(University of Guam)
Farmers and agricultural professionals are invited to an in-depth exploration of sustainable crop management strategies when growing hemp. University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach, in association with the Asia Pacific Studies Center at UOG, will be hosting a special workshop this Friday, Nov. 1, featuring the expertise of Roy Cheng and Evelyn Kuo, two agricultural researchers from the Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan.
Hemp is a fibrous cannabis plant that is federally legal to be grown industrially by licensed growers. It is used in the production of paper, clothing, textiles, animal feed, and medicinal products like CBD oil.
“Hemp holds the potential for economic opportunities for Guam and for farmers as a new crop,” said L. Robert Barber Jr., interim associate director of UOG’s extension programs and an agricultural economics and sustainable agriculture specialist. “We’re pleased to have Dr. Cheng and Ms. Kuo here to share some innovative and sustainable pest management techniques, which can also be applied to our other tropical crops.”
The workshop will teach integrated crop management — a holistic approach to protecting crops from pests. The presenters will specifically focus on pesticide-free, but also cost-effective, management methods for hemp crop pests, like spider mites and powdery mildew. They will share the latest materials in pest control, like augmented chitinase biotics and a special Bacillus strain, but also some straightforward pest control strategies, as well as on-site microbial cultivation techniques.
“Spider mites and powdery mildew are a problem on many crops here,” Barber said. “Their farm-based microbial cultivation could be useful for our farmers on a variety of crops.”
Cheng holds a doctorate in chemistry and leads a startup incubation program at ITRI. He will soon establish a startup of his own focused on sustainable agriculture, soil restoration, eco-friendly pest management, and sustainable fertilization. Kuo holds a master’s in environmental engineering. In their roles at ITRI, the two hold years of integrated crop management experience with crops including hops, which belongs to the same family as hemp, as well as passion fruit, tomatoes, cabbages, broccoli, and more.
“In addition to sharing practical ICM strategies for managing hemp pests and diseases, we look forward to engaging with participants to identify further challenges in hemp cultivation in Guam,” Cheng said.
The Practical Integrated Crop Management Workshop for Hemp will be held from 10 a.m. to noon this Friday, Nov. 1, at the CLASS Lecture Hall on the UOG campus. To register, please visit https://tinyurl.com/2s4d85cz. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. Call (671) 735-2020 for more information.
