Japanese University to Grow Green Curtain with Japanese Yam

Copyright Kyoto Prefectural University

Amid the growing need for power conservation, in June 2011, the University Farm, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, began experiments to grow green curtains with Dioscorea alata or Daisho, a type of Japanese yam. Daisho originates in Southeast Asia, having no Goya-like tendrils and its vines grow straight upwards around a pole or a string. It has shiny elongated heart-shaped leaves with a vivid green color. It is expected to give good shade from the sunlight.

The university has been researching methods for growing Daisho for 20 years, and the research is now being undertaken at a laboratory for vegetable and ornamental plants. In their preliminary research regarding the applicability of Daisho as a green curtain, they will examine the height of the fully grown plant, and the appropriate size of the planter for each seedling in order to produce a green curtain.

As the harvesting time for Daisho is in November, the green curtain must be kept until then in order to harvest the yams. They plan to eat the harvested Daisho, which has a mild taste and very sticky texture. The head of the research project, Professor Hino Motosugi, hopes to make Daisho a well-known product around the area, as well as to increase its commercial value by using it to produce green curtains.

Green 'Curtains' of Plants to Climb School Walls across Japan (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028728.html

Posted: 2011/10/07 06:00:15 AM