Sustainable Production and Utilization of ‘Ōhelo

as an Edible Berry and Ornamental Crop

Francis Zee1, Lisa Keith1, Amy Strauss1, Claire Arakawa1, Tristan Foote1, Kim Hummer2, Barbara Reed2, Nahla Bassil2, Stuart T. Nakamoto3, Randall Hamasaki3, Milton Yamasaki3, Andrew Kawabata3, Bob Durst4, Allan K. Ikawa5, Jodi Silva5, Ken Love6, Yongjian Chang7

SCRI Project GoalsClonal propagation and production

protocolsEstablish molecular fingerprinting

andCryopreservation methodology Conduct fruit nutrient analysesDetermine host-pathogen

interactions

SCRI Project Goals

Produce ohelo as an ornamental from flask to nursery to market

Prepare economic feasibility analyses of ohelo as ornamental potted plant

Provide extension and outreach Develop seed based production

protocols Initiate value added products and

culinary research

Pélé Goddess of Fire•Destroyed >100 structures since 1983•Added >70 acres to the SE coast

Ōhelo Species Height Fruit

Vaccinium reticulatum Smith

Low Yellow, red, purple, blue

Vaccinium calycinum Smith Tall Red, globose

Vaccinium × pahalae Skottsberg

Mid Red, egg shape

Vaccinium dentatum Smith low Red, globe

Attractive red and green foliage

Attractive flowers

Cultivated for edible fruits

‘Ōhelo plants around the Volcano Area

GoalsReduce wild gathering of

‘ōhelo for commercial uses.

Reduce traffic and the spread of invasive weeds

Provide a sustainable (supply) of berries for culinary and value added product research (demand).

Two hand-full of berries to start

Dr. Francis Zee and Vaccinium reticulatum seedlings

Ohelo Cultivar Releases 2009

Kilauea NeneRed Button

New Selections

‘Ōhelo

Propagation Seed, Cuttings, Tissue

CultureIdentificationUtilization

Fruit nutrient analysisCulinary uses

‘Ōhelo PROPAGATION

Seed Cuttings Tissue Culture Cold storage/ Cryogenics

Ohelo from seeds …

… to seedOhelo seeds

‘Ōhelo seed storage and germination

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5

% S

eed

s ge

rmin

ated

Months of germinationStored at -20 C for 3 mo - A Stored at RT for 3 mo - B

12 month cryopreservation A 12 month cryopreservation B

Barbara Reed USDA-ARS

Clonal Propagation of ‘ōhelo

Cold Storage in semipermeable bagsfor 12-16 months

Red Button

Kilauea Nene

Barbara Reed USDA-ARS

Cold Storage of Shoot Cultures

Barbara Reed USDA-ARS

‘Red Button’ cryopreserved with encapsulation dehydration. S = sucrose treatment, D = dehydration, the others were exposed to liquid nitrogen

Barbara Reed USDA-ARS

Cryopreservation of ‘ōhelo clones

Kilauea Red Button Nene0

20

40

60

80

100

Encapsulation Dehydration

Sucrose control Drying control Cryopreserved

% R

egro

wth

Barbara Reed USDA-ARS

Field and Nursery managementProduced 50 lb of ‘ōhelo berry for R&D

May to July 2010

33.1 lbs from potted ohelo plants 17.2 lbs from field planting

NO9-16 clones

A sustainable source of ‘ōhelo seeds for germplasm requests

Six inch ohelo seedlings for BIAN plant saleUSDA/ARS display and information table

NO6-7 Bonsai

‘Ōhelo

•Holiday foliage plant•Landscape plant•Fruit production •Culinary product development

Ōhelo

‘Ōhelo Identification by Molecular Markers Cultivar – Genetic Diversity assessment

Microsatellite marker-based fingerprints for three important selections

Nene Kilaua Red Button294

308294

296

294 298

Tested 23 blueberry (V. corymbosum) SSRsNA741: an example of one SSR that differentiates between 3 selections

