CTAHR Research News

July - August 2009 CTAHR Research News

 

The CTAHR Research News is back for the 2009-2010 Academic Year.  The July - August 2009 CTAHR Research News is now available for download.  This month we feature, Dr. H.C. "Skip" Bittenbender from the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.   Dr. Bittenbender is an extension specialist working unique tropical crops, coffee, kava, and cacao.  We also feature a story about a lesser known part of CTAHR, the 4-H livestock program.  We also feature a story from Lisa Matsunaga of the UH Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development.  Lisa is the OTTED Licensing Associate who works with CTAHR projects.  We bid Aloha to two people - Ruddy Wong, CTAHR's Director of Administrative Services and Po Yung Lai, who is joining CTAHR as the Special Program Director for Contracts and Grants.  The Calabash, open grants and new publications are our regular features.  Any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact C.Y. Hu.  We hope you enjoy the CTAHR Research News. 

May-June CTAHR Research News

 

The May-June 2009 CTAHR Research News is ready for download.  We feature this month, Dr. Dulal Borthakur of CTAHR's Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering.  One of the areas of research that Dr. Borthakur's lab emphasizes is the "rhizosphere", those nodules that fix nitrogen into the soil found on the roots of nitrogen fixing trees.  These are particularly important to Hawaii because the important tree - Acacia koa is a nitrogen fixing tree.  Also this month is the regular features of the Research Calabash, the new funding opportunities, new publications.  I hope you'll take a look at it and read about the important work in CTAHR.

April 2009 CTAHR Research News

The April 2009 CTAHR Research News is ready to download.  This month we feature Dr. Tomoaki Miura of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management.  Dr. Miura's Laboratory for Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing uses remote sensing and GIS technologies to address environmental and natural resource management issues.  Whether it attempting to determine the electromagnetic signature of the invasive fireweed in Hawaii pastureland, or the seasonal variation in cloud cover in our tropical forests or developing methods to remotely evaluate the changes in vegetation as a measure of the health of an ecosystem, Dr. Miura is using these new technologies to answer important questions for individual islands, for the State of Hawaii, and even globally.   We hope you will find Dr. Miura's story compelling.  Continuing with our series on compliance issues, we have a story on the UH requirements for vertebrate animal use and the UH Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.  We celebrate the 21st edition of the CTAHR Student Research Symposium.   You can download the Symposium Program and read the abstracts or find a list of the award winners.  CTAHR's Associate Dean/Associate Director for Research C.Y. Hu reminds about the importance of tracking FTE assignments.  Besides our regular features, the Calabash, Recent Publications, and Funding Opportunities, we also have a story about a recent visit by one of the two CTAHR CSREES liaisons, Dr. Peter Burfening; a short item about a recent workshop on inferential statistics; and acknowledge Dr. Chennat Gopalakrishnan, who is serving as the editor of a new academic journal, Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research.  Finally, we sadly bid aloha to one of our own, Dr. Kengo (Ken) Otagaki, who passed away recently.  Dr. Otagaki was the 2005 CTAHR Outstanding Alumnus and also served on the Department of Animal Sciences faculty for many years.  A brief remembrance is provided.

We hope you will download and read our April 2009 edition of the CTAHR Research News.  As always if you have suggestions for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact us.

March 2009 CTAHR Research News

The March 2009 CTAHR Research News is ready for download.  This month we feature the work of plant pathologist, Dr. Janice Uchida of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences.  Dr. Uchida and her team can not rest - too many fungal diseases affecting too many important plant species in Hawaii.  Most recently, Dr. Uchida is dividing her time between 'ohia rust, Puccinia psidii, a new invasive fungal disease that is threatening Hawaii's native 'ohia trees; fusarium disease in orchids, which affects the marketability of many different types of orchids; and plant diseases of one of Hawaii's special "orchids", the vanilla plant.  Another story in this month's edition, features Hawaii's Institutional Review Board, or known locally as the Committee on Human Studies.  As a condition of receiving federal funds, the University of Hawaii is mandated to protect human subjects through the Institutional Review Board.  This committee has the responsibility of reviewing and approving all research using human subjects at the University of Hawaii.  Sharee Pepper, CTAHR's grant coach summarizes this important information, provides a flow chart with links to additional information.  We also feature the Research Calabash - loaded with important information;  new funding opportunities and a listings of grants received and new publications.  Also in this month's CTAHR Research News, we provide a link to CTAHR's latest background publication on taro, "CTAHR and Taro" which outlines CTAHR's history of serving taro growers.  See the cover below and find a link to more information in our Sustainable Agriculture blog.   

