- (Focus Area) Food
- Author: Brianna Aguayo Villalon
Christian Black joined the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California in September 2024 as our 2024-2025 UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow. Black is a graduate student pursuing a Master's in Public Health with a concentration on Community Health at UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, where he utilizes salivary biomarkers and wearable devices to study the relationship between harsh prison environments and health longevity. As an NPI fellow, Black will support efforts to improve food and nutrition security among currently and formerly incarcerated individuals in California. This 10-month fellowship is part of the 2024-2025 UC Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship Program, formerly known as the UC Global Food Initiative, which supports the UC's climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and establishing climate programs and policies centered on equity, sustainability, and resiliency. In addition to working with the NPI Farm to Corrections project team, Black will participate in UC systemwide activities.
- Author: Michael Hsu
Nut orchard hygiene key to control carpophilus beetle, say UCCE, UC Integrated Pest Management experts
Since the first reports of a new almond pest – the carpophilus beetle (Carpophilus truncatus) – came in during fall 2023, it has become clear that the beetle is widely dispersed across the San Joaquin Valley.
“My lab has identified infestations from every county in the San Joaquin Valley; we have found infestations in both almonds and pistachios, and we will likely find infestations in walnuts this fall,” said Houston Wilson, a University of California Cooperative Extension entomology specialist at UC Riverside. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has confirmed the beetle's presence in Stanislaus, Merced, Madera and Kings counties.
Historically a major threat to almond production in Australia, the beetle – as larvae and adults – feeds directly on the nut kernel. In California, some almond growers have lost 10 to 15% of their yield – a “significant economic loss,” according to Jhalendra Rijal, University of California integrated pest management (IPM) advisor for the region. Given the prominence of almonds as a commodity, even a 1% overall reduction statewide represents an approximately $70 million loss.
“This year there has been a lot more reports from PCAs [pest control advisers]; they're sending me the pictures of the damage and beetles,” said Rijal, noting that the increase is likely due to greater awareness of the pest.
To help almond growers identify the carpophilus beetle and develop management plans, Rijal, Wilson and their IPM colleagues have put together a visual ID guide for the beetle and the damage it causes, as well as telltale signs of navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella) and ant damage. In particular, the experts would like PCAs and growers to differentiate between the carpophilus beetle and navel orangeworm, another key pest in almonds.
“Even though their way of causing damage looks more or less similar, we're dealing with two different types of insects,” Rijal explained. “One is a Lepidoptera moth [navel orangeworm], and the other one is a beetle – many of the management practices and biological controls would be different for these two different things.”
To control carpophilus beetle, ‘sanitize, sanitize, sanitize'
One crucial cultural practice for managing both pests, however, is destroying the remnant “mummy” nuts – the nuts that remain in the orchard postharvest. They serve as overwintering habitat for the carpophilus beetle, as well as its sustenance for the next generation of beetles in spring.
“The best way to manage this pest is to do the orchard hygiene – continuing the winter sanitation, destroying the nuts that are on the ground and on the tree and on the berms,” Rijal said.
Based on observations in Australia and locally, carpophilus beetles tend to rely more on mummies on the ground, whereas navel orangeworm generally favors mummies in the tree canopy. Correctly identifying the pest – with help from the new ID guide – enables growers to better target and prioritize their management efforts, Rijal said.
“What we are strongly emphasizing is that growers need to sanitize, sanitize, sanitize to control both pests,” Wilson added.
Correct identification of the pest would also prevent unnecessary application of insecticides, as those used for controlling Lepidoptera such as navel orangeworm would be largely ineffective on the beetle.
Indeed, another insight shared by Australian experts is that the carpophilus beetle cannot be controlled just by insecticide.
“Insecticides are not very efficient, given the cryptic nature of these beetles; exposing these beetles to the insecticide is very hard,” said Rijal, noting that the beetle spends most of its life cycle protected inside the nut.
Reporting carpophilus beetle infestation helps researchers
This harvest season, Rijal advises almond growers to harvest as efficiently as possible, to minimize the number of mummies that need to be cleaned up. And because signs of damage (like damaged hulls and frass) are most obvious during harvest time, Rijal said growers should review the new guide, using the photos and other resources to help identify potential pests.
If the grower or PCA suspects a carpophilus beetle infestation, they should contact the UCCE farm advisor in their area.
Scientists are looking to expand their knowledge about this relatively new pest to California. In the coming weeks, for example, researchers are planning to survey for the carpophilus beetle in the Sacramento Valley.
“Technically it has not been found there, but we suspect that we'll find it this fall when we go looking for it,” Wilson said.
Researchers are also collecting samples from infested orchards to better understand the biology of the species, as well as how it progresses through and responds to seasonal and climactic changes. In addition, they are analyzing data from a trial study of an insecticide that might be used as a supplemental control measure.
“This is our first full season dealing with this insect, and there are still many things we need to understand,” Rijal said. “We are continuing our research efforts on all fronts.”
/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Esther N Lofton
- Author: Amrita Mukherjee
- Author: Grant Johnson
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A 2024 article by Matthew Yoshimoto of The Daily Californian discussed Berkeley's 2014 soda tax, and its presence on the ballot in November 2024. Since its implementation, the soda tax, a 1-cent-per-ounce excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, has had drastic impacts on community health. By 2017, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages decreased by over 50% and water consumption increased by almost 30%. The revenue has funded efforts to improve the nutrition environment in the low-income and minority communities hardest hit by the sugary drinks. NPI's Ken Hecht highlighted that health in Black and Latine communities has especially benefited from the soda tax's direct and indirect effects. The soda tax has also helped in the efforts to combat childhood obesity. According to a study by Kaiser Permanente, cities where the tax is implemented did not show an increase in childhood obesity rates while rates are increasing elsewhere. Berkeley's change has had a positive ripple effect, with cities including Oakland and San Francisco following with their own taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Though the soda tax has had overwhelming support from voters, due to push back from soda companies there are new legislative barriers concerning the tax. While a tax increase is currently not an option for Berkeley, there is hope that in November 2024, voters will consider the positive effects of the soda tax and support its indefinite renewal.
