Progress 10/01/20 to 09/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Scientists, agroforesters, USFS and National Parks personel,growers, university students, and general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this reporting period, the Project Director trained extension assistants and associates of the ironwood project in how to format data spreadsheets, how to collect and record data, and how to collect termites and tree tissue samples. These individuals were then able to collect samples and information suitable for research activities in Dr. Mohammad Arif's laboratory at the University of Hawaii and Dr. Claudia Husseneder's laboratory at Louisiana State University How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In March 2021, seeds were collected from provenance trees which had been planted on Anderson Air Force Base, Guam in 2011. International Provenance trial cultivars included Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, India, Kenya, Vietnam, Austrailia, Egypt, and Sri Lanka. Seeds were also collected from a native Guam Casuarina equisetifolia tree in Hagatna, Guam. All seeds were stored at 5 degrees Celsius in Dr. Schlub's lab at UOG. In June and July 2021, 300 seeds from each of the nine cultivars were planted in seedling tubes. This resulted in approximately 60 trees of each cultivar. Seedlings will be given away to local Golf Course Superintendents and farmers during year 4. A factsheet "Guam's Gago Needs Your Help" about the different cultivars that are being given-away and their importance in diversifying Guam's ironwood population, will be distributed as part of the seedling give-away program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The additional accomplishments will be realized under objective 2 as research at the University of Hawaii is published. As a result of funding from this project and WSARE Research and Education project SW19-906, a conference on ironwood decline will be held January 4-7, 2022 and tree care workshop on building resiliency in trees will be held January 3-4, 2022.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Beginning in 2002, one of Guam's most common agroforestry and landscape trees, Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia, fell into disfavor with the public and Guam's Department of Forestry. This began with trees island-wide losing 'needles' and exhibiting branch die back. This was then followed by the fear that the same demise would befall new plantings. Two known pathogens of ironwood have been determined to be responsible: the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum and the fungal heartwood rot pathogen Ganoderma australe. In 2008, the condition was labeled ironwood tree decline (IWTD). The lack of morphological variability and unusually high percentage of monoecious trees on Guam has lead researchers to believe that low genetic diversity likely contributed to the development and spread of IWTD. Based on the literature, the selfing rate of open pollinated monoecious individuals is 42%. Characteristics of inbreeding depression, which is believed to be occuring on Guam, includes seedlings with low height and diameter growth in both nursery and field conditions and markedly lower survival in field conditions. Merely replacing ironwood trees with another tree species is not acceptable since ironwood has been on Guam for thousands of years and is tightly integrated into the island's culture and its many ecosystems. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Northern Australia, Oceania and Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. During this reporting period, the Project Director trained extension assistants and associates of the ironwood project in how to format data spreadsheets, how to collect and record data, and how to collect termites and tree tissue samples. These individuals were then able to collect samples and information suitable for research activities in Dr. Mohammad Arif's laboratory at the University of Hawaii and Dr. Claudia Husseneder's laboratory at Louisiana State University. In June and July 2021, 300 seeds from each of the 9 ironwood cultivars were planted in seedling tubes. This resulted in approximately 60 trees of each cultivar. Seedlings will be given away to local Golf Course Superintendents and farmers during year 4. A factsheet "Guam's Gago Needs Your Help" about the different cultivars that will be given away and their importance in diversifying Guam's ironwood population, will be distributed as part of the seedling give-away program. Objective 1: Establish conditions for natural incorporation of new genes into Guam's ironwood gene pool. This objective was completed in year one (see year one annual report). Additional accomplishments in this year's report: in March 2021, seeds were collected from provenance trees which had been planted on Anderson Air Force Base, Guam in 2011. International Provenance trial cultivars included Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, India, Kenya, Vietnam, Austrailia, Egypt, and Sri Lanka. Seeds were also collected from a native Guam Casuarina equisetifolia tree in Hagatna, Guam. All seeds were stored at 5 degrees Celsius in Dr. Schlub's lab at UOG. In June and July 2021, 300 seeds from each of the 9 cultivars were out-planted. Approximately 60 trees of each cultivar survived. In Fall 2021, seedlings are in the process of being given away to local Golf Course Superintendents and farmers and for use in bacterial wilt pathogenicity studies. Objective 2: Search for possible chemical variables linked to ironwood tree decline (IWTD) and wetwood and inform the scientific community. This objective was completed in year one (see year one annual report). Objective 3: Determine the origin of Guam's ironwood Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs). This objective was completed in year two (see year two annual report). Objective 4: Conduct awareness programs on ironwood tree care practices and IWTD. This objective was completed in year two (see year two annual report). Objective 5: Attend the 6thInternational Casuarina Workshop in Krabi, Thailand and write an article for the published proceedings. This objective was completed in year two (see year two annual report).
Publications
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Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:USDA Forest Service, golf course superintendents, park managers, village mayors, Guam NRCS, Guam Department of Agriculture, scientists from the U.S. mainland,Mariana Islands, and University of Guam, as well as teachers, students, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A hands-on half-day training was held for 11 University of Guam Pest Management students in the afternoon on Saturday February 28, 2020. In an effort to bring attention to the current studies and familiarize the students with ironwood tree decline, participants were exposed to a variety of practices and techniques used in studying these phenomena. Activity 1: Windbreak planting and genetic diversity. Participants were provided different ironwood trees sapling varieties from around the world and were tasked to refill the missing ironwood trees in a windbreak located at the University of Guam Agriculture and Life Science Building. Participants were also instructed on the importance of increasing the genetic diversity of Guam's ironwood trees. All students successfully planted one tree. Activity 2: Ironwood tree seed germination. Ironwood trees seeds from different areas of the world were given to the participants. Each participant was tasked to plant the seeds in cone planters filled with damp #4 Sunshine mix. Each participant had seeds from different geographical locations and 20 cones and successfully planted the seeds. The saplings from the seeds will be maintained and used in planting windbreaks during the next rainy season. Activity 3: Evaluating ironwood trees and testing forRalstoniasolanacearum(Rs). Participants were divided into three groups and taught how to visually determine ironwood tree decline severity. They logged the geographical location and altitude of a tree on campus using a GPS device, determined the height of a tree using a Precision Laser Rangefinder with Hypsometer, and measured the circumference of the tree at breast height to calculate the diameter. Also, through visual inspection of the tree they determined if the tree had present or past evidence of termite activity as well as if there were Ganoderma sporocarps. Finally, they used a drill to collect wood shavings from the tree and tested for the presence of Rs in the laboratory using Agdia immunostrip test kits. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1. A pesentation was given and a proceedingsarticle published for the 6thInternational Casuarina Workshop in Krabi, Thailand. 2. A worksop was held for the Guam public. 3. A training was held for University of Guam Pest Management students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Beginning in 2002, one of Guam's most common agroforestry and landscape trees, Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia, fell into disfavor with the public and Guam's Department of Forestry. This began with trees island-wide losing 'needles' and exhibiting branch die back. This was then followed by the fear that the same demise would befall new plantings. Two known pathogens of ironwood have been determined to be responsible: the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum and the fungal heartwood rot pathogen Ganoderma australe. In 2008, the condition was labeled ironwood tree decline (IWTD). The lack of morphological variability and unusually high percentage of monoecious trees on Guam has lead researchers to believe that low genetic diversity likely contributed to the development and spread of IWTD. Based on the literature, the selfing rate of open pollinated monoecious individuals is 42%. Characteristics of inbreeding depression, which is believed to be occuring on Guam, includes seedlings with low height and diameter growth in both nursery and field conditions and markedly lower survival in field conditions. Merely replacing ironwood trees with another tree species is not acceptable since ironwood has been on Guam for thousands of years and is tightly integrated into the island's culture and its many ecosystems. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Northern Australia, Oceania and Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. During this reporting period, the origin of Guam's ironwood Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) was determined from DNA sequencing of 23 Guam Rs samples sent to the University of Hawaii for analysis. Also, Guam residents were made aware of ironwood tree care practices and IWTD through a workshop for the public and a training event for University of Guam Pest Management students. Finally, an article was published in the 6th International Casuarina Workshop proceedings. Objectives Objective 1: Establish conditions for natural incorporation of new genes into Guam's ironwood gene pool. This objective was completed in year one (see year one annual report). Objective 2: Search for possible chemical variables linked to ironwood tree decline (IWTD) and wetwood and inform the scientific community. This objective was completed in year one (see year one annual report). Objective 3: Determine the origin of Guam's ironwood Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs). Twenty-nine samples of Rs were collected from different ironwood trees across northern, central, and southern Guam. Trees were determined to have Rs using Agdia Inc. Rs immunostrips. Bacterial ooze was collected from cross sections of roots and streaked onto modified SMSA medium. After grow out, the samples were again tested for Rs with all being positive. The 29 samples were transferred a TZC medium for grow out, then transferred into sterile borosilicate glass vials containing 1.5 ml sterile water. These samples were then sent to the University of Hawaii for analysis. In Hawaii, the samples were again tested for Rs with 23 positive samplesand six contaminated samples.DNA was extracted from the samples and sequencing was done with both forward and reverse primers. A cross check with GenBank confirmed the presence of two species in Guam's ironwood trees -22 of the samples were R. pseudosolanacearum, phylotype I(origin Asia and Africa continent) andone sample's origin was R. solanacearum, phylotype II(America continent). Objective 4: Conduct awareness programs on ironwood tree care practices and IWTD. One separate workshop and training event were conducted. Workshop A half-day workshop was attended by 25 participants including farmers, property owners, home gardeners, professionals, and students at the University of Guam's College of Natural and Applied Sciences' Agriculture and Life Science building on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 8:30 to 11:30 am. The focus of the workshop was to educate the community about the ironwood tree, ironwood tree decline (IWTD) and the current response to address the decline. The workshop opened with a discussion of this grant's objectives. Then a presentation was given in regard to ironwood trees on the world stage and on Guam including: distribution, uses, economic value, and ecological value. Also presented were threats to the ironwood trees around the world and on Guam including: economic losses and ecological losses, uniqueness of ironwood trees on Guam, ironwood tree diseases, and the importance of increasing the genetic diversity of Guam's ironwood trees. Finally, a presentation on planting and care of the ironwood tree was done and 30 ironwood saplings varieties from different worldwide locations were given to the participants. A pre-test and a post-test were given to the participants to determine the knowledge gained. The results were significant, with an average score on the pre-test of 33% correct and an average score on the post test of 88%. Training A hands-on half-day training was held for 11 University of Guam Pest Management students in the afternoon on Saturday February 28, 2020. In an effort to bring attention to the current studies and familiarize the students with ironwood tree decline, participants were exposed to a variety of practices and techniques used in studying these phenomena. Activity 1: Windbreak planting and genetic diversity. Participants were provided different ironwood trees sapling varieties from around the world and were tasked to refill the missing ironwood trees in a windbreak located at the University of Guam Agriculture and Life Science Building. Participants were also instructed on the importance of increasing the genetic diversity of Guam's ironwood trees. All students successfully planted one tree. Activity 2: Ironwood tree seed germination. Ironwood trees seeds from different areas of the world were given to the participants. Each participant was tasked to plant the seeds in cone planters filled with damp #4 Sunshine mix. Each participant had seeds from different geographical locations and 20 cones and successfully planted the seeds. The saplings from the seeds will be maintained and used in planting windbreaks during the next rainy season. Activity 3: Evaluating ironwood trees and testing for Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs). Participants were divided into three groups and taught how to visually determine ironwood tree decline severity. They logged the geographical location and altitude of a tree on campus using a GPS device, determined the height of a tree using a Precision Laser Rangefinder with Hypsometer, and measured the circumference of the tree at breast height to calculate the stem diameter. Also, through visual inspection of the tree they determined if the tree had present or past evidence of termite activity as well as if there were Ganoderma sporocarps. Finally, they used a drill to collect wood shavings from the tree and tested for the presence of Rs in the laboratory using Agdia immunostrip test kits.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Schlub RL, Ayin CM, Alvarez AM, Paudel S, Arif M, Marx B, Husseneder C, Schlub
KA, Quintanilla M, Klopfenstein NB, Kennaway LF, Zhang Y, Zhong C, Nicodermus
A. (2020) Ecology of Guams Casuarina equisetifolia and research into its decline, 6th International Casuarina Workshop, October 21-25, 2019 Krabi, Thailand. (Eds.
Haruthaithanasan M, Pinyopusarerk K, Nicodemus A, Bush D, Thomson L), pp 237-245
https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/proceedings-archive/20802-t30-bangkok19.pdf
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Progress 10/17/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences included the following groups: USDA Forest Service, golf course superintendents, park managers, village mayors, Guam NRCS, Guam Department of Agricultural, scientists from the mainland and Mariana Islands and University of Guam, as well as teachers, students, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There was no training or professional development written into the grant. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results will be disseminated during the fourth year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Beginning in 2002, one of Guam's most common agroforestry and landscape trees, Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia, fell into disfavor with the public and Guam's Department of Forestry. This began with trees island-wide losing 'needles' and exhibiting branch die back. This was then followed by the fear that the same demise would befall new plantings. Two known pathogens of ironwood have been determined to be responsible: the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum and the fungal heartwood rot pathogen Ganoderma australe. In 2008, the condition was labeled ironwood tree decline (IWTD). The lack of morphological variability and unusually high percentage of monoecious trees on Guam has lead researchers to believe that low genetic diversity likely contributed to the development and spread of IWTD. Based on the literature, the selfing rate of open pollinated monoecious individuals is 42%. Characteristics of inbreeding depression, which is believed to be occuring on Guam, includes seedlings with low height and diameter growth in both nursery and field conditions and markedly lower survival in field conditions. Merely replacing ironwood trees with another tree species is not acceptable since ironwood has been on Guam for thousands of years and is tightly integrated into the island's culture and its many ecosystems. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Northern Australia, Oceania and Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. During this reporting period, 25 ironwood saplings of Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia cultivars from Guam, Malaysia, Egypt, and two from different areas of China were transplanted to five different areas across Guam in order to increase the genetic diversity of Guam's ironwood tree. Also, from wood shavings collected from 20 different Guam ironwood trees, conductivity, turbidity, pH, Phenol red, and concentration of ions (Ca, Mg, Mn, K, and NaNO3, and) from the water extract of each sample was recorded. Finally, wood shavings were tested for Ralstonia solanacearum using R. solanacearum specific immunostrips. Data were sent to Louisiana State University for statistical analysis to check if any of these parameters are indicators of IWTD. Objectives Objective 1: Establish conditions for natural incorporation of new genes into Guam's ironwood gene pool. Seeds were collected from four of Guam's International Provenance cultivars (cultivars from different international geographical locations), plus a Guam tree. The international seeds were from Malaysia, Egypt and two different geographical locations in China. Seeds were sowed in cone pots containing sunshine mix. Saplings were maintained until they were approximately two feet tall. Finally, five saplings each were transplanted at five different locations across Guam: Yigo experiment station, Inarajan Experiment station, Ija experiment station, Perez Acres subdivision, and Robert Bevacqua's property in Asan. Objective 2: Search for possible chemical variables linked to ironwood tree decline (IWTD) and wetwood and inform the scientific community. Twenty ironwood trees (Casuarina equisetifolia) were surveyed for several biological and physical parameters at four different locations on Guam. Such parameters included disease severity, tree height, tree circumference and diameter, level of management, naturally occurring or planted, occurrence of termites, and occurrence of Ganoderma. Disease severity was rated according to ironwood tree decline (IWTD) on a scale of 0-4 with 0 being healthy and 4 being near dead or dead. The four locations surveyed were the University of Guam Agriculture Experiment Stations in Yigo and Ija, a water basin located on the University of Guam campus grounds, and UOG Friend of Extension farmer Bernard Watson's farm in Yigo. All twenty ironwood tree trunks were drilled to a two inch depth at breast height and wood shavings were collected in zip lock bags and put in a freezer. Over time, the samples were taken from the freezer and thawed. One gram of wood shavings were put in glass vials with 9 ml of deionized water and incubated for 24 hours at 84 °Fahrenheit. Conductivity, turbidity, pH, Phenol red, and concentration of ions (Ca, Mg, Mn, K, and NaNO3, and) from the water extract of each sample were recorded. Conductivity was measured with a conductivity meter, pH with a pH meter, turbidity with a spectrometer, and Phenol red and ions with a photometer. Also, wood shavings were tested for Ralstonia solanacearum using R. solanacearum specific immunostrips (8 of 20 tested positive). Color analyses were also performed on the wood shavings as well as the water extract of the shavings after boiling and filtering. Hue, value (lightness) and chroma (color purity) were compared with the Munsell Soil Color Chart and recorded. All of the data collected were sent to Statistician Dr. Brian Marx at Louisiana State University to check if any of the parameters correlate to and are indicators of IWTD. Objective 3: Determine the origin of Guam's ironwood Ralstonia. This objective is to be completed in year three. Objective 4: Conduct awareness programs on ironwood tree care practices and IWTD. This objective is to be completed in year four.
Publications
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