- Author: Therese Kapaun
Lindcove staff member Gerardo Perez is budding the scion Parent navel to Carrizo rootstock for an upcoming research project. First a T-cut is made on the rootstock plant through the bark just deep enough to reach the cambium layer. Then an individual bud from the scion budstick is cut away, cutting through the cambium layer. The bud is slotted into the T-cut so that the two cambium layers will fuse and grow together over several weeks. The newly slotted bud is wrapped tightly with non-sticky stretch tape and left in place until new vegetative growth from the scion appears under the tape.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Three times each year the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP) at UC Riverside conducts a budwood cut at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The citrus trees that provide the budwood are grown inside Lindcove’s protective screened buildings and the budwood is distributed from LREC to the nursery industry. The screening prevents insect vectors such as aphids and psyllids from reaching the trees and potentially infecting them with diseases. All CCPP screenhouse trees are tested several times per year to ensure they are free of all known citrus diseases. The next budwood cut is planned for September. For more information about the CCPP's mission, facilities, variety descriptions, and citrus diseases log on to http://ccpp.ucr.edu/index.html
- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
A portion of the roads around the main buildings at Lindcove are being reworked and paved. This is a very much appreciated upgrade provided by UC Ag and Natural Resources.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
Dr. Frank Byrne is an Associate Researcher with the Dept. of Entomology, UC Riverside. He is conducting neonicotinoid uptake research trials at Lindcove REC, to test the efficacy of these systemic pesticides as a control measure for Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid can be applied directly to the soil, injected into irrigation drip lines, sprayed onto tree trunks, or placed as slow-release tablets into greenhouse pots as shown here. The tree takes up the insecticide and moves it into new leaves, which is important for killing nymphal stages of the psyllid. This project is in its third year of testing and includes leaf collections from outdoor and indoor trials to determine the efficacy of the treatments, as well as nectar collections during bloom to determine the impact of neonicotinoids on bees. Dr. Byrne is assisted by Richard Aubert (left) and Tim Roose (center), also from UC Riverside.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) testing is complete at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center. Every tree at the Center is tested annually for presence of the virus, and infected trees are removed. This year we are using a new technique for half of our 12,000 trees; a direct tissue blot immunoassay (DTBIA-ELISA) with guidance from Dr. Ray Yokomi at USDA in Parlier. For the remaining trees we are collecting leaf samples for submission to the Central California Tristeza Eradication Agency in Tulare, where testing is performed there using an ELISA technique. CTV is transmitted from tree to tree by phloem-feeding cotton aphids, and has caused losses to California citrus growers when trees are grown on susceptible rootstocks. We remove the infected trees at Lindcove REC in order to protect the citrus research projects and the Citrus Clonal Protection Program Foundation Block trees.