wasabi was on the list of crops suggested for experimental cultivation on the west coast of the south Island (forde 1982)and plants were introduced to New zealand then by the ministry of agriculture and fisheries. investigations in to the agronomy of this crop wcre stimulated by commercial interest in 1986 and several further accessions have been imported since then. as seed brought in from japan is subject to plant quarantine the first trial by DSIR crop research at lincoln concerned seed production.