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72-546: On Fongafale, the Funafuti Kaupule is responsible for approval of the construction of houses or extensions to existing buildings on private land, and the Lands Management Committee is the responsible authority in relation to lands leased by government. In 1972, Funafuti was in the path of Cyclone Bebe . Cyclone Bebe knocked down 90% of the houses and trees on Fongafale. The storm surge created

144-402: A constant flow of water. About 300 varieties of kalo were originally brought to Hawaiʻi (about 100 remain). The kalo plant takes seven months to grow until harvest, so lo`i fields are used in rotation and the soil can be replenished while the loʻi in use has sufficient water. Stems are typically replanted in the lo`i for future harvests. One mythological version of Hawaiian ancestry cites

216-448: A decrease of the rainfall recharge rate associated with climate change. Water pollution is a chronic problem, with domestic wastewater identified as the primary pollution source. Approximately 92% of households on Fongafale islet have access to septic tanks and pit toilets. However, these sanitary facilities are not built per the design specifications, or they are not suitable for the geophysical characteristics, which results in seepage into

288-711: A hurricane warning was received at the New Zealand Meteorological Service weather station, its chief tried to warn as many people as possible, including the Master of the Moana Raoi , the fishery officer of the Van Camp fishing fleet, and the agent of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands development authority. Little to no significant damage was recorded on the majority of the islands; however,

360-524: A platform that is 780 metres (2,560 ft) meters long and 100 metres (330 ft) meters wide, giving a total area of approximately 7.8 ha. (19.27 acres), which is designed to remain above sea level rise and the reach of storm waves beyond the year 2100. Cyclone Bebe Severe Tropical Cyclone Bebe , also known as Hurricane Bebe , was a pre-season storm during October 1972 in the South Pacific Ocean that severely affected Fiji ,

432-544: A result caused water to sweep through the various buildings and destroy most of the equipment. Bebe affected the whole of the newly independent island nation of Fiji between October 22–25, where it became the worst tropical cyclone since 1952 to affect the islands. Ahead of the system threatening the Fijian Islands, the Nadi weather office issued hurricane warnings for most of the island nation including Rotuma . As

504-638: A result, hurricane shutters were put up on various buildings, schools were closed, local air service and cruise ships were cancelled while other smaller ships took shelter. The Nadi and Nausori international airports were also closed. On October 22, the Fijian Parliament was adjourned in order to prepare for the hurricane. During October 23, the system passed over the Fijian Dependency of Rotuma, with hurricane-force wind speeds of around 275 km/h (170 mph) had been recorded on

576-509: A similar size, Fongafale does not have a thick freshwater lens . The narrow fresh water and brackish water sheets in the sub-surface of Fongafale islet results in the taro swamps and the fresh groundwater resources of the islet being highly vulnerable to salinization resulting from the rising sea level. A survey of the pits that have previously been used to grow Swamp taro ( Cyrtosperma merkusii ), (known in Tuvalu as Pulaka ) established that

648-641: A single, very variable species, the correct name for which is Colocasia esculenta . The specific epithet , esculenta , means "edible" in Latin. Colocasia esculenta is thought to be native to Southern India and Southeast Asia , but is widely naturalised . Colocasia is thought to have originated in the Indomalayan realm , perhaps in East India , Nepal , and Bangladesh . It spread by cultivation eastward into Southeast Asia, East Asia and

720-457: A staple of the Fijian diet for centuries, and its cultural importance is celebrated on Taro Day . Its growth as an export crop began in 1993 when taro leaf blight devastated the taro industry in neighboring Samoa . Fiji filled the void and was soon supplying taro internationally. Almost 80% of Fiji's exported taro comes from the island of Taveuni where the taro beetle species Papuana uninodis

792-443: A wall of coral rubble along the ocean side of Fongafale and Funafala that was about 10 miles (16 km) long, and about 10 feet (3.0 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) thick at the bottom. Fogafale islet is the location of the main village settlements of Lofeagai, Teone, Fakai Fou, Senala, Alapi, Vaiaku and Kavatoetoe, from the northern to the southern point of the islet respectively which appear as one contiguous urban area. Vaiaku

