2018 ASHS Annual Conference

For over 70 years the University of Hawaiʻi has been involved in the breeding, selection, and genetic preservation of taro. Taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, is grown worldwide as a staple starch. Known as ‘kalo’ in Hawaiʻi, it has a deep significance to the indigenous people, being an incarnation of the older sibling to humanity in the Hawaiian creation myth. Over 200 landraces of taro were recognized as existing in Hawaiʻi prior to Western contact; however, only around 60 still exist and are maintained in the University’s collections. The globalization of the islands has introduced new cultivars as well as new diseases. Taro Leaf Blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora colocasiae Racib., is arguably the most damaging disease as it reduces functional leaf area, resulting in reduced corm yield and also less edible leaf vegetable matter. This disease previously resulted in the almost total loss of the Samoan taro crop and export market. Various corm rots also reduce yields, resulting in unsaleable crops and shortened shelf life. Dasheen Mosaic Virus and other viral diseases are also on the rise and have the potential to affect future crop production and quality. To combat these diseases, a succession of researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi have made crosses between native landraces and germplasm from a range of countries around Asia and the Pacific; using the latter as sources of resistance and increased genetic diversity for their traditional breeding programs. These have lead to releases of several new cultivars with improved resistance and higher yields. However, some of the earlier releases have been controversial, due to patenting of lines developed from native germplasm and questions raised about indigenous biological sovereignty. The current taro breeding program has built upon some of these previous releases, while respecting indigenous rights, improving agronomic performance, and maintaining high eating quality. While we predominately select for poi quality, we have also evaluated lines for use as steamed ‘table taro’ as well as kulolo: a sort of coconut and taro pudding. The program is working also to foster connections and get feedback from the native Hawaiian community, and we are actively learning from those directly involved in the program as well, including our recently retired breeder Christopher ‘Popo’ Bernabe. Here we present an overview of our breeding process, some historic cultivar releases, and some of the promising breeding lines we hope to release in the near future.