February 2009 CTAHR Research News

The February 2009 CTAHR Research News is ready to download.   Join us to learn about one of our newest faculty members, Dr. Yong Li of the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences.  Dr. Li is a food microbiologist has is working on a variety of projects - from finding quick and efficient methods to identify pathogenic food bacteria - to determining the good "bugs" found in native products such as kava and kalo.  We also feature a thought provoking piece by CTAHR's corn breeder, Dr. Jim Brewbaker, of the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.  The piece is based upon a speech given by Dr. Brewbaker at the Hawaii Science and Technology Council in January, 2009.  Jim was part of a panel with Ken Kamiya, papaya grower and Mike Conway of Dole Foods as part of HSTC's Biotechnology: Feeding, Fueling and Healing Hawaii Conference.  In this months edition, we have a loaded Research Calabash, lots of new open grants and the results from our stakeholder input survey about the CTAHR Research News.  We hope you will download the February issue of the CTAHR Research News, read it and share it with others.  As always, any feedback, comments, suggestions on the issue, please do not hesitate to send us an e-mail to Doug Vincent at vincent@hawaii.edu. 

 

 

January 2009 CTAHR Research News

 

The January 2009 CTAHR Research News is now available for download.  As we begin our 5th edition of the CTAHR Research News, we feature scientists in CTAHR involved in "sustainability" across various disciplines in CTAHR.  Our cover story is about Dr. Ted Radovich of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.  Ted has woven an excellent story about his lab's research and educational activities in cropping systems and improving soil fertility.  Dr. Radovich is also the primary advisor to CTAHR's Sustainable and Organic Farm Training Garden - CTAHR's student-run organic garden at the Waimanalo Experiment Station.  Dr. Radovich and others are also significant contributors to CTAHR's Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Agriculture web sites.  We also feature six short stories on other faculty efforts related to sustainability, including Dr. Koon-*** Wang from the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences about her research on nematode control.  Dr. Richard Bowen from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management along with Mr. Ken Love, of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Association, discuss the "12 Trees Project" and work done with tropical fruit growers to establish relationships between farmers and culinary programs.  Dr. Anne Alvarez of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences shares her work on using plant oils to defend plants against bacterial infections.  Dr. Ali Fares, a research hydrologist with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management explains efforts to efficiently manage soil moisture and other nutrients for farmers.  Dr. Kent Kobayashi and others from the Departments of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences and Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences tell us about their efforts to help ornamental growers to be more sustainable.  Finally, we update you on an important story that will affect the "sustainability" of Hawaii's agriculture, Dr. Mark Wright of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences talks about work done to protect Hawaii's honey bees from the deadly Varroa mite.  In this edition, we also have our regular features - the Research Calabash with lots of short items important for researchers, recent publications by CTAHR faculty, recent grants and an update on where CTAHR is in grants intake and finally, open funding opportunities.  We hope you will enjoy this new issue of the CTAHR Research News - all about sustainability.  As always we welcome your comments, both positive and negative and suggestions for improvements.  Send them to me, Doug Vincent at vincent@hawaii.edu. 

December 2008 CTAHR Research News

The December 2008 issue of the CTAHR Research News is now available for download.  This month we feature Dr. Lori Yancura of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.  Dr. Yancura's work centers around a special "natural" resource of Hawaii, our kupuna.  Dr. Yancura's experience as a social psychologist and a gerontologist positions her well in working with Hawaii's seniors in terms of helping caregivers for senior but also when grandparents are placed in the difficult situation of raising their grandchildren.  Her program's web site "Ohana Caregivers" explains it further.  We also remind our stakeholders about the CTAHR Seed program which provides seeds to growers and gardeners across the state.  We also have regular features, such as the Open grant opportunities and the Research Calabash.

