Topics in Subtropics

The University of California Cooperative Extension conducted an Avocado Pest Management Round Table grower meeting in Fallbrook, CA on September 28, 2017. Approximately 64 growers, industry, Pest Control Advisors, and other stakeholders were present.

Avocado Trunk Cankers 2016/17 was a normal rainfall year in the avocado growing region of California. But this was on top of lots of winters with such low rain amounts that there was not adequate salt leaching. No rain, no leaching.

Recently a grower called up with a beautiful scale that the PCA couldn't identify. I could just marvel at the beauty of it and wondered what in the heck it was. It didn't look like any scale I had seen in the area and others who were queried didn't know either.

IMAGE: Orbicules or "Ubisch bodies " (300 - 600nm granules), characteristics of Cupressaceae pollen, are visible on the surface of the exine (outer membrane).

A recent publication from CA Fish and Wildlife has some wonderful photos of trees that have been known to be attacked by either or both of the Shot Hole Borers, Polyphagous or Kuroshio. The publication can be found at: http://www.southcoastsurvey.