- Author: Petr Kosina
Recording of the January 2021 webinar on Current Challenges for Avocado Weed Management by Sonia Rios is now available on YouTube playlist - https://youtu.be/7zFFeJWGvyE
Upcoming UC Ag Experts Talk webinars:
For February we have scheduled presentation about Citrus Mites (Wednesday February 17 at 3 p.m.). David Haviland, UCCE Farm Advisor will discuss integrated pest management for five different species of mites that cause economic damage to citrus, including proper identification, monitoring, and tools for management. Biological control will also be discussed, including the use of predatory mites. One DPR CE unit (other) and one CCA CE unit (IPM) were requested. Register at https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZF3LS0vNQTS_flTXTKayuA
In March, Dr. Jhalendra Rijal, UCCE Area IPM Advisor, will discuss Invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and other hemipteran bug pests of almonds (Wednesday March 24 at 3 p.m.). Jhalendra will talk about the identification, biology and feeding nature of BMSB other native stink bugs and leaffooted bugs that may be present in an almond orchard, and provide a comprehensive IPM strategy to manage these multiple hemipteran pests in almond orchards. One DPR CE unit (other) and one CCA CE unit (IPM) were requested. Register at https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yJp9VDQzSCe-cnihKD1m4w
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Other virtual events that might be of your interest:
California Avocado Society seminar Series 2021:
The Efficacy of Gibberellic Acid in Improved Fruit Set (by Dr. Tim Spann) and an Update on New Avocado Varieties (by Dr. Mary Lu Arpaia) - February 17, 9 a.m.–11 a.m. [No CEUs] Register at https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i0oPDqyiT_2noK4GYGBiwQ
Science for Citrus Health spring webinar series:
Emerging Technologies to Manage Asian Citrus (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) – February 24, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Therapeutic molecule evaluation and field delivery pipeline for solutions to HLB (Dr. Michelle Heck, USDA ARS)
- Viruses of ACP and approaches to use them as a pest management tool (Dr. Bryce Falk, Professor Plant Pathology, UC Davis)
- Managing ACP with pesticidal proteins derived from bacteria (Dr. Bryony Bonning, Professor Insect Pathology, University of Florida)
- Q&A and panel discussion
1.5 DPR and CCA CEUs were requested. Register at https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i6s_wxvsQ-K1dXwgp5_Emw
Management of Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) and Huanglongbing (HLB) in the field – March 11, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Relation of ACP density and tree stress: what is the threshold to take control measures? (Dr. Lukasz Stelinski, Professor, Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida)
- Biological control of ACP using predators and parasitoids (Dr. Jawwad Qureshi, Assistant Professor, Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida)
- Importance of citrus phenology-based sprays for ACP control and Implementation of ACP area-wide management in Texas (Dr. Mamoudou Sétamou, Professor, Citrus Entomology, Texas A&M University)
- Q&A and panel discussion
1.5 DPR and CCA CEUs were requested. Register at https://ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I7KPgo3STaqwKwJXJQ9Fkw
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Recordings of the past webinars are available on UC IPM YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo3rG4iqv4gHBV3YA6w4wkBufwh7GBjrX
UC Ag Experts Talk team
/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Ben Faber
Earth's carbon cycle transfers carbon between land, oceans, and the atmosphere, and in turn, facilitates the life cycle of all life forms globally. Fire is a part of Earth's terrestrial carbon cycle that is balanced by vegetation recovery and growth. By contrast, fossil fuels consist of ancient carbon that has been stored underground for millions of years. Fossil fuel combustion contributes to climate change by releasing fossil carbon that the Earth's atmosphere has not seen for millions of years.
For millennia, fire has served ecological functions in California's diverse ecosystems, including facilitating germination of seeds for certain tree species, replenishing soil nutrients, maintaining diverse ecosystems, and reducing the accumulation of fuels that otherwise sustain high-severity wildfires. From time immemorial to the present, Indigenous People have been stewards of the land and have used fire to shape and maintain California's diverse ecosystems. Since the late 19th Century, California's forests have come under various forms of public and private control with corresponding management activities.
In addition to the natural world, fire and forest management activities intersect with public safety, natural resources management, the built environment, air quality, and climate change. Trends brought about by climate change and legacies of California's historical development, together with society's efforts to address them, amplify the standing of forests in California.
To better understand the quantity of carbon exchange in the California forest and rangeland system, an assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon impacts of wildfire and forest management activities was performed by the California Air Resources Control Board, The study helps California better understand the effects of current forest management practices and prioritize efforts to leverage natural and working lands for addressing climate change.
California's forests and other natural lands contain large quantities of carbon in the forms of plant biomass, dead organic matter, and soil organic matter. The current carbon stores represent slow accumulation over long periods of time. The annual amounts of carbon transferred from the atmosphere to biomass and the transfers of carbon out of the land base represent a small portion of the land carbon reservoir. Figure 8 summarizes CARB staff's estimates of carbon stock and GHG emissions from wildfire, prescribed fire, and forest management activities. These estimation results are shown along with carbon sequestration and other processes to provide broader context to the estimated emissions.
