News Articles from 2018
October 2018
Bumper Crop of Hō’awa Seeds!
Our Pittosporum hosmeri (Hō’awa) trees are producing an exceptional crop of seeds this fall after loosing two previous years’ crops to rodent damage. Seeds of this Native Hawaiian tree are short lived, cannot be stored and rarely available. We are now offering fresh seeds from our large and small capsuled varieties from our online store. If you are interested in these they should be ordered and planted as soon as possible. Seeds from our second harvest in October should be available from the store in early November. Click here for additional information about Hō’awa Trees. They are an excellent choice for landscaping use in our area.
Below is a photo of the ripening seed capsules taken on October 7th. Sorry, we don’t grow pumpkins here so these are the best we can offer for Halloween!
 Ripe Seed Capsules of Pittosporum hosmeri (Hō’awa) |
October 11, 2018
Exciting News!
Our International Moringa Seed Bank has Opened!
Tropical trees in the genus Moringa have been appropriately described as “miracle trees” owing to their many uses as a medicine and superfood. Recently, even more major potential uses of materials derived from the trees are being discovered and developed: as a natural pesticide and plant growth stimulant, soil remediation crop, biofuel and substitute for chemicals used to purify drinking water and treat wastewater. Until now, access to a diverse collection of moringa seeds for research, plant breeding and testing as a crop in different growing areas was not available. To meet this need we have been developing an International Moringa Seed Bank. Seed bank operations and seed sales on have commenced on a trial basis from our online store.
As we first open the bank our initial inventory will include small lots of seeds from many growing areas around the world. Many of these lots were obtained 2-3 years ago and placed in frozen storage. Small samples from most of the lots were tested to determine their germination rates and the results of these tests are available on data sheets posted in our Moringa Seed Catalog. While we have been making improvements in our seed preservation methods since these first accessions there have also been power failures associated with recent tropical storms affecting our seed freezer, and problems with storage container seals allowing moisture penetration. We are now conducting additional germination testing to determine if these problems have affected seed viability and will post the latest results on the data sheets for each lot. Seeds with unacceptable germination tests will be withdrawn from sale.
If there is sufficient interest in the bank we will consider making the additional investments needed to improve our seed preservation capabilities, build more storage capacity and expand the inventory of seeds available for distribution. As we get started your comments and suggestions for improving the bank and contributions of seeds are welcome.
Sales of moringa seeds will be through our new Online Store (see story below).
October 11, 2018
Finally…We Have Reopened our Online Store!!!
We are pleased to announce that our online store is now open! Our store had been closed for an extended period of time as we updated the software, tried to find solutions to the many logistical problems of shipping exotic plants from a remote location in Hawaii and adapted to a rapidly changing and complex array of regulations, plant quarantine orders and inspection requirements. Many improvements to the store website have been made but no doubt there will be many glitches to address and we can only find some of these by getting started. Please contact us if you have comments about the store or would like to report problems with the store functions.
Most of our store inventory consists of rare exotic plants left over from our research activities. These include what may be the largest available inventory of Hawaiian-grown, non-hybrid Socotra Island Roses for bonsai and rare Madagascan plants known as “Betano” or “Songogongo” (Pachypodium ambongense). Proceeds from plant and seed sales will help to support our research and efforts to assist non-profit organizations promoting uses of moringa in sustainable agriculture.
Please visit our new Online Store. Mahalo! (Thank You).
August-September 2018
A Busy Hurricane Season – So Far
Multiple strong hurricanes – Hector, Lane and Olivia were tracking toward Hawaii and requiring us to make preparations. Fortunately, they all changed course as they approached Hawaii Island and passed by our area with only moderate rains and no wind damage. The windward and northern areas of the Island weren’t so lucky, receiving of record braking rainfall and flooding.
During a break between the rain bands of Hurricane Lane, one of our resident insect control specialists decided to catch some rays. Here you see Jackson basking in his favorite moringa tree. He takes a special interest in the flowers, or at least the bees that come to visit.
Jacksons Chameleon on Moringa Tree
Discovery Harbour, Hawaii
Photo © Edward Rau, Sustainable Bioresources, LLC
Use licensed CC BY-SA
August 1, 2018
Maya Nut Field Trials to Begin Near Nā’ālehu
We are very pleased to announce that we have established a research agreement with Ka’ū Valley Farms (KVF) of Nā’ālehu, Hawaii to carry out research and field trials using our Maya nut trees (Brosimum alicastrum) as an experimental crop. Maya nut, also known as breadnut, could become an important new crop in Hawaii with potential uses in agroforestry as a windbreak for coffee, and for timber, food and livestock feed production. Under the terms of the agreement our entire remaining inventory of two year old certified and non-certified seedlings has been to transferred to KVF and will be planted at various elevations and wind exposures on the Farm. Research and development activities will include monitoring of tree growth, form, pests and diseases; sampling and analysis of soils in the growing area; collection of vegetative cuttings; and production of seeds. Initially, production of fresh, Hawaii-adapted seeds for additional local experimentation will be a primary objective. Maya nut seeds are scarce in Hawaii, recalcitrant (also referred to as unorthodox), difficult to store and ship, and short-lived. Recalcitrant seeds have a high moisture content. They rapidly loose water and become non-viable.
We look forward to working with Ka’ū Valley Farms on this and other projects to advance sustainable agriculture in Hawaii.
Two Year Old Maya Nut Seedlings
Discovery Harbour, Hawaii
Photo © Edward Rau, Sustainable Bioresources, LLC
Use licensed CC BY-SA
July 23, 2018
Operations Resuming
Emissions of ash and sulfur dioxide from the Kilauea Crater have declined resulting in significant improvements in air quality in our area. We have resumed plant propagation work and most of our other routine outdoor activities. Access to Hilo for plant shipment inspections etc. remains problematic with frequent collapse explosions at the crater and settlement resulting in road damage and closures of Highway 11 in the vicinity of the national park entrance.
Monitoring of ash on plants has been discontinued. No damage to our plants from the recent ash falls and elevated vog levels has been observed.
We are working on improvements and expect to reopen our online store no later than October 1, 2018.
May 31, 2018
Curtailment of Operations in Response to Eruption
Mahalo (thank you) to our friends, customers and research colleagues for your concerns about us. Located at Discovery Harbour near the south tip of Hawaii Island, we are too far from the eruption areas to be directly affected by the lava flows and explosions. The primary hazards here are from earthquakes (about 3,400 since the new eruptive activities began), ash falls, and more frequent and extended episodes of unhealthful or hazardous air quality from elevated sulfur dioxide emissions. The Hawaii Department of Health has issued several advisories recommending that people remain indoors during these episodes. Deteriorating air quality is now affecting nearly everyone here, including healthy individuals. We have appropriate respirators for working safely outdoors in areas with elevated ash and sulfur dioxide levels but is not practical or advisable to wear them for prolonged periods. While the ash falls are at much lower levels than in Pahala and other nearby communities farther upwind toward the Kilauea Summit, the ash is a continuing nuisance. It seems to get into everything and raises havoc with electronics, computer keyboards and microscopes. Our vehicles and solar panels get coated and require frequent cleaning.
Explosive eruptions from the Kilauea Summit and elevated emissions are now nearly continuous with no end in sight. In light of the worsening conditions here and commitments for volunteer service with emergency response organizations that compete for our time we have terminated many of our outdoor activities and will reduce the others to essential functions. Effective tomorrow, we will terminate phytotoxicity testing of investigational biopesticides, volcanic ash monitoring and sampling, and most plant propagation activities. Our online store will remain closed. We are planning to suspend our operations here from June 8 – July 12, 2018, will continue to monitor the situation and advise you of changes to our operating status.
May 29-30, 2018
Rains Remove Ash from Plants
Light, wind driven rains removed most of the ash on the leaves of the many plant species we were observing. No lesions were noted in areas of leaves that had heavy ash accumulations before removal by the rain.
