A Study on the Environmental Adaptability of the Prune 'Karari'
Faculty of Agriculture Tropical Fruit Science
Kozai Naoko
- yamato
Background and objectives of activities
In the village of Yamato on Amami Oshima Island, a type of prune called 'Karari' has been cultivated for many years. Prunes are deciduous fruit trees, and they will not sprout properly unless they are exposed to a certain period of low temperatures in winter, but despite the fact that temperatures rarely fall to the so-called 'low temperatures' on Amami Oshima Island, they are widely cultivated there. It is a valuable deciduous fruit tree that is only grown on Amami Oshima Island, but its growth characteristics are largely unknown. The aim of this research is to clarify the growth characteristics of the “Hana-Rai” plum.
Summary of Activities
We regularly visit multiple plum orchards in Yamato Village from winter to spring to investigate the germination of dormant buds, flowering, and yield, as well as collecting temperature data to investigate the relationship between temperature conditions and growth.
Expected Benefits
In the future, climate change is expected to progress, and warmer regions are expected to move north. If data can be obtained through this research, the conditions for the cultivation of “hanarabi” can be clarified, and it is expected that this will lead to the expansion of cultivation areas.