Artist's rendering:
ARS' new Hilo research center will include a centralized laboratory building
(foreground) and administration building (right), as well as greenhouses and an
insectary (behind lab building).
Click for a larger version.
Plans call for
construction of a major portion of the laboratory building to begin in December
2004.
Click for a larger version.
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Researchers Working To Diversify Hawaii's
Agriculture By Marcia Wood September 1, 2004
Hawaii's agricultural producers might have a much broader array
of crops from which to choose in the future, thanks to a state-of-the-art
research complex now in the works for the
U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural
Research Center at Hilo, on Hawaii Island. The center is operated by the
Agricultural Research Service, the chief
scientific research agency of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
The center already has labs in Hilo's Panaewa forest and at
other sites on the islands of Oahu and Kauai.
The new $60-million complex will be built on a 33-acre parcel
within the University of Hawaii at
Hilo's science and technology park, about four miles from downtown Hilo.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the complex took place this
morning.
The first phase of construction, in which a major portion of a
60,000-square-foot, centralized laboratory will be built, is scheduled to begin
in December 2004. The center will also have greenhouses, an insect-rearing
facility and an administration building.
In addition to focusing on diversification of the crops that
Hawaii's growers can produce, researchers at the center work on enhancing the
demand for Hawaii-grown crops in U.S. and international markets. These tropical
food and floral crops include papaya, mango, macadamia nuts, gardenias and
orchids.
To achieve these goals, the center's scientists develop new,
affordable, environmentally friendly approaches, known as integrated pest
management systems, for controlling insect and disease enemies of these and
other crop plants.
In addition, the ARS experts are providing new information about
the genetic makeup of crops such as papaya, rambutan and pineapple, and are
safeguarding a living collection of the plants' rare, wild relatives from
around the globe.
The Honolulu architectural firm of
Richard Matsunaga and Associates
designed the new research center. |