UC Weed Science

A contraption with a long, low, green metal arm swept noisily along the edge of a row of almond trees in an experimental orchard just west of UC Davis. Little flashes of light sparked between the bottom of the arm and the green weeds below, and puffs of gray smoke wafted up from the stricken pests.

The Invasive Pest Spotlight focuses on relevant or emerging invasive species in California. In this issue we are covering brooms, a group of invasive shrubs. Invasive Broom facts Brooms are upright shrubs in the legume family that typically produce small, yellow, pea-shaped flowers.

From the UC Rice Blog :: August 23, 2023 * * * * * * * * * * Pest Control Advisers (PCAs) and growers were very creative and timely in planning and applying products this year, and control was good in many fields.

Justin Valliere has been hired to expand the Department of Plant Sciences' reach in the fields of invasion and restoration ecology. Valliere started as an assistant professor of UC Cooperative Extension in July.

Summary note: This is a belated research update from herbicide trials (targeting Italian ryegrass) carried out in the winter of 2021-2022 in wheat fields in the Esparto area.