Purpose
The report details the development of commercial production of wasabi in Tasmania. The report describes how traditional cultivation systems have been adapted to suit Tasmanian conditions and research that has been undertaken to improve product quality through the use of selected planting stock and disease management. The report also identifies the increasing interest in Tasmanian wasabi products that has been generated in both domestic and international markets.

The report is targeted at potential growers, investors and research scientists who are keen to be involved in innovative development of a new industry which takes account of the traditional culture of wasabi and aims to extend the range of people who experience the attributes of this unique herb.

Background
Wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsumara) is a perennial herb, native to Japan, and belongs to the same plant family as broccoli, cabbage and mustards. In Japan, wasabi is cultivated in fields and mountain streams and the fresh product is prepared by grating the stem of the plant to form a hot, spicy, green paste that is served with traditional dishes such as sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Japan produces about 5,000 tonnes of wasabi per annum.

Wasabi products are in short supply in Japan due to a decline in traditional farm labour, urban encroachment on production sites and pollution of some rivers and streams. Fresh wasabi maintains a value equivalent to AUD150/kg in Tokyo’s fresh vegetable market and is referred to locally as ‘green gold’.

In 1994, Tasmanian wasabi production was developed as an initiative of the former Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries to expand the range of high value industries focusing on Tasmania’s unique environment. Two prior RIRDC funded research and development projects have assisted the development of the wasabi industry in Tasmania with the first soil-cultivated crop market-tested in 2000. Sales of Tasmanian product have continued for five years and in 2003 consumer driven changes initiated the development of water-cultivated wasabi farms. Agronomic advice for soil or water production systems is currently available from the Department of Primary Industries, Water & Environment and the Tasmanian company ‘Wasabi Growers of Tasmania Pty Ltd’. Areas suitable for soil and water grown wasabi have been identified in the north of Tasmania with the number of growers interested in developing this niche industry increasing each year. There are few other areas in Australia that are cool enough for wasabi production.

Objectives
Australian consumers responded with enthusiasm to fresh wasabi produced in Tasmanian trials in 2000 and current market demand is estimated at 50 tonne per annum. One aim of this project was to increase the volume of fresh wasabi produced in Tasmania and to improve product quality and financial viability of the crop by reducing the incidence of black stem lesions. Black streaks observed in the internal stem tissue at harvest were capable of reducing the fresh marketability of a crop by 50%, though much of this material was still suitable for processing as wasabi paste.

The project also aimed to improve product quality by selecting and propagating stems with superior physical and taste characteristics and to expand the existing wasabi gene pool in Tasmania by introducing additional varieties from Japan, USA or Victoria, Australia.

A further aim was to develop production methodology for water-cultivated wasabi as market evaluation indicated that consumers were willing to pay a premium price for fresh wasabi stems cultivated using this technique.

Methodology
Trials to determine chemical control measures for disease management were conducted in conjunction with field observations that identified environmental factors that increase susceptibility of wasabi plants to disease.

Individual plants that performed well in field conditions were used as mother plants for micropropagation (tissue- culture) of wasabi to enhance product uniformity and to reduce disease incidence during crop establishment.

Wasabi plant material from Japan, USA and Victoria was collected during the course of this project and mother plants generated from this material will be use for micropropagation purposes.

Traditional methods used in Japan for water cultivation of wasabi, together with methods adopted in USA, were adapted for trial in Tasmania using water sourced from natural springs and streams.

Key findings
The demand for Tasmanian wasabi products currently exceeds the supply, as the production area is still small. In addition to the increasing demand for fresh wasabi stems for the premium and foodprocessing markets, dried wasabi products are also sought. The range of product end-points gives growers a measure of flexibility in regard to production scheduling. Growers recognise the benefits of working together to share knowledge and coordinate orders for purchase of planting material, for planting and harvest schedules, and packaging distribution and marketing of their products.

The results of greenhouse trials indicate that a single application of a chemical control agent preplanting provides a very high standard of disease protection. With the increasing emphasis on food quality and safety in the market place, this gives Tasmania a further competitive advantage for its wasabi products.

Developing micropropagation techniques for wasabi proved difficult with three commercial laboratories failing in their attempts to develop protocols for this technique. In November 2004, an Australian research laboratory successfully micropropagated Tasmanian wasabi plants and this laboratory will document protocols at the conclusion of its current research project in June 2006.

Meanwhile, Tasmanian growers are importing micropropagated plants from Japanese stocks so that new sites can be established with disease-free planting material.

Development of water-cultivation techniques for wasabi continue to progress with water quality and gravel integrity proving to be essential factors in determining the success of this type of cultivation. As a result of this project the practical manual ‘Wasabi- A guide to production of wasabi in Tasmania’ has been updated to include water-cultivation of wasabi. The report recognises that both the topography and access to natural resources at the production site will determine the style of watercultivation recommended for a particular site.

Implications
This project has demonstrated the value of plant hygiene from establishment through to production.

Expansion of the industry will be assisted by specific recommendations made for soil and watercultivation systems.

As a result of this research ‘Wasabi Growers of Tasmania’ has been formed as an incorporated body and the number of growers producing wasabi has doubled. A number of Australian laboratories have expressed interest in pursuing commercial micropropagation of wasabi plantlets. Production methods for soil-grown wasabi continue to improve as do developments with water-grown wasabi. The exclusive growing conditions for wasabi reduces the likelihood of oversupply of this product on the Australian market.

Tasmania’s reputation for producing fine quality food, particularly beef and seafood, will be an additional marketing advantage when product volumes permit entry to the Japanese market.

Distribution of a range of wasabi products to other centres in the Asia-Pacific region is also planned.

Together with the opportunity for high returns from a relatively small area of land, these factors make the developing Australian wasabi industry a potentially attractive investment opportunity.

Recommendations
The recommendations made at the conclusion of this project reflect the next stage of development of an industry in its infancy and will provide a launching pad for a new self-funding rural industry in Australia.
 

1. Develop the capacity of an Australian laboratory to produce commercial quantities of tissuecultured wasabi planting stock.
   The availability of tissue–cultured plant stock from a commercial laboratory in Australia will benefit not only the micropropagation laboratory by expanding product and client range, but also Australian wasabi growers by allowing imported planting stocks to be replaced with stocks that have been selected for Australian conditions.
2. Improve product quality through disease management, water-culture and additional varieties.
   Chemical control techniques that have proved to be beneficial in greenhouse trials should now be trialled under field conditions for both soil and water cultivated wasabi. The use of Australian selected varieties will be reflected in yield improvements while the elimination of quarantine restrictions will encourage the expansion of the area under wasabi production in Australia.
3. Build the networking capacity of the wasabi grower group.
   The development of wasabi production in Australia has been championed by a small group of growers in Tasmania and Victoria who have marketed wasabi products in Australia since 2001. Having formed a small company, the Tasmanian component of this group plans to engage other growers to produce wasabi either in soil or water-culture as the site allows, to mentor new growers and to set benchmarks for wasabi production methodology and wasabi products. As the company develops the capacity to coordinate resources required for production and marketing of Australian wasabi, it will ensure that high quality wasabi products are consistently available to the Australian consumer and to potential export markets.
 

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Last updated: July 2006
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