- (Strategic Initiative) Sustainable Food Systems
- Author: Surendra K. Dara
Adapted IPM Model from former UC ANR faculty is offered in multiple languages leading to potential profit increases of $1.79 million.
The Issue
Numerous endemic and invasive pests threaten all kinds of crops, and the application of synthetic pesticides is the most common control option in many cases around the world. Frequent application of pesticides leads to pest resistance, secondary pest outbreaks, increased risk of environmental and human health, and negatively impact sustainable crop production efforts both in the short-term and long-term. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a concept of pest...
- Author: Peggy Goodenow Lemaux
After attending UC ANR's Science for Citrus Health webinars, over 50% of participating citrus professionals say they intend to adopt actions related to psyllid management. These practices can help safeguard abundant, healthy food for all Californians.
The Issue
Huanglongbing? Never heard of it? Why should I care? Maybe you need to learn more?
Huanglongbing, HLB, a bacterial disease of citrus also called Greening Disease, is spread by the Asian Citrus Psyllid. It causes the citrus fruits to be deformed and taste salty and bitter. HLB was first reported over a century ago in southern China. But why is it a problem for U.S. citrus? Diseases don't...
- Author: Katherine Jarvis-Shean
- Author: Allan Fulton
Agricultural clientele utilize Extension information to inform irrigation management decisions, potentially improving water use efficiency and protecting California's water resources.
The Issue
For farmers to grow high-yielding and good quality crops and be good stewards of our finite water resources, they need to know how much water is used by their crop and how much to refill the soil with irrigation. Weather conditions and the crop's life stage determine the water use, also known as crop evapotranspiration (ET). When farmers have accurate crop ET information available, they can more closely apply the appropriate amount of water at the right time and grow more and better quality food...
- Author: George Zhuang
30,000 acres of San Joaquin Valley vineyards have adopted mechanization using UCCE research-based guidelines, potentially saving $15 million per year and promoting economic prosperity in California.
The Issue
Grape is the second largest commodity of California agriculture in terms of value ($6.25 billion in 2018) with approximately 900,000 acres. Currently, increasing labor costs and severe labor shortages are starting to damage...
- Author: Jeffrey P Mitchell
- Contributor: Anil Shrestha
- Contributor: Kate M Scow
- Contributor: Rad Schmidt
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Findings from a unique study site affirm the value of using the core soil health management principles of conservation agriculture to improve soil function, climate resilience, and increase the ecological sustainability of agriculture.
The Issue
California farmers overall recognize the theoretical benefits that might come from implementing basic soil health management principles, but they lack concrete information and experience on how to actually use these principles at their farms and they also are in general, not currently implementing them. In other words, despite the now widespread high visibility that soil health is receiving from government programs, actual adoption of...