- Author: Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis
El orujo de uvas ayuda también mejora la eficiencia del alimento y la calidad de la leche
Investigadores de la Universidad de California en Davis alimentaron a vacas con una mezcla de alfalfa y orujo de uvas fresco y observaron que las emisiones de metano producidas por el ganado se redujeron en un 10 a 11 por ciento.
El orujo es una sustancia residual del proceso de producción de vinos, que hasta ahora había sido considerado un desecho de esta industria.
Este hallazgo es parte de los resultados preliminares de un proyecto piloto de investigación y ofrece un camino sustentable y a bajo costo para que los viñedos reduzcan sus desechos a la misma vez que ayudan a las operaciones lecheras a mantener la calidad mientras reducen las emisiones de metano, el cual es un gas poderoso de efecto de invernadero.
“Esta es la primera vez que alguien ha demostrado que esto puede funcionar en California”, mencionó Ermias Kebreab, profesor de ciencias animales y decano adjunto de participación global en UC Davis. “Reducimos las emisiones, mejoramos la calidad y podemos también reducir el costo de producción”.
El proyecto piloto de investigación, cuyos resultados serán detallados por escrito más adelante, también reveló que mezclar el orujo de uvas mejora la eficiencia en la alimentación del ganado e incrementa las grasas saludables, indicó Selina Wang, profesora asociada de Extensión Cooperativa en el procesamiento de frutas y verduras a pequeña escala.
“Descubrimos que el alimento con el aditivo del orujo de uvas cambió la composición de ácidos grasos de la leche y, en particular, incrementó las grasas polisaturadas, las cuales son las principales grasas en el orujo de uvas”, explicó Wang. “Esto sugiere que suplementar el alimento con un perfil óptimo de ácidos grasos puede tener un impacto positivo en el perfil de ácidos grasos de la leche e incrementar sus beneficios en la salud”.
¿Productos básicos simbióticos?
En el 2022, California fue el principal productor de lácteos en el país, generando ventas por 10,400 millones de dólares, mientras que el 90 por ciento de la producción vitivinícola provino del Estado Dorado, con un valor comercial de 5,540 millones.
El procesamiento de uvas para vino genera miles de toneladas de desecho en forma de orujo de uvas, el cual incluye las semillas, cáscara y tallos. Las lecherías y el ganado son responsables de más de la mitad de las emisiones de gas metano del estado, debido en gran parte por los eructos de vacas.
Estos son los dos principales productos agrícolas de California, según estadísticas de producción y la reducción de desechos y emisiones para ambas industrias son claves para que el estado cumpla con sus objetivos climáticos.
Taninos para la reducción de emisiones
Las uvas de vino tienen un alto contenido de tanino, al cual se le conoce por su facultad de reducir las emisiones de metano, por lo que Kebreab buscó probar si al agregar orujo de uvas al alimento podría tener un efecto positivo sin afectar adversamente la producción.
“Es un subproducto que no está siendo utilizado mucho”, manifestó el experto. “Es algo que podemos incorporar en nuestros esfuerzos para tratar de reducir las emisiones”.
Mezcla de opciones de alimento
Para realizar la investigación, los científicos trabajaron con las vacas lecheras Holstein y les dieron alimento consistente de alfalfa, trigo, cáscara de almendras, semilla de algodón y granos. Después de dos semanas, las vacas fueron separadas en tres grupos: un grupo de control sin cambio en la dieta, otro al que se le dio alimento combinado incluyendo un 10 por ciento de orujo de uvas y el tercero recibió un 15 por ciento de orujo de uvas.
A los grupos de vacas se les cambiaban las combinaciones de alimento cada cuatro semanas.
Fueron alimentadas dos veces al día por estudiantes de post doctorado y becarios y las emisiones fueron monitoreadas diariamente. La producción de leche fue documentada en la mañana y tarde y muestras de leche fueron tomadas semanalmente para analizar el contenido de grasa, proteína, lactosa y otras medidas, las cuales no mostraron diferencias entre el grupo de control y el resto de los grupos.
Las emisiones de metano e hidrogeno se redujeron comparadas con el grupo de control, sugiriendo que el orujo de uvas redujo emisiones entéricas sin afectar la producción.
“Creo que la industria lechera estará muy interesada en esto”, señaló Kebreab. “Algunas veces cuando se utilizan aditivos, se tienen problemas de palatabilidad. Con el orujo de uva, realmente lo adoran”.
Lo siguiente en la lista es una prueba con el orujo de olivo y trabajar para entender el mecanismo que reduce las emisiones. “Si tenemos un mejor entendimiento de los mecanismos, podemos seleccionar el aditivo para el alimento o una mezcla de aditivos para reducir las emisiones del ganado lechero y producir leche más saludable al mismo tiempo que utilizamos subproductos agrícolas”, dijo Wang. “Hay mucho margen para crecer en este espacio y estamos muy entusiasmados sobre este trabajo”.
La investigación fue apoyada por la Fundación para la Investigación de Lecherías de California.
Este artículo se publicó por primera vez en la página de noticias de UC Davis.
Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes