This week鈥檚 糖心Vlog官方 News Image of the Week is from 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa’s Teresita Amore, an associate professor of in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience.

Amore shared: “Gecko admiring bird of paradise flower outside Paradise Palms.”

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Newly released, first-of-its-kind agriculture maps of the state of Hawaiʻi are expected to help policymakers, land managers and researchers better monitor crop diversity, evaluate land-use change and design programs that support food security and sustainable agriculture. Experts said the new resource can also assist with post-fire disaster assessments, and in the near future, could potentially help better evaluate wildfire risks before a major disaster occurs, such as the 2023 Maui wildfires.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, led by project director Qi Chen in the , in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), released the high-resolution, crop-specific dataset called Hawaiʻi Cropland Data Layer (HCDL). The maps are publicly available via NASS鈥檚 geospatial portals: and .

Filling in the map ‘desert’

NASS collaborated with 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa to develop HCDL by using Google Earth Engine and Google鈥檚 DeepMind AI-powered data. Hawaiʻi was previously a “desert” for annual agricultural maps, said Chen in the . He said the lack of maps hinders efforts to track crops, assess land use and support food security in Hawaiʻi.

“This gap in knowledge became especially evident during the 2023 Maui wildfires, when USDA and state agencies had only limited capacity to assess the agricultural impact,” Chen said. “Without up-to-date, field-scale crop maps, agencies were unable to quickly quantify the extent of cropland loss, identify which crops were most affected or prioritize recovery resources. Instead, assessments had to be pieced together from outdated maps, secondary sources and on-the-ground reports, delaying an accurate picture of the disaster鈥檚 effect on Hawaiʻi鈥檚 agricultural sector.”

Maps are currently available for 2024 and 2023. NASS plans to release HCDL for the 2025 crop year in February 2026. This project was supported by a $268,472 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Importance of agriculture maps

Chen said developing such maps for Hawaiʻi is particularly critical because of the state鈥檚 unique agricultural landscape. Unlike large-scale monocultures (the practice of growing a single species of plant over a large area), which are common on the U.S. continent, Hawaiʻi鈥檚 farms are often small, fragmented and characterized by diverse crops cultivated side by side.

“While it makes mapping more difficult, it also means that accurate, high-resolution crop maps can provide transformative insights into resource allocation, irrigation planning, invasive species management and resilience to environmental change,” said Zhe Li, project co-director and geographer in the USDA.

Li added that since annual crop maps for Hawaiʻi are now available, they can be integrated with real-time satellite data on weather, drought and wildfire risk to safeguard agricultural production.

“Consider a situation similar to the 2023 Maui wildfires: If high-resolution crop maps had been in place, emergency managers could have quickly overlaid fire perimeters with known crop locations to estimate economic losses and identify which producers needed the most help and immediate support,” Chen said. “Beyond disaster response, the same maps could also be used proactively—by identifying cropland areas most vulnerable to drought or invasive species, with agencies directing irrigation resources, extension services or pest management programs to the farmers who need them most.”

In addition to Chen and Li, members of the research team include: Noa Lincoln, researcher in the in 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 ; Zhengwei Yang, geographer with USDA; Haonan Chen, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Colorado State University; and Changyong Cao, chief of NOAA鈥檚 Satellite Calibration and Data Assimilation Branch in Satellite Meteorology and Climatology Division.

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa project to explore how bacteria and fungi interact that could shed light on health, environmental and even household issues has been awarded a $591,606 federal grant.

The project, “Bacterial dispersal and nutrient transport along fungal highways,” looks at how bacteria move with the help of fungi. It will be led by 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Associate Professors Daisuke Takagi from the in the and Nhu Nguyen from the in the .

While fungi are often thought of as molds or mushrooms, they also create tiny thread-like structures called hyphae that form networks across every exposed surface. These fungal “highways” can help bacteria spread and transport substances, including nutrients or harmful compounds, into new environments. By building mathematical models and testing them in controlled experiments, the 糖心Vlog官方 team aims to better understand how this partnership works and how it affects larger systems.

“This project lets us combine math and biology to uncover the hidden rules of how bacteria spread, which could impact everything from health to the environment,” Takagi said.

Nguyen added, “This grant allows us to explore how tiny interactions between microbes can shape bigger systems like soils, crops, indoor environments and natural ecosystems that people depend on every day.”

The researchers will study how bacteria travel along fungal networks, how they respond to changes in their environment and how they may carry other molecules with them. The findings could help explain how bacteria spread on human skin, across our food, as well as how they move through soil or buildings.

