Issue 32   |   July 29, 2014   |   Archive

News & Events

Kalo Theft Hurts Everyone

More than 700 pounds of kalo were stolen from the Waimanalo Research Station on June 23, only a few days before harvest. Two weeks before that theft, 300 pounds were stolen. The kalo was part of a research project focused on organic cultivation that had been ongoing for about eight months. Waimanalo Research Station brought the college’s taro germplasm collection over from its Moloka‘i Applied Farm in 2008. Since then, the huli have been used to support various organizations and farmers across the state. “We’re disappointed. It’s not just a faceless entity that they were stealing from. This is actually folks working long and hard with the community to really try to generate some data that is valuable. They’re not stealing from nobody; they're impacting people,” said Ted Radovich (TPSS). A special, huge mahalo to all the wonderful growers who generously offered to replace huli at the station. Watch the video about the theft at Hawai‘i News Now.

The Plant Doctor’s Android Update

A new version of the very useful Plant Doctor smartphone app is now available for Android users. The old version will no longer work, so developer Scot Nelson (PEPS) encourages all Android users to delete it and install the new one, pronto! The Plant Doctor provides interactive diagnosis for plant diseases in gardens, landscapes, nurseries, and farms. It’s been used around the world from Guam to Scandinavia, Russia to South Africa, and, of course, here in Hawai‘i. Update your app and diagnose your plants!

Spotlight on Our Community

Sharing Food (Science) in China

A good relationship often starts with the sharing of food, and Jinan Banna (HNFAS) improved on that by sharing food science with students in China. From June 9th through June 20th, Jinan taught two courses, “The Science of Human Nutrition” to 70 students and “Introduction to Food Science” to 140 students, at Hunan Agricultural University (HAU) in Changsha, Hunan, China. The teaching assignment ranged from three to five hours per day, with time on the weekend and after the end of the courses to visit interesting sites such as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Yuelu Mountain. Jinan’s visit was the start of a collaborative relationship between HAU and UH facilitated by Dr. Ching Yuan Hu. HAU hopes to sponsor two more groups of instructors to travel to Changsha to teach courses, in December 2014, as well as in the summer of 2015.

Akamai-zing the Flow of Energy

In June, PhD student Kauahi Perez (TPSS) participated as an instructor and facilitator in the Akamai Short Course, a 4-day intensive course hosted at UH Hilo that prepares undergraduates for their upcoming internship projects. Taught by graduate students and post-docs trained in the ISEE Professional Development Program, the Short Course uses inquiry learning to enhance interns’ research, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills. Kauahi was part of the Renewable Energy Team of instructors—comprised of UH Manoa and UC Santa Cruz graduates—that designed an engineering-based activity entitled “Akamai-zing the Flow of Energy.” Using their akamai (intelligence/skills), students collaboratively engaged in optimizing (“akamai-zing”) energy flow by augmenting hypothetical networks of technologies (i.e., wind turbines, wave turbines, photovoltaic systems, and battery storage systems) that could harvest enough energy from renewable sources to meet the Big Island’s current energy demand. The Akamai Short Course is one component of the Akamai Internship Program, which provides an opportunity for undergraduates who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields to get involved in high-tech research and industry. The 2014 Akamai Internship Program was funded by the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory, the University of Hawai‘i, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. You’re aka-mazing, Kauahi!

CBB on TV

KHON recently reported on efforts to combat the Coffee Berry Borer on Big Island coffee farms and the gains made by coffee growers since 2010. It looks as though things are starting to look up for coffee farmers, thanks in part to CTAHR’s research and outreach. Mark Wright (PEPS) weighs in on what farmers can do to help their farms and stresses that diligence in best practices will play an important part in successful CBB management. Check out the video.

Go Forth and Landscape

The landscape industry is a vital part of Hawai‘i’s agriculture and a key component of our visitor economy. For the first time in 12 years, a Landscape Industry Certification Test (LICT) was offered on Maui, preceded by a 12-session training program organized by Extension agent Norman Nagata (TPSS). This great collaborative effort brought numerous landscape-related businesses together with CTAHR Cooperative Extension-Maui, UH Maui College, and the County of Maui Office of Economic Development to raise the bar of professional landscaping on Maui. Just as they help the plants they work with to flourish, the initial 22 landscapers who participated in the training are helping to grow an industry of professionals.

Koa’s Distant Close Relative

It’s a small world, even for koa trees! Nature magazine featured TPSS alumnus Johannes “Jaco” LeRoux and his research on the incredibly improbable dispersal of koa trees from Hawai‘i to Réunion Island. First, Hawai‘i and Réunion Island are 18,000 kilometers apart, almost the farthest apart any two places can be. Second, the dispersal happened between two small islands. Jaco proposed that a sea bird brought a koa seed from Hawai‘i to Réunion in its stomach or stuck to its feet in a one-time event about 1.4 million years ago. He and his team sequenced the DNA from 88 trees and created an acacia family tree that showed the acaia on Réunion are very closely related to one type of Hawaiian koa. The team then used a molecular clock to determine when the dispersal event took place. Read more about Koa and its Réunion relative at Nature magazine.

Farmers Get Knocked Down, but They Get Up Again

Everyone knows farming is hard work, but sometimes beginning farmers don’t realize just what that “work” means. Moloka‘i Extension agent Glenn Teves (TPSS) has some great advice for anyone interested in becoming a farmer in the Hawai‘i Homegrown newsletter. In his letter to “Sonny,” Glen explains the many aspects of farming, from the sheer amount of personal motivation needed to the specialized knowledge of agriculture and business that farmers require to be successful. He breaks down the economic and practical realities of the complex, sometimes difficult, but ultimately rewarding vocation of farming. Read his advice at Hawai‘i Homegrown.

Let’s Go Climb a Tree

NREM graduate student Laura Mo has her head (and the rest of herself) in the trees! Laura participated in the Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop offered by Lyon Arboretum, and now enjoys the vertical aspect of movement. “I just really enjoy movement,” Laura said. “When all you do is sit and walk, you kind of forget that you can do other things.” Read more about Laura and the Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop at the Star-Advertiser. And check out the Lyon Arboretum website for the next Wahine Tree Climbing Workshop and other fun classes, including keeping chickens in the backyard!

What’s This? What’s This? There’s Insects Everywhere!

The sorting of bugs is a fascinating matter, so the Insect Museum held its 5th annual insect sorting event on June 27 with help from wonderful, bug-loving volunteers. An insect sort becomes necessary as specimens accumulate through field collections, and until an organizational event, these insects are not easy for experts studying different groups to locate in the museum. During a sort, labeled insects are categorized with the other insects to which they are closely related. Then they are placed in their proper spot in the museum collection where experts can find them and identify them in more detail. Check out pictures from the Great Insect Sort of 2014 and listen to Dan Rubinoff talk bug sorting on KHPR (scroll down)!

Go! Farm! Windward!

Congratulations to the graduates of GoFarm Hawai‘i at Windward CC’s AgSchool2. Ten months of hard work and learning have resulted in the development of some fine farmers (pictured with their GoFarm Hawai‘i alumni caps and farm coach Jay Bost in the back row). Some of the new alumni will start to farm their own land in Waimanalo or on land provided by Kamehameha Schools. Others have chosen to enter the AgIncubator plots at CTAHR's Waimanalo Agricultural Research Station to begin their careers as real farmers! Great job, future farmers of Hawai‘i!

Spray Safe

The Western Front, a newsletter about Integrated Pest Management, recently featured the multilingual pesticide safety charts developed by Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) and a tireless team of CTAHR and HDOA collaborators. The charts, titled “Protect Yourself and Workers From Pesticides” and “Apply Pesticides Safely, Legally, Effectively” include instructions in English, Mandarin, Ilocano, and Lao and are designed for use in classroom presentations as well as on-farm training. They’re available at HDOA offices and workshops, and the editable files are also available to any state or country entity wanting to modify and use them. Download the PDF versions, or email Jim at hollyer@hawaii.edu for the raw files. Spray safe, stay safe!

Along Came a Spider

Eek! Spider bite! Dan Rubinoff (PEPS) talks about the spider that bit Hamilton Library educator Teri Skillman and ultimately sent her to the hospital for five days of treatment. Dan believes the culprit was a Mediterranean recluse spider, which is very rarely encountered in the Islands; in fact, he says people are more likely to get struck by lightning than bitten by this spider. This is lucky, as you’ll see if you watch the video about the bite at Hawai‘i News Now. Just to be on the safe side, watch out for spiders!

New Publications

Taking Care of Keiki 2014

The 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book, released on July 22 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, marks 25 years of bringing attention to national and state-level data on the well-being of children. According to data presented in the annual report, Hawai‘i ranks 25th out of 50 states on overall child well-being. “The well-being of our children is the most important indicator of how well our state is doing in terms of longterm economic success and how well we will do in the future,” says Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT project director Ivette Rodriguez Stern (COF). “The good news is that we’re no longer slipping in rank where it comes to the overall well-being of Hawai‘i’s children, as had been the case in recent years. We’re now somewhere in the middle, and while we’re doing well in the areas of health and in the family and community context, we’re ranked much lower where it comes to the economic well-being of our children and education.” Take a look at how our keiki are doing at in the 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book the Annie E. Casey Foundation website.

Ag Economics Affects Everyone!

Owing to the advent of the coffee berry borer and other pests, there is growing concern as to how the coffee industry will be affected. And to fully understand that, it’s necessary to look at the industry’s economic status before CBB. Dilini Hemachandra (NREM), Stuart Nakamoto (HNFAS), and John Woodill have published an overview of the Hawai‘i coffee industry that does just that. For another important look at where ag is going in terms of where it’s been, Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) teamed up with Matthew Loke (NREM) to report on the changing demographics of Hawai‘i farmers over the past 100 years. Find out when the greatest number of Filipino farmers were principal operators, when women became a force in the field, and more!

After the Harvest

Hawai‘i is awesome for its delicious, year-round fruit, and we benefit not only from great fruit-growing weather but also from the variety of fruits that can be produced throughout the Islands. But warm weather also brings its own concerns. Bob Paull (TPSS) and his co-authors, including Nancy Chen (also TPSS) have new publications out on how to maintain the best quality for fruit after harvest. Check them out! Carambola, Dragon Fruit, Durian, Longan, Lychee, Papaya, Pineapple, and Rambutan. Bob also has a guide to Growing Grapes in Hawai‘i from trellis to harvest. For fig growers and lovers, Scot Nelson (PEPS) and his student Ann Verga describe effective methods to combat fig rust.

To Protect and Serve

From the forest to the factory to the farm, our college is working to keep the community safe! Want to keep your trees green and healthy, not blackened and charred? J.B. Friday, Doug Cram, and Clay Trauernicht (all NREM) have published a guide to minimize risks of wildfires for tree plantations. Need to keep your food-production facility free from dangerous and illegal chemical, biological, and physical adulterants? Luisa Castro (formerly of NREM) and Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) published a guide to assist growers with state and federal standards for food safety. Every day, in every way, CTAHR means safety!

More Trees, More Beauty

As recent outbreaks of plant diseases and pests have shown us, diversity is useful in landscaping so we’re not left with denuded landscapes, nurseries, and backyards if something attacks a particular species. It also helps to address landscape challenges and client preferences, replace invasive or otherwise detrimental species, and help create a variegated and interesting landscape. In pursuit of arboreal diversity, Richard Criley (TPSS) and his co-authors have created a series of publications describing beautiful, useful, and underutilized trees—many of which can be found on the UH Manoa campus but in few other places around the Islands. Check out these possibilities: Aali‘i, Alahe‘e, Beach Heliotrope, Colville’s Glory (pictured), Fern Pine, Hispaniolan Rosy Trumpet, Hong Kong Orchid, Lignum Vitae, Lonomea, Naio, Na‘u

Let's Farm Naturally!

If you read the recent Impact Report, you know about Mike DuPonte’s (HNFAS) exciting work with Korean Natural Farming, a sustainable and bio-active method of agricultural production. If you want to get involved yourself, find out how to make some of the inputs that will keep your green friends fruitful and thriving: Fish Amino Acid acts as a locally sourced fertilizer that doesn’t damage water quality like many commercial fertilizers, and Water-Soluble Calcium, which can be made from eggshells and rice vinegar, will help regulate plant growth and development. Oriental Herbal Nutrient provides plants and soil microorganisms with nutritional support that increases plants’ resilience to environmental stress, while Diluted Seawater, the easiest of all to make, can be used to encourage ripening and for soil nutrition. Get started utilizing the powerful and beneficial indigenous microorganisms around you today!

Details of Dietary Data

Jinan Banna and Marie Kainoa Fialkowski (both HNFAS) recently had their manuscript “Misreporting of dietary intake affects estimated nutrient intakes in low-income Spanish-speaking women,” co-written with Dr. Marilyn Townsend at UC-Davis, accepted for publication in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This study involved classifying reported energy intakes from 24-hour dietary recalls completed by Mexican-American women in Northern California as biologically plausible or implausible to determine if those with plausibly reported intakes would be more likely to meet dietary guidelines. Findings revealed that plausibility status significantly influenced whether a participant met recommendations for several nutrients. These results support the importance of evaluating plausibility of reported intake when analyzing self-reported dietary data to determine whether a population is meeting recommendations. The topic of validity of self-reported dietary data is a timely one, addressed in detail at the recent Experimental Biology session entitled “Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted and Not Everything That Can Be Counted Counts: How Should We Collect Dietary Data for Research?”

It’s a Tradition

The 2014 Second Quarter Impact Report is here! Last quarter’s Report looked at CTAHR’s high-tech solutions to ag, horticulture, and environmental issues, while this quarter’s turns the tables and focuses instead on the ways the college gains inspiration from traditional knowledge and practices. Check out Skip Bittenbender’s (TPSS) kava studies and outreach, Clyde Tamaru’s (MBBE) assistant Leina‘ala Bright’s research into aquaponically growing Hawaiian herbal medicines, Thao Le’s (FCS) work with youth through mindfulness techniques, and Michael DuPonte’s great work with Korean Natural Farming. Check out the Report and get inspired!

Food Safety at the Farmers Market

Farmers markets are a great opportunity for growers to showcase their fabulous foods, and CTAHR collaborated with UH Hilo’s College of Continuing Education and Community Service to create the Hawai‘i Farmers Market and Agritourism Venues manual for those who want to get started doing just that. The 36-page cookbook-style guide is an easy-to-read rapid reference for new and experienced vendors at farmers markets and agriculture tourism venues. Jim Hollyer (HNFAS) and Luisa Castro (formerly of CTAHR) worked with with five current farmers market and agritourism managers to craft a Hawai‘i-specific best practices manual. Download this helpful new guide here!

Extension and Grocers

We're still celebrating 100 years of Extension! Joannie Dobbs and Alan Titchenal (HNFAS) published an upbeat and informative article about the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension in the Hawaii Retail Grocer, the magazine of the Hawai‘i food industry association. The article describes how Extension agents and specialists helped the growth of the food industry in Hawai‘i. This issue also includes a profile of Carey Miller, the “dean of nutritionists,” and her contributions to UH and the dietary practices in Hawai‘i. Read both articles at the Hawaii Retail Grocer.

This Is the Story of a Corn Recall...

The new issue of Biotech in Focus takes a look at genetically engineered corn, specifically the StarLink corn recall. The articles describe government agencies’ evaluation processes and what happened during and after the StarLink recall. And when you’re finished with the corn, you can check out past issues of Biotech in Focus at the archive.

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