The terrain of Hawaii is widely varied giving the plants a myriad of ecosystems. Hawaii is well known for its sugar cane, pineapple, coconut, bananas, macadamia nuts, guava, papaya, and coffee. (Students dress as these different crops).

Our focus is on Taro (Kalo)

Picture/ Photo of Taro

According to the president (Mr. Tottori) of the HPC Foods, as Hawaii develops, agriculture land is being converted to other usage and many crops are vanishing such as pineapple, sugar, rice, and possibly taro.

The Tottori family founded a small poi-milling operation called Honolulu Poi Co. back in 1946.

In Hawaii, taro is a vital part of the cultural and agricultural traditions of the Hawaiian people. Prior to western contact, when the population of Hawaii consisted exclusively of Hawaiians, taro was the major food staple. There were more than 300 recognized forms.

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Taro can be grown under upland conditions, which means that the fields are rain-fed or irrigated but not flooded. Most of the taro in the world is grown under upland (dry) conditions. In Hawaii, upland taro (kalo malo'o) has been grown for hundreds of years.

"Wet" taro (kalo wai; literally, "water taro") is grown under frequently or constantly flooded conditions. Flooded taro production, a technique practiced by Hawaiians for centuries, is also used in Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Cook Islands and other countries. Banked, flooded plots for taro production are called lo'i. Wet taro can take 9 to 15 months to mature, depending on the variety.

The number of plants grown in a given space (the planting density) affects taro disease prevalence and yield. The planting material, or huli, for the next crop comes from the crop being harvested. If huli are planted close together (both within and between rows), the crop will yield more corm (makua) but have fewer cormels ('oha). Conversely, the further apart the huli is planted, the more 'oha produced.

8 Jacob Tokuhama However, high plant density may make it easier for insect pests to move among them, and if sunlight and air circulation are too restricted, diseases can occur more readily. Spacing huli too far apart, on the other hand, will make it difficult for the leaves to form a complete weed-suppressing canopy. The best spacing involves a trade-off among these factors.

Weeds are a constant problem. Farmers attempt to stimulate weed seeds to germinate and grow before the taro is planted and then eliminate them all at once. Several techniques can be used to eliminate weed seedlings before they become firmly established.

There are relatively few insect pests of upland taro. However, if left unchecked, some can destroy the entire crop. The most important pests are the taro root aphid and leafhoppers.

Growers routinely use several non-chemical insect pest management practices. As with disease management, growers are advised against spreading pests from one patch to another on planting material, in water, and on vehicles, equipment, tools, footwear, or clothing. They are also advised to use compost to increase soil organic matter and soil "health" making their taro more resistant to pests. Maintaining the proper moisture requirements also helps. When possible growers plant taro in areas unaffected by pests. Some growers try to maintain wide strips of open land between taro plots. However, the high cost of land and the limited amount of land suitable for taro production, makes this management option somewhat limited.