Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop in Hokkaido, Japan, where starch is a common ingredient in many Japanese dishes. Potato starch differs from other starches in that it has a high concentration of phosphorus, which imparts unique functional properties such as high viscosity. This review article summarizes a series of approaches conducted at the Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, to investigate the characteristics of starches extracted from potatoes cultivated in Hokkaido, Japan. Rapid, nondestructive, and quantitative measurements of phosphorus content in potato starch were conducted using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. Starches prepared from late-harvested potatoes had a higher peak viscosity and phosphorus content than those from early-harvested potatoes. Air classification of potato starch granules of different sizes revealed that peak viscosity decreased, but phosphorus content increased as granule size decreased. In vitro digestibility studies of raw starch from multiple samples of potato, sweet potato, cassava, and yam have suggested that higher phosphorus content reduces the rate of hydrolysis by amylolytic enzymes.

Soybean red crown rot (RCR), caused by the soil-borne fungus Calonectria ilicicola, significantly reduces soybean yield and quality. A hypovirulent strain of C. ilicicola, designated UH2-1A, was obtained by repeated subculturing of the virulent strain UH2-1. UH2-1A exhibited significantly reduced pathogenicity after 20 and 40 subcultures, with RCR symptom scores of 0.8 and 1.0, respectively, compared to 3.0 and 4.0 for UH2-1. No differences in growth rate or direct antagonistic effects were observed between UH2-1A and UH2-1. Notably, incorporating UH2-1A into the UH2-1 inoculum mixture significantly reduced the RCR incidence at UH2-1A/UH2-1 ratios of ≥ 1.0 in greenhouse experiments. The suppressive effect of UH2-1A was also observed against four additional virulent C. ilicicola strains, suggesting broad control potential. These results highlight UH2-1A as a promising biological control agent for soybean RCR and provide an effective method for generating hypovirulent pathogen strains to control diseases caused by intraspecific pathogens.

In this study, we aimed to determine a method for measuring soil matric potential using a simple soil moisture meter (SSMM) with a contact material, such as silt loam. Silt loam as a contact material ensured water continuity between the sensor of the SSMM and the soil, enabling it to function correctly. The SSMM indicator was consistent with measurements from a conventional soil water potential sensor; thus, the soil matric potential could be estimated across multiple fields with different soil types, with an RMSE accuracy of 61-203 kPa. These results demonstrate the potential of the SSMM to estimate soil matric potential below –50 kPa (above pF 2.7) and highlight its utility as a practical field-measuring instrument.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Structure from Motion (UAV-SfM) is a labor-saving method for measuring plant height and volume. Recent studies have explored yield estimation in various crops using plant height derived from UAV-SfM. This study examined the application of UAV-SfM in grass breeding, focusing on yield estimation for productivity testing trials and evaluating its potential for individual plant selection. Yield estimation in Lolium perenne was analyzed using Random Forest (RF) regression with UAV-SfM-estimated grass height, temperature, precipitation, and vegetation indices as predictor variables. The results indicated that, even under optimal conditions, the achieved accuracy was insufficient for direct application in breeding and productivity testing trials, highlighting the limitations of UAV-SfM for yield estimation at present. For individual selection, Dactylis glomerata was assessed by comparing individual plant heights derived from UAV-SfM to rG, an established index known to correlate with breeder scores. A strong positive correlation (r > 0.8) was observed between rG and UAV-SfM-estimated individual plant heights, suggesting that UAV-SfM-derived height is potentially useful for individual plant selection. Our findings suggest that while UAV-SfM shows potential for individual plant selection in grass breeding, further methodological refinement is required before it can be reliably employed for yield estimation.

The assessment of photosynthetic pigments is a reliable indicator for evaluating plant productivity and environmental stress. Therefore, developing an in-situ method for monitoring photosynthetic pigments is essential for effective tea crop management. Hyperspectral reflectance has been widely applied to assess vegetation properties, including pigment content, using portable spectroradiometers. However, the cost of these devices remains high and inaccessible for general use. This study evaluated the potential of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-mounted hyperspectral sensor incorporating a cost-effective, fingertip-sized spectrometer (C12880MA-10, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.) to estimate chlorophyll and carotenoid content in tea leaves using the PROSPECT-D+SAIL model. Based on the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD), the proposed approach demonstrated effective performance in estimating both chlorophyll and carotenoid content, with RPD values exceeding 1.4.