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864-713: Is 64% water, 35% carbohydrates , and contains negligible protein and fat (table). In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), taro supplies 142 calories of food energy , and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value , DV) of vitamin B6 (25% DV), vitamin E (20% DV), and manganese (21% DV), while phosphorus and potassium are in moderate amounts (10–11% DV) (table). Raw taro leaves are 86% water, 7% carbohydrates, 5% protein, and 1% fat (table). The leaves are nutrient-rich, containing substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals , especially vitamin K at 103% of

936-459: Is a root vegetable . It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms , leaves, stems and petioles . Taro corms are a food staple in African , Oceanic , East Asian , Southeast Asian and South Asian cultures (similar to yams ). Taro is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants. The English term taro

1008-602: Is absent. The Fijian taro industry on the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu faces constant damage from the beetles. The Fiji Ministry of Agriculture and the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) are researching pest control and instigating quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the pest. Taveuni now exports pest-damage-free crops. Kalo

1080-532: Is also located on Fongafale. The police service has its headquarters and the jail on Fongafale. The High Court of Tuvalu is also located on Fongafale. Princess Margaret Hospital , the only hospital in Tuvalu, is located on Fongafale. Other significant buildings located on Fongafale are the Rt Hon Sir Dr Tomasi Puapua Convention Center, Tausoa Maneapa (community hall) and Fetu Ao Lima (Morning Star Church) of

1152-644: Is believed that they were domesticated independently multiple times, with authors giving possible locations as New Guinea , Mainland Southeast Asia , and northeastern India , based largely on the assumed native range of the wild plants. However, more recent studies have pointed out that wild taro may have a much larger native distribution than previously believed, and wild breeding types may also likely be indigenous to other parts of Island Southeast Asia. Archaeological traces of taro exploitation have been recovered from numerous sites, though whether these were cultivated or wild types can not be ascertained. They include

1224-585: Is called malanga . In the Philippines , the whole plant is usually referred to as gabi , while the corm is called taro . Taro is very popular flavor for milk tea in the country, and just as popular ingredient in several Filipino savory dishes such as sinigang . Other names include idumbe in the KwaZulu-Natal region, and boina in the Wolaita language of Ethiopia. In Tanzania , it

1296-588: Is called magimbi in the Swahili language . It is also called eddo in Liberia . Colocasia esculenta is a perennial , tropical plant primarily grown as a root vegetable for its edible, starchy corm . The plant has rhizomes of different shapes and sizes. Leaves are up to 40 by 25 centimetres ( 15 + 1 ⁄ 2 by 10 inches) and sprout from the rhizome. They are dark green above and light green beneath. They are triangular-ovate, sub-rounded and mucronate at

1368-699: Is locally known as gölevez and mainly grown on the Mediterranean coast, such as the Alanya district of Antalya Province and the Anamur district of Mersin Province . In Macaronesia this plant has become naturalized, probably as a result of the Portuguese discoveries and is frequently used in the macaronesian diet as an important carbohydrate source . In the southeastern United States , this plant

1440-406: Is not allowed when a bowl of poi is "open". It is also disrespectful to fight in front of an elder and one should not raise their voice, speak angrily, or make rude comments or gestures. A loʻi is a patch of wetland dedicated to growing kalo . Hawaiians have traditionally used irrigation to produce kalo. Wetland fields often produce more kalo per acre than dry fields. Wetland-grown kalo need

1512-450: Is one cause driving down harvests from the 1948 high of 14.1 million pounds (6,400 t), but more recently, the decline has resulted from pests and diseases. A non-native apple snail ( Pomacea canaliculata ) is a major culprit along with a plant rot disease traced to a species of fungus in the genus Phytophthora that now damages kalo crops throughout Hawaii. Although pesticides could control both problems to some extent, pesticide use in