May 24, 2018
Running Pele’s Gauntlet
Pele or Pllehonuamea, the Fire Goddess in the Hawaiian Religion, is said to live in the Halema’uma’u Crater of the Kilauea volcano. Today we had to pass by her place traveling on a round trip from our facility in Discovery Harbour to Hilo for supplies and respirator fit testing for our deployments as with the Medical Reserve Corps. Apparently Pele did not want us in her neighborhood that day!
As we passed by the town of Pahala on Highway 11, visibility became increasingly limited by vog and small clouds of ash kicked up by traffic and the winds. Continuing on the route to Hilo required passing through the closed Hawaii Volcanos National Park and near the Kilauea Summit. As we approached the Park boundary a large cloud of steam was emitted from an explosion that had just happened in the crater.
Steam Explosion from Overlook Crater at Kilauea Summit
Photo © Edward Rau, Sustainable Bioresources, LLC
Use licensed per CC BY-SA
Further up the Highway it was posted with ominous warning signs: “Do Not Stop Next 12 Miles”, “Cracks in the Road” and “Earthquake Damage”. Near the Park entrance many newly repaired fissures were seen on the roadway. The remainder of our trip to Hilo was uneventful.
“Do Not Stop” Sign on Highway 11 Hawaii Volcanos National Park
Photo © Edward Rau, Sustainable Bioresources, LLC
Use licensed per CC BY-SA
Just before we passed by the summit area on our way home a few minutes past 6PM HST, Pele sent us another message: a fairly ash-rich explosion from Overlook Crater, within the Halema’uma’u Crater (see the USGS photo below). According to the Hawaii Volcanos Observatory the ash cloud reached about 10,000 feet above sea level. A video of the explosion is now available from the USGS.
Ash-Rich Explosion from Kilauea Summit
6PM HST May 24, 2018
USGS Photo
The ash cloud was then carried to the southwest by the trade winds, over the K’aū Desert and almost directly across our route of travel. Fortunately, it moved off to the east just before it would have crossed the highway and been overhead.
 Volcanic Ash Fall Near Highway 11, K’aū Desert 6:18PM May 24, 2018 |
We routinely travel to Hilo for supplies, research work with the University of Hawaii and USDA, and inspections of plant shipments. Those activities may have to wait until the Fire Goddess is in a better mood!
May 20, 2018
Early Observations – Impacts of Vog and Volcanic Ash on Plants
Our observations of ash accumulation patterns and vog damage on plants began only about a week ago and most ash falls here are still considered to be at trace levels. It is too early to make any firm conclusions but some tentative early observations about the impacts of volcanic emissions on our plants are reported here:
- While most of the ash collects on the low areas of upward facing surfaces of leaves some was apparent on the undersides of leaves and on leaves located under other leaves. Casual night observations using a bright flashlight shining upward against a dark background revealed that much of the visible ash particles appear to be suspended in the air, not falling downward rapidly and setting. Perhaps some of the very small components of ash are attracted to leaf surfaces by non-gravitational forces?
- Plants with large, smooth leaves seem to accumulate more ash per unit of surface area than plants with smaller leaves. Hersuit leaves generally accumulated less ash than smooth leaves.
- The highest accumulations of ash were observed on the leaves of banana, coffee, breadfruit and several species of Citrus.
- Little or no ash adhered to some crop plants, such as pomegranate, Suriname cherry, the sapotes and moringa.
- Adherence to the leaves of species endemic to Hawaii Island was generally low but variable. Ash deposits on ōhiʻa were light and uniform; only traces of ash or no ash deposits were noted on several common species including ‘A’aliì (Dodonaea viscosa), ukiuki (Dianella sandwicensis), hāpuʻu ʻiʻi tree fern (Cibotium menziesii), and nanea (Vigna marina). The heaviest accumulations were found on the Hawaiian gardenia (Gardenia brighamii), which has smooth leaves similar to citrus.
- No yellowing, leaf burning or other evidence of damage to leaves of any of the approximately 100 species on our property was observed. Significant vog levels were occasionally encountered in this area before the current eruption pattern began. The primary species we are working with in our research– moringa, hoodia and Maya nut never had any apparent affects from the prior levels of vog exposure.
Volcanic Ash on Crop Species
 Volcanic Ash on Breadfruit Leaves (Artocarpus altilis) |
 Volcanic Ash on Leaves of Coffee Tree (Coffea arabica) |
 Volcanic Ash on Banana Leaf |
Volcanic Ash on Species Endemic to Hawaii Island
 Leaf of Hawaiian Tree Fern (Cibiotium menziesii) After Ash Fall |
 Ukiuki (Dianella sandwicensis) After Ash Fall |
 Photomicrograph of Volcanic Ash on Ukiuki (Dianella sandwicensis) |
May 15, 2018
Staff on Emergency Deployments
Our Discovery Harbour Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was activated by the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency and members of the Big Island Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) of the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) were deployed to assist with public distribution of information on the health impacts of volcanic emissions, N-95 respirator masks and other responses to the eruption.
May 14, 2018
Study of Ash Accumulations on Plant Leaves Initiated
While our facility is distant from the current eruption sites fine, light weight ash particles and vog from them is often carried to our area by the prevailing winds. These emissions, particularly the vog, can cause severe crop damage[i]. Increased emissions from Puʻu ʻŌʻō, a new vent of the Kilauea volcano that opened in 1983, caused serious damage to protea and other crops in our area. Emissions from the new eruption along the East Rift Zone in lower Puna have already damaged or destroyed crops in that area.
With this history we are concerned about the potential for damage to our plants from the significant increases in ash and vog in our area from the new eruptions. Vog and ash toxicity may also interfere with biopesticide phytotoxicity experiments in progress here. We are now checking our plant collections daily for evidence of damage and taking the opportunity to collect data and photograph ash accumulation patterns on exposed leaves of approximately one hundred species of native, ornamental and crop plants on our property.
Photomicrographs of ash on the leaves of ‘ōhiʻa and the pua kenikeni or perfume flower tree (Fagraea berteriana) were made using a dissecting microscope with a 10X ocular and 2X and 4X objective lenses and an iPhone camera. These were forwarded to Dr. Tina Neal of the Hawaii Volcanos Observatory (HVO). HVO did not have time to do a full reply but said the ash was probably dominantly plagioclase crystals, small bits of volcanic rock and glass, and altered (oxidized red) fragments of rock and iron and manganese bearing minerals.
We are currently observing and collecting leaf specimens from over 100 plant species at our facility, making and cataloging photos and photomicrographs of them. These data will be made available to news media and other researchers upon request. The first photographs from this project were published in the May 22, 2018 edition of The Ka’ū Calendar News Briefs, a local newspaper blog. Examples of the photomicrographs are below.
 Raindrop Prints in Volcanic Ash on Leaf of Pua Kenikeni (Fragraea berteriana) |
 Photomicrograph of Volcanic Ash on Pua Kenikeni Leaf 20X |
 Photomicrograph of Volcanic Ash on Pua Kenikeni Leaf 40X |
May 11, 2018
Hawaii Volcanos National Park Closes
Most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) closed due to ongoing seismic activity, summit deflation, and concerns about potential steam explosions at the summit of Kilauea Volcano. Only the Kahuku Unit of the park, located near us is open during normal hours.
May 3, 2018
New Eruption of Kilauea Volcano Begins
Following numerous earthquakes and on this day the Kilauea volcano began erupting and emitting lava and volcanic gases from a new series of fissures in the community of Leilani Estates located in the lower area of the Puna District of Hawaii Island. This coincided with great lowering of the lava lake level in Halema’uma’u Crater and increasing risk of phreatic (steam) explosions from the crater as groundwater in flowing into it interacts with magma. These explosions have been ongoing. Tephra ejected from the crater may include large rocks posing a serious safety hazard to nearby areas and ash carried with the steam settles on areas downwind from the crater. The prevailing winds are to the southwest and toward us.