This study examined the preferences of urban Chinese consumers for mung beans through a survey conducted in three major cities. Using the concept of food values and the best-worst scaling (BWS) approach, the findings highlight safety, nutrition, naturalness, and taste as key drivers of mung bean purchases. Latent class (LC) analysis further identified three distinct consumer segments: Class 1 placed the strongest emphasis on environment, followed by safety and nutrition; Class 2 prioritized safety, regardless of price; and Class 3 required both healthfulness (reflected in safety and nutrition) and good taste for a product to be selected.

India has frequently imposed rice export restrictions since the 2000s. These restrictions have posed a significant risk to the global rice market and food security. Therefore, we examined the impact of India’s restrictions on rice exports on the global indica and japonica rice markets, as well as food security, using a partial equilibrium model and several food security indicators. The results of our simulations revealed that the restrictions affect the global indica and japonica rice markets through a substitution effect based on changes in relative prices. Furthermore, domestic indica rice prices for many net indica rice importers and exporters were expected to increase in 2023/24, leading to medium-term volatility. Our comprehensive assessment demonstrated that the restrictions pose a major risk to domestic food security for both net importers and exporters of indica rice in the short and medium term.

Phytophthora blight, primarily caused by Phytophthora nicotianae, poses a significant threat to Helleborus production under warm and humid conditions. However, the tolerance levels of different Helleborus cultivars to this disease have not yet been compared. Thus, this study aimed to assess disease tolerance in the 17 major Helleborus cultivars available in Japan, all propagated via tissue culture to ensure genetic uniformity. The plants were inoculated with P. nicotianae, and the disease progression was monitored over 20 days. Our results revealed substantial variation in disease severity among the cultivars. The ‘Petit doll’ cultivars, particularly ‘Petit doll Shiori,’ exhibited strong and consistent tolerance, whereas the others, such as ‘White sugar chiffon’ and ‘Mayuhiki,’ showed high susceptibility. Some cultivars displayed delayed symptom development followed by rapid progression. In several cases, discrepancies were observed between root and foliar symptoms, indicating that above- and below-ground responses do not always correlate. This highlights the diversity of disease responses and the need for integrated evaluation methods when screening for disease tolerance. The tolerant cultivars identified in this study are valuable resources for breeding programs to improve resistance and ensure the sustainability of Helleborus production.

A 9-year-old female Saanen goat died following swelling of the right cheek and loss of appetite. Necropsy revealed a subcutaneous mass on the right cheek measuring 7 × 5 × 5 cm and another mass on the dorsal soft palate measuring 5 × 5 × 5 cm. Neither mass was continuous with the maxillary bone. Histopathological examination showed that both masses were predominantly composed of atypical spindle-shaped cells. Osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells were frequently observed, along with scattered osteoid formation and calcified osteoid tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the tumor cells were positive for vimentin but negative for keratin. Based on these findings, the mass was diagnosed as a giant cell-rich extraskeletal osteosarcoma, representing only the first such case reported in a goat.

To reduce the amount of dietary crude protein (CP) and nitrogen excretion, this study aimed to improve the feed for fattening Japanese Black steers. The dietary CP content was 12%-13% on a dry-matter basis in the control diet (CON, n = 4, initial body weight [BW] 304 kg) and 11%-12% in the moderate-protein diet with rumen-protected lysine and methionine during the early and middle fattening stages (LysMet, n = 4, initial BW 297 kg). BW, BW gain, intakes of dry matter and total digestible nutrients, and the gain-to-feed ratio were not affected by dietary CP content. CP intake was significantly lower in LysMet-fed steers than in CON-fed steers (p < 0.01); however, there were no differences in the intake of metabolizable lysine or methionine between groups. Total nitrogen excretion was lower in LysMet-fed steers than that in CON-fed steers at the early (p < 0.10), middle (p < 0.05), and late (p < 0.10) fattening stages. Carcass weight and traits were not affected by the dietary CP content. These results indicate that in Japanese Black steers, 11%-12% CP diets supplemented with rumen-protected lysine and methionine reduce nitrogen excretion without affecting productivity.