- (Focus Area) Agriculture
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The seminars begin Monday afternoon, Sept. 30 and continue every Monday through Dec. 2.
Nematologist Amanda Hodson, assistant professor of soil ecology and pest management, is coordinating the seminars. All, except one, will be held in Briggs Hall. All, but one, will be on Zoom.
The Zoom link:
https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/95882849672.
Michael Hoffmann, professor emeritus, Cornell University, will deliver the Thomas and Nina Leigh Distinguished Alumni Award Seminar in the Putah Creek Lodge at 4 p.m. on Oct. 14. (See below)
The list of seminars:
Monday, Sept. 30, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Kyle Wickings
Department of Entomology, Cornell University
Title: “Composition and Function of Soil Invertebrate Communities in Residential Greenspaces”
Monday, Oct. 7, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Juliana Rangel Posada
Professor of Apiculture, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University
Title: “Don't Compromise: Food Lipid Content Shapes Protein-Lipid Regulation in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Nurses”
Monday, Oct. 14, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thomas and Nina Leigh Distinguished Alumni Award Seminar
Michael Hoffmann
Professor Emeritus, Cornell University
Title: “Our Changing Menu: Using the Power of Food to Confront Climate Change”
This will take place beginning at 4 p.m. in the Putah Creek Lodge and will include a social, lecture and dinner. Reservations closed. (See more)
Monday, Oct. 21, 4:10 to 5 p.m.,122 Briggs
Andrew Corbett
Research Affiliate, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology (formerly with the lab of UC Davis distinguished professor Jay Rosenheim, now emeritus)
Title: "In Silico Experiments with the Effect of Natural Habitats on Biological Control in Agricultural Landscapes."
Monday, Oct. 28, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Jolene Saldivar
UC Davis Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow, lab of Professor Louie Yang
Title: "Disturbance in Coastal Sage Scrub and the Implications for Migratory Butterflies”
Monday, Nov. 4, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Eliza Litsey (exit seminar)
Litsey, a former graduate student in the honey bee lab of Elina Niño, UC Davis Department of Entomology, received her master's degree in entomology in June 2024 and is now a laboratory technician at the lab of research entomologist Julia Fine, USDA/ARS, Davis. Litzey also holds a bachelor's degree from UC Davis.)
Monday, Nov. 18, 122 Briggs (in-person only; will not on Zoom)
Andre Custodio Franco
Assistant Professor, Indiana University Bloomington
Title: "Deciphering the Soil Macrobiome: Belowground Communities Driving Ecosystem Responses to Global Change”
Monday, Nov. 25, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Christine Sprunger
Associate Professor of Soil Health at Michigan State University
Title: "Nematodes as Bioindicators of Soil Health and Climate Resiliency”
Monday, Dec. 2, 4:10 to 5 p.m., 122 Briggs
Inga Zasada
Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS
Title: "How an Applied Nematolgist Uses Genomic Tools to Address Plant-Parasitic Nematode Research”
For more information, contact Hodson at akhodson@ucdavis.edu
![Honey bees will be among the topics at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology fall quarter seminars. This bee is heading toward gaura in early morning. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) Honey bees will be among the topics at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology fall quarter seminars. This bee is heading toward gaura in early morning. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108697.jpg)
- Author: Bodil Cass
F\ig Wax Scale has recently been detected in the environment in the San Diego County. This insect is commonly intercepted at ports of entry, especially on shipments of palms, but has not previously established a reproductive population in California to our knowledge.
Fig wax scale is an A-rated, actionable invasive pest by CDFA, due to its high potential to damage fresh fruit production through lowering yield, increased production costs, disruption of export markets, and vectoring of plant viruses including grape vine leaf-roll virus. It is a polyphagous phloem feeder and a potentially devastating pest of many high-value crops including almond, grape, citrus, pistachio, avocado, cotton,fig,palms,pear,and ornamentals.In the USA it is currently only found in Florida, although it is distributed throughout much of the rest of the world and frequently affects citrus and fig production in Europe. The environmental conditions throughout much of California are considered favorable for this scale to establish if it is not eradicated and prevented from re-entering.
