Providing science-based information to serve Hawaii's Farming Community
|
|
|
Sustainable & Organic Research &
Outreach News
News from Hawai'i's Researchers and Extension
|
|
|
Ti Leaf Diseases in Hawaii’s Commercial Orchards
M. Kawate, J. Uchida, J. Coughlin, M. Melzer, C. Kadooka, J. Kam, J. Sugano, and S. Fukuda, UH CTAHR PEPS
Ti leaf (Cordyline sp.) also known locally as Kī is an important agricultural crop to Hawaii. Laboratory and field trials which evaluated promising crop protection chemicals for possible minor crop fungicide registrations have been completed with the assistance of CTAHR’s IR-4 Minor Crop Pesticide Registration Program. Read here.
FMI: Michael K Kawate, email: mike@hpirs.stjohn.hawaii.edu
|
|
|
Soil Solarization as a non-chemical preemergent weed control tool on Oahu
Josiah Marquez, UH-CTAHR TPSS, and Koon-Hui Wang UH-CTAHR PEPS
Soil solarization is a non-chemical soil treatment that utilizes solar radiation and a thin film of transparent mulch to heat the soil for soil pasteurization. Soil solarization has been studied as an alternative to chemical soil fumigant and as a pre-emergent control for weed seeds in the ground. This article discusses certain challenges of using solarization in the humid tropics and methods to overcome these obstacles. Read here.
FMI: Josiah Marquez, email: josiahma@hawaii.edu and Koon-Hui Wang, email: koonhui@hawaii.edu
|
|
|
Rhizosphere Inoculum and Amendment
Koon-Hui Wang, CTAHR PEPS
The frequent use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides has lead to disruption of soil health, which often goes unnoticed. New generations of farmers are seeking profitable organic food crop production. Prohibitively high costs of organic fertilizers in Hawaii are providing incentive for farmers to utilize beneficial microorganisms to improve plant health. Many organic farmers are well aware of the benefits of beneficial soil microorganisms for farming. This handout introduces several approaches to invigorate soil microbial activities in agroecosystems to manage root health for profitable fertility and some soil-born stress or disease management. View handout here.
FMI: Dr. Koon-Hui Wang, email: koonhui@hawaii.edu
|
|
|
New Improvements on Coffee Berry Borer Management
Andrea Kawabata and Stuart T. Nakamoto
Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) has the ability to decimate a coffee crop if left unmanaged. Proper control involves using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach where field sanitation, monitoring, spraying and timely harvests are of utmost importance. Learn about some important and updated CBB recommendations and tips from the 2014 CBB IPM Summit. Read here.
FMI: Andrea Kawabata, email: andreak@hawaii.edu
|
|
Producing High Nitrogen Liquid Fertilizer for Fertigation Purposes
Amjad A. Ahmad, Theodore J.K. Radovich, Nguyen V. Hue, and Alton Arakaki UH-CTAHR TPSS
Replacing imported fertilizers with local resources is the highest research and education priority identified by stakeholders throughout the Pacific. The production of locally derived nutrient solutions for fertigation will keep local farmers competitive, reduce water-use and loss, and protect the environment by reducing chemical use. The main objective of this study was to produce high nitrogen soluble fertilizer for fertigation purposes using local organic materials. The lab results showed that locally produced tankage is potentially good, extractable sources of nitrogen. Incubation time, temperature, covering, and addition of vermicompost enhanced nitrogen release. Read here.
FMI: Amjad Ahmad, email: alobady@hawaii.edu
|
|
|
Performance of cool season cover crop in Lalamilo, Waimea, HI, Winter 2013-2014
Archana Pant, Theodore J.K. Radovich, Koon Hui Wang, N.V. Hue, Marla Fergestrom, Randall Hamasaki, Matthew Wung, Cynthia Stiles and Chris Robb
Cover crops are the backbone of sustainable cropping systems as they can prevent soil erosion, reduce nutrient leaching, add organic matter, improve soil health, fix nitrogen, suppress weeds and reduce insect pests and diseases. This project focused on evaluating performance of different species of cool season cover crops at high elevation growing condition in Hawaii. Read here.
FMI: Archana Pant, email: apant@hawaii.edu
|
|
|
Honeybee diet: individual forager decisions and colony health correlates
Ethel Villalobos and Zhening Zhang
The effect of malnutrition on the health of social bees has been the focus of many recent studies. The UH Honeybee Project has begun to look at what plants bees are utilizing in Hawaii by sampling the pollen being brought to the hive by the bees themselves. Read here.
FMI: Ethel Villalobos, email: emv@hawaii.edu
|
Citizen Science Opportunities
UH-CTAHR's "Pic-a-Papaya" Citizen Science Project
Citizen Scientists can help CTAHR Researchers Scot Nelson and Richard Manshardt "Pic-a-Papaya" by helping us survey papaya plant populations in the Honolulu area for papaya ringspot disease (PRSV) and for plants with genetically engineered resistance to PRSV.
Download and use the free Pic-a-Papaya app for smartphones to snap pics of papaya plants and send them to Drs. Nelson and Manshardt for diagnosis of PRSV. Each plant will be assessed a value of healthy or diseased and its GPS coordinates mapped to a location in Hawaii. Users of the app can view the map to see the distribution of infected plants
Samples of Downy Mildew on Cucurbit Crops
Cucurbits are members of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) which includes popular crops such as cucumber, pumpkin, squash, melon and watermelon. Our lab needs to collect diseased samples from across the state of Hawaii to advance our research on this disease. This article explains downy mildew symptoms (plus photos) and gives instructions on how to participate in this research should you suspect downy mildew on your curcubits. Read more here.