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1584-580: Is recognized as an invasive species . Many populations can be commonly found growing near drain ditches and bayous in Houston , Texas. Taro is one of the most ancient cultivated crops. Taro is found widely in tropical and subtropical regions of South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia and in Maldives. Taro is highly polymorphic , making taxonomy and distinction between wild and cultivated types difficult. It

1656-458: Is supplied by rainfall or supplemental irrigation. Taro is one of the few crops (along with rice and lotus ) that can be grown under flooded conditions. Flooded cultivation has some advantages over dry-land cultivation: higher yields (about double), out-of-season production (which may result in higher prices), and weed control (which flooding facilitates). Like most root crops , taro and eddoes do well in deep, moist or even swampy soils where

1728-476: Is taro's Hawaiian name. The local crop plays an important role in Hawaiian culture and mythology . Taro is a traditional staple of the native cuisine of Hawaii . Some of the uses for taro include poi , table taro (steamed and served like a potato), taro chips, and lūʻau leaf (to make laulau ). In Hawaii, kalo is farmed under either dryland or wetland conditions. Taro farming there is challenging because of

1800-560: Is the most important neighbourhood; it includes the Vaiaku Lagi Hotel (the only hotel of the country; there are also a few guesthouses), some shops, a fuel pump station, the general post office, and the National Bank of Tuvalu , the nation's only commercial bank . The villages have a surface area of more than 0.65 square kilometres and approximately 4,000 inhabitants. The Parliament of Tuvalu or Palamene o Tuvalu and

1872-413: Is used; for instance, corms with 5 to 10 centimeters of petiole remaining are exported from Fiji to New Zealand in wooden boxes. They are then transported via refrigerated container, chilled to around 5° Celsius. The corms can be maintained for up to six weeks in good condition; most good-quality corms may even be replanted and grown by the consumer, thanks to the species’ prolific nature and hardiness. In

1944-641: The Caribbean and West Indies , taro is known as dasheen in Trinidad and Tobago , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica . The leaves are known as aruiya ke bhaji by Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians . In Portuguese , it is known simply as taro , as well as inhame , inhame-coco , taioba , taiova , taioba-de-são-tomé or matabala ; in Spanish , it

2016-642: The Church of Tuvalu . Tuvalu's only airport, Funafuti International Airport , is located here. All connections are to Suva , Fiji via Fiji Airways . There are four taxis, and motorbikes are available for hire. Access to the Funafuti Conservation Area is by boat. The Conservation Area is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) across the lagoon from the main island of Fongafale. There are port facilities on Fongafale. Two passenger/cargo ships, Nivaga II and Manu Folau , provide round-trip visits to

2088-650: The Cook Islands and surpasses all other crops in terms of land area devoted to production. The prominence of the crop there has led it to be a staple of the population's diet. Taro is grown across the country, but the method of cultivation depends on the nature of the island it is grown on. Taro also plays an important role in the country's export trade. The root is eaten boiled, as is standard across Polynesia . Taro leaves are also eaten, cooked with coconut milk, onion, and meat or fish. Taro ( dalo in Fijian ) has been

2160-583: The Green Climate Fund (GCF) to develop the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) which has the overall objective of reducing the vulnerability of Tuvalu to the impacts of coastal hazards associated with climate change. The TCAP is a plan to construct hard and soft coastal protection infrastructure to reduce inundation and coastal erosion on the islands of Nanumaga , Nanumea and Funafuti. The implementation of

2232-554: The Niah Caves of Borneo around 10,000 years ago, Ille Cave of Palawan , dated to at least 11,000 year ago; Kuk Swamp of New Guinea , dated to between 8250 BC and 7960 BC; and Kilu Cave in the Solomon Islands dated to around 28,000 to 20,000 years ago. In the case of Kuk Swamp, there is evidence of formalized agriculture emerging by about 10,000 years ago, with evidence of cultivated plots, though which plant

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2304-558: The Pacific Islands ; westward to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean Basin ; and then southward and westward from there into East Africa and West Africa , where it spread to the Caribbean and Americas . Taro was probably first native to the lowland wetlands of Malaysia , where it is called taloes . In Australia, C. esculenta var. aquatilis is thought to be native to the Kimberley region of Western Australia ;

2376-486: The Roman Empire . Today it is known as kolokasi ( Kολοκάσι ). It is usually fried or cooked with corn, pork, or chicken, in a tomato sauce in casserole. "Baby" kolokasi is called "poulles": after being fried dry, red wine and coriander seed are added, and then it is served with freshly squeezed lemon. Lately, some restaurants have begun serving thin slices of kolokasi deep fried, calling them "kolokasi chips". In

2448-435: The loʻi is banned because of the opportunity for chemicals to migrate quickly into streams, and then eventually the sea. Important aspects of Hawaiian culture revolve around kalo . For example, the newer name for a traditional Hawaiian feast, the lūʻau , comes from kalo . Young kalo tops baked with coconut milk and chicken meat or octopus arms are frequently served at luaus . By ancient Hawaiian custom, fighting

2520-417: The 10-year median production of kalo to be about 6.1 million pounds (2,800 t). However, 2003 taro production was only 5 million pounds (2,300 t), the lowest since record-keeping began in 1946. The previous low (1997) was 5.5 million pounds (2,500 t). Despite generally growing demand, production was even lower in 2005—only 4 million pounds, with kalo for processing into poi accounting for 97.5%. Urbanization

2592-467: The DV (table). Taro is a food staple in African , Oceanic and South Asian cultures. People usually consume its edible corm and leaves. The corms, which have a light purple color due to phenolic pigments, are roasted, baked or boiled. The natural sugars give a sweet, nutty flavor. The starch is easily digestible, and since the grains are fine and small it is often used for baby food. In its raw form,

2664-525: The Elice Island of Funafuti , where hurricane-force winds were recorded. During October 22, Bebe weakened slightly, as it passed about 120 km (75 mi) to the west of the Tuvaluan reef island Niulakita . By this time the system's circulation extended out about 965 km (600 mi) and had started to move south-eastwards. Bebe was subsequently located about 60 km (35 mi) to

2736-783: The Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu ), and the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati ). The origins of Severe Tropical Cyclone Bebe can be traced to a pair of tropical disturbances, which were first noted on either side of the Equator near the 175th meridian west during October 16. The first system developed in the Northern Hemisphere and eventually developed into Typhoon Olga , before it impacted the Marshall Islands . The second disturbance developed within

2808-502: The South Pacific Ocean and moved westwards, before it started to show signs of developing into a tropical cyclone during October 19. Over the next couple of days, the system started to move south-westwards and was named Bebe by the New Zealand Meteorological Service , after it had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the modern-day Australian scale . During October 21, the system passed near or over

2880-657: The TCAP on Funafuti is proposed to be a land reclamation project on Fongafale, which will start from the northern boundary of the Queen Elizabeth Park (QEP) reclamation area and extend to the northern Tausoa Beach Groyne and the development of the Catalina Ramp Harbour. In December 2022, work on the Funafuti reclamation project commenced. The project is to dredge sand from the lagoon, to construct

2952-424: The annual rainfall exceeds 2,500 mm (100 in). Eddoes are more resistant to drought and cold. The crop attains maturity within six to twelve months after planting in dry-land cultivation and after twelve to fifteen months in wetland cultivation. The crop is harvested when the plant height decreases and the leaves turn yellow. Taro generally commands a higher market price in comparison to other root crops, so

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3024-428: The apex, with the tip of the basal lobes rounded or sub-rounded. The petiole is .8–1.2 metres ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 –4 feet) high. The path can be up to 25 cm (10 in) long. The spadix is about three fifths as long as the spathe , with flowering parts up to 8 millimetres ( 3 ⁄ 8  in) in diameter. The female portion is at the fertile ovaries intermixed with sterile white ones. Neuters grow above

3096-705: The cognate forms in Austronesian suggests that the term may have been borrowed and spread from an Austroasiatic language perhaps in Borneo (cf. proto-Mon-Khmer * t 2 rawʔ , Khasi shriew , Khmu sroʔ , Mlabri kwaaj ,...). The Ancient Greek word κολοκάσιον ( kolokasion , lit. 'lotus root') is the origin of the Modern Greek word kolokasi ( κολοκάσι ), the word kolokas in both Greek and Turkish , and qulqas ( قلقاس ) in Arabic . It