For more on this scale and other recent topics, check out the Topics in Subtropics Newsletter:
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=60446
![fig wax scale ant feeding fig wax scale ant feeding](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108401.jpg)
![fig wax scale female fig wax scale female](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108402.png)
- Author: Ben A Faber
Statewide citrus bearing acreage relatively stable for past three seasons
The Pacific Regional Office of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an acreage survey of California citrus growers as funding is available. The purpose of this survey is to provide bi-annual citrus acreage, which includes information on new plantings and removals. It is the continuation of a long series of industry-funded Citrus Acreage surveys.
This report consists of two parts:
- Table 1 shows estimated statewide bearing acreage for the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
- Tables 2, 3, 4 and 5 show detailed acreage data by type, variety, and year planted -- as voluntarily reported by citrus growers and maintained in NASS' database.
With perfect information, the estimated statewide bearing acreage and the detailed acreage data would be the same. Generally, this will not be the case for the following reasons:
- A voluntary survey of approximately 5,000 citrus growers is unlikely to ever attain 100 percent completeness.
- It is difficult for USDA/NASS to detect growers who are planting citrus for the first time.
Click here for a larger image.
Click here to read the full report.
Source: ccqc.org/wp-content
![lemon tree image lemon tree image](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108270.jpg)
- Author: Dylan Beal
Hello everyone, I'm the new UC IPM Entomology Advisor serving the communities of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. Born and raised in the Santa Clarita Valley, I'm excited to return to my home state of California.
Inspired by a lifelong passion for insects, I pursued bachelor of science in degrees in Entomology and Plant Pathology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. At Cornell, I was first exposed to the world of cooperative extension, working in a lab to study and support natural enemies of spider mites, aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, and whiteflies in greenhouses.
In partnership with Montpellier SupAgro and the Università degli Studi di Torino, I received a Master of Science degree in Viticulture and Enology. For my master's thesis, I worked with Italian grape growers on understanding the ecology and management of leafhopper vectors of the pathogen responsible for European grapevine yellows (Flavescence dorée phytoplasma).
For my PhD, I studied Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, I worked with grape growers and cooperative extension advisors in Napa and Sonoma county to understand the role of spittlebug insect vectors in spreading Xylella fastidiosa, the bacteria responsible for Pierce's disease of grapevine.
After Berkeley, I have worked as a postdoc at Washington State University with cherry and blueberry growers to adapt and adopt innovative and internationally recognized practices for sustainable management of Spotted-Wing Drosophila (SWD). As part of that work, I have closely partnered with growers, pest control advisors, USDA scientists, cooperative extension advisors, and industry representatives on SWD projects related to biological control, cultural control, behavioral control, and pesticide resistance screening and management. Additionally, I was part of a team that worked to coordinate SWD management with the management of the leafhopper vectors of X-Disease phytoplasma in cherry.
With 15 years of experience in New York, California, Washington State, France, and Italy, I'm excited to collaborate with you all to support the development and adoption of innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable insect pest management practices. I aim to develop partnerships, lifelong relationships, and projects that center and elevate grower voices, experiences, and leadership. Together, I hope that we can not only address the threat that agricultural insect pests pose to our three counties but also help to support the many communities and ecosystems that interface with our agricultural livelihoods. Please feel free to reach out to me at 831-759-7359 or djbeal@ucanr.edu. The Bug Doctor is in to look at any insects you may find!
- Author: Ben A Faber
Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBVd)
Unlock the Secrets to Healthy Avocados: Learn
about Avocado Sunblotch Viroid
Presentations:
Andrew Geering: Prevention, surveillance and control of avocado sunblotch in
Australia
Fatemeh Khodadadi: Understanding ASBVd: from discovery to diagnostic
hurdles
Peggy Mauk: Protecting California's avocado genetic resources through
sunblotch viroid detection
Mehdi Kamali: Rapid and sensitive detection of Avocado Sunblotch Viroid
Disease (ASBVd) using our digital methodology
September 20, 2024
9am-12:30pm
United Water,1701 N. Lombard ST., Oxnard
Registration link:
https://forms.gle/12LxUUdkPb8DmNdm8
Fatemeh Khodadadi
fatemehk@ucr.edu
(845) 901-3046
Ben Faber
bafaber@ucanr.edu
![sunblotch sunblotch](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108302.jpg)