Taiwan Agricultural Research institute

Taiwan Agricultural Research institute
Parent institutionMinistry of Agriculture (Taiwan)
Founder(s)Government-General of Taiwan
Established1895
HeadLin Hsueh-shih (林學詩)[1]
Location, ,
Websitewww.tari.gov.tw/english/

The Taiwan Agricultural Research institute is a research institute in Taiwan under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture.

History

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The Taiwan Agricultural Research institute (TARI) was founded in 1895 by the Government-General of Taiwan during Japanese rule.[2]

Research

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Watermelon

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TARI began to study watermelon in the 1950s and has developed numerous varieties.[3]

Pineapple

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TARI has engaged in significant pineapple breeding since the Japanese colonial period with the Tainung No. 1 being introduced in 1934.[4] The variety Tainung No. 23 (bred from Tainung No. 19 and Tainung No. 21) smells like mangos and is well adapted to Taiwan's environment.[5]

Green onion

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In 2019 TARI released a heat tolerant green onion variety intended to allow farmers in the south of Taiwan to produce green onions in the summer.[6]

Sweet potato

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Research into the sweet potato at the Chiayi research station began in 1922.[7]

In 1991 the World Vegetable Center (WVC) chose to end its sweet potato research due to high costs and other institutions with a tighter focus coming into existence. The WVC duplicated and transferred its research and germplasm to the International Potato Center and Taiwan Agricultural Research institute.[8]

Strawberry

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The institute has developed a bruise resistant variety of strawberry called Tainung No. 1.[1]

Facilities

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  • Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Station[5]
  • Fengshan Tropical Horticultural Experiment Branch[6]
  • The Taiwan Agricultural Research institute maintains a "doomsday bunker" hardened against military attack which houses samples of all crops grown in Taiwan[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Chin, Jonathan. "Scientists develop a bruise-resistant strawberry variety". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  2. ^ "History". www.tari.gov.tw. TARI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  3. ^ Lim, Emerson. "Technical mission introduces Taiwan watermelons to Middle East desert". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  4. ^ "New Taiwanese pineapple gains approval in Japan". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b Wei-chieh, Ting. "Institute unveils pineapple that smells like a mango". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Taiwan develops heat-resistant green onions". www.taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  7. ^ Crook, Steven. "The Sweet Potato's Rise and Fall – And Rise Again". topics.amcham.com.tw. Taiwan Topics. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  8. ^ Crook, Steven. "The Sweet Potato's Rise and Fall – And Rise Again". topics.amcham.com.tw. Taiwan Topics. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  9. ^ Chien-chih, Chen; Chin, Jonathan. "Doomsday vault housing 75,000 cultivars". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 June 2023.