Sustainable Production and Utilization of 'ohelo As An Edible Berry and Ornamental Crop

Native Hawai’ian Vaccinium species are called ‘ôhelo or ’ôhelo‘ai. These plants are members of section Myrtillus, genus Vaccinium L., family Ericaceae. The ‘ôhelo, V. reticulatum, is a low growing species that is distributed in open areas at medium to high elevation on Hawa'i and Maui. From 2008-2011, a project was undertaken in Hawaii and Oregon to reduce the need for berry gathering from wild stands, to promote conservation and sustainable utilization of the resource through developing cultivars and cultivation techniques using potted plants and tissue culture.  The objectives of our research were to: streamline commercial clonal propagation and production protocols; develop seed-based protocols; determine host-pathogen interactions, determine etiology and develop management practices for fungal diseases; compare environmental, horticultural and management factors on ornamental production quality; prepare economic feasibility analyses for ornamental potted plants; initiate value-added products and culinary research with industrial partners; establish molecular fingerprints to assess diversity and determine identity;  develop long-term cryopreservation methodology; and conduct fruit nutrient analyses, including total phenolics, total anthocyanins, vitamin C, titratable acidity, ^obrix and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC).