- Author: Therese Kapaun
The California Farm Bureau (CFB) Young Farmers and Ranchers stopped at Lindcove REC in February on their tour of eastern Tulare County during their annual Leadership Conference. More than 50 attendees were received by Staff Research Associate Therese Kapaun who gave a presentation describing the research activities at Lindcove, followed by a short talk about the origins of citrus cultivar groups.
Attendees were given free time to peruse and taste more than 50 varieties of citrus, while Therese remained on hand to answer questions about the varieties. Late February is an excellent time of year for both mid season and late season varieties of navels, mandarins, grapefruit, and specialty varieties. Their tour included stops at Lake Kaweah Terminus Dam, Gill Cattle Ranch, and Monrovia Nursery.
- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
Experiments by Mary Lu Arpaia (University of California Riverside) and David Obenland (USDA-ARS Parlier) at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center using near infrared (NIR) technology show promise for detecting freeze damage in citrus fruit. Staff members of LREC sorted Washington navel and Tango mandarin fruit using NIR (in this case Taste Technologies equipment) and Drs. Arpaia and Obenland cut and evaluated the fruit and determined the ability of the software to differentiate undamaged, slightly damaged, and severely damaged fruit. NIR technology will help packing houses sort out the damaged fruit and increase sales in a freeze year such as this. For Lindcove researchers, this technology will help them measure freeze damage in citrus fruit in their experiments.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
- Editor: Elizabeth Grafton-Cardwell
Dr. Beth Grafton-Cardwell has been conducting field trials in one of her research blocks at Lindcove REC to combat Fuller rose beetle. Fuller rose beetle deposits its eggs under the calyx in the stem area of the fruit. Fruit shipped to Korea must be free of Fuller rose beetle eggs - this has led to substantial grower efforts to skirt prune trees and apply trunk treatments to prevent the flightless beetle from gaining access to the canopy of the tree. Studies at Lindcove REC are determining if these treatments are effective. Beth's entomology staff have examined thousands of navel oranges for the presence of Fuller rose beetle eggs. They are using a small metal tool to lift up the edges of the calyx and the visors they are wearing have magnifying lenses that allow the eggs to be easily seen if they are present.
Detailed information about the pest as well as management strategies is discussed in Beth's Citrus Pest Web site at the following link: Fuller rose beetle biology and management
- Author: Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell
Citrus growers and Ag professionals are invited to attend the University of California Lindcove Research and Center Annual Citrus Fruit Display and Tasting Today! Friday December 13th from 9-12. More than 150 varieties will be displayed. (Sat Dec 14th we invite the homeowners to attend.)
Walking tour starts at 10 am highlighting the Citrus Clonal Protection facilities, the demonstration field trees and the Center fruit packline.
- Author: Therese Kapaun
An unusually cold and prolonged weather system moved into California on December 3rd, and temperatures in our area have plunged below freezing for eight consecutive nights. Citrus growers have engaged frost protection measures such as use of wind machines and extensive watering. Under certain conditions these measures have the effect of raising the air temperature at ground level to mitigate the danger of frost. Weather forecasts providing temperature and dew point are some of the tools that growers use to make decisions regarding which frost protection measures to implement. Warmer temperatures are in the forecast, and growers will continue to evaluate the extent of freeze damage to fruit and trees.
Meanwhile, harvesting is continuing in the area, as December is always a busy time for navel oranges and early mandarins such as clementines. Picking crews and forklift operators are battling icy conditions and mud from heavy irrigation in the groves to get the fruit from tree to packing house.
Lindcove REC recently installed a new weather station. Early morning low temperatures at the Center from December 4th through the 10th were 28.5, 25.2, 25.2, 29.0, 26.8, 24.2, and 25.8° F. Anyone is welcome to use our Western Weather Group login and password to access Lindcove weather data.
Username: lindcove
Password: weather