Year Awarded 2021
FFAR award amount $150,000
Total award amount $431,103
Location Hilo, HI
Program Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research
Matching Funders The Hawaii Coffee Association, Hawaii Coffee Growers Association, The Maui Coffee Association, Purdue University, United Ka'u Farmers Cooperative , The Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Grantee Institution Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council
Coffee leaf rust disease is threatening the Hawaii coffee industry, the state’s second top commodity. Caused by the emerging Hemileia vastatrix fungus, coffee leaf rust attacks the leaves of coffee trees, ultimately reducing coffee trees’ yields. To address this threat, Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council researchers are investigating the fungus and developing tactics to mitigate its spread.
Grant OutcomeThis project enabled Hawaii’s coffee industry to rapidly respond to the introduction of coffee leaf rust by identifying the pathogen’s genetic lineage and likely introduction pathway, developing molecular tools for early detection and generating science-based disease management strategies. The team provided growers with integrated pest management recommendations, fungicide efficacy data and extensive outreach and training, helping stabilize a vulnerable coffee sector while laying the foundation for long-term rust resistance research and predictive disease monitoring.