This study aimed to determine the influence of Potassium (K) fertilization on the flowering and fruit yield of 13-year old ‘Magallanes' pummelo [Citrus maxima (Burm. ex Rumph.) Merr.] trees.  The experiment was conducted at South Davao Corporation (SODACO) farm, Davao City, Philippines for 12-month duration. Five treatments with increasing K levels were applied per tree: control, no K, 150 g K basal, 225 g K basal, and 225 g K basal + foliar application. Flowering, fruit set and yield of pummelo were enhanced by higher K rates. Flowering was increased by 4 times while fruit set by 86-100%. Fruit number was increased by 7 times, weight per fruit by 22-26%, and yields up to 9 times with 100% (return of investment) ROI on trees applied with 225 g K rates. The results of the study indicated the important role of K in improving the flowering, fruit yield and income of ‘Magallanes' pummelo.

Agritourism has the potential to link agriculture with culture and tourism, as an alternative to 3S tourism. This study examines motivations, opportunities, and challenges of agritourism development in Samoa using a qualitative approach, under the challenges of climate change. The love of the land, education, culture, employment, additional income, and farming sustainability are the main motivations. Constraints were predominantly structural, which include excessive business regulations, a lack of funds to expand their agricultural activities, a limited labor force, and a lack of coordination between the public and private sectors. The ever‐present threat of climate change jeopardizes agriculture, tourism, and agritourism.

Along with recent health challenges, there is a need to develop more convenient, nutritious, ready-to-eat and tasty breadfruit products to increase available food source and minimize postharvest losses. Hence, this study was conducted at the Food Technology laboratory of the University of the South Pacific, Alafua campus to evaluate healthy product innovations from indigenous crops of the Pacific Island Countries which include breadfruit. The different gluten-free breadfruit flour products developed at the Food Technology laboratory, University of the South Pacific, Alafua campus, Apia, Samoa were breadfruit cookies, breadfruit cake and breadfruit polvoron (powdered candy). The breadfruit flour was analyzed for proximate contents and its products were tested for acceptability of taste using a nine hedonic rating scale. Proximate analysis of the breadfruit flour revealed a higher protein (6.56%), ash (4.78%) and crude fat (1.84%) but lower DM (85.29%) and crude fibre (4.10%) contents than fresh crushed breadfruit. Sensory tests revealed that thirteen percent (13%) of the 30 panels disliked (<5) the breadfruit cookies and polvoron (powdered candy) while eighty-seven percent (87%) rated the products as acceptable (<5) based on a nine-point hedonic rating scale. Moreover, seventeen percent (17%) disliked (<5) the breadfruit cake and eighty-three percent (83%) liked (>5) the product based on a ninepoint hedonic rating scale. These showed that these gluten-free breadfruit flour products are nutritious and tasty with great potential for commercialization.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different types of fertilizer application on the growth and flowering of 'Puyat' Durian (Durio Zibethenus Murr.); and determine the best fertilizer application for the optimum production of Durian. Ten (10) year old trees at Canoy Durian Farm, Pindasan, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province were tested from November 2015 to March 2016. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with six treatments, replicated three times. The treatments were: T1- Untreated; T2-Recommended Rate- RR (based on soil analysis); T3- Optimum RateOR + (3kg NPK+1kg MOP); T4- OR+ GOFF; T5- RR+ GOFF; T6- GOFF (Green-shield Organic-based Fortified Foliar Fertilizer).Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences among treatments in terms of trees with flushes and number of flowers per cluster but no significant effects were observed in canopy diameter and number of flower cluster per tree. Result of the study showed that fertilizer application increased the number of flower per cluster of 'Puyat' Durian and enhanced flushing of durian trees. The study further revealed that organic based foliar fertilizer alone enhanced flowering up to five times higher than without application (control). While numerically, GOFF (Green-shield Organic-based Fortified Foliar Fertilizer) alone had the highest number of flower cluster per tree.

This study aimed to determine the influence of potassium (K) fertilization on the vegetative growth, flowering and fruit development of 13-year old ‘Magallanes’ pummelo [Citrus maxima (Burm. Ex Rumph.) Merr.] trees. The experiment was conducted at South Davao Corporation (SODACO) farm, Davao city for 12-months duration. Five treatments were observed with increasing K levels were applied per tree: control (no fertilization), without K, 150 g K basal (recommended rate based on soil analysis), 225 g K basal, and 225 g K basal + foliar application. The critical stage of tree growth coincided with the months of May and August. Peak leaf flushing occurred in June and peak flowering with fruit set in April. The crucial stage of fruit development was noted two months after fruit set. Thus, optimum fertilization must be applied during these stages for maximum growth and production in ‘Magallanes’ pummelo. The vegetative growth of pummelo was not affected by increasing K rates. The recommended rate (150g K basal per tree) significantly increased canopy diameter by 76% but higher K rates did not increase tree height, due to the effect of fruit load and nutrient competition. On the other hand, increasing K rates to 50% higher than the recommended rate (225 g K per tree) increased the number of flushes by 36-100%. Flowering, fruit set and yield of ‘Magallanes’ pummelo were also enhanced by higher K rates. Flowering was increased by 4 times, fruit set by 86-100%, fruit number by 7 times, weight per fruit by 22-26%, and yields up to 9 times on trees composted with 225 g K rates.  The fruit size (diameter and length), however, did not increase by increasing the K level.