Characteristics of Rice Varieties for Commercial Use and Livestock Feed and Their Cultivation Technology in the Cold Region of Japan

Abstract

A decrease in the number of farmers, enlargement of the management scale, and diversification of rice usage are predicted for rice cultivation in Japan. Conventionally, branded rice varieties with weak lodging resistance are cultivated under low-nitrogen conditions to produce low-yield, high-priced rice with a taste suitable for household consumption. In contrast, it is more effective to cultivate varieties with strong lodging resistance under high-nitrogen conditions to produce high-yield rice for commercial use and livestock feed. Cold regions (Tohoku region) are suitable for producing high-yield rice, although cold weather reduces variation in cultivation systems. For large-scale farms in cold regions, direct seeding, sparse transplanting, and late transplanting are promising strategies. We discuss the future directions of rice breeding and cultivation technologies for commercial use and livestock feed in cold regions.