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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Update on Genetic Engineering of Chinese Taro (variety Bun long) for Increased <br /> Disease Resistance <br /> Susan C. Miyasaka <br /> Dec. 14, 2006 <br /> <br /> Why do we need to increase disease resistance in taro? <br /> Hawaii is no longer the isolated island chain that it once was. Today, we have <br /> ships and airplanes arriving from places around the world, and unfortunately, they bring <br /> new diseases and pests. Phytophthora leaf blight reached our islands during the 1910's <br /> and probably caused losses of many traditional taro varieties. At one time, there were <br /> 343 named taro varieties in Hawaii, but less than 84 remain today. Many probably were <br /> lost due to introduced diseases and pests. <br /> Taro yields in Hawaii have been declining over the past 50 years, with the lowest <br /> production since 1946 recorded in 2005 <br /> (http://the.honolutuadvertiser.com/article/2006/Feb/02/bz/FP60202032O.htmi). In <br /> addition to the overall decrease in taro production (which partly is due to decreased <br /> acreage in production), yield on a per acre basis has declined also (figure below is based <br /> on the Statistics of Hawaiian Agriculture). Much of the recent sharp decreases in yield <br /> are due to diseases and pests, such as Phytophthora leaf blight, Pythium corm rots, pocket <br /> rot, and apple snails. <br /> <br /> <br /> 28000 <br /> Kauai Taro Yields <br /> 26000 <br /> <br /> 24000 <br /> w <br /> U <br /> R <br /> 22000 <br /> R <br /> N <br /> 20000 <br /> 7 <br /> O <br /> O <br /> ~ 18000 <br /> N <br /> r 16000 <br /> 14000 <br /> 12000 <br /> 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 <br /> Year <br /> ' E.S. Craighill Handy, 1940, The Hawaiian Planter, Vol. 1, Bishop Museum Bulletin 161. <br /> I <br />