- Author: Brad Hanson
One of the major research and extension areas in my program is weed control efficacy in orchards and vineyards. During the 2012-13 growing season, we conducted about 50 herbicide efficacy trials in commercial orchards or research station sites. Today I thought I'd share some data from 2012-13 orchard weed control efficacy experiments comparing various tank mixtures and sequential applications of Matrix (rimsulfuron) and Alion (indaziflam). This work was primarily funded by the Almond Board of California, Bayer CropSciences, and DuPont.
By way of background, both of these herbicides are residual products with different modes of action. Matrix is a group 2 herbide (ALS inhibitor) and Alion is a group...
- Author: Brad Hanson
Since beginning the California phase of my career eight years ago (first with USDA-ARS and more recently with University of California), I have been involved to one degree or another in soil fumigation projects. Today I wanted to share a couple links about soil fumigation research and extension efforts for California specialty crops.
I've discussed soil fumigant issues a few times previously in this blog, but for those unfamiliar with soil fumigation as a pest management practice, here's a brief primer. Fumigants are volatile pesticides that move in the gas phase and penetrate the nooks and crannys and...
- Author: Lynn M. Sosnoskie
- Author: John Cardina
Introduction to the species: Abutilon theophrasti (commonly known as velvetleaf) is a summer annual weed native to Asia. For those not familiar with the species, plants are tall (to 1-2 m) and erect with green- or purple-colored stems that branch at higher leaf axils (Warwick and Black 1988). The leaves are heart-shaped and covered in soft hairs (hence the name 'velvetleaf') (Warwick and Black 1988). Pale yellow- to yellow-orange-colored flowers are borne singly in the axils of leaves or in small clusters on short branches in the plant canopy (Warwick and Black 1988). Seed capsules are cup-shaped, hairy and either brown- or yellow-colored (Warwick and Black 1986, Kurokawa et al. 2003). Individual...
- Author: Guy B Kyser
I don't mulch much but this caught my eye: using those big round straw bales that unroll behind the tractor as an easy way to put out a mulch.
John Wilhoit & Timothy Coolong (2013). Mulching with Large Round Bales between Plastic-covered Beds Using a Newly Developed Offset Round-bale Unroller for Weed Control. HortTechnology, 23(4), 511-516.
"An existing round-bale unroller was modified to create an offset bale unroller, allowing round bales of hay to be unrolled between planting rows with a tractor. This modification has made the practice of mulching with round bales of hay or wheat straw more efficient. This offset round-bale unroller was used to...
- Author: Gale Perez
Here's information on the Medusahead and Barb Goat Grass Forum that will be held on November 5, 2013, at the UC Sierra Foothill Research & Extension Center (SFREC) in Browns Valley, CA. THIS IS A FREE EVENT to discuss the research and management strategies of medusahead and barb goatgrass. Researchers, university faculty, conservation professionals, or other land managers interested in these invasive rangeland species are encouraged to attend.
More details are on the SFREC blog post and registration is available through the SFREC website.
