Progress 08/15/06 to 08/14/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Fourteen PowerPoint seminars and five workshops were conducted in the state. Attendance varied from a dozen at a College sponsored meeting (Molokai), to over a hundred at orchid club meetings (Oahu). In total close to a thousand participants have been reached with first hand contact through PowerPoint seminars, workshops, table/booth displays at orchid meetings and shows, and college sponsored events. Interested growers learned the most current material on vanilla culture and diseases of the crop. Results of the cultural methods tests, which show that preplant sterilization of cuttings increases plant survival, were presented to participants. Information was sent via email and through postal service if the grower had no computer access. At each presentation best growing practices were presented with hands-on examples of basic plant culture with live plants and a short demonstration on planting clean-cuttings and pollination of flowers to obtain beans. Typically the presentation lasted an hour with question and answer session to follow. Attendees were also provided a copy of a handout produced through this project that summarized step by step, the process of growing vanilla from planting clean cuttings to pollination and harvesting beans. Part of informing the public on the propagation of vanilla is getting information to the community at large, not only growers. As a project for her third grade class, a teacher at a local private school, took on the task of teaching her students how to producing a book with information on vanilla as the main subject. Each third grader wrote a one-page section with pictures and information about the history, cultivation, pests, or uses of vanilla. Students interviewed the Principal Investigator and the teacher consulted with the PI regarding the accuracy of the information contained in the book prior to printing. The class was able to complete the project and copies for students, families, and friends lead to over a hundred people learning about vanilla. The next year another book about vanilla was made and the circle of people informed about the spice grew to several hundred. This was an unexpected venue for getting information out to the community about vanilla culture. Basic growing information was disseminated and many lay persons learned about the challenges and rewards associated in growing this crop. The printed guide with color pictures detailing vanilla cultivation was provided to any individual interested in growing vanilla. These were distributed at orchid shows, information meetings by the college, workshops with county agents, or directly to individuals who were invited to meet at our laboratory at UHM. Many private consultations were provided to farmers at UHM where recommendations were given for greenhouse material and design, bench layout, plant propagation techniques and pest management strategies. The guide was sent via email or postal mail to individuals on outer islands who were unable to attend presentations, or for national/international requests. PARTICIPANTS: Alton Arakaki, county extension agent, Molokai. Coordinated the training session held on Molokai. There were 10 individuals interested in growing vanilla at the training session. Alton also attended the training session and was able to learn the clean culture techniques we have been using to cultivate vanilla successfully here on Oahu. He will be able to train new growers on the island of Molokai as interest there increases. Steve Fukuda, county extension agent, Oahu. Collaborated with us and has been helping a vanilla grower on the north shore of Oahu. They have been growing vanilla for several years and were able to produce their first crop of beans in 2008. We've shown Steve how to propagate the vanilla and he has returned for further information about how to tend to the crop as it matures. He has become adept at vanilla production as is seen in the success of the operation which he has overseen for the past several years. Ruth and Don Fukuchi on the north shore of Oahu have been growing vanilla since 2007. We continue to help them with their operation. Providing propagation recommendations, pest identification, and disease management strategies. County agents and individuals contact us regularly for advice about vanilla culture. We readily provide information to them and will continue to do so. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audience include interested individuals, commercial nursery operations, and university and agricultural industry officials. Efforts include site visits to teach growers the methods of clean culture and organized workshops held to disseminate information to larger audiences. We have conducted both site visits and workshops during the reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Results of the first cultural methods test showed that we need to change the protocol for the test. In follow up tests, we will use standard inoculation procedures to induce disease in the tests so that the effects of the cultural methods (rouging, and preplant dip in Clorox) can be effectively assessed. With the reinstatement of funding, we will continue to work on the project objectives. Funding to continue the project was received in 2008 and the research continues under TSTAR project 1909-08G.
Impacts
Results of the cultural methods tests showed that; although it replicated natural conditions, relying on diseased orchid plants to infect clean vanilla plants in our experiment, was not a reliable method to test cultural methods for effectiveness in reducing disease infection in the greenhouse. Follow up tests will employ the standard inoculation technique of spraying live Fusarium spores to plants in a liquid spray to initiate disease. This inoculation procedure and will allow for better evaluation of the effectiveness of the cultural methods used to decrease disease incidence in the greenhouse. Another outcome from the preliminary tests showed that even with clean culture techniques and starting in a clean greenhouse, Fusarium can still infect clean plants. We were not able to determine the source of the inoculums that started the infection in the Oahu growers greenhouse, but the fact that disease started in a clean area is concerning. We continue to monitor the progress of the grower and will update disease management practices as we learn more from our experiments and from the experiences of the commercial growers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 08/15/07 to 08/14/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Because funding for this project was suspended for 2007 and it was questionable if any new funds would be forthcoming, no new tests were initiated. Tests that were in progress were continued, data was taken, and tests were ended in 2008. We passed the information about the results of the cultural methods tests to the growers when we visited them at their nurseries. Our recommendations were to start with clean plants in clean media and to propagate plants in a clean greenhouse environment. One Oahu grower constructed a greenhouse with all of our recommendations and began growing vanilla plants in April 2007. During the reporting period (January 2008) the grower contacted us regarding some infected plants. We visited the nursery and made recommendations for clean up and implemented measures to minimize the spread of the disease in the greenhouse. The grower followed all of our recommendations for cleaning up possibly infected plants and also took steps to prevent further disease introduction and spread. Diseased vanilla plants were brought back to the laboratory and infected tissue samples were plated on water agar. Fungal organisms that emerged were isolated and identified. Fusarium cultures recovered from the disease pieces were purified and stored for future pathogenicity testing if funding for the program is received. We also consulted with and gave propagation, clean culture, and disease mitigation recommendations to a second Oahu grower who began vanilla production prior to 2007. That grower has a large operation with more than 300 plants and was about a year away from producing his first crop of beans. They are currently following our recommendations and we share our knowledge with them on a regular basis through the local extension agent. In June 2008 we traveled to Molokai to present vanilla growing information to interested individuals. The county extension agent Alton Arakaki planned and coordinated the meeting. We gave a PowerPoint presentation, answered questions, and provided participants with a simple handout that covered basic propagation methods for vanilla culture. PARTICIPANTS: Alton Arakaki, county extension agent, Molokai. Coordinated the training session held on Molokai. There were 10 individuals interested in growing vanilla at the training session. Alton also attended the training session and was able to learn the clean culture techniques we have been using to cultivate vanilla successfully here on Oahu. He will be able to train new growers on the island of Molokai as interest there increases. Steve Fukuda, county extension agent, Oahu. Collaborated with us and has been helping a vanilla grower on the north shore of Oahu. They have been growing vanilla for several years and were able to produce their first crop of beans in 2008.We have shown Steve how to propagate the vanilla and he has returned for further information about how to tend to the crop as it matures. He has become adept at vanilla production as is seen in the success of the operation which he has overseen for the past several years. Ruth and Don Fukuchi on the north shore of Oahu have been growing vanilla since 2007. We continue to help them with their operation. Providing propagation recommendations, pest identification, and disease management strategies. County agents and individuals contact us regularly for advice about vanilla culture. We readily provide information to them and will continue to do so. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include interested individuals, commercial nursery operations, and university and agricultural industry officials. Efforts include site visits to teach growers the methods of clean culture and organized workshops held to disseminate information to larger audiences. We have conducted both site visits and workshops during the reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Results of the first cultural methods test showed that we need to change the protocol for the test. In follow up tests, we will use standard inoculation procedures to induce disease in the tests so that the effects of the cultural methods (rouging, and preplant dip in Clorox) can be effectively assessed. With the reinstatement of funding, we will continue to work on the project objectives.
Impacts
Results of the cultural methods tests showed that; although it replicated natural conditions, relying on diseased orchid plants to infect clean vanilla plants in our experiment, was not a reliable method to test cultural methods for effectiveness in reducing disease infection in the greenhouse. Follow up tests will employ the standard inoculation technique of spraying live Fusarium spores to plants in a liquid spray to initiate disease. This inoculation procedure will allow for better evaluation of the effectiveness of the cultural methods used to decrease disease incidence in the greenhouse. Another outcome from the preliminary tests showed that even with clean culture techniques and starting in a clean greenhouse, Fusarium can still infect clean plants. As was observed with the vanilla grower on Oahu. We were not able to determine the source of the inoculum that started the infection in the Oahu growers greenhouse, but the fact that disease started in a clean area is concerning. We continue to monitor the progress of the grower and will update disease management practices as we learn more from our experiments and from the experiences of the commercial growers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 08/15/06 to 08/14/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We made field visits and consulted with vanilla growers on Oahu. Recommendations were given to the growers on the materials, design, and construction of a disease free greenhouse. Solid cover was recommened to control moisture. For the floor or ground, we recommended a preapplication of herbicide to eliminate weeds and fern, a thick layer of gravel for good drainage and weed mat to keep the ground clean. Plants should be planted in 5 gallon pots using clean commercial potting media such as Sunshine Blends. A support system is needed for the vanilla vine and we recommend a "T" constructed with pvc piping. The trellis is one per pot and is supported by the end of the pipe in a concrete pot within the larger pot. This makes the pole sturdy and the plastic prevents the harboring of pathogen growth in case the disease occurrs in the greenhouse in the future. We provided a handout describing methods for clean culture of vanilla cuttings. After the grower established their
greenhouse and plants were planted we continued to visit their operation and provided services to improve their vanilla farm.
PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Chris Kadooka. Research Technician in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. Conducted field evaluations with Dr. Uchida, provided instructions for greenhouse construction, and design, for structual components needed, and how to prepare and maintain disease free plants. Provided instructions for trellis constuction and general gorwing conditions needed. Growers were given individual instructions and a handout for establishment of disease free plants.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Pacific Island Growers; Steve Nieswander, Ken Deeyoo, Bryan Gyllen, Uriah Dombrowski, Thomas Yamabe, Muto Katsuji and Akata Noriko. Individual instruction provided at the nursery location to set-up and improve the nursery. The company has successfully produced some vanilla beans and currently the company is attempting to produce enough beans to analyse the vanillin content. Ruth and Don Fukuchi; Pupukea growers. Field trip and individual analysis of their operation. Tailored advice to their needs. Just starting but excellent greenhouse has been constructed. Kalihiwai Vista Farm. Mr. Neil Clendeninn, Hanalei. Instruction provided on how to grow the vanilla plants and propagation procedures. Rodney Kelly Maui. Provided instruction on how to grow vanilla and propagation instuctions.
Impacts
One of the Oahu growers were able to produce their first vanilla bean in 2007. At this time it is too early to project income levels. This is the only farm to which virus free vanilla plants were provided.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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