Yamahonami

Leaves that droop, then stand up

Tillering after transplanting is medium; the leaves are pale, broad and long, and through the vegetative period the plant droops its blades and looks slender and weak, but as it enters the reproductive phase the blades gradually stand, and after heading the flag leaves emerge in points above the wave of panicles.

A historical document's character section usually describes the finished plant. This one describes the passage of time.

After transplanting it droops its leaves and looks feeble. Once it starts making panicles the leaves stand up. After heading, the flag leaves show in points above the panicle wave.

Look at it at the wrong moment and it reads as a weak variety.

Out of the same cross as Wakasa

At the Konosu Testing Site of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Agricultural Experiment Station, in 1946, taking "Paddy Rice Norin No.22" as the mother and "Paddy Rice Norin No.14" as the father, an artificial cross was made

Year, place, mother, father and route of distribution all match Wakasa's document (Etsunan No.15). Two lines out of one cross, both selected in Fukui.

The maturity split: Wakasa early, Yamahonami late-mid.

The heading and ripening of "Etsunan No.18" are slightly earlier than "Koganenami"'s and about level with "Norin No.22"'s

Koganenami appears among the comparisons — and Koganenami's mother is Koshihikari's mother too, so half siblings are being dated against one another.

Far harder to lodge than its mother

The culm is slightly shorter even than "Koganenami"'s, which is nearly a tenth shorter than "Norin No.22"'s, and the culm is somewhat thinner than these varieties' but tough in quality.

Its resistance to lodging is far stronger than "Norin No.22"'s, and the difference is conspicuous particularly under heavy fertiliser.

Thinner, and yet stronger. Norin No.22 lodged easily. This one was made shorter, thinner, and tougher in the culm.

"Far stronger" is strong language for a breeding report. And it says the gap opens up precisely when more fertiliser is applied.

Oita Prefecture adopted it as a recommended variety from fiscal 1958. Selected in Fukui, used in Oita.

An intermediate type, strong against lodging, strong in disease resistance, with yields not much different from Norin No.22's. Quality good. To replace Hozakae and Norin No.22 in the mid-mountain cold-upland districts.

"To replace." It was brought in to displace Norin No.22.