3168-738: The common variety esculenta is now naturalised and considered an invasive weed in Western Australia, the Northern Territory , Queensland and New South Wales . In Europe, C. esculenta is cultivated in Cyprus and it's called Colocasi, (Κολοκάσι in Greek) and it is certified as a PDO product. It is also found in the Greek island of Ikaria and cited as a vital source of food for the island during WW II. In Turkey, C. esculenta

3240-478: The corms are usually stored at cooler temperatures, ranging from 10 to 15 degrees Celsius and maintained at a relative humidity of 80% to 90%. For packaging, the corms are commonly placed in polypropylene bags or ventilated wooden crates to minimize condensation and 'sweating.' During export, a weight allowance of approximately 5% above the net weight is included to account for potential shrinkage during transit. For commercial shipping and export purposes, refrigeration

3312-574: The difficulties of accessing fresh water. Kalo is usually grown in "pond fields" known as loʻi . Typical dryland or "upland" varieties (varieties grown in watered but not flooded fields) are lehua maoli and bun long , the latter widely known as "Chinese taro". Bun long is used for making taro chips. Dasheen (also called "eddo") is another dryland variety cultivated for its corms or as an ornamental plant. A contemporary Hawaiian diet consists of many tuberous plants, particularly sweet potato and kalo. The Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service determined

3384-600: The early 1970’s, one of the earliest taro breeding programs was initiated in the Solomon Islands to create cultivars that were resistant to taro leaf blight. After taro leaf blight was introduced to Samoa in 1993, another breeding program was initiated. In this program Asian varieties that were resistant to TLB were used. The breeding program helped restore the taro export industry in Samoa. Corm yield and corm quality appear to be negatively correlated. In order to produce

3456-648: The females, and are rhomboid or irregular orium lobed, with six or eight cells. The appendage is shorter than the male portion. Taro is related to Xanthosoma and Caladium , plants commonly grown ornamentally , and like them, it is sometimes loosely called elephant ear. Similar taro varieties include giant taro ( Alocasia macrorrhizos ), swamp taro ( Cyrtosperma merkusii ), and arrowleaf elephant's ear ( Xanthosoma sagittifolium ). 18th-century Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus originally described two species, Colocasia esculenta and Colocasia antiquorum , but many later botanists consider them both to be members of

3528-578: The fresh water lens and run-off into coastal waters. A project involving the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) is constructing composting toilets and improving the treatment of sewage sludge from septic tanks on Fongafale in order to reduce the leakage from septic tanks into groundwater, and the ocean and lagoon. In November 2013 the World Bank announced US$ 6 million in funding to improve

3600-531: The fresh-water aquifer . In the low areas of Funafuti, the sea water can be seen bubbling up through the porous coral rock to form pools with each high tide. Since 1994 a project has been in development to assess the environmental impact of transporting sand from the lagoon to fill all the borrow pits and low-lying areas on Fongafale. In 2013 a feasibility study was carried out and in 2014 the Tuvalu Borrow Pits Remediation (BPR) project

3672-849: The house of the Governor General of Tuvalu are located on Fongafale. Buildings include the offices of the government ministries and the government agencies, such as the Tuvalu Philatelic Bureau , the Tuvalu Meteorological Service , the National Bank of Tuvalu , the offices of the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation , and the Tuvalu National Library and Archives . The Tuvalu Media Department , which operates radio services as Radio Tuvalu ,

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3744-476: The irritating raphides present in the other plants. Taro is also identified as one of the staples of Micronesia , from archaeological evidence dating back to the pre-colonial Latte Period (c. 900 – 1521 AD), indicating that it was also carried by Micronesians when they colonized the islands. Taro pollen and starch residue have also been identified in Lapita sites, dated to between 1100 BC and 550 BC. Taro

