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Advice on Publications Available.By Jim Murison
District Horticulturalist (Vegetables)
Horticultural Research and Advisory Station
NSW Agriculture
A wide range of crops known as Asian vegetables is produced by farmers in the Sydney basin. The farmers are principally of Chinese and Indo-Chinese origin and are growing crops from their homelands for the domestic market. Product is also consigned to other cities and to the markets of Singapore and Hong Kong.
The principal Asian vegetables grown by farmers on the outskirts of Sydney are spring onions (Allium festulosum), Chinese cabbage or wong bok (Brassica pekensis ), pak choi (Brassica chinensis) and Daikon radish (Raphanus satulus). Other lesser known crops are gai lum, which is also known as Chinese broccoli, (Brassica oleracea var. Albogabra), choi sum or flowering cabbage (Brassica parachinensis), and ohng choi or water convolvulus (Ipomoei aquatica).
A range of other vegetables and well known herbs, including mint, parsley and coriander, is also grown. Newer crops, such as takana (Brassica juncea), mizuna (Brassica rapa var. japonica) and perillla (Perilla frutescence), are more commonly seen in specialty retailers.
Of all these crops, Daikon radish appears to have the best potential for export, both fresh and in processed forms.
Another crop with immediate potential is burdock or gobo (Arctium lappa), small quantities of which have been exported from the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of NSW to Japan. Edarmarne or green soybean, also offers opportunities as a fresh or semi-processed crop to meet a niche market in Japan during the months of December to April. Considerable development work has already been carried out on these crops in Australia.
The research projects on Asian vegetables in NSW are being conducted at two locations, one at Gosford approximately 100 km north of Sydney and the other at Griffith, 450 km west of Sydney.
The research and development of burdock and green soybean for export has been conducted by Dr Vong Nguyen at Gosford assisted by Mr Kim Jones, Project Development Officer located at Griffith.
Mr Jones also plans to conduct a three-year research program, commencing in 1996, to establish the cultural practices necessary to improve the production of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Lotus is presently being grown at Casino for import replacement and possible export. It is traditionally grown in ponds in warm climates and while yields to date in the Casino area have been satisfactory, it is felt that higher yields can be obtained.
Further progress with the production of the root crop burdock, will require development of a facility to process second-grade roots. The burdock crop needs a deep sandy soil to produce satisfactory roots and the presence of any hard pan or stones leads to bent roots which are not suitable for the fresh market.
Promising results have been obtained from small shipments sent to Japan but the ability to be able to utilise the whole crop would substantially improve the viability of a commercial operation.
Trials on a range of soybean cultivars to assess the effect of sowing date on harvest date have been conducted by Dr Nguyen at both Gosford and Griffith during the past six years. The Japanese market for fresh or semi-processed soybean is extensive, provided the crop can meet the high standards that the market demands.
A trial commercial planting of green soybeans has been made at one location this summer and trial shipments are to be sent to Japan for evaluation.
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF