Progress 09/15/24 to 09/14/25

Outputs
Target Audience:University of Guam Students; this audience includes 29 students enrolled in the (AL-101) Introduction to Agriculture lecture/lab course, one undergraduate research intern in the plant pathology lab and 15 students participating the UOG Agriculture and Life Sciences (ALS) Club. Local highschool students; this audience includes three unsponsored summer interns working in the plant pathology lab, one summer research intern sponsored by the NIH-NIDDK Pacific STEP-UP program and one year-long intern sponsored by the NIH-NIDDK Pacific STEP-UP to conduct research after school hours. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Local high school students participated in research internships in the plant pathology lab.Thisincludedthree unsponsored summer interns working in the plant pathology lab performing molecular gentics to generate targeted mutations in Erwinia spp., one summer research intern sponsored by the NIH-NIDDK Pacific STEP-UP program idenifying a segrass pathogen causing Seagrass Wasting Disease and one year-long intern sponsored by the NIH-NIDDK Pacific STEP-UP to conduct research on the role of the pectate lyase gene in Erwinia papayae virulence. Two additional interns are supporting the AL-101 lab section by maintaining nusurey plants for class. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?- We will complete furnishing the nurseries with plant benches, shelves, raised beds and irrigation systems. Once fully functional, the nurseries will be opened for general use for Extension workshops, ALS courses and ALS student club projects. - We will solicit new quotations and purchase remaining lab equipment.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) Plant Pathology Lab equipment procurement tasks: project planning, equipment procurement and installation Project planning has been completed although increasing construction costs of nursery expansion has paused aquisition of biosaftey hood and lanimar flow hood. A Conviron growth chamber has been aquired and installed. With nursery construction recently completed, we will reasses budget to determine what equipment can still be purchased. 2) Nursery expansion tasks: construction planning, solicitation of quotations, removal of extant structures, facilities construction Construction of nursery area is complete. Nursery area consists of three new galvanized steel frame 26'x20'covered shade cloth covered structured on a reinforced concrete pad. A previous existing 24'x20' steel structure was refurbished and included in the concreted area.Water lines were plumbed into each structure to allow for intalation of individual irrigation systems.Thearea was also fenced to deter theft. 3) Research and instruction Instruction: Introduction to Agriculture(AL-101)is the first class to make use of the newly builtspace to grow various tropical plants for lab demonstrations and activities. 4) Monitoring and evaluation No progress.

Publications