Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? On-farm trial The trial held at the Jatropha farm on the Island of Hawaii provided not only an opportunity for research, but an opportunity for extension as well. The farmer followed closely the operation of the trial and the results. Since learning of the positive results, the farmer has implemented a nutrient management plan to increase oil production. Field day A bioenergy field day was held at the Waimanalo Research Station on November 19, 2010. The purpose of the field day was to introduce farmers and extension agents to results from the oil and biomass experiments being conducted across the state of Hawaii. Seven farmers and extension agents attended the event. Agriculture Awareness Day The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii, sponsored an Agriculture Awareness Day at the Pearl City Urban Garden Center and Waimanalo Research Station where 800 5th and 6th grade students attended to learn about agriculture in Hawaii. Bioenergy was one of the topics presented. The talk “Power Plants” was given to 150 students in each year from 2009 to 2012. Students were presented with material on the carbon cycle, climate change, biofuel feedstock production, and plant oil from Jatropha curcas. At the end of the day, students were given examination questions to measure learning retention. Feedback from students and teachers was positive. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Jatropha and Oil Palm The search for biofuel feedstock crops has not been as straightforward as anticipated. Early evaluations of oil crops such as Jatropha curcas indicated that it was an ideal crop for marginal soils and landscapes with low rainfall. Published reports making such claims convinced oil companies and entrepreneurs to pursue large scale plantings of this tree crop. However, many of the plantings resulted in much lower than expected oil yields. Despite the poor results, Jatropha curcas has characteristics that are advantageous as a biofuel feedstock crops. These characteristics include short interval between planting and first fruit production and perennial. Oil yield is relatively low, approximately 200 gallons/acre/year, compared to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) that yields 500 to 800 gallons/acre/year. Increasing the oil yield from Jatropha is a major objective to make it an attractive feedstock crop. Contrary to preliminary reports that the crop yields well in marginal soils, this project showed that nutrient application is essential for high production potential. An on-farm trial was conducted on the Island of Hawaii to demonstrate the effects of fertilizer and 6-benzyl adenine (6BA) application to growth and yield components of Jatropha curcas. N, P, and K were applied at 55, 24, and 45 lbs per acre, respectively. 6BA was applied at 4 rates ranging from 0 to 2700 ppm. The addition of fertilizer increased the number of leaves on each branch by 50% over the non-fertilized plants. Increasing 6BA concentration produced greater number of fruit clusters in unfertilized trees while no such trend was observed in fertilized trees. It seems that fertilizer application dampened the effect of 6BA on fruit cluster production and promoted vegetative growth. An oil palm field trial seems to show that high latitude location may delay fruit production. Twenty-eight 1.5 year old nursery raised trees were planted into at the Waiakea Research Station on the Island of Hawaii in 2009. The trees were well fertilized and the station receives about 150 inches of rain a year. No flowers or fruit formed until four years after outplanting. However, fruit development was abnormal in that fruits were small and misshapen, and no seed formed within the mesocarp. Many of the trees produce male flowers only. The slow and abnormal development may be indicators that the research station (19.4 degrees north latitude) is outside the latitude range of oil palm. Biochar A greenhouse experiment to demonstrate the effects of biochar on corn growth was initiated in September, 2010. Corn was planted into pots containing soil (soil order Oxisol), 2% biochar + soil, and 2% biochar used as a filter for wastewater + soil. The corn was allowed to grow for four weeks. All pots were kept well watered. No fertilizer was applied. There were no statistically significant treatment effects, however mean root dry weight, shoot dry weight, and number of leaves formed were greater in either of the biochar treatments over the plain soil. These encouraging results launched further investigations into the effects of biochar on biofuel feedstock crop production. Napier x pearl millet hybrid The napier (Pennisetum purpureum) x pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) hybrid has the potential for high biomass yield and drought tolerance, two highly desirable characteristics for a biomass feedstock. Two sources of these hybrids were identified in Hawaii. The first source was the Poamoho Research Station. In the 1990s, local sugarcane companies were experimenting with alternate sources of biomass to maintain boiler firing during the annual break from harvest operations. One of the promising candidates was a napier x pearl millet hybrid called banagrass. A sugarcane company on the North Shore of Oahu allowed a University of Hawaii extension agent to collect a sample of the banagrass and was planted at the Poamoho Research Station as a windbreak. The second source of the napier hybrid was the Plant Material Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service, at Hoolehua, Hawaii. In the 1970s, the PMC developed 20 unnamed varieties of napier x pearl millet crosses for the purpose of windbreak. These crosses were fast-growing, tall, and sterile. These two sources of napier hybrids will provide material for future field trials.
Publications
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