- Author: Ben A Faber
UC Ag Experts Talk: Avocado Pests and their Management in California
Date: September 4, 2024
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Contact: Cheryl Reynolds, creynolds@ucanr.edu
Sponsor: UC Ag Experts Talk
Event Details
In this webinar, Dr. Ben Faber, University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, will distinguish between biological and environmental disorders in California avocados. Insect pests that will be discussed include avocado thrips, caterpillar pests, avocado lace bugs, brown garden snails, and other insects that cause damage almost every year somewhere in the state.
One DPR CE unit (other), one CCA CE unit (IPM), and one WC-ISA CE unit are approved.
Event Reminder
![avocado thrips leaf feeding twisting avocado thrips leaf feeding twisting](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108340.jpg)
![avocado thrips avocado thrips](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108341.jpg)
- Author: Luis A Espino
It is time again for the Rice Diseases Survey. The objective of the Survey is to document the incidence of rice diseases in Sacramento Valley rice fields so that the Air Resources Board agrees to continue to allow the rice industry to burn up to 25% of the acreage. Every five years, the Board has to re-approve the straw burning program. One of the reasons for letting growers still burn is disease control. Therefore, it is important to show that diseases are still present in rice fields. This is the third Rice Diseases Survey Cooperative Extension is conducting. The first was in 2014 and the second in 2019.
A crew of four to five will be stopping in random fields in the major rice producing counties and inspecting for the presence of diseases in 30 sites in each field. We will look for stem rot, aggregate sheath spot, kernel smut, and blast. The precise location of each inspected field won't be disclosed, only the general location and County.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact me at laespino@ucanr.edu or 530-635-6234.
- Author: Pam S Kan Rice
Los productores de zarzamoras de la costa central de California podrán calcular el costo y potencial rendimiento de sus cultivos, gracias a un nuevo estudio que dieron a conocer recientemente investigadores de la Universidad de California.
El estudio fue preparado por la División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de UC, Extensión Cooperativa de UC y el Departamento de Agricultura y Economía de Recursos de UC Davis.
“El estudio proporciona a los agricultores con una referencia para calcular sus propios costos, lo cual puede asistirles en la solicitud de préstamos para producción, proyectar el costo de mano de obra, garantizar acuerdos comerciales o entender los costos asociados con el manejo de agua y nutrientes y programas regulatorios”, mencionó Brittney Goodrich, especialista de Extensión Cooperativa de UC y coautora del estudio.
El estudio sobre costos modela un escenario sobre la administración de una granja de 30 acres, 15 de las cuales se encuentran plantadas con zarzamoras. En el resto de la superficie se cultivan otras bayas o se utilizan para el sistema de riego, caminos y edificios. Los autores describen las prácticas culturales usadas en el establecimiento, la producción y cosecha de las zarzamoras, incluyendo la preparación y fertilidad de la tierra, control de plagas, riego y mano de obra necesaria.
El estudio de 28 páginas muestra el costo para cada operación, insumos materiales y costos y gastos generales en efectivo y no efectivo en una variedad de formatos para el establecimiento de un año y luego para una producción de cuatro años adicionales. También se incluye un análisis de alcance para los cuatros años de producción y muestra ganancias y pérdidas potenciales en un rango de precios y rendimientos.
El nuevo estudio, titulado “2024 Sample Costs to Establish, Produce and Harvest Blackberries” (Ejemplos de costos para establecer, producir y cosechar zarzamoras, 2024) puede ser descargado en el sitio web del Departamento de Agricultura y Economía de Recursos de UC Davis en https://coststudies.ucdavis.edu.
Para una explicación detallada de las asunciones y cálculos usados para estimar los costos y rendimientos potenciales, los lectores pueden referirse a la porción de narrativa del estudio.
En este sitio web también puede encontrar ejemplos sobre el costo de producción de muchos otros productos básicos cultivados en California.
Para más información, puede contactar a Mark Bolda, asesor agrícola de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California, en mpbolda@ucanr.edu o a Jeremy Murdock del Departamento de Agricultura y Economía de Recursos de UC Davis, en jmmurdock@ucdavis.edu.
Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes
- Author: Mary Connolly
“My Orb Spider friend” was in a Sacramento Digs newsletter last year when I first read about Orb spiders. Before reading the article, I had mistakenly assumed the ones I had seen were poisonous. I had recently learned what a black widow spider looked like, and we have a lot around our house, so all webs were considered fair game for extermination. I had walked into some webs that spanned impressive distances: between Rose of Sharon bushes six feet apart, across the back walkway from citrus tree to a raised wall, across Smoke Trees. Fortunately, the spiders did not land on me. Now, I admire the beautiful webs spun in such an intricate and strong pattern that Charlotte and Wilbur would approve of. It is fun to show my grandchildren the webs and the insects that have been caught and bundled. The spiders themselves, now that I know they are friendly, are also fun to observe. Up close, their markings look ferocious; from far away, they blend into the landscape. I have become much more aware to look for them before I go down a path, or water the cherry tomatoes in the garden bed that has a small pomegranate tree next to them. I have noticed that they like to anchor on trees or plants that have slender protuberances, like redwood needles or the pomegranate thorns. That said, one guy, or gal, had the audacity to spin a web right across the door frame of one the sheds in the side yard. Thankfully I saw it, at eye level, or I would have been wearing it. I gently loosened one side of the web and the spider moved with haste on the web to the side of the door and curled up, or whatever spiders do to hide. I wouldn't exactly say that I am having a similar experience to “My Octopus Teacher” (sweet documentary from 2020), but my Orb Spider friends have certainly enriched my outdoor time and added to my overall garden knowledge!
![photo by Mary Connolly photo by Mary Connolly](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108467.png)
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.