Paul Krushelnycky is doing his part to battle climate change, using perhaps the most important weapon available— knowledge. The researcher in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences is studying the declining population of silverswords (Argyroxyphium sandwicense macrocephalum) on Haleakala to discover whether, as his previous data suggest, their disappearance is related to climate    ... more >>

Rice provides up to 80 percent of people’s daily caloric intake in parts of Southeast Asia. Hawai‘i, while not that extreme, is a bastion of rice-mania in its own right: The versatile grain finds its way into musubi, sushi, mochi, arare, and much more. It’s as comfortable fried with kimchi as it is providing a pillowy base for a loco moco. And no plate lunch would be complete without those tw    ... more >>

Strange but true: Christmas trees love the heat. Hot water, that is. Retailers suggest filling the tree stand with hot tap water, which the stem can absorb more readily than cold. But fresh, green, rehydrated trees are just a fortunate side effect of the plant disinfestation spray chambers invented by Arnold Hara of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences and Charles Nelson of Molecular    ... more >>

We all do it: “Wow, how do you get your tomatoes to grow so big?” “What do you do about whitefly?” Friends and neighbors are often the first ones we ask for advice on matters great and small. They’re right there, plus we might not know what professionals to ask or feel comfortable contacting them. “Master” programs such as Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists have    ... more >>

For a small island, Moloka‘i’s got a lot of arable land ready for farming—over 7,600 acres in Ho‘olehua alone. And there’s no doubt the state needs all the farmers it can get. But farming can be tough and lonely, especially for those just starting out. Now CTAHR’s Moloka‘i Extension office is offering three programs to help hopeful farmers get onto the land and working    ... more >>

Bring pig ears if possible. Not the commonest directive in a club meeting announcement—unless you’re talking about the campus Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club. Members will be learning to suture, and pig ears—or feet—have the right texture to practice on. (Those who can’t find them in a local grocery store can bring a hand towel instead.) Practical, hands-on, and imaginative—these are    ... more >>

“I need to stop at the grass station and put some grass in my car.” No, that’s not a typo—it’s a hint of the greener future in store once CTAHR’s latest partnership with other universities, governmental agencies, and private businesses yields the information on biofuels that it promises. The College recently was... more >>

The steaks are great. So say the cattle breeders at the Mealani Research Station, and if national competitions are any indication, they should know—select members of the Mealani herd have just been rated among the top Angus bulls in the country. A main concern of producers of beef throughout the state has been an inconsistent product. Cattle need to gain lots of weight and gain it fast before they    ... more >>

Abraham Lincoln did even more than he’s commonly known for—he brought two important American agricultural institutions into existence. In 1862 he signed into law two acts, one creating the Unites States Department of Agriculture, the other, the Morrill Act, establishing the land-grant college system. Under this system, institutions of higher learning were, well, granted land on which to establish    ... more >>

Ever wonder who owns the wildlife in this state? You do! It’s managed by the government, in trust for the people. So says Chris Lepczyk, who should know. Dr. Lepczyk, in CTAHR’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM), has students who have gone on to take part in that very management, or the management and conservation of other vital natural areas and resources. And wit    ... more >>

They called me the Wizard of Oz,” Harry Ako (MBBE) admits, “because when I told them how to do things, it worked!” Dr. Ako and his team, including graduate student Kiara Sakamoto, had gone to American Samoa for six weeks to instruct a group, including High Talking Chief Apela Afoa, on how to build a simple and easily maintained aquaponic system. Created by Dr. Ako, it offers sustainable,    ... more >>

“I am pretty tired, but my work here is really gratifying and fun,” is Mary Martini’s (FCS) comment on the work that’s gone into rehabilitating the Energy House, first built in the ’70s as a model for sustainable living and now the site for youth science programs of the Family Education Training Center of Hawaii (FETCH), and offices for Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H. Both    ... more >>