Topics in Subtropics

Topics in Subtropics Blog

You can subscribe to this blog with multiple entries per week reflecting what's happening with subtropical crops and upcoming educational events. Just click on the "Subscribe" button just to the right of this paragraph. There's also our seasonal quarterly Topics in Subtropics newsletter found at our Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, San Diego, Tulare and Kern Counties Cooperative Extension websites.

Using Native Plants as Cover Crops

November 8, 2021

In late February, in an almond orchard in the Sacramento Valley, the fall-planted cover crop mix of grasses, brassicas and legumes had barely produced a green fuzz above the soil surface, and it was unclear when it would bloom.

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How Much Water is Your Orchard Using?

November 5, 2021

By Ben A Faber

Sustainable water management is one of the most challenging issues of our time, especially in the arid western U.S.

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CA Avocado Acreage Down

November 3, 2021

By Ben A Faber

The CA Avocado Commission contracted with LandIQ to evaluate the extent of avocado plantings in the state. The planted area is down from close to 90,000 acres in 2000 to 51,000.

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Learning the Ways of Nitrogen

November 1, 2021

By Ben A Faber

UC Nitrogen Management Course Online Open to All Interested Parties, starting November 8th Are you interested in learning more about Nitrogen Management? Are you a Certified Crop Advisor seeking Continuing Education Units and/or preparing for the new California Nitrogen Specialty Exam?

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Distinguishing Disease from Drought is Possible

November 1, 2021

By Ben A Faber

New ways of analyzing spectral data can distinguish between different diseases in olive and from drought stress in olive and almond. This technology is now being applied to citrus HLB.

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