Production and Shipment of Eggplant in Okayama Prefecture　Focusing on the Eggplant Cultivation in Greenhouse in the 7th Division of the Kojima Bay Reclaimed Land

　The main purpose of this study is to explain the production and shipment of eggplant and the management of farm households in the 7th division of the Kojima bay reclaimed land in Okayama prefecture. 10 pioneers began to cultivate eggplant in a greenhouse in 1969 and the number of farm households, acreage and shipment increased dramatically until the early 1980s. However, decline or stagnation trend has continued thereafter. Farm workers are often 50 years old or more, each farmer has cultivated eggplant, rice, two-rowed malting barley in family management by 2 or 3 persons. Work begins in July. Eggplant seedlings are planted in August, harvest begins in October and heating in November. Pest control is necessary throughout the year, but pesticide use has decreased in recent years. In order to suppress the occur -rence of the pests, workers use both the bunker crops like sesame and natural enemies like Amblyseius swirskii . However, because the prices of agricultural materials and fuel are recently soaring, the farm management of eggplant has become increasingly severe. We propose to expand the sales network by advertising and a more aggressive acceptance of new farmers.

研究論文　環境管理工学科