Collaborative research digs in

In the long run, this knowledge could inform public health strategies, agriculture and environmental management. The award highlights 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 growing role in advancing cross-disciplinary research that bridges biology and mathematics to address complex, real-world challenges.

“One of the best parts of doing research at 糖心Vlog官方 is the collaboration—working across different fields is incredibly fun and rewarding,” Takagi said. “Learning from one another often leads to discoveries we couldn鈥檛 make alone.”

The three-year grant is jointly supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation through a program that funds projects at the intersection of biology and mathematics.

University of Hawaiʻi at M膩noa alumna India Kawelolani Calso Ching is blending soil science with cultural pride as the newly crowned Miss Oʻahu Filipina. Her journey from studying soil health at the to earning this year鈥檚 Miss Oʻahu Filipina title is a study in personal growth and community.

Ching majored in natural resources and environmental management at CTAHR, with a focus in plant conservation and ecosystem management. However, a soil science class provided new perspectives.

“There’s so much about soils that I never knew before,” Ching said, noting that the class revealed “the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil” and the “huge diversity of soils that we have here in Hawaiʻi.”

After graduating from 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, her newfound interest led to her work as a laboratory technician in the soil health lab. She鈥檚 currently working on an artificial intelligence-driven farm irrigation project.

Challenging herself to grow

Just as she stepped out of her comfort zone to study soil health, Ching also challenged herself to grow entering a pageant for the first time. While many people see pageants as just a beauty contest, she discovered it was much more than that.

“It’s totally about developing your public speaking skills, being more immersed in your culture, and becoming the best version of yourself,” she said.

Her pageant platforms centered on food security and dance, a topic sparked by her CTAHR education. Ching鈥檚 pageant speech highlighted the importance of agriculture and food security, aiming to educate youth and honor the legacy of her great-grandfather, who was a “sakada,” or Filipino plantation laborer who laid the foundation for the Filipino community in Hawaiʻi.

Ching will compete for the Miss Hawaiʻi Filipina title on August 9, representing Oʻahu amid contestants from other islands.

Two faculty members from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 (CTAHR) were recognized as 2024 Volunteers of the Year by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).

Their collective efforts brought the beauty and innovation of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 horticulture to an international audience at the 2024 ASHS Annual Conference.

Teresita Amore

CTAHR Associate Researcher Teresita Amore鈥檚 talent and dedication were displayed in the floral arrangements she curated for the event. Amore, who is also a CTAHR alumni, worked behind the scenes, transforming the stage and social spaces with local flowers and foliage. Organizers say her attention to detail and ability to bring the beauty of nature into every corner elevated the experience for attendees.

Hannah Lutgen

CTAHR Junior Extension Agent Hannah Lutgen provided floral arrangements at the conference by bringing a suitcase filled with flowers from Maui. Lutgen鈥檚 contribution, paired with Amore鈥檚 creativity, helped bring a vibrant touch to the event.

“Russell Galanti, Orville Baldos and Tessie did an excellent job and designed the stage arrangements,” said Lutgen. “It was a team effort and many thanks to Tessie for her outstanding leadership.”

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has officially changed its name to the (CTAHR), in a step that CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal said will better reflect the college鈥檚 mission and vision (below).

“This update embodies our college鈥檚 commitment to fostering resilience across individuals, communities, economies and ecosystems, emphasizing its focus on sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, and family and community well-being,” said Grewal. “We at CTAHR define human resilience as building individual, community and environmental endurance in the face of challenges such as climate change.”

CTAHR aims to lead research and educational initiatives that help prepare Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region to respond to and recover from climate-driven impacts to agriculture and communities.

“Our programs are centered on enhancing the human condition through a comprehensive approach to building resilience in agricultural and natural systems in the face of climate change,” said Grewal.

The process to change the name, which retains the college鈥檚 well known acronym, CTAHR, began shortly after Grewal started as dean of the college in March 2024. He had a series of meetings with faculty, students, staff, and alumni who all supported the name change proposal. A survey conducted among CTAHR faculty, staff, students, alumni and stakeholders found that more than 67% of respondents endorsed the change, with more than 72% agreeing that 鈥渉uman resilience鈥� better captures the college鈥檚 mission and values.

The mission of several of CTAHR‘s departments already reflect the name change such as the , which conducts research and teaching programs on individual and family resiliency. The focuses on research and academic programs in human nutrition and dietetics, to enhance nutritional health of individuals, children and families. The explores human dimensions research through the relationships between humans and the natural environment for improved human management decisions and policy creation. CTAHR‘s extension programs focus on improving economic, social, and health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities and offer youth development programs such as 4-H to build teenage resiliency.

