IDENTIFICATION OF VEGETABLE CROPS, VARIETIES AND PRODUCTION METHODS IDEAL FOR AMERICAN SAMOA CONDITIONS.

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1018658
• Project Start Date: Feb 1, 2019
• Project End Date: Dec 24, 2021
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
AMERICAN SAMOA COMM COLLEGE
(N/A)
PAGO PAGO,AS 96799

Performing Department
Experiment Station

Non Technical Summary
More than 90% of the vegetables available in American Samoa are imported. Locally produced vegetables are limited to a few types and varieties. Vegetable production is difficult due to year round hot, humid conditions that make pest and disease problems common and resulting infrequent pesticide use. A large proportion ofthe population is obese and many suffer from diabetes and related illnesses. There is a pressing need to increase vegetable production and consumption in the community. Research which will identify vegetable crop types and varieties that will grow under local conditions with minimal pesticide use is needed. Making these vegetable types and varieties known and seed available to local farmers, along with the skills and material neededforproduction should increase the amount and diversity of local vegetable production.This project will havepublic health, food security and economic value in thecommunity.The project will be accomplished through field trials of crops and varieties that are recommended by seed companies as heat, humidity, disease and pest tolerant. The project will focus on evaluation of 1. asian herbs and geens, 2. zucchini type squash, 3. tropical squash/pumpkins, 4. heat tolerant leafy greens (lettuce, collard, turnip, kale), and 5. heat tolerant tomatoes. The following production methods will also be evaluated: 1. high tunnels to mitigate physical and biological effects of extreme rainfall in zucchini production, 2. grafting to overcome soil borne diseases in tomato production, 3. use of bird and moth netting to reduce pest damage in tomato production, 4. use of drip irrigation in field trials during dry periods/season and under high tunnels

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	1499	1060	100%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1499 - Vegetables, general/other;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);

Keywords

heat tolerance

disease resistance

food security

vegetable crops

Goals / Objectives
Goals: The goal is the identification of vegetables and varieties that will grow well in American Samoa's climate. This will be done through a series of vegetable variety trials and evaluation of production methods. Vegetable types, varieties and production methods identified as suited to the territory's climate and conditions will be shared with farmers and the community though a series of workshops. The major achievementsaimed for will be identification and acceptance of productive and nutritious vegetable types and varieties that are not currently being grown in American Samoa and theacceptance of appropriate, more effective production methods that are not currently being utilized.Objectives:1.Ten Randomized Complete Block Design trials of heat/humidity tolerant, disease and pest resistant commercially available vegetables from other Asia and Pacific regions.Trials will consist ofvarieties of 1. asian herbs and greens, 2. zucchini-type squash, 3. tropical squash/pumpkins, 4. heat tolerant leafy greens (lettuce, collard, turnip, kale), 5. heat tolerant tomatoes.2. Evaluation in a series of four field trialsoffour production methods not commonly practiced locally, but which have been successful in other areas (high tunnels to mitigate physical and biological effects of extreme rainfall in zucchini production, grafting to overcome soil-borne diseases in tomato production, use of bird and moth netting to reduce pest damage in tomato production, and use of drip irrigation during dry periods/season).3. Hold 4 workshops for farmers and the community sharing findings and making seeds available though a seed purchasing program.4. Assess acceptability of vegetable types, varieties and production methods through farmer survey.5. Produce technical reports describing findings.

Project Methods
This project will be accomplished by conducting10 Randomized Complete Block Design trials of heat/humidity tolerant, disease and pest resistant commercially available vegetables from other Asia and Pacific regions that are not commonly produced currently in American Samoa.The vegetable types will be1. asian herbs and geens, 2. zucchini type squash, 3. tropical squash/pumpkins, 4. heat tolerant leafy greens (lettuce, collard, turnip, kale), 5. heat tolerant tomatoes.We will also evaluate in a series of four field trialsfour production methods that are not commonly practiced here but which have been successful in other areas (high tunnels to mitigate physical and biological effects of extreme rainfall in zucchini production, grafting to overcome soil borne diseases in tomato production, use of bird and moth netting to reduce pest damage in tomato production, anduse of drip irrigation in field trials during dry periods/season and under high tunnels).Effortsto educate farmers and assist them with adopting new vegetable/varieties and production methods will be undertakenthough 4 workshops for farmers and the community and by making seed available through a seed purchasing program.The adoption of newly identifiedvegetable types, varieties and production methods will be assessed through farmer surveys and seed sales data.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:On-farm variety trials for pak choi, collard greens, turnip tops and kale trials were conducted on two local farms. Results of theseon-farm trials were shared with these farmers. Toward the end of the project, workshops will be conducted to share results and information with all interested local vegetablefarmers. Technical reports will also be produced which will be available online and may be of use in other neighboring Pacific Islands or tropical areas. Changes/Problems:While conducting first trials, it was found that improvements in trial design were needed. This challenge, along with limited land for conducting variety trialsand comparing production methods have delayed progress of this project. It has been requested to extend the project an additional year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Farmers who participated in on-farm trials are aware of some results. Workshops at a later time will share project results with all interested communities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? American Samoa, a remoteisland territory of the U.S.,importsmost of its food. Availability of produce is dependent on ocean shipping which is at times irregular. Ahigh percentage of American Samoa'spopulation sufferfromdiet related illnesses such as obesity anddiabetes. Wet tropical conditions are not ideal for production of many types of vegetables. Identification of specific vegetables and varieties that will grow easily in American Samoa's conditions (temperature, rainfall, pests, diseases, etc.), education of local growers of these findings and making seed available for these vegetable types and varieties through our Land Grant seed program and through local vendors should improve farmers' incomes, food security, and community health. Objective 1. During the last reporting period, seven vegetable crops not commonly grown in American Samoa were planted in trials to identify the types of vegetables and the varieties that will grow easily here. Data on yields, diseases and pests were collected. It was found that collard greens andkale grow well in our local conditions.Onevariety of kale and three varieties of collard greens that are tolerant to the leaf and stem diseases found locally wereidentified. Locally grown collard greens and kale are now available in markets and one kale producer has switched production to the more disease-resistant kale variety identifed in these trials.Pak choi is commonly grown, andvariety trials have identified two varieties that perform better than varieties currentlygrown by local farmers. Malabar spinach, okra and edamame grown in demonstrations seem to do well locally, andvariety trials with those crops will follow.

Publications

Progress 02/01/19 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1. Newly hired staff, who is a recent graduate with Bachelors degree is being trained in conducting vegetable variety trials and data analysis and developing skills in vegetable production. 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?1. Technical reports for completed variety trials will be produced and added to ASCC-ACNR website. 2. Make recommendation to ASCC-ACNR extension program to make recommended seed varieties available in their "seed sales program" and in their vegetable seedling distribution program. 3. Continue vegetable variety trials and alternative farming practices.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? American Samoa is an island territory with>90% of its food imported and>90% of its population overweight or obese.This project will identify alternative vegetable crops that will grow well under local conditions and identifyproduction methods to increase vegetable crop production. Increased local fresh vegetable production will result in positiveeconomic, food securityand public healthimpacts on the territory. For this initial progress report there are no impacts or outcomes to the American Samoa community to report. Objective 1. Threerandomized complete block design vegetable variety trials were conducted and 2 are still in progress. Those trials are assessing four Thai basil, five amaranth, nine Chinese cabbage, five kale, and twelve zucchini varieties. Data collection and analysis are ongoing. Activities for objectives 2-5 have not yet been conducted.

Publications