Ikuro Takahashi (botanist)

Ikuro Takahashi (高橋 郁郎, Takahashi Ikurō, 1892–1981) was a Japanese botanist, specializing in citrus, who was hailed as the "father of citrus" especially in his native Shizuoka Prefecture.^[1]

After graduating from the prefectural nōgakko (ja) or "agricultural college," he enrolled in the apprenticeship/internship system established by the then-Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, and learned his skills at the local state-run agricultural experiment station under the Horticultural Department. After a stint in Kumamoto Prefecture, he returned to the old department which was being reorganized as the ministerial Horticultural Experiment Station, where he served as horticultural engineer (1921). Later he served his home prefecture, and was appointed the first head of the Shizuoka Prefectural Citrus Experiment Station, which was his own brainchild (1940). His chief work includes Kankitsu ("Citrus"), which went through some five revisions. He was the long-time chief writer and editor of Kajitsu Nippon, a journal of fruit agriculture.^[2][3]

He published the scientific name Citrus sulcata hort. ex. Ik.Takah.^[4] (or I.Takah.^[5])^[6] for a type of citrus known as sanbokan.

General

He conducted numerous experiments and data-collection for growing citrus, exploring and field testing various soil improvement, fertilizing, parasite prevention, disinfection, and pruning techniques.^[7] The knowledge he amassed he lectured nationwide.^[2][3] Keeping abreast of orange industries abroad, particularly America, he would frequently provide first in-depth coverage in Japan of citrus-growing techniques developed overseas. Not strictly limited to concerns about orchard technology, he also addressed economic issues such as international pricing and competition,^[8][9] the future viability of canned mandarin oranges and juices, and the need for producers' cooperatives (shukka kumiai),^[10] and was outspoken even about taxation of orchards.^[11]

During World War II, he opposed national policy to log down orchards to be converted into potato and wheat fields. After the war, he made strenuous efforts to revive the satsuma orange industry.

His eldest son Yutaka Takahashi [ja] is an academic in civil engineering and emeritus professor at Tokyo University. His eldest daughter, Yuriko Takahashi taught nursing at Aichi Prefectural Junior College of Nursing [ja].^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1892: Born in Kumomi Onsen [ja], in the village of Iwashina [ja] (now Matsuzaki, Shizuoka)^[2][3]
• 1909: Graduated from Shizuoka Prefectural Nakaizumi Nōgakko (Agricultural College) (now Iwata Agricultural High School [ja]）.
• 1909: Internship at the nation's Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce established agricultural experiment station, Horticultural Department at Okitsu, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka (now the Okitsu Citrus Research Station for the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science [ja] (NIFTS)).^[2][12]
• 1913: Published Kankitsu saibai ("Citrus Culture")
• 1917: Invited to Kumamoto Prefecture as agricultural engineer.
• 1921: The Horticultural Department is spun off as an independent Horticultural Experiment Station (農商務省園芸試験場, Nōmushō engei shikenjō) (later to become NIFTS). Appointed here as horticultural engineer.
• 1931: Published Kankitsu, a revision of his earlier work. This title undergoes five revisions.
• 1935: Appointed citrus engineer for Shizuoka Prefecture.
• 1940: Appointed to head the newly created Shizuoka Prefectural Citrus Experiment Station.
• 1946: Nihon Kajitsu Kyōkai (日本果実協会, "Japan Fruit Society") established, with the organization publication Kajitsu Nippon (果実日本) for which Takahashi served as editor-in-chief.
• 1948: "Japan Fruit Society" becomes the Nichienren (Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative Association).
• 1962: Retired from Nichienren.
• 1981: Died at age 89. The posthumous "Takahashi Kankitsu Kenshōkai" was founded which awards the "Takashi Citrus Prize".^[2][3]

See also

• Chōzaburō Tanaka, another Japanese botanist

References

• Takahashi Kankitsu Kenshōkai (高橋柑橘顕彰会) (1982). 柑橘の父高橋郁郎 [Kankitsu no chichi Takahshi Ikurō]. NCID BA79996686 webcatplus
• Nagaoka, Osamu (永岡治) (1996). 群像いず 志に生きた郷土の先人たち [Kunzō Izu kokorozashi ni ikita kyōdo no senjin tachi]. Shizuoka Shimbun sha. ISBN 978-4783810551.

1. Kankitsu no chichi Takahashi Ikuro ("Ikuro Takahashi, father of citrus") (高橋柑橘顕彰会 1982), a biography of his containing a collection of memoirs on him by colleagues.
2. #Matsumoto-blog
3. Nagaoka 1996
4. "Plant name details". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens.
5. "Citrus sulcata hort. ex I. Takah". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
6. name published in: Kankitsu Saibai (Citrus Culture): 86 (1931)
7. CiNii articles NRID: [9000008493933], NRID: [9000017639602], etc.
8. Sekai no shuyō kajitsu no sangaku to Amerika no kajitsu no kakaku' -1950- 世界の主要果実の産額とアメリカの果実の価格-1950-) in: Kajitsu Nippon 6(6)1 951-06, p.10-13
9. Nagaoka 1996（Recollections of Takao Kinoshita, director of Tokushima Prefecture seikaren）
10. Hayashi, Futoshi(林芙俊) (2009-03-31). "Mikan nōgyō ni okeru nōkyō kyōhan taisei no rekishi teki tenkai katei..(ミカン農業における農協共販体制の歴史的展開過程: 戦前における静岡県と愛媛県の比較)". 北海道大学農經論叢 = The Nōkei Ronsō: The Review of Agricultural Economics, Hokkaido University. 64 (64): 73–86. hdl:2115/39857. pdf, p.82
11. 果樹園の課税は斯くありたい(果実日本7(6)1952-06p.22～25)
12. "統合された研究機関のそれまでの沿革(果樹試験場)". National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO, 農研機構). Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2019.

External links

• Haruo Matsumoto (松本晴雄) (2011-06-23). "柑橘の父・高橋郁郎". Nikkan blog shimbun Buratto (日刊ブログ新聞ぶらっと！). Archived from the original on 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2015-04-20.
  • Iroribata (囲炉裏端) (2011-06-24). "柑橘の神様・高橋郁郎". Iroribata no blog (囲炉裏端のブログ). Retrieved June 18, 2019. (mirror)

1. International Plant Names Index.  Ik.Takah.