On the other hand, the two soils on the right are special black earths distributed in the Tohoku region, Hokkaido, and the Sea of Japan side of Honshu, and are called non-allophene black earths (hereafter abbreviated as N black earths). The main clay mineral in this soil is not allophene, but a clay mineral with a well-defined crystal structure.
　The pH of the A black soil was 4.8 and that of the N black soil was 4.5, making them highly acidic soils. We compared the growth of corn plants in these soils with and without acidification with calcium carbonate (calcium carbonate), an alkaline material, after supplying sufficient lime superphosphate as a phosphorus material.
　If the soil is highly acidic, as these two A black box soils are, corn growth should deteriorate unless the soil is acidified. However, strangely enough, there was no significant difference in the growth of corn in the left two A black soil, regardless of whether the soil was acidified or not. On the other hand, in the case of the two N black box soils on the right, the growth of corn plants was greatly suppressed without acidification. In other words, there were two types of soils: one in which acid damage appeared in the crop even when the soil was acidified (in the case of the two N black box soils on the right of Fig. 1), and the other in which this did not occur (in the case of the two A black box soils on the left of Fig. 1). Why is this?

2. exchange acidity (y1) was different

　Normally, soil pH is measured using pure water (H2O). However, another method of measurement is to use chloride
Potassium (KCl) solution may be used. In such cases, it is indicated as pH (KCl).
　The idea of using potassium chloride solution to measure pH came from Gintaro Daikubara, who was the first in the world to research methods of improving soil acidity. He believed that soil acidification adversely affects crops because of aluminum ions dissolved in soil moisture (soil solution), and that the degree of adverse effect is determined by the amount of exchangeable aluminum retained in the soil. As a method to measure this, he devised an ion-exchange method in which the exchangeable aluminum retained in the soil was ion-exchanged with potassium ions in a potassium chloride solution and released into the solution.
　Aluminum ions released from the soil into the potassium chloride solution react with H2O in the solution one after another to produce hydrogen ions. This causes the concentration of hydrogen ions to increase and acidity to strengthen. This increased acidity is neutralized with an alkaline sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) solution, and the aluminum ions are measured indirectly by the amount of sodium hydroxide required for the neutralization (milliliters = ㎖). This ㎖ value is called the exchange acidity, and its symbol is y1 (Y1).
　The y1 values of the two black granite soils used in the experiment shown in Figure 1 were 4.4 for A-Black soil and 28.0 for N-Black soil, which is significantly different from the y1 value of A-Black soil. In other words, the A soil was originally low in exchangeable aluminum, the substance responsible for acid damage, while the N soil had nearly seven times more than the A soil.
　Therefore, it can be understood that corn, which is relatively tolerant to acidity, did not suffer from growth failure with the amount of exchangeable aluminum as low as that of A black soil, even if the pH was very acidic. On the other hand, if the amount of exchangeable aluminum is high, as in the case of N black soil, the amount of aluminum ions in the soil solution will increase and cause acid damage to the roots if the soil is not acidified.

3. why exchange acidity (y1) varies from soil to soil

　The reason that corn could grow without acidification even though the soil is highly acidic is because the A black box soil could not retain much exchangeable aluminum. The question is why.
　This is a curious fact, but it is deeply related to the negative and positive electrostatic properties (positive and negative charge) of soil (details will be given later in this series).
　A. The loading or positive charge of a black soil varies greatly depending on the pH of the surrounding soil solution (this is called a mutation charge). This property of the load prevents further acidification of the soil when it becomes acidic, and keeps the positively charged hydrogen ions from being released into the soil solution by electrostatically attracting and holding them there. The hydrogen ions then remain blocked by the hydrogen ions, so there is no vacant loading charge. Aluminum ions with positive charge are attracted to the soil load and become exchangeable aluminum. However, in A black soil, where there is no vacant loading potential, there is no stable place to hold the exchangeable aluminum, resulting in a low exchange acidity (y1).
　On the other hand, the N-black soil does not have the same properties as the A-black soil and functions as a loading charge at all times. Therefore, when aluminum ions with a positive charge approach the soil, they are attracted to and retained by the loading charge, exchanging ions with hydrogen ions held in the loading charge. Therefore, exchangeable aluminum can exist stably in N-black soil, and the amount of exchangeable aluminum is increased, resulting in a large exchange acidity (y1).

4. the importance of measuring exchange acidity (y1)

　Japanese soil is prone to acidification. Therefore, it is often pointed out that we must prevent acidification by giving charcoal every year. This emphasis on the need to prevent acidification has led to the careless application of calcium carbonate to soil without any soil diagnosis, resulting in the creation of soil with a high pH level. To determine whether a soil needs special attention with regard to acidification, y1 should be measured.
　N-black soil susceptible to acid injury is considered to have a y1 value of 5 or higher. The criteria for determining whether a soil is susceptible to acid injury vary from crop to crop because each crop has a different tolerance to acidity. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize the criteria. However, it is important to add y1 to soil diagnosis as well as pH measurement.