Our facility is located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the erupting Outlook Crater in Halema’uma’u Crater at the Kilauea Summit and about 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the erupting fissures in East Rift Zone in lower Puna. Many of the stronger earthquakes have been felt here but we have not sustained any noticeable damage from them. The primary risks posed by the new eruption to our facilities are from ash falls, and increased vog, which is primarily comprised primarily of sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols. Vog and volcanic ash can adversely affect human health and vegetation1.
Note: Tephra is solid matter, such as ash, dust, and cinders, that is ejected into the air by an erupting volcano. Ash is tephra particles smaller than 2 mm (0.08 inches) in diameter.
1 Nelson S, Sewake K. 2008. Volcanic emissions injury to plants. Plant Disease. August 2008. PD-47. Available: https://vog.ivhhn.org/effects-plants
April 2018
Outbreak of Soft Rot Claims First Hoodia parviflora Crop
Hoodia parviflora (photo on home page) is the largest of the hoodias and probably the most desirable species in the genus for production of nutraceuticals. About ten years ago we obtained several specimens of live, wild type H. parviflora plants from suppliers in Arizona and Germany for our research and plant breeding. The species has proved to be one of the most susceptible to bacterial rot and all but one of the original plants succumbed from it. The sole surviving mature specimen produced several batches of seeds either by self-pollination or by pollination by other Hoodia species. Almost all of the approximately 100 seedlings produced from these seeds also succumbed from rot and/or anthracnose infections. Four of the surviving seedlings reached maturity this spring and bloomed for the first time. While the genetic diversity for these plants was probably very limited we were hopeful that they carried increased resistance to rot and would produce a second (F2) generation of seeds better adapted to local cultural conditions.
As these mature plants came into bloom evidence of soft rot beginning near the base of shoots was observed. By mid-April, after a period of unusually heavy rain and humidity, the infections became severe, fulminant and systemic. Only one of the mature plants survived and seed horns are forming on one of its shoots.
Several specimens of infected and normal appearing shoots were submitted to the Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center (ADSC), College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Relations, University of Hawaii at Hilo for isolation of bacterial and fungal pathogens. Isolates forwarded to the USDA/DKI-PBARC Laboratory in Hilo for identification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods to amplify and sequence 16S rDNA, and compare results in Genebank. A culture was found to be a 99% match to Pectobacterium (formerly Erwinia). No isolates were recovered from the normal appearing shoots. Isolates from subsequent analyses of infected shoots were reported by ADSC as Pectobacterium carotovorum, a ubiquitous plant pathogen with a wide host range affecting numerous economically important crop species. There are no effective pesticides for treatment of bacterial soft rot in hoodia.
While these results are disappointing and a serious setback to our efforts to develop disease resistant hoodia cultivars for use as crops we are hopeful that the seed pods developing on the surviving mature plant will have better resistance to rot. This may take several years to investigate.
 Shoots of Mature Hoodia Plant (Hoodia parviflora) Collapsing From Rot |
March 2018
Research on Treatment for Rapid Ohia Death (ROD) Initiated
Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) is a fungal disease that is killing hundreds of thousands of ‘ōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha), the most abundant native tree in the forests of Hawaiʻi. Refer to the University of Hawaii, CTAHR website for additional information on this devastating disease.
Extracts from Moringa species have shown activity against a broad spectrum of other fungal diseases so we have proposed testing of these extracts against the two species of Certatocystis fungi that cause ROD. It is hoped that these extracts, which are non-toxic, rapidly biodegradable and easy to produce might have potential applications in controlling ROD such as in treatment of wounds on ‘ōhiʻa trees. We have submitted fresh leaf extracts from our Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala trees and seed oil from Moringa oleifera for testing against cultures of Ceratocystis at the USDA/DKI-PBARC Laboratory in Hilo and are also testing these extracts for phytotoxicity on ʻŌhiʻa trees in cultivation at our site.
March 28, 2018
Annual Meeting Announced
On Saturday, March 31, 2018 the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of Sustainable Bioresources, LLC will be held at the company’s offices in Discovery Harbour, Hawaii.