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As part of the university's commitment to regional reconstruction and development, the Graduate School of Agriculture has been involved in a project to cultivate tropical plants in an area of Fukushima prefecture still recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent accident at the Daiichi Nuclear Plant nearly a decade ago.

Under the project, which was in response to a growing demand for healthy crops, safe from any potential contamination, a plant factory was built in Katsurao Village. Tohoku University researchers then provided the agricultural IT expertise to grow mangoes, bananas and coffee beans - plants not usually farmed in that area.

The facility comprises three special greenhouses, each with a device that automatically controls temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration. The growth status of all crops are monitored closely by researchers and staff through multiple cameras, an automatic data storage system and site visits.

"Using digital, Internet of Things technology, I can easily monitor the environmental conditions in the greenhouses remotely," said project leader Kazuhisa Kato, an associate professor of horticulture at the Graduate School of Agriculture. "I can also control the irrigation through my computer, so the soil always has enough water."

In August 2019, the team successfully harvested its first batch of 140 mangoes from five-year-old grafted seedlings which were planted in the summer of the previous year. The cultivars used were Irwin and Keats, and although the fruit size was smaller than usual because they were cultivated in pots, researchers were encouraged by the results.

This year, the team has purchased four Shirayuki mango tree seedlings from Okinawa and is preparing for an even bigger harvest this summer. The team also tried growing three species of bananas before settling on one - the Supermini.

"The height of the Supermini tree is only 70cm, so it is possible to cultivate them using pots," said Kato. "The taste is also said to be very sweet, so we are looking forward to a good yield."

All this has led to an expansion of the project, and the construction of a third greenhouse at the end of 2019, with insulation efficiency which can greatly reduce the cost of heating during the winter season. The team plans to cultivate seedlings of high lycopene tomatoes and the Supermini bananas there.

"We are always looking for more cost effective and environmentally conscious ways to grow these crops," said Kato, whose expertise is in plant cultivation, as well as component and genetic analyses. "Our ultimate goal is to produce clean, healthy products that we can brand and take to market as a specialty product of Katsurao Village."

For now, Tohoku University's involvement with this project runs through January 2021. The team is hoping that with every successful batch of crops this year, the project will attract more investors willing to help take the work further into the future.