- Author: Sarah Light
With the heavy rains last week and over the weekend, soils are very susceptible to compaction and structural degradation, affecting plant growth. Although it may be tempting to get into the field as soon as the rain stops, the long-term consequences to soil structure are hard to fix.
It's important to wait for soils to dry down before working the field. Heavier soils will take longer to dry down. While tillage or land prep is more harmful to soil structure than driving over the field, even driving over a wet field should be avoided if possible.
Refer to this article from last year about soil compaction for more information:
- Author: Sarah Light
A reminder to please join us for our annual UC Small Grains/Alfalfa-Forages Field Day next week! This event is on May 15th at the University of California, Davis Department of Plant Sciences Field Headquarters from 8AM – 4:30PM.
This field day showcases UC efforts in breeding and agronomic research related to small grains, alfalfa and forage crops and is one of the longest running field days in the state. The schedule for the day is available
- Author: Sarah Light
Fava Bean Nitrogen Fixation Trial Field Day
Fava bean is an ancient food crop that is extensively grown and consumed around the world. In California, fava bean is largely grown as winter cover crop to protect the soil and add to soil nitrogen. In this field day event, several speakers will talk about the benefits and selection of cover crops for different cropping systems. We will also demonstrate a field trial that aims to identify fava bean genotypes with enhanced nitrogen...
- Author: Konrad Mathesius
South Sacramento Valley Wheat and Barley Field Demonstration Day
Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 8:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
23947 Road 13, Capay, CA
8:45 a.m. Registration, Coffee, and Donuts
9:00 a.m. Italian Ryegrass: Updates on Cultivation vs Herbicide Trials: resistance and methods for control
Konrad Mathesius, UCCE Agronomy Advisor, Yolo, Sacramento, and Solano
9:15 a.m. Herbicide Programs for Barley...
- Author: Konrad Mathesius
- Contributor: Cassandra Swett
- Contributor: Sarah Light
Winter temperatures this year have fluctuated from above average early in the season to slightly below average in February. Along with generally warmer temperatures, rain and humidity have been higher than average. The interplay among these factors mean that risk of stripe rust outbreaks may be greater this year than normal.
Stripe rust (caused by the fungus Puccini striiformis) is an important disease in wheat and barley (different strains for each). It is also one of the most noticeable (Image 1). Stripe rust outbreaks can lead to significant yield loss, but the presence and severity of the disease typically varies from year to year. Three factors,...
