Ikuro Takahashi

was a Japanese botanist, specializing in citrus, who was hailed as the "father of citrus" especially in his native Shizuoka Prefecture.

After graduating from the prefectural nōgakko (ja) or "agricultural college," he enrolled in the apprenticeship/internship system established by the then-Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, and learned his skills at the local state-run agricultural experiment station under the Horticultural Department. After a stint in Kumamoto Prefecture, he returned to the old department which was being reorganized as the ministerial Horticultural Experiment Station, where he served as horticultural engineer (1921). Later he served his home prefecture, and was appointed the first head of the Shizuoka Prefectural Citrus Experiment Station, which was his own brainchild (1940). His chief work includes Kankitsu ("Citrus"), which went through some five revisions. He was the long-time chief writer and editor of Kajitsu Nippon, a journal of fruit agriculture. (or I.Takah. ) for a type of citrus known as sanbokan.

General He conducted numerous experiments and data-collection for growing citrus, exploring and field testing various soil improvement, fertilizing, parasite prevention, disinfection, and pruning techniques. The knowledge he amassed he lectured nationwide. the future viability of canned mandarin oranges and juices, and the need for producers' cooperatives (shukka kumiai), and was outspoken even about taxation of orchards.

During World War II, he opposed national policy to log down orchards to be converted into potato and wheat fields. After the war, he made strenuous efforts to revive the satsuma orange industry.

His eldest son is an academic in civil engineering and emeritus professor at Tokyo University. His eldest daughter, Yuriko Takahashi taught nursing at .

Timeline 1892: Born in , in the village of (now Matsuzaki, Shizuoka) 1913: Published Kankitsu saibai ("Citrus Culture") 1917: Invited to Kumamoto Prefecture as agricultural engineer. 1921: The Horticultural Department is spun off as an independent (later to become NIFTS). Appointed here as horticultural engineer. 1931: Published Kankitsu, a revision of his earlier work. This title undergoes five revisions. 1935: Appointed citrus engineer for Shizuoka Prefecture. 1940: Appointed to head the newly created Shizuoka Prefectural Citrus Experiment Station. 1946: established, with the organization publication for which Takahashi served as editor-in-chief. 1948: "Japan Fruit Society" becomes the Nichienren (Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative Association). 1962: Retired from Nichienren. 1981: Died at age 89. The posthumous "Takahashi Kankitsu Kenshōkai" was founded which awards the "Takashi Citrus Prize".