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...

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. The southern Sacramento Valley saw a record number of consecutive days without rain in that year, which severely limited the efficacy of post-emergent systemic herbicides. Growers should prioritize scheduling post-emergent herbicide applications early in the weed's growth stages and when weeds are actively growing to avoid the severe reduction of herbicide efficacy that can occur as a result of unexpected droughty conditions. This is particularly important given that the weather systems in our...

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) are surface-active chemicals that are widely used for surface sanitation in the food processing industry, disinfectants, fabric softeners, and cosmetics. They are designed to remain stable and effective in water-based solutions. QACs typically are diluted with water so they can be applied in higher volumes which helps to facilitate their dispersal and allows them to interact with target surfaces or organisms. In several related lines of research funded by the California Tomato Research Institute, the California Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and the California League of Food Processors, UC Davis researchers are evaluating QAC efficacy on broomrape seeds and soil-borne pathogens. The main goal of...

In California, Italian ryegrass [Lolium perenne L. spp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot] has been around for a long time and is a major weed in orchards, vineyards, field crops, fallow fields, and so on. It grows vigorously in winter and early spring. Italian ryegrass is a short, rhizomatous, that grows from 11 to 35 inches tall, often with erect stems exhibiting purple coloration at the base. That species can be identified by its dark green, glossy, and hairless leaves that are rolled in the bud. Auricles are well-developed and the shape can vary from clasping to blunt, and the ligules are long and membranous. Once flowering occurs, Italian ryegrass is easily distinguishable by alternating spikelets that run along the...