Selections NA398 CA794 NA172 VCC_I2 CA421 NA741 NA1040 NA800

‘Nene’ 225, 229 238, 242 184 210, 212 191, 193 294, 308 192, 208 198, 200, 208

‘Kilauea’ 217, 221 236, 238 186, 188 210 193, 217 294, 298 194, 220 198, 202, 206

‘Red Button’ 213, 229 238, 248 182, 184 210, 212 195, 207 294, 296 208, 248 198, 200

Microsatellite marker-based fingerprints for three important selections

Eight SSRs reliably distinguish between these selections

R e dB utto n

K ila ue a

N 1 0 -2 6

N 1 0 -1 7

N e ne

N 0 9 -1 6

N 1 0 -2 7

0.05

Dendrogram based on microsatellite analysis using six primer pairs.

V ret Ohelo 6 V ret Ohelo 9 V ret 780 V ret Ohelo 7 V cal 1812 V cal 1814

Hawaiian Taxa

V praes 1626 V praes 1569 V praes 1570

V. praestans

V memb 1372 V memb 141 V memb 1213 V scop V myrt 464 V myrt 1622 V myrt 379 V oval 1118 V oval 1189 V parv 436 V myrt 627 V oval 1421 V cesp 1489 Bluecrop V cesp 1651 V oval 1546 V myrt 1684-1 V myrt 1684-3 V oval 1375 V del 403 3 V del 403 6 V oval 1252 V oval 1258

0.05

9796

99

71

100

83Section Myrtillus

SSRs for 10 species in section Myrtillus

Hawaiian taxa more recently derived

Russian V. praestans grouped together

Genetically identical V. myrtillus 1684-1 and 1684-3 from Kalmiopsis Wilderness, OR.

• Germplasm conservation• Sustainable germplasm resource for research • Ornamental potted plants• Alternate source from wild harvest• Sustainable and reliable source of berry for culinary and value added product uses.

Diseases of ‘Ōhelo Pucciniastrum vaccini Rust

Leaf spots and sudden collapse - Calonectria sp.

Powdery MildewMicrosphaera sp.30 days after inoculation

Fruit Analysis Summary Anthocyanins

Similar to cranberry, but v. low peonidin

Rich source of phenolics

Acids

Similar profile to cranberry, but lower amounts

Sugar profile

Extremely Good source of PAC’s

Especially V. calycinum

Pro Anthocyanadins

Species DMAC (mg-A2 equiv/100g)

V. macrocarpon

125V. reticulatum 117-146V. calycinum 996-1183

10 x as much!

‘Ōhelo - Utilization

Culinary recipesOhelo Berry and Horseradish Pot RoastSweettart Ohelo-Berry Compote Foie Gras with Ohelo BerriesGoat Cheese and Ohelo Berry

BruschettaGrilled Lime Tequila Chicken with Ohelo

Berry and Pineapple SauceOhelo and Oatmeal PieOhelo glazed DuckOhelo creamed cheese pie

SCRI Project GoalsClonal propagation and production

protocolsEstablish molecular fingerprinting Cryopreservation methodology Conduct fruit nutrient analysesDetermine host-pathogen

interactions

SCRI Project Goals

Produce ohelo as an ornamental from flask to nursery to market

Prepare economic feasibility analyses of ohelo as ornamental potted plant

Provide extension and outreach Develop seed based production

protocols Initiate value added products and

culinary research

SUCCESS!

Cooperators1U.S. Dept. Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA, ARS) Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC) P.O. Box 4487, Hilo, Hawaii 96720;

2USDA ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR), 33447 Peoria Road, Corvallis, Oregon, 97333-2521;

3University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH, CTAHR), 1955East-West Rd. AgSci 314B, .Honolulu, HI 96822;

4Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-6512;

5Research & Development, Big Island Candies, Hilo, HI;

6Hawaii Tropical Fruit Grower Association, President and Agriculture Chair of the American Culinary Federation chapter – Kona Kohala Chefs Association, Kona, HI;

7North American Plants LLC, McMinnville, OR 97128-8410.

Thank you to everyone!