Using Evironmental Samplers to Detect Ceratocystis Fungi in Orchidland 2016

Rapid ʽŌhiʽa Death (ROD) currently threatens ōhiʽa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) on Hawaiʽi Island. First identified in Puna in 2014, the disease has now spread island wide. Besides direct sampling of trees, environmental sampling could serve as an easier and broader strategy to detect Ceratocystis spp., the fungi causing Rapid Ohia Death (ROD). Envrionmental sampling could also help monitor the effect of felling ROD infected trees. We developed Passive and Active Environmental Samplers for collecting airborne particulates and deployed them at a property in Puna, where both C. lukuohia, and C. huliohia had been detected, and where the land owner practiced the management method of felling infected trees. We set up 2 Active Environmental Samplers (modified mosquito traps connected to a battery that uses a fan to continuously draw in air) and 3 Passive Environmental Samplers (uses a vane to move in the direction of the wind without the use of electricity) from July 12th to October 25th, 2016. The Active Traps contained one slide (1 replicate) each, while the Passive Traps contained 4 slides (4 replicates) each. Wind and precipitation data from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) weather station at the Hilo airport was used in analysis. The dataset contains a list of sampling weeks, their start and end dates, and whether or not tree felling occurred during that week.