Figure 8: Flows of carbon and CO2 between the atmosphere and California's forests and other natural lands The upper portion of this diagram represents the reservoir of carbon in the atmosphere. The lower portion of this diagram represents reservoir of carbon within California's land base and extracted biomass. The exchanges of carbon and CO2 between the land and atmosphere are shown by arrows, and the boxes attached to each arrow indicate the type and quantity of the exchange. Arrows and boxes that have dashed outlines represent reservoirs and transfers of carbon or CO2 that have not yet been quantified due to limitation in existing
Read the whole study here: https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/pubs/ca_ghg_wildfire_forestmanagement.pdf
How can various cultivars influence
the history of a crop?
Not many of us see Model T cars on the road today. This 1920's era car made car travel accessible for the middle class, but its last production was in 1927. Yet, some of the engineering that went into the Model T still has an impact on today's cars.
In the same way, older varieties of crops, now much-improved, may today occupy very few acres of land. Where they once were the major variety of the day, their impact is on the history – and genetics – of their specie.
A type of wheat called Madsen, is one of those varieties not widely produced today. But its impact on today's wheat, and future generations, is undeniable. Released in 1988 for production in the Pacific Northwest, Madsen is a soft white winter wheat. It has a high yield potential. But, newer, higher producing cultivars are now more popular, but that doesn't negate the importance Madsen has in the success of today's wheat cultivars.
Madsen's legacy has gone far beyond commercial production. Madsen has been the parent of over 45 released cultivars, many of which were the lines that replaced it in commercial production. It is used as a parent mainly because of the excellent disease resistance it has to common diseases of the PNW. Madsen has also been used in research projects to identify disease resistance genes. In some cases, Madsen was found to be carrying resistance genes the breeder was not aware of but were discovered later in research or field screenings.
A plant breeder's goal is to release cultivars that are commercially economical and environmentally sustainable. The premise is that new cultivars released are superior to those that are currently available. Through multiple years of testing in small-plot trials, released cultivars and new breeding lines are evaluated for many agronomic traits such as heading date, plant height, yield potential, etc. Furthermore, new breeding lines are subjected to different biotic stress conditions to evaluate pest and disease resistance traits. They may even be subjected to different abiotic stress conditions, either under field or controlled conditions, such as cold temperatures, drought, or low pH soils. After multiple years of testing, breeding lines that have better performance than currently grown cultivars are released for commercial production. Although plant breeders have multiple years of data supporting the performance of the new cultivar, there is no true indicator of how it will perform as a new cultivar until it is released and growers cultivate it on large acreage under commercial production systems.
During its development, Madsen showed very effective resistance to Pacific Northwest races of the stripe rust fungus and to leaf and stem rust. This disease resistance is important, as fungal diseases spread easily and reduce yields. In fact, Madsen was originally developed to be resistant to a different disease, eyespot foot rot.
Commercial Production
Once Madsen was released as a cultivar, it became widely grown in only a few years. At one time, 20% of the wheat produced in the Pacific Northwest was Madsen. It remained the most widely grown cultivar in the PNW for almost 13 years. Madsen has also been blended and planted with other cultivars in the same field to manage pests because of its excellent disease resistance. This production history has been an impressive 30-year life of a cultivar!
Breeding value
Approximately 45 cultivars have been released in the Pacific Northwest containing Madsen as a direct parent or somewhere within the pedigree. Six of these have been the leading cultivars in either Oregon or Washington for multiple years based on planted hectares.
Agronomic value
If you have ever driven by a field of beautiful wheat and see some of it laying on the ground (versus upright), that is called lodging. Lodging can hurt the value of wheat. Madsen has a lower rate of lodging than other wheats, which could be because its stems are strong. In addition, its resistance to fungal diseases may also help.
Consumer value
No cultivar of crop will remain on the market long if its end-users do not buy it. In addition to how well Madsen performs in the field, it also has excellent baking properties.
Answered by Arron Carter, Washington State University
Fun fact: did you know that many cultivars are named after people? Madsen was named in honor of Dr. Louis L. Madsen, Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University from 1965 to 1973. Dr. Madsen was an effective advocate of wheat research at the university, and a strong supporter of the collaboration between the USDA units and the College on campus.
Dr. Carter recently published a paper about the lineage of Madsen in Journal of Plant Registrations.
About us: This blog is sponsored and written by members of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. Our members are researchers and trained, certified, professionals in the areas of growing our world's food supply while protecting our environment. We work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.
Images of avocado forerunners of 'Hass' variety
/span>/h1>/h1>- Author: Ben Faber
Western Water Systems: Update Join us for a free webinar offering an update on Western Water Systems
Date: Wednesday – February 3, 2021 Time: 1:00P Eastern/12:00 Central/11:00 Mountain/10:00 Pacific
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Tapan Pathak - Climate Change Trends and Impacts on Specialist in Climate Adaptation in Agriculture | University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
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