- (Focus Area) Agriculture
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
One potato, two potato, three potato, four...
You never know what will pop up in a pollinator garden.
Meet Mr. Potato Capsid, Closterotomus norvegicus, often found on nettle, potato, clover and cannabis.
We spotted him (or her) in a Vacaville pollinator garden, where there is no nettle, potato, clover or cannabis. But it also feeds on chrysanthemum, carrots and members of the sunflower family, Asteraceae.
It popped up on a chrysanthemum blossom. The insect is green and probably a nymph as the color changes, when it's an adult, to reddish brown.
It belongs to the family Miridae. Entomologists point out that this family is the largest of true bugs belonging to the suborder Heteroptera.
At first we thought it was a lygus bug, which is also a myrid and a serious pest of cotton, strawberry and alfalfa.
But no, a potato capsid, an insect originating in the Mediterranean region. It prefers to feed on flowers, buds and unripe fruit.
Same family, though.
- Author: Ben A Faber
It's hot and many trees need help in the heat. There's several ways you an help, however many require prior preparation:
?Successful Irrigation is crucial for cooling, both unser-canopy and over-canopy Using the Irrigation systems strategically will achieve best results ?
Mulching tree berms, also improves soil and tree health ?
Monitoring – Soil moisture and air temperatures ?
The use of Protectants(reflectants) products can be used to alleviate the stress of heat, usually provides a few degrees relief ?. Antitranspirants can make it worse by shutting down stoma and reducing cooling transpiration
Cover cropping and hedgerows increase humidity and evaporative cooling.
Watch a video produced by the CA Avocado Society for what can be done in preparation and now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7EWU0tAMVY
- Author: Jeffrey P Mitchell
July 5, 2024
CASI's Jeff Mitchell was a "three-peater" July 5th on Tom Willey's "Down on the farm" radio program on KFCF's 88.1 FM station on July 5, 2024. He shared information from the recently published article, No-tillage, surface residue retention, and cover crops improved San Joaquin Valley soil health in the long term, that was published in the May 2024 issue of California Agriculture. Willey was a co-author on the work and he talked with Mitchell about how the work came about, what its study goals were, how it was conducted, and what its findings were. Willey's program airs every first Friday of the month and has a loyal following that includes a great diversity of folks who greatly enjoy his 'on the front porch' conversations with his guests. A video of the radio interview is available at the You Tube link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXoyBLlImUo
- Author: Ben A Faber
How have drones been used in Avocado production? What works? What might work? And what needs to be figured out?
Come listen to a zoom with those who have actually used drones and how they might be applied. It's coming up July 16!!!!
Register for this zoom sponsored by the California Avocado Society at:
https://californiaavocadosociety.org/seminars.html
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
247 years!
The seven faculty members honored at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's recent retirement luncheon amassed an amazing 247 years of service:
- UC Davis distinguished professor James Carey, 44 years, faculty member since 1980. He retired in June.
- UC Davis distinguished professor Richard Karban, 42 years, faculty member since 1982. He retired in June.
- UC Davis distinguished professor emerita Lynn Kimsey, 35 years, faculty member since 1989. She retired Feb. 1, 2024.
- Robert Kimsey, adjunct professor, 35 years, faculty member since 1989. He retired in June
- UC Davis distinguished professor Jay Rosenheim, 34 years, faculty member since 1990. He retired in June.
- UC Davis distinguished professor Diane Ullman, 29 years, faculty member since 1995. She retired in June.
- Sharon Lawler, professor emerita, 28 years, faculty member since 1995. She retired in January 2023.
Read about them on our UC Davis Entomology and Nematology website, with links to individual stories. You may have interacted with one or more of them through their research, teaching or public service.
As molecular geneticist and physiologist Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of the department, said prior to the retirement luncheon: “Our retiring faculty will leave behind some very big shoes to fill. “They have set the bar very high for all of us with their passion to lifelong scientific exploration, perseverance to achieve intellectual and mentoring excellence, and dedication to the department, UC Davis, and external stakeholders. We are so proud to call them colleagues and mentors and they will no doubt continue to inspire us to carry on their legacy. It is with our most sincere appreciation that we wish all of them the best in their new endeavors and adventures in this next chapter of their lives."
247 years of service!