The school will be changing its signage and webpages over the coming months to reflect the name change. 鈥淗uman Resources鈥� was added to the then “College of Tropical Agriculture” in 1978 when the college merged with the 糖心Vlog官方 Hawaiʻi Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, which was dissolved in 1999. The meaning of “human resources” has since shifted from resources for people, like healthy food and clean water, to primarily being associated with business and personnel management.

CTAHR was the very first college at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa when it was founded in 1907 under the Morrill Act as a land-grant college of agriculture and mechanic arts. The flagship campus now has 17 colleges and schools.

CTAHR Mission

CTAHR creates and delivers knowledge that supports and strengthens families, agricultural and food systems, and the natural environment. We educate and serve the people of Hawaiʻi and those from around the world with integrity and excellence.

CTAHR Vision

CTAHR provides exceptional education, research, and extension programs in tropical agriculture and food systems, family and consumer science, and natural resource management for Hawaiʻi and the international community. We cultivate innovative scientific inquiry, solve real world challenges, and provide experiential learning in an interdisciplinary setting with global impacts.

What鈥檚 the appetite for hot peppers among local growers? To gauge how well specialty peppers would grow in Hawaiʻi and how productive they might be, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) Oʻahu extension hosted a field day at the Waimānalo Research Station over the summer.

Chili peppers are commonly used, both fresh and dried, in many different culinary dishes, however, the production of other chili types has not been nearly as common in Hawaiʻi.

CTAHR extension agent Jensen Uyeda, and specialists Ted Radovich, Tina Mueller and Jari Sugano provided growers and home gardeners with applied science-based information on producing specialty peppers such as jalape帽os, green peppers, paprika and other dry chiles.

“Our objective of the chili peppers field day was to spark interest in producing these foods and to help further diversify the agricultural market,” said Uyeda, of the . “We also wanted to provide another ‘value-added’ option for local growers, since dried chilis and hot sauces are such common products—and access to local peppers would help to increase the marketability of these products.”

Participants also took a walk through the field and greenhouse to get hands-on experience harvesting peppers—and to collect pepper samples to take home.

To address pressing issues for the Pacific Islands such as soil degradation, wildfires, climate change and loss of biodiversity, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa hosted two conferences focused on the study of clay with experts from around the world. The 61st annual meeting of the Clay Minerals Society and 5th Asian Clay Conference were held in June.

The Clay Minerals Society conference鈥檚 theme “Expanding Clay Science over the Pacific and Beyond” helped (CTAHR) scientists鈥� expand their horizons in soil and agricultural sciences.

The conference provided essential knowledge for addressing environmental challenges effectively. Onsite coordination for the conference (and concurrent 5th Asian Clay Conference)—from inception to the final huakaʻi—was provided by the (NREM) and (TPSS).

In honor of the late Goro Uehara, CTAHR鈥檚 internationally acclaimed soil sciences professor, the conference included a special session on variable charge clays that highly influence the behavior of tropical soils.

“I personally feel that this experience has elevated our research group,” PhD student Kristy Lam said. “Mahalo piha to Clay Minerals Society [CMS] chair Yuji Arai and CMS Editor-in-Chief Joseph Stucki for providing us an opportunity to honor both Goro and our elemental ancestors that give birth to our life-giving soils.”

Local planning was led by Susan Crow, Jonathan Deenik, David Pompeani and Tai Maaz as the co-directors of CTAHR鈥檚 new soil health, environment and ecosystem resilience (S(HEE)R) Lab. NREM researcher Linden Schneider brought student volunteers from across the 糖心Vlog官方 System to support the technical capacity, and Lam organized the opening kīpaepae in collaboration with Hālau ʻŌhiʻa, the huakaʻi to explore the geology, soils and history of southeast Oʻahu in collaboration with Deenik and Scott Rowland of the .

“I would like to thank 糖心Vlog官方 for arranging and coordinating the student volunteers,” said Arai, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and General Chairman of the Conference. “Thank you for your hard work. Your time and support meant a lot to us.”

A researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR) received a Fellow of the American Society of Plant Biology (ASPB) Award which is granted to no more than 0.2% of the current membership each year. Robert Paull, of the , will be formally recognized in June during the ASPB鈥檚 Annual Plant Biology Conference. In 2014, he was previously made a Fellow of both the American Society for Horticulture Sciences and the International Society for Horticulture Science.

Paull鈥檚 research has led to improved crop growth and yield under environmental stress, and extended postharvest life of tropical ornamentals, fruits and vegetables. His research is valued by the agricultural industry, and his publications have led to more than 17,300 citations in his career, with about 1,000 citations per year since 2019. Paull has been placed on Stanford University鈥檚 list of the top 2% of the most-cited scientists in various fields (2022–23).

