- Author: Giuliano Carneiro Galdi
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Roundup Ready technology incorporates genetic resistance to glyphosate into crops and it's an excellent tool for weed control. Initial screening in the early 2000s found good alfalfa crop safety, and many growers currently rely on glyphosate as the only herbicide. Although using the same herbicide over and over is not a good idea because it may accelerate herbicide resistance in weeds, Roundup Ready alfalfa has been successfully used with few to no concerns regarding crop safety. However, the combination of glyphosate and cold weather may cause crop injury, especially in certain regions.
The problem was first observed in 2014 by Steve Orloff, former UCCE farm advisor in Siskiyou County. A Roundup Ready alfalfa field showed...
- Editor: Bradley Hanson
- Contributor: James E Hill
- Posted by: Gale Perez
David E. Bayer, Emeritus Professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Biology, passed away on January 20, 2024 in Davis, CA.
Dr. Bayer earned his B.S and M.S. degrees from Oregon State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin and was a pillar of weed science and weed control research in California for nearly 30 years. Dr. Bayer started his career as a University of California weed extension specialist in 1958 and, in 1962 accepted a position as a Professor in the UC Davis Department of Botany which later became part of the Department of Plant Biology. Dr. Bayer retired from UC Davis in the mid-1990s and remained active as an emeritus faculty member for many years continuing some of his research on...
- Author: Justin Valliere
Keep an eye out for this potential problem weed in southern California: Stipa capensis. First reported in 1995 in Riverside, this species is native to the Mediterranean and has established in the Coachella Valley of the Sonoran Desert. It is spreading rapidly in the Palm Springs area, forming dense monocultures. Confirmed reports have recently been made in Borrego Springs and Point Mugu. It has the potential to promote fire in California desert ecosystems and may also suppress native wildflower abundance in the areas it invades.
How to spot...
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Congratulations to UC Davis weed science graduate student Erika Escalona (Fennimore Lab) for winning 1st place in the student poster presentation category at the 2024 California Plant and Soil Conference on Feb. 6-7, 2024 in Fresno, CA.
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Evaluating Bacterial Diversity in Steam Fumigation Treatments in the Salinas Valley's Lettuce Fields
Erika Escalona, University of California, Davis; Steve Fennimore, UC Cooperative Extension, Weed Specialist, Salinas; Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis; J.S. Rachuy, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis; Cristina Lazcano, Department of Land, Air and...
- Author: Whitney B Brim-Deforest
- Author: Roberta Firoved
- Posted by: Gale Perez
California rice growers will have a new herbicide available this year: Cliffhanger™, manufactured by Gowan Company. The active ingredient is benzobicyclon, which is the same as one of the two active ingredients in the currently registered herbicide, Butte®. Cliffhanger™ is a soluble liquid formulation (SC) which can be applied by ground-rig or airplane, including as a direct-stream application into the water. In contrast, Butte® is a granular formulation, as a pre-formulated mixture of benzobicyclon and halosulfuron. To use either product, applicators must attend a training and be certified.
Dates for the training are posted on the California Rice Commission calendar