Pulelehua Project
The Kamehameha butterfly (Vanessa tameamea) is endemic to Hawaiʻi, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. Although the butterfly is historically known from all the main Hawaiian Islands, it is no longer found in some areas where it used to be common (e.g. Tantalus on Oʻahu), and it appears to be declining. The Pulelehua Project is an effort to map current populations of the Kamehameha butterfly using observations submitted by the public, combined with surveys of remote areas by scientists.
We need your help! We are calling upon anyone who sees a Kamehameha butterfly, caterpillar, egg, or chrysalis to submit their photos and observations. Your data will be used to map the current distribution of the Kamehameha butterfly, and help determine how and why it has declined. You can also use this site to learn more about how to find and identify the different life stages and host plants of the Kamehameha butterfly.
|
|
Publications & Programs
for sustainable and organic production systems
|
|
NEW from CTAHR
Natural Farming:
Expanding Tree Diversity in Hawai'i’s Landscapes:
- Aalii, Kumakani; Dodonaea viscosa
- Alahee, Psydrax odorata
- Beach Heliotrope, Tournefortia argentea
- Colville’s Glory, Colvillea racemosa
- Fern Pine, Afrocarpus gracilior
- Hispaniolan Rosy Trumpet Tree, Tabebuia berteroi
- Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Bauhinia blakeana
- Lignum Vitae, Guaiacum officinale
- Lonomea, Hawaiian Soapberry, Sapindus oahuensis
- Naio, Bastard Sandalwood, Myoporum sandwicense
- Nau, Nanu; Forest Gardenia; Gardenia brighamii
- Pride-of-Bolivia, Rosewood, Tipuana tipu
- Shaving-Brush Tree, Pseudobombax ellipticum
Growing Grapes in Hawai'i
Sugarcane Crosses as Potential Forages for Ruminants: Phase I – Selection Criteria
Biotech in Focus (from the Biotechnology Outreach Program, CTAHR)
|
|
From the Agribusiness Incubator
Business Structure and Registration:
Determine the form of ownership that best suits your business venture
By Steven Chiang Director, UH Agribusiness Incubator Program
Many factors must be considered when choosing the best form of business ownership or structure. The choice you make can have an impact on multiple aspects of your business, including taxes, liability, ownership succession, and others. This document is an overview of the various forms of business ownership including sole proprietorship, partnering, corporations, and limited liability companies. It includes excerpts from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Program Office guide on business structure. Read here.
FMI: Steve Chiang, email: schiang@hawaii.edu
|
|
|
Growing Organics: Moving Hawai‘i’s Organic Industry Forward
At the behest of leading members of Hawai‘i’s organic industry, The Kohala Center applied for USDA Specialty Crops Block Development Grant funding, through the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, to conduct a Hawai‘i Organic Industry Analysis and generate a final report. The objective of the proposed project was to (1) conduct a needs assessment and study by soliciting stakeholder input and synthesizing of archival data, and (2) recommend ways to implement an economically self-sustaining organic program. The final report may be found here.
|
|
|
Molokaʻi Native Hawaiian Beginning Farmer Program Newsletters
|
|
|
Health Options by Alan Titchenal & Joannie Dobbs
(Honolulu Star Advertiser article 4/08/2014)
|
|
VIDEOS
Sprayer Calibration Using the 1/128th Method for Motorized Back-Pack Mist Sprayer Systems
Calibrating a motorized back-pack mist sprayer properly is an important step in applying crop-protection chemicals to a targeted crop within the recommended label rate. This video covers a modified 1/128th method of calibrating a motorized back-pack mist sprayer, a fast, easy way to compute the gallon-per-acre rate (GPA).
National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health
Presentations (video and .pdf) now available.
Conservation Webinar Portal
|
|
Western Region Sustainable Agriculture and Education Program (WSARE)
|
|
|
Utah State University and the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE) are proud to announce the selection of Dr. Teryl Roper as the program’s new regional director. Dr. Roper will assume his duties on July 1, 2014. The current director, Dr. V. Philip Rasmussen, will retire after 20 years with Western SARE on June 30, 2014. Read more here.
Since 1988, the WSARE program has been supporting agricultural profitability, environmental integrity and community strength through grants that enable cutting-edge research and education to open windows on sustainability across the West, including Hawai'i. The goals of WSARE are:
- Promote good stewardship of our natural resources.
- Enhance the quality of life of farmers and ranchers and ensure the viability of rural communities.
- Protect the health and safety of those involved in food and farm systems.
- Promote crop, livestock and enterprise diversification.
- Examine the regional, economic, social and environmental implications of adopting sustainable agriculture practices and systems.
For more information, please see: http://www.westernsare.org/ or contact Hawai'i WSARE co-coordinators Dr. Ted Radovich (theodore@hawaii.edu) and Jari Sugano (suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu).
|
|
This e-publication has been prepared by CTAHR research scientists and extension staff to deliver science-based information about sustainable and organic production systems to serve Hawaii's farming community.
- To continue receiving this newsletter, please confirm your interest by subscribing or updating your profile/email address.
- If this publication has been valuable, please forward it to others
- Send in your suggestions for what you want to read about in our articles
- Tell us about your research needs.
Mahalo nui loa,
Eric Collier, Education Specialist and Managing Editor
Dr. Linda Cox and Dr. Ted Radovich
Jody Smith, e-Extension Manager
Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program
Cooperative Extension Service
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
The University of Hawai‘i is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
Jody Smith | Web Manager | smithjos@hawaii.edu
Copyright ©2013 University of Hawai‘i - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Updated 4 Nov, 2021
|
|
|
|