November 2008 CTAHR Research News

 

The November 2008 edition of the CTAHR Research News is now available to download.  This month we feature Dr. Daniel Jenkins of the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering.  Dr. Jenkins' lab focuses on the use of biological engineering tools to assist in the identification of plant and human pathogens.  This edition we also report upon a tea rooting workshop conducted at the Mealani Experiment Station.  CTAHR hosted two scientists from China, Dr. Hao Cheng and Dr. Zhi Lin both from the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.  Drs. Cheng and Lin visited our two tea experimental plots at CTAHR's Volcano and Mealani Experiment Stations and conducted workshops for tea growers at the Mealani Station.  We also feature Virginia Easton-Smith and Yong Li's attendance to USDA Grantsmanship Workshop.  In October, Associate Dean/Associate Director C.Y. Hu and Dean Andrew Hashimoto visited eight Chinese institution of higher education in southern China.  Dr. Hu's discusses this recent trip and the many Memoranda of Understandings signed while in China.  The recent Farm Manager's meeting in Kamuela on the Island of Hawaii is also featured.  Our regular features such as grants received, open grants, recent publications and news in the Research Calabash are also present.  We hope you will enjoy this edition.

 

October 2008 CTAHR Research News

The October 2008 edition of the CTAHR Research News is available for downloading.  CTAHR is not just agriculture and agricultural research.  This month we feature the important work of Dr. Sarah Yuan of CTAHR's Center on the Family.  As individuals and as a community, we are all aging.  One of the important functions of the Center on the Family is to serve as a Data Center for information that affects our families and in this case, Hawaii's Aging population.  Dr. Yuan and her team have developed an extensive database with important data on the well-being of older adults.  Also featured this month are articles on two conferences with extensive CTAHR participation.  The first was the Western Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education Subregional conference held in Kona in late September.  Also featured is an article on the 18th Annual Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Association annual meeting also held in Kona.  At this meeting, input from stakeholders involved in Hawaii's Tropical Specialty Fruit was gathered.  We also talk about a new initiative to grow organic papaya seed at our Waimanalo experiment station.  Finally, we have our regular features - the Calabash, open grants and recent publications.  We hope you will enjoy this month's edition of the CTAHR Research News.  And if you have questions or suggestions, please contact us.

September 2008 CTAHR Research News

The September 2008 edition of the CTAHR Research News is now available for download.  This month we feature the work of Dr. Paul Singleton of the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.  Paul's research focuses on "precision agriculture" using technology to provide growers with management tools to maximize the effectiveness of their inputs.  Without knowing the specific knowledge needs of their plants, farmer's often over water or under water or over fertilize or under fertilize.  Paul tells us growers can better control their costs and the effectiveness of the efforts while improving profits.  We also feature new faculty who have joined the College recently, a story about the Molokai Taro festival, kudos for NREM's Dr. Gopal and our regular features - information about open grants, recent publications and grants received and the Calabash with useful information for you.  We hope you will our newsletter.

July-August 2008 CTAHR Research News

The July-August 2008 CTAHR Research News is available for downloading.  This month we feature the work of Dr. John Hu, Researcher in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences.  John and his lab's team are busily trying to develop solutions to many of Hawaii's plant diseases caused by plant viruses - Banana Bunchy Top Virus, Citrus Tristeza and Pineapple mealybug associate virus.   These viruses are a constant threat to growers in Hawaii.  At best, these viruses limit the sick plants productivity and at worst, can completely kill the plant.  We hope you will enjoy John's story.  Also this month are the regular features: The Research Calabash - with lots of timely information of importance to CTAHR, including upcoming events; an article about grants received and how dismal CTAHR's grant intake was last fiscal year; a listing of newly published works by CTAHR faculty and staff; and new funding opportunities.  Please take time to read more about it.   

May 2008 CTAHR Research News

The May/June 2008 CTAHR Research News is ready to be downloaded.

