The JIRCAS Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) is pleased to announce its 51st Public Lecture entitled "Exploring the Diversity of Tropical Fruit Trees Around the World".

Tropical fruit trees play an important role in the agricultural sector, valued for their nutritional richness and high commercial value. On the idyllic island of Ishigaki, many varieties of tropical fruit trees thrive due to their suitability and adoptability for environments. TARF is at the forefront of research efforts to advance the cultivation of tropical fruit trees in developing regions and in Japan. Utilizing the unique climatic and geographic conditions of subtropical and island regions, and our state-of-the-art research facilities, TARF is committed to improving the production of tropical fruit trees..

Our research initiatives are designed to strengthen tropical fruit tree research through  promotion of the utilization of genetic resources. This includes collecting comprehensive information on cultivar characteristics, conducting diversity analysis and utilizing genetic resources for breeding purposes.

In the upcoming 51st TARF Public Lecture, we will present our latest findings on tropical fruit tree varieties mainly in Asia, the world's major center of tropical fruit tree production. The diverse range of tropical fruit trees found in Asia reflects the different characteristics and uses associated with each regional variety. During the presentation, we will explore the distinctive traits and characteristics encapsulated in these genetic resources. In addition, we will highlight present status of the production areas. We hope that this lecture will prove to be instrumental in considering ways to expand the consumption and promotion of tropical fruit trees in Japan.

Lecturer

YAMANAKA Shinsuke (Project Leader, TARF)