Using wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety "Sato-no-sora", the effects of nitrogen topdressing were examined in southern part of Ibaraki prefecture. The experiments were conducted in 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020. After cultivation of different crops (paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean (Glycine max Merr.) etc.), wheat was sowed at late November. Four topdressing treatments, which were 1) control, 2) standard, 3) improvement 1, and 4) improvement 2, were conducted. In 1) control plots, nitrogen was not applied as topdressing. In 2) standard plots, 4 g/m² nitrogen was applied at late February. In 3) improvement 1 plots, 4 g/m² nitrogen was applied at late January and late February. In 4) improvement 2 plots, 4 g/m² nitrogen was applied at late February and late March. As topdressing, ammonium sulfate was applied. By topdressing, grain yield and grain protein percentage increased, and nitrogen uptake by grain, which is estimated by yield and protein percentage, increased. However, in the same topdressing treatment, nitrogen uptake by grain varied with preceding crops. Nitrogen uptake by grain increased in wheat after soybean in comparison with wheat after paddy rice. Probably wheat absorbs approximately 50 % of nitrogen from fertilizer, and it absorbs rest from soil. Therefore, it is suggested that the variation of nitrogen uptake by grain was influenced by the nitrogen uptake from soil. In this result, much of nitrogen uptake from soil probably consists of the nitrogen mineralized from organic matter (organic nitrogen).

‘Beniminori’ is an early maturing red dessert apple (Malus pumila Mill.), resulted from a cross of ‘Tsugaru’ and ‘Gala’ made in 1981. The original tree of ‘Beniminori’ was initially selected in 1993 in Morioka Research Station, and was tested as selection Ringo Morioka-67 under the sixth apple selection national trial initiated in 2009. It was released as ‘Beniminori’ in 2018, then registered as No. 27427 under The Plant Variety and Seedling Act of Japan in 2019. The tree vigor is medium. Its flowering time is same as ‘Tsugaru’. ‘Beniminori’ is cross-compatible with major commercial cultivars such as ‘Fuji’ and ‘Tsugaru’, since the S-genotype is S3S5. ‘Beniminori’ is resistant to Alternaria blotch and is susceptible to scab. The fruit of ‘Beniminori’ ripens in late August to early September in Morioka. Mean fruit weight is 263 g (30 g smaller than ‘Tsugaru’) in the national trial. The fruit has a dark red surface color at harvest time, and the flesh firmness is 16.4lbs (significantly firmer than that of ‘Tsugaru’), soluble solids concentration averages around 13.4% (similar to that of ‘Tsugaru’). Titratable acidity averages 0.33 g/100 ml (significantly higher than that of ‘Tsugaru’). Fruit cracking in ‘Beniminori’ occurs depending on years and locations. Fruit skin shows good coloration, and fruit flesh keeps good condition compared with ‘Tsugaru’ even in warm region of southwest districts in Japan. Therefore, ‘Beniminori’ is expected to be a suitable cultivar for adapting to warmer climate.

‘Kinshu’ is a mid-season maturing red dessert apple (Malus pumila Mill.), resulted from a cross of ‘Sensyu’ and 4-4349 (‘Tsugaru’ × ‘Iwakami’) made in 1994. The original tree of ‘Kinshu’ was initially selected in 2006 in Apple Research Station (current: Morioka Research Station), NARO in Morioka, and was tested as selection Ringo Morioka-70 under the sixth apple selection national trial initiated in 2009. It was released as ‘Kinshu’ in 2018, then registered as No. 27428 under The Plant Variety and Seedling Act of Japan in 2019. The tree vigor is medium, and its flowering time is 2 days later than ‘Tsugaru’. ‘Kinshu’ is cross-compatible with major commercial cultivars such as ‘Fuji’, but is cross-incompatible with ‘Tsugaru’, since the S-genotype of ‘Kinshu’ is S3S7. ‘Kinshu’ is resistant to Alternaria blotch and is susceptible to scab. The fruit of ‘Kinshu’ ripens in late September to early October in Morioka. Mean fruit weight is 298 g, almost same as ‘Tsugaru’ in the national trial. The fruit has a dark red surface color at harvest time, and the flesh firmness is 13.8 lbs, no significant difference with that of ‘Tsugaru’. Soluble solids concentration averages around 14.7%, significantly higher than that of ‘Tsugaru’. Titratable acidity averages 0.34 g/100 ml, significantly higher than that of ‘Tsugaru’ and lower than that of ‘Fuji’. Fruit skin shows good coloration compared with ‘Tsugaru’. Coloration did not decline even in the relative temperate apple-growing regions of Japan. Therefore, ‘Kinshu’ is expected to be a suitable mid-season maturing cultivar with high-quality fruit for adapting to warmer climate.

Breeding efforts in Japan have improved the pest and disease resistance and food processibility in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. However, progress in improving yields has been stagnant, making the development of high-yielding varieties one of the most urgent breeding objectives.

A new soybean variety, “Soramizuki,” was developed in 2022 by the Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). It resulted from crossing “Sakukei 76” (later registered as “Fukuyutaka A1 gou”), a breeding line well-suited for tofu production, with “UA4805,” a high-yielding variety from the United States.

Trial cultivation tests were conducted in Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki (36°00’ N， 140°02’ E). The seed coat color of “Soramizuki” was yellowish-white with light brown hila, and its hundred seed weight was approximately 18–22 g. Its date of maturation, dehiscence resistance, lodging resistance, and the lowest pod height were similar to those of “Sachiyutaka A1 gou,” a variety suitable for mechanized harvesting. Demonstration tests using a combine harvester in farmers’ fields revealed that “Soramizuki” yielded 37% more than conventionally grown varieties such as “Satonohohoemi” and “Fukuyutaka.” Although its protein content was 3% lower than that of “Sachiyutaka A1 gou,” “Soramizuki” displayed tofu processing suitability on par with the excellent processing suitability of “Fukuyutaka.”

Regional yield trials confirmed that “Soramizuki” is suitable for cultivation in all regions from Kanto to Kyushu. However, due to its susceptibility to soybean mosaic virus and soybean cyst nematodes, it should not be grown in fields severely impacted by these pathogens.