This month we feature Dr. Greg Bruland of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management.  Dr. Bruland's research interests include soil and water conservation, watershed management, land-based threats to coastal ecosystems and coastal and wetland ecology and management.  Greg's research illustrates how CTAHR collaborates with not only farmers and ranchers but also with ecologists and land managers; not only with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture but also the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, not only with USDA but also with U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.  We hope you will enjoy Greg's story.  Also featured this month are articles featuring three special CTAHR events, the Apparel Product Design and Merchandising Annual student-run fashion show and two CTAHR Centennial Events, one on Kauai and on the Island of Hawaii.  C.Y.'s provides some "food for thought" on the whole food vs. biofuel debate; we acknowledge the winners from the recent CTAHR Student Research Symposium and three students from Dr. Yong Li's Lab from the Department of Human Nutrition Food and Animal Sciences, who also received recent awards.  There is a short article about Lisa Matsunaga of the UH Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development (OTTED).  Lisa works with CTAHR Faculty and Staff on issues related to intellectual property and licensing.  As usual, there is our regular features of the Research Calabash, Recent Publications, Grants Received and Open Funding Opportunities. 

We hope you will enjoy this month's CTAHR Research News.

 

April 2008 CTAHR Research News

The April 2008 CTAHR Research News is ready to be downloaded.

This month we feature another "side" of CTAHR, our commitment to Hawaii's ranching community.  Dr. Mark Thorne is CTAHR's Range Extension Specialist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences.   Mark is part of CTAHR's Beef Initiative and plays an integral part providing research and outreach in range and pasture management across the state.   To assist stakeholders, Mark, in cooperation with CTAHR Cooperative Extension and the UH Hamilton Library, has developed the Hawaii Rangelands web site.  Mark's work extends beyond Hawaii and is part of a Western Multi-state project that, as part of its outputs, developed the Rangelands West site.    Also featured is an article about the 20th CTAHR Student Research Symposium.  C.Y. Hu brings us up-to-date about the Taro Moratorium Bill and we introduce you to CTAHR's new Grant Specialist, Dr. Sharee Pepper.   We provide you with an opportunity to order the CTAHR Centennial Book.  Along with the regular contributions, the Research Calabash, new grants and publications and new funding opportunities, we also bid aloha to Dennis Miyahara and Ryoji Namba, and welcome Shirley Akiyoshi.

We hope you will enjoy this edition of the CTAHR Research News.  Please read it, and if you have comments, good or bad, please share them with us.  You can comment at the bottom of this blogpost.  Thanks.

   

 

April 2007 CTAHR Research News

The April 2007 CTAHR Research News is ready to download.

In this edition, we feature Dr. Linda Cox of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management.  Dr. Cox's Community Economic Development Program is an excellent example of integrating outreach and research to provide communities with up-to-date information to assist in program planning and making decisions.  We also feature an article about foreign research opportunities through the Fulbright Scholar Program.   Along with the regular features of CRIN that includes the Research Calabash, new grants received, new publications and opening funding opportunities, we also share with a story about hosting the joint meeting of the Western Association of Agriculture Experiment Station Directors and the North Central Regional Association of Agriculture Experiment Station Directors.  Pictured in this month's newsletter are also photographs from the April 12, 2007 CTAHR Centennial Homecoming and Awards Banquet.

We value your input on the CTAHR Research News so please contact us if you have suggestions for improvements or other feedback, positive or negative.  Enjoy your newsletter.

 

 

March 2008 CTAHR Research News

  

The March 2008 CTAHR Research News is available for downloading. 

This month we feature the research team headed by Dr. Gernot Presting of the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering.  Dr. Presting's lab is CTAHR's leader in bioinformatics and functional genomics.  Among other things, the lab has done work on the Papaya Genome project and work using DNA bar codes to identify the lineage of invasive plant species and pathogenic bacteria.  This month we also have an article about the CTAHR Centennial Celebration at the Oahu Urban Garden Center in Pearl City.  Given the 2007-2008 is CTAHR's Centennial, we provide information to purchase the CTAHR Centennial Commemorative Book "College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources: Celebrating the First 100 Years".   We also feature a new educational program in CTAHR, Dr. Scot Nelson of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences has established the Plant Disease of the Week.  Using the web and a an e-mail subscription service, Scot sents out information about the many plant diseases that plague Hawaii.  Besides the usual content of CRN, the Reseach Calabash, recent grants and publications and new funding opportunities, Dr. C.Y. Hu has written an excellent article about Congressional earmarks. 

We hope you will enjoy reading this month's edition of the CTAHR Research News.