Large-scale analysis of real-world data on mandarin orange production

December 24, 2025

Reducing pesticide and fertilizer use could help protect the environment

A joint group comprising researchers from RIKEN CSRS, Fukushima University, the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, and the Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture conducted a large-scale analysis using the real-world data collected directly from mandarin orange farmers’ fields across Japan to understand how the differences of pesticide and fertilizer use impact the soil and microorganisms in orchards and the fruit quality. The research group obtained critical findings from actual production fields, including the finding that reducing pesticide and fertilizer use could have positive effects on environmental protection.

In this study, the joint group collected a high number of fruit and soil samples from mandarin orange orchards in 11 prefectures across the country. It conducted multi-omics analyses to extract multi-layered variables, including fruit quality, soil chemical properties and elemental compositions, and microbiome, and compared differences in cultivation methods across multiple facets. This study yielded significant findings on how to use pesticides and fertilizers effectively and on agroecosystems in mandarin orange orchards. Specifically, it revealed that reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers in farmers' fields could increase soil carbon content and decrease heavy metal levels, thereby protecting the environment. It also suggested that pesticides might increase the percentage of pathogenic organisms in soil while suppressing disease on the fruit's surface.

The approach integrating field data with advanced technologies, suggested by this study's findings, is expected to promote the research and development of sustainable cultivation techniques.

 

Original article

Plant Biotechnology　doi: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0605a

F. Fujiwara, Y. Okano, D. Takata, H. Maruyama, R. Arakawa, N. I Kobayashi, K. Kumaishi, M. Narukawa, Y. Nose, T. Isawa, T. Shinano, K. Miyazawa, N. Nihei, Y. Ichihashi,

"A Cohort Study of Sustainable Cultivation Methods in Mandarin Orange Orchards across Japan".

Contact

Fuki Fujiwara; Postdoctoral Researcher
Yasunori Ichihashi; Team Director
Holobiont and Resilience Research Team