- Author: Ryan Hill
My name is Ryan Hill, and I am the new UC Cooperative Extension Weed Science and Agronomy Advisor in Tehama County, also serving Shasta and Glenn counties. I received a B.S. in Biology from George Fox University in 2014 and an M.S. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University in 2020. From 2020 to 2023 I was a Faculty Research Assistant in Dr. Marcelo Moretti's perennial weed science lab at OSU. In this role I conducted weed research in horticultural crops including several projects on herbicide-induced crop injury. Additional projects included electrical weed control of Italian ryegrass, sucker control in hops and hazelnuts, pollinator habitat establishment with pre-emergent herbicides,...
- Author: Trina Kleist
- Posted by: Gale Perez
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.
This tractor equipped with an electrical generator may offer one solution for organic farmers looking for new ways to get rid of weeds. Researchers here and at partner universities have embarked on a three-year project to compare how the machine performs compared to herbicides allowed in organic farming, and to hand-weeding, which has become prohibitively costly.
Electrical energy zooms through the plant down into the...
- Author: Mackenzie Patton
- Posted by: Gale Perez
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. Shrubs range from 3 to 10 feet tall. They produce flowers from mid spring to summer and produce seed pods in late summer. All brooms are prolific seed producers, with a single shrub producing as many as 2,000 to 3,500 pods containing up to 20,000 seeds.
While brooms are attractive plants, they grow in dense stands that outcompete many native plants....
- Author: Trina Kleist
- Posted by: Gale Perez
It all started with pumpkin seeds
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.
Valliere seeks ways to restore California's native plant communities amid the onslaught of invasive plants and a range of environmental changes. He thinks it's important to bring youngsters into the research world, training them to care about nature and inspiring them to form the next generation of restoration professionals. Cooperative Extension offers a great way to...
- Author: Giuliano Carneiro Galdi
- Posted by: Gale Perez
My name is Giuliano Galdi, and I am the new UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Agronomy and Weed Management Advisor located in Merced County, and also with responsibilities in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties. In San Joaquin county, my primary responsibility will be in weed management. I received my B.S. in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Sao Paulo and my M.S. degree in Plant Sciences at California State University, Fresno.
I'm back in the San Joaquin Valley after spending four years of my early career as the UCCE Agronomy and Crops Advisor in Siskiyou County. My previous research and extension program in Siskiyou county was focused on alfalfa, pasture, small grains, pest control, and water management. I worked on...
