- Author: Carolle Juliano
If you live in the California Central Valley and fancy yourself a summer vegetable gardener, you've probably tried your hand at growing tomatoes. And that's all types of tomatoes, from slicers, to cherries to heirlooms to beefsteak. After all, our neighboring city and state capitol is nicknamed “Sacratomato” for a reason. In years past, the hot summer air of Davis was heavy with the scent of processed tomatoes from the Hunt Wesson Cannery and street intersections were marked with red orbs spilled from the open-topped transport trucks.
Times do change, however. The cannery is gone and the number of commercial tomato fields has diminished. But home gardeners persist in their pursuit of the perfect tomato, however vexing and challenging the current environment is. With temperatures reaching triple digits regularly and for extended periods during our summers, “full sun” has taken on a damaging effect. Case in point, my 'Fourth of July' indeterminate tomato plant.
Most of its fruit show signs of solar yellowing caused by high temperatures (above 85 degrees F) accompanied by high light intensity. The normal red coloring of a tomato is lycopene. This fails to form at 86 degrees F, leaving carotene, which is either yellow or orange, as the sole fruit coloring.
But if you look closer, beyond the discoloration, you'll notice something else. Look at the flattened, whitish area on the top of the lower right tomato. That's radiation damage caused by intense sunlight. In actuality, it's sunburned or “sunscalded”. Left exposed to more sun, the skin will deteriorate further to become paper thin and vulnerable to bacteria or fungi.
Once the damage is done, there is no remedy. Fortunately, if no pathogen has set claim, the fruit is still edible with the scalded portions removed.
So what can be done to prevent future sunburn since scientific models predict an ever-increasing heat index? To start, backyard gardeners can be selective regarding the tomato varieties they choose. For example, I now know that the 'Fourth of July' is a small-leafed plant unable to fully shade its fruit. Next year, I'll look for plant varieties with broader leaves and more shade potential. That might include 'Celebrity' or 'Champion' varieties, both on the UCCE Master Gardeners of Yolo recommended list.
On the other hand, Sungolds (growing next to the suffering 'Fourth of July' plant) seem to thrive in high temperatures and full sun exposure, producing consistent, sweet fruit. Or perhaps it's time to move the veggie garden to a different part of the yard with an easterly exposure, which would afford plenty of sunshine but avoid the harshest part of the afternoon heat. Another option might be moveable pots.
However, this year, I've opted for a different approach. Welcome to my tomato resort where tomatoes have it “made in the shade” cool ??.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Born in Tonbridge, England, but a resident of Canada since 1945, Jeremy received his bachelor's degree in zoology, with honors, from the University of Western Ontario in 1969, and his doctorate in entomology and ecology from North Carolina State University in 1972. He served as a professor at Western Ontario from 2004 until his death.
"Jeremy died as he lived, tenacious and determined to the last--qualities that served him well as he blazed a trail through life," according to his obituary in Legacy.com. "He was recognised internationally as an eminent research scientist, publishing hundreds of papers, holding many positions of distinction and receiving countless accolades and awards. These include, among many others, President of the Royal Society of Canada, the Humboldt Research Fellowship in Germany, and the Order of Canada for his services to education. He was a passionate and enthusiastic educator his whole life, an ambassador equally at ease with everyone from VIPs to children."
"He received several national awards for his outreach activities, often saying the publication that he was most proud of was What is an Insect?, a children's book he co-wrote with Let's Talk Science which has been translated into five languages, and is used as a teaching aid in schools across Canada."
The professor, fondly nicknamed "The Bug Man," treasured his 500 (plus) insect-themed T-shirts, his favorite attire. One of them was "The Beetles," the all-time best seller designed and sold by the UC Davis Entomology Graduate Student Association. Mimicking The Beatles (George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon) crossing Abbey Road in a single file, the t-shirt depicts four beetles sauntering across the road. Beneath each beetle image is the family name: Phengogidae, Curculionidae, Cerambycidae and Scarabaeidae. Think glowworm beