Project Number: 5320-43000-014-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 28, 2005
End Date: Apr 27, 2010

Objective:
To develop and protect export markets for tropical fruit, vegetable, nut, and ornamental crops, with emphasis on expanding and diversifying agriculture and agricultural exports in Hawaii by providing environmentally sound, economically viable systems, treatments, or processes that control quarantine pests, ensure product quality and food safety, and increase product value. The three broad objectives to be addressed include (1)Develop new or improved postharvest treatments, including alternatives to methyl bromide fumigation, for fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crop imports and exports to ensure security against quarantine pests; (2) Develop new or improved postharvest treatments for fruit, vegetable, nut, and ornamental crops to improve product quality and shelf life, reduce or eliminate postharvest disorders or decay, and enhance product value; and (3) Identify, develop or improve preharvest methods for fruit, vegetable, nut, and ornamental crops that enhance postharvest quality and reduce the incidence of quarantine pests that limit exports.

Approach:
Develop target quarantine pest and host commodity control efficacy and product quality data, respectively, using irradiation, controlled-atmosphere temperature treatment, limonene and oils, ozone fumigation, or radio frequency treatment with commodity quality, microbial, biochemical, physical property, or vitamin analyses to meet Objectives 1 and 2; and measure target pest feeding activity to forecast damage, determine insecticide resistance levels, or develop caffeine-based toxicants to meet Objective 3. Foremrly 5320-43000-009-00D (4/05).