發表時間: 2005/11/14 00:00:00
台灣米也「哈日」!
The Legacy of Japanese Rice in Taiwan
文‧滕淑芬
八月下旬,宜蘭縣五結鄉農會帶著號稱「台灣最貴的米」來台北宣傳。這批市價一公斤一百五十元的五結鄉越光米,原種來自日本,今年三月在五結鄉三十公頃的水田裡下種,六月底收割一百二十噸,如今已銷售一空。其實,好米不必遠求,目前屬於良質米品種者,例如台P九號、台農七十一號,都有越光米的「血緣」。
如果說,「台灣人對米的口味是日本人訓練出來的,」可能並不為過。
農委會出版的《台灣稻作發展史》中記載,台灣早年稻作品種屬於秈型稻,也就是俗稱的在來米,大部分原種來自中國大陸。當時台灣的稻米產量除了供給本島外,還有餘糧銷往大陸。日本據台後,由於在台日人吃不慣台灣米飯,決定在台灣生產類似日本口味的稻米。
蓬萊米獨領風騷
不過,日本品種一開始在台灣試種,卻因為台灣的氣候、環境條件較濕熱,表現不佳。後來,日人再度嘗試以兩種不同的日本稻種進行雜交,從其分離後代選出優良子代予以繁殖試驗,一九三六年終於栽植出適合台灣氣候、米質也類似日本米的新品種「台中六十五號」,由於這個品種是在台灣蓬萊仙島改良出來的,故稱之為「蓬萊米」。
蓬萊稻的栽培面積在日據政府的獎勵下,成長快速。台灣光復後,蓬萊稻面積一度急速下降,而秈稻則快速上升。後來為因應外銷日本市場的需求,國民政府又積極獎勵蓬萊稻生產,蓬萊稻栽培面積逐年上升,至民國六十六年時,達到六十六萬公頃的最高紀錄;秈稻面積則逐年下降,至民國七十年代只剩二萬多公頃,目前一直維持在這個水準。
台灣水稻育種研究在日據時期奠定基礎,五十多年來,台灣水稻改良技術從簡單的選種、引種,進而利用雜交育種、誘變育種等先進技術,育成的品種多達數百種。隨著時光流轉,舊有品種因環境變遷而遭到汰換,目前台灣水田裡栽種的品種約有二十多種。大致而言,民國七十年代前技術改良的重點在於提高產量、增加稻種的抗熱病能力;七十年代後的目標則放在改進米的品質,讓米飯更為香Q好吃。
好米不必遠求
從歷史經驗看來,日本稻種原種並不適合台灣的氣候條件。但是當外國米開放進口後,眼見日本越光米一公斤二百五十元的行情看俏,又有人興起「種種看」的想法。
去年五結鄉農會向農委會提出專案申請,經核准後,農會自日本兵庫縣農作物改良協會購入六十公斤越光米原種試種。
負責照顧這批遠來「嬌客」的農友林阿和,已有一甲子種稻經驗,他特別選用乾淨的育苗土,以免榖糠混入,產生變異品種。而培育過程更是細心呵護,例如施肥量不能太高,否則容易「倒株」,也不能不足,否則營養不夠,不會長得漂亮。
事實上,十多年前,彰化二林鎮和台東池上鄉就曾小面積試作過越光米。台中農改場作物改良課課長洪梅珠說,越光米非常「嬌弱」,對稻熱病、蚊枯病抗體較弱,是一種需要費心照顧的品種,並不適合年紀普遍稍長的台灣農民種植。
此外,日本冷、台灣熱的氣候差異事實,仍然存在。洪梅珠說,越光米在日本的成長期至少需一百五十天,但到了台灣,三個月就可以收成,成了早熟的稻種,因此必須調整施肥量和時間。
其實,消費者若想吃到如越光米的頂級米,真的不必遠求。目前台灣屬於良質米品種的台P九號,就是以越光米變異新品系和台灣本土品種雜交而成。民國八十九年育成的益全香米則是以越光的子代「絹光」為母本、本土的「台P四號」為父本進行雜交,由於掌握兩種品種的優良特質,因此種出來的稻穗株型佳,對抗稻熱病、蚊枯病的穩定性強。
涓滴成細流
「台灣稻米技術改良有區域性的需求,」苗栗農改場作物改良課課長張素真說,基於生物多樣性的原則,平均在三萬公頃以上土地衍生的病蟲害就很嚴重,為了不讓病蟲壯大族群,每個品種的栽植面積必須控制住。在台灣,平均一個品種能當紅的時間為十年,育種的工作必須深耕下去。因為台灣的水田,孕育出來的不只是土地生機,也是眾人智慧的結晶。
In late August, a promotion for rice produced in Wuchieh, Ilan County (known as "Taiwan's most precious rice"), was held in Taipei. The rice is a strain of Japanese Koshihikari rice and it sells for NT$150 per kilogram. Farmers in Wuchieh planted 30 hectares in March and harvested 120 tons in late June. They sold out quickly.
