May 7, 2015

USDA Group Offers Tours to Vegetable Grafting Nurseries in AsiaSource: University of Arizona

USDA SCRI Vegetable Grafting Technology Working Group is offering two opportunities for U.S. propagators to visit nurseries in Asia to learn about commercial vegetable grafting.

Attendees can travel to Taiwan and Japan from Aug. 16-23.

In Taiwan, visitors can see grafting nursery operations adapted in the sub-tropical climate region. In Japan, high-tech grafting operations can be seen with indoor growing facilities that use electric lighting and automation.

Taiwan (Aug. 16-19)
–AVRDC The World Vegetable Center – Research on abiotic stress tolerance of grafted plants, tomato and pepper breeding program, low cost healing chamber.
–Yu_Chia Nursery – A nursery located in Chia_Yi County for grafted tomato seedling production and some cucurbit seedling production, 25K seedlings per week on average.
–Shang_Sheng Nursery _ A nursery located in Chia_Yi County
–Yu_You nursery _ Watermelon grafting nursery

Japan (Aug. 19-23)
–Jardin Co. – A nursery located in Chiba Prefecture, producing flowers and vegetable plugs and transplants. Annual grafting capacity is approximately 5 million plants. The main crop to be seen is the tomato, and visitors can see indoor plant production and healing units using electric lighting as well as various grafting methods – manual, semi_automation (ISO).
–Sohuku Engei – A nursery located in Fukushima Prefecture, producing flowers and vegetable seedlings. Cucumber grafting is their specialty and they use semi_automated grafting (ISEKI/IAM BRAIN). Annual grafting capacity is approximately 1 million plants.
–NPO Japan Plant Factory Association – Kashiwanoha Research facility of indoor plant production and vertical farming, Industry R&D facilities. The tour also includes the visit at the adjacent commercial vertical farming facility operated by Mirai Co.

Travelers can choose to visit one country or both, and those interested in attending the trip must register by May 30.

For more information, and to register, visit www.goo.gl/forms/RZ2Fo2aWum.