3816-506: The island. As a result, widespread damage was reported on the island, with various houses and other buildings either destroyed or extensively damaged. The island also lost the majority of its crops, with coconut palms, copra and citrus trees damaged or destroyed. As a result, it was estimated that between 60%-90% of the population would be dependent on relief supplies for the next three to six months. Taro Taro ( / ˈ t ɑːr oʊ , ˈ t ær -/ ; Colocasia esculenta )

3888-410: The low-lying island of Funafuti was significantly affected after the system passed over the coral atoll during October 21. Hurricane-force winds were observed on the island for several hours, while a storm surge swept over the island, killing three people, destroying houses, and leaving coral debris. High seas associated with the system breached a coral wall at the meteorological station, which as

3960-593: The northeast of Rotuma , by a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft that was on a search-and-rescue mission to Tuvalu. The system subsequently passed near to or over Rotuma and peaked with 10-minute sustained winds estimated at 155 km/h (100 mph) and 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 205 km/h (125 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 3 tropical cyclone on both the Australian Scale and Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale . After affecting Rotuma with hurricane-force winds during that day,

4032-496: The operational safety of the Funafuti International Airport and associated infrastructure. An 800,000-litre water cistern will be constructed to improve storage of drinking water. When the airfield, which is now Funafuti International Airport , was constructed during World War II, the coral base of the atoll was withdrawn to use as fill to create the runway. The resulting borrow pits adversely affected

4104-425: The outer islands every three or four weeks, and also travel between Suva , Fiji and Funafuti 3 to 4 times a year. The investigation of groundwater dynamics of Fongafale Islet, Funafuti , show that tidal forcing results in salt water contamination of the surficial aquifer during spring tides . The degree of aquifer salinization depends on the specific topographic characteristics and the hydrologic controls in

4176-429: The pits were either too saline or very marginal for swamp taro production, even though a more salt-tolerant species of taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) is grown on Fongafale. In addition to the increased risk of salinization by the sea-level rise, the freshwater lens is at risk from over extraction to serve the large population that now occupies Fongafale islet. The effects of the increased extraction can be exacerbated by

4248-411: The plant is toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalate , and the presence of needle-shaped raphides in the plant cells. However, the toxin can be minimized and the tuber rendered palatable by cooking, or by steeping in cold water overnight. Corms of the small, round variety are peeled and boiled, then sold either frozen , bagged in their own liquids, or canned . Taro is the pre-eminent crop of

4320-530: The quality control measures throughout the production process are rather essential. The sizes found in most markets are 1–2 kg and 2–3 kg. The best size for packaging and for consumers is 1–2 kg. To guarantee the product meets the expected high standards upon reaching the consumer, there are some common grading standards for fresh corms: Due to the high moisture content of the corms, and the plant’s natural love of humidity, mold and disease can easily develop, causing root rot or decay. To prolong their shelf lives,

4392-546: The seas were rough, the ship Moana Raoi (which had just arrived in Funafuti 's lagoon, carrying supplies from Suva, Fiji) was anchored peacefully. During the next day, as the Funafuti International Airport airstrip was flooded, the fortnightly Air Pacific aircraft that was carrying supplies from Nadi, Fiji, turned back while it was located about 80 km (50 mi) from the airstrip. After

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4464-449: The sub-surface of the atoll. About half of Fongafale islet is reclaimed swamp that contains porous, highly permeable coral blocks that allow the tidal forcing of salt water. During World War II the occupying Japanese conducted extensive swamp reclamation to create an air field. It has been adapted as the Funafuti International Airport . As a consequence of the specific topographic characteristics of Fongafale, unlike other atoll islands of

4536-804: The system moved southwards towards the main islands of Fiji, and appeared on the Cossor Radar screen at the Nadi Meteorological Office during October 23. The centre of the hurricane moved on to the north coast of Viti Levu . During October 25, Bebe transitioned into an extra-tropical cyclone, before its remnants were last noted on October 28. Bebe adversely affected both Tuvalu and the Fijian islands, where it left 25 people dead (six in Tuvalu and nineteen in Fiji ) and thousands homeless. Overall damages were estimated at over $ 20 million (1972 USD ). Modern-day Tuvalu (at

