The Sustainable Agriculture program at CTAHR received a SARE professional development grant to help train University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension agents and Natural Resource Conservation Service staff on sustainable pest control techniques for the tropics (addressing nematode, weed, insect, and plant disease control). A two-day training program was offered in January 2003. In conjunction with the training event, the grant is funding ten on-station and on-farm sustainable pest control demonstrations (with field days for the public).

The project manager for this grant was Dr. Richard Bowen (rbowen@hawaii.edu). If you would like more information about this project, contact Jody Smith at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (smithjos@hawaii.edu), phone: (808) 956-7774.

Using clovers as living mulches to boost yields, suppress pests, and augment spiders in a broccoli agroecosystem (Cerruti Hooks, Raju Pandey, Marshall Johnson)

Protecting crops from nematode pests: Using marigold as an alternative to chemical nematicides (Koon-Hui Wang, Cerruti Hooks, Antoon Ploeg)

Using protector plants to guard crops from aphid-borne non-persistent viruses (Cerruti Hooks, Alberto Fereres, Koon-Hui Wang)

An Ally in the War Against Nematode Pests: Using Sunn Hemp as a Cover Crop to Suppress Root-Knot Nematode (Cerruti Hooks, Koon-Hui Wang, and Declan Fallon)

Evaluating spiders for their potential to control cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae) (Cerruti R2 Hooks, Raju R. Pandey, and Marshall W. Johnson)

Unlikely Guardians of Cropping Systems: Can Birds and Spiders Protect Broccoli from Caterpillar Pests? (Cerruti R2 Hooks, Raju R. Pandey, and Marshall W. Johnson)

Click on the titles below to view PowerPoint slide shows from each presenter.

Sustainable Insect Control for the Tropics

IPM 101 for the Tropics - Dr. Mark Wright, Entomologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Living Mulches: Valuable Allies in the War against Insect Pests - Dr. Cerruti Hooks, Entomologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Distance Diagnostics & Recommendation Service - Dr. Mark Wright

Sustainable Plant Disease Control for the Tropics
Dr. Janice Uchida, Plant Pathologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Sustainable Plant Disease Control 101
Report from the Edge: Update on New Methods: What Works? What Doesn't?
Dr. Uchida's Favorite Tropical Sustainable Practices
Case Study & Talk Story

NRCS: Implementing Pest Management
Larry Shinshiro, State Agronomist, USDA NRCS
Targeting High Priority Areas * Partnerships * NRCS Certification

Ideas in Sustainable Ag for Hawaii ~ Report on Southern SARE Conference
Kali Arce, CES Moloka`i Field Office

Sustainable Nematode Control for the Tropics
Dr. Brent Sipes, Nematologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Sustainable Nematode Control 101
Report from the Edge: Update on New Methods: What Works? What Doesn't?
Dr. Sipe's Favorite Tropical Sustainable Practices
Case Study: The Disappearing Nematodes
Case Study: Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don't

NRCS Tools for the Tropics
Dr. Michael Robotham, Tropical Technology Specialist, USDA NRCS
Larry Shinshiro, State Agronomist, USDA NRCS
Ken Pfeiffer, Agronomist, National Water and Climate Center, USDA NRCS
WIN-PST: Pesticide Screening tool

Organic Pest Control for the Tropics
Bob Shaffer, Trustee, Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA)

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER: Jim Ferrell, Sustainable Agriculture at Kulani

Field Trip - Organic Ginger Production (yellow ginger)
Hosted by Hugh Johnson, Owner: Puna Organics
Presentation by Bob Shaffer, HOFA Trustee

Related Case Studies
Nalo Farms
Japanese Nature Farming Research
Mauna Kea Banana Farm and Kea'au Banana Plantation

Demonstration Projects

• Evaluating Melon Production and Fruit Fly Infestation with the Use of Typar - Moloka`i (two projects)
  
  
• Growing Vegetables in Living Shield Cover Crop - Moloka`i
  
  
• Prevention of Soil borne pests in Organic Edible Ginger - Hawai`i Island
  
  
• Use of Agribon floating row cover material to make banana bunch sleeves to prevent banana rust thrips infestations, Kaua`i
  
  
• Control onion pests using RepelGro silver mulch and environmentally safe pesticides Ecozin and Bacillus thuringiensis, Kaua`i
  
  
• Cover Cropping with Barley and Oats in Bare Ground Fallow Cropping Systems - O`ahu
  
  
• Evaluation of Sustainable Techniques for Cucumber - Pohnpei