The fact is that one needn't look far to find top quality rice. Today many of Taiwan's commonly planted cultivars, such as Taikeng 9 and Tainung 71 (Yi-chuan aromatic rice), can trace their lineages to Koshihikari.
It wouldn't be far from the mark to say that the Taiwanese acquired their taste in rice from the Japanese.
The Council of Agriculture's History of Taiwan Rice explains that in the early days Taiwan's paddy fields were planted with varieties of long grain (indica) rice (known locally as "zai lai" rice), most of which had crossed the Taiwan Strait with the Han Chinese settlers from mainland China. Back then, Taiwan's rice was grown not only for the local market, but was also exported to the mainland. When the Japanese colonized Taiwan, the Japanese here couldn't accustom themselves to the local long-grained rice and decided to bring in short grain (japonica) seed varieties from Japan.
Penglai rules the rice bowl
But when Japanese rice varieties were first introduced in Taiwan, the results weren't particularly good as a result of the wetter, warmer Taiwanese climate. After a while, the Japanese tried crossbreeding until in 1936 they came up with Taichung 65, a new short grain variety with qualities similar to Japanese strains but well suited to the Taiwanese climate. Because this strain was crossbred in Taiwan, it became known as Penglai Rice, after the old name for Formosa among Chinese mariners (who referred to it as the "Penglai Island of demigods and fairies").
With the encouragement of the Japanese government, the area devoted to cultivation of short grain rice grew rapidly. After Taiwan reverted to Chinese rule, the acreage planted with short grain rapidly declined, and the planting of long grain rice quickly increased. Later, in order to meet demand from Japan, the government actively promoted the production of short grain rice, and cultivation increased, peaking at 660,000 hectares in 1977. Production of long grain rice, on the other hand, declined rapidly. In 1980s only some 20,000 hectares were planted with it-a level that has been maintained ever since.
With a strong foundation in agricultural research and development laid during the Japanese era, Taiwanese agriculturalists have been hard at work improving their rice stocks, employing a variety of techniques ranging from mass selection of seeds and the introduction of new varieties, to hybridization and mutation breeding. As a result, there are now more than 100 varieties of rice that have been planted in Taiwan. With the passage of time and environmental change, some of the old varieties have been eliminated, so that there are now about 20 varieties currently under cultivation. Generally speaking, before the 1980s the focus of agriculturalists was on improving production and increasing the strains' ability to withstand heat and disease, whereas since the 1980s the emphasis has been on improving quality, to make the cooked rice as succulent, firm, and delicious as possible.
Good rice close at hand
History shows that Japanese rice isn't suitable to planting in Taiwan's climate. But when the Taiwanese market was opened to imported rice and people saw that Koshihikari rice was selling at NT$250 per kilogram, it attracted some interest among farmers.
Last year the Wuchieh Rural Township Farmers' Association applied for and won a special grant from the Council of Agriculture. Upon approval, the association bought 60 kilograms of original Koshhikari stock seed and tried to plant it.
Lin A-ho, the association member who was responsible for accommodating this "fussy guest," had some six decades of experience planting rice. He specially chose some clean seed starting mix, and through crossbreeding with some disease resistant varieties produced a new strain. The process requires great meticulousness. For instance, you can't use too much fertilizer, or the rice plants will easily fall over due to the weight of the leaves and grain being too much for the stalk. Whereas if you don't use enough fertilizer, the plants will lack nourishment and the yields will suffer.
In fact, over ten years ago, there was already a small amount of Koshihikari rice being planted in Erlin, Changhua, and Chihshang, Taitung. Hung Mei-chu, the head of breeding at the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (DARES), says that Koshihikari rice is very fragile and has low resistance to heat, pests, and disease. As a strain that requires a lot of tender loving care, it isn't suitable for Taiwanese farmers, most of whom are getting along in years.
What's more, there still exists the disparity in temperature between colder Japan and warmer Taiwan. Hung Mei-chu says that Koshihikari rice needs at least 150 days to grow in Japan, but in Taiwan, it matures in just three months, making it one of the earlier maturing varieties. As a result, farmers need to adjust the fertilization schedule.
The fact of the matter is that if consumers want to eat highest quality Koshihikari rice, they needn't go far. Among the rice grown in Taiwan that is considered of excellent quality is Taikeng 9, which represents a crossbreed of a Koshihikari cultivar with a native Taiwanese variety. Tainung 71 (Yi-chuan aromatic rice), which was crossbred in 2000, claims Kinuhikari (a descendant of Koshihikari) as its mother and the local Taikeng 4 as its father. Because it displays favorable characteristics of both parents, it has both well-shaped grains and high resistance to disease.
A trickle becomes a stream
"Taiwan's efforts to improve rice strains are oriented toward local conditions," says Chang Su-chen, director of crop improvement at the Miaoli DARES. Planting 300,000 acres with one rice variety would open the door to heavy insect damage. Hence, DARES islandwide encourage biodiversity and strictly control the amount of acreage planted with a single variety. In Taiwan, where a rice variety is typically popular for about ten years only, crop breeders will always keep busy. Taiwan's rice paddies provide more than just food for life; they offer a crystallization of human wisdom.