“Unique to Robert is his willingness to energetically help anyone on any project who requests his assistance,” said David Christopher of the . “He has formed a cadre of respected and grateful national and international academic colleagues, farmers, industry scientists and friends who value his collaborations.”

Paull has made numerous contributions to the areas of tropical and subtropical fruit, nut, vegetables, ornamental physiology and genetics, their postharvest physiology, handling and storage. He has co-authored five books; edited an encyclopedia, seven volumes and proceedings; authored 127 book chapters; and published 151 peer-reviewed journal articles and 138 conference abstracts and presentations.

“We congratulate Robert for his lifetime of diverse, impactful, and exceptional contributions to tropical agriculture, the field of plant biology and for bringing prestige to the University of Hawaiʻi,” said Christopher.

The award is a recognition of a lifetime of distinguished contributions to plant biology and to serve society in areas including research, education, mentoring, collaborations, outreach, and professional and public service.

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Bryceson Gregory Kealiʻiwiwoʻoleikamaunakiʻekiʻe Tugade is hoping to convey some important messages as a student speaker at the 鈥檚 commencement ceremony on December 9.

Always seek the “more” in life. Remain curious. Give back to your community. And one of the most valuable messages: Utilize education as a key tool for attaining personal growth and breaking down barriers.

Tugade, 23, of Aliamanu, will receive a bachelor of applied science with a concentration in (SCFS) at .

“As a first-generation college student, this means the world and so much more,” said Tugade, who is Filipino, Native Hawaiian and Chinese. “This upcoming graduation stands as a testament to my family, peers and larger community that education can be a key driver in overcoming and breaking perceived barriers.”

Emerging leader

After graduating from Radford High School in 2018, Tugade enrolled at , where he graduated in spring 2021 with an associate in science in sustainable agriculture—becoming the first in his family to receive a college degree. He then transferred in fall 2021 to 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu in pursuit of a bachelor鈥檚 degree.

“I was initially scared of the prospect of advancing my education,” Tugade said. “However, with staff and faculty assistance, I was not only becoming increasingly confident in my ability to perform within an academic realm, but pursuit of opportunities elsewhere was not met with doubt.”

Tugade has thrived—academically, professionally and personally—during his time at 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu. He found mentors in Albie Miles, his academic advisor and an associate professor in the SCFS program, as well as Indrajit Gunasekara, co-founder of the (cultural agroforestry) movement and 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu financial aid officer, whom Tugade calls, “my aya (older brother in Sri Lankan).”

Gunasekara said Tugade鈥檚 passionate commitment to the Aloha ʻ膧ina (love of the land) movement is very inspiring to many.

“He鈥檚 always driven to expand his understanding of the work we do with the perspective of Indigenous understanding of where his roots belong, as well as making meaning within the framework of scientific theoretical engagement,” Gunasekara said. “He is a remarkable person, a highly intelligent and deep thinker who鈥檚 always ready to step in and to support whenever, whatever capacity the help is needed.”

Miles said Tugade has proven to be an exceptional multidisciplinary food system scholar.

“He has a keen interest in the biophysical sciences, working on the genetics of Polynesian introduced crops with mentors at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, while excelling in his understanding of the root causes of many of the challenges we face in the food system of Hawaiʻi and beyond,” Miles said.

‘For my dad’

Tugade aspires to earn a master of science degree at 糖心Vlog官方 M膩noa, and eventually a PhD in tropical plant and soil sciences.

“I plan to continue addressing the layers of work that must be done to identify the current environmental, agricultural and social obstacles we face in Hawaiʻi, and strive to find solutions to assist and serve my community,” Tugade said. “By blending my understanding of science and Indigenous Hawaiian knowledge, I can help my community to reclaim control of our local and traditional food systems for health and livelihood.”

Although Tugade didn鈥檛 always see himself pursuing a degree as he was growing up, the prospect of higher learning was always a conversation in his household, and his father emphasized the value of education. His family would participate in fundraising events for students in his father鈥檚 barrio (town) of Bacar, Magsingal, in the Ilocos Sur region of the Philippines.

“During this semester, my resilience was tested once more—my father unexpectedly passed away this October from an advanced stage of TB,” Tugade said. “From grieving with my ʻohana, to focusing on graduation, and navigating a world without him, I hope to embody resilience and the significant role education can play in our lives.”

He added, “This upcoming graduation is for my dad.”

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—by Zenaida Serrano Arvman