4608-434: The taro plant as an ancestor to Hawaiians. Legend joins two siblings of high and divine rank: Papahānaumoku ("Papa from whom lands are born", or Earth mother) and Wākea (Sky father). Together they create the islands of Hawaii and a beautiful woman, Hoʻohokukalani (The Heavenly one who made the stars). The story of kalo begins when Wakea and Papa conceived their daughter, Hoʻohokukalani. Daughter and father then conceived

4680-481: The time a British colony known as the Ellice Islands ) was the first island nation to be affected by Bebe, between October 19 and 22. The system started to affect Tuvalu during October 19, with intermittent heavy rain reported in the island nation, before the weather deteriorated further during the next day, with reported strong winds increasing to gale force, flooding and a rough sea. During October 20, as

4752-736: The uniform fresh healthy corms that the market desires, early maturing cultivars with a growth period of 5 to 7 months can be used. Cultivars grown in the Pacific regions produce good quality corms, as a result of selecting for corm quality and yield. However, the genetic bases of these cultivars is very narrow. Asian cultivars have agriculturally undesirable traits (such as suckers and stolon), but appear to be more genetically diverse. There needs to be an international exchange of taro germplasm with reliable quarantine procedures. There are thought to be 15,000 varieties of C. esculenta . Currently there are 6,000 accession from various institutes from across

4824-587: The world. The INEA (International Network for Edible Aroids) already has a core sample of 170 cultivars that have been distributed. These cultivars are maintained in vitro in a germplasm centre in Fiji, which is considered safer and cheaper than field conservation. Taro exists as a diploid (2n=28) and a triploid (3n=42). Naturally occurring triploids in India were found to have significantly better yields. There have been attempts to artificially make triploids by crossing diploids with artificial tetraploids Cooked taro

4896-1095: Was borrowed from the Māori language when Captain Cook first observed Colocasia plantations in New Zealand in 1769. The form taro or talo is widespread among Polynesian languages : taro in Tahitian ; talo in Samoan and Tongan ; kalo in Hawaiian ; taʻo in Marquesan . All these forms originate from Proto-Polynesian * talo , which itself descended from Proto-Oceanic * talos (cf. dalo in Fijian ) and Proto-Austronesian * tales (cf. taleus in Sundanese & tales in Javanese ). However, irregularity in sound correspondences among

4968-451: Was approved. It will result in all 10 borrow pits being filled, leaving Tafua Pond, which is a natural pond. The New Zealand Government funded the BPR project. The project was carried out in 2015, with 365,000 sqm of sand being dredged from the lagoon to fill the holes and ultimately improve water and living conditions on the island. This project increase the usable land space on Fongafale by eight per cent. Tuvalu has received funding from

5040-573: Was borrowed by Latin as colocasia , thus becoming the genus name Colocasia . Taro is among the most widely grown species in the group of tropical perennial plants that are colloquially referred to as "elephant ears", when grown as ornamental plants . Other plants with the same nickname include certain species of related aroids possessing large, heart-shaped leaves, usually within such genera as Alocasia , Caladium , Monstera , Philodendron , Syngonium , Thaumatophyllum , and Xanthosoma . In Cyprus, Colocasia has been in use since

5112-416: Was cultivated remains unknown. Taro were carried into the Pacific Islands by Austronesian peoples from around 1300 BC, where they became a staple crop of Polynesians , along with other types of "taros", like Alocasia macrorrhizos , Amorphophallus paeoniifolius , and Cyrtosperma merkusii . They are the most important and the most preferred among the four, because they were less likely to contain

5184-406: Was later spread to Madagascar as early as the 1st century AD. In 2022, world production of taro was 18 million tonnes , led by Nigeria with 46% of the total (table). Taro has the fifth largest production among root and tuber crops worldwide. The average yield of taro is around 7 tons per hectare. Taro can be grown in paddy fields where water is abundant or in upland situations where water

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