Technology that dramatically speeds up the growth of wasabi in greenhouses has been developed by an agricultural firm in Soma.
　Agricore Corp., which licenses cultivation technology for farm products, found during research and development that by using a soil specially cultured with microorganisms, the heat tolerance of wasabi, which usually requires clear streams and a cool environment, was increased, allowing it to be cultivated even at temperatures of 30 C.

　ワサビのハウス栽培を飛躍的に早める技術が、相馬市の農業会社によって開発された。農作物の栽培技術のライセンス提供などを手がけるアグリ・コアは、研究開発の過程で微生物を利用した特殊な培養土を用いることで、通常は清流と冷涼な環境が必要なワサビの耐暑性が高まり、気温３０度でも栽培できることを突き止めた。

　The company has a greenhouse located in Soma with a cultivation area of 3,300 square meters. The wasabi grows its dark green leaves in neatly arranged tall gutters. Five employees, including three part-time workers, take care of 10,000 wasabi plants. A control system developed in-house saves labor by adjusting the greenhouse environment based on temperature and humidity data that is collected by sensors.

　相馬市にある栽培面積３３００平方メートルのハウスには、高設ベンチが整然と並び、定植されたワサビが深緑色の葉を伸ばす。１万株を栽培しているが、従業員はパートタイムの３人を含め５人。ハウス内の温度や湿度などの情報をセンサーで集め栽培環境を制御する自社開発のシステムを導入し、省力化を実現した。

　Harvested wasabi are separated into leaves, or hawasabi, which are eaten as pickles, and rhizomes, which are grounded into wasabi seasoning. They are shipped to farm stands in the city, hotels in the prefecture and other places.
　"The aroma and pungency of the wasabi are as good as those of wasabi grown in the open," Hiroshi Ikemi, 49, manager of Agricore's farm, said proudly.

　収穫されたワサビは、漬物などで味わう葉ワサビと、すりつぶして「おろしわさび」にする根茎ワサビを、市内の直売所や県内のホテルなどに出荷している。池見弘嗣農場長（４９）は「香りや辛みは露地栽培ワサビに引けを取らない」と胸を張る。

　Agricore also succeeded in shortening the cultivation period, making it possible to harvest hawasabi in only 2½ months, instead of the usual 2½ years to three years required from planting to harvest. Furthermore, it confirmed that the rhizome, whose growth requires clean water, grew to about 10 centimeters in 1½ years -- which is about the same period it takes to grow in a stream -- in the cultured soil to be ready for shipment.

　アグリ・コア社は栽培期間の短縮にも成功し、植え付けから収穫まで２年半～３年が必要な葉ワサビを２カ月半で収穫できるようにした。さらに、豊富な清流が成長に欠かせない根茎部分が、培養土でも清流と同じ約１年半で１０センチほどに育ち、出荷できることを確認した。

　According to the company, domestic wasabi production has declined by more than 30% over the past decade due to global warming and natural disasters. In Fukushima Prefecture, the cultivation area has shrunk drastically since the 2011 accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, prompting Agricore to begin developing cultivation technology in 2018.
　Cultivation using the technology will begin this year in eight locations across Japan.
　"The production is stable throughout the year regardless of location or weather conditions," Ikemi said. "We hope to make wasabi more accessible."

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　同社によると、ワサビの生産量は温暖化や自然災害などの影響により、国内では過去１０年で３０％以上減少。福島県内でも２０１１年の東京電力福島第１原発事故以降、栽培面積が激減していることから、１８年に栽培技術の開発に取り組み始めた。池見農場長は「場所や天候に左右されず、年間を通じて安定して生産できる。ワサビをより身近なものにしていきたい」と話している。

　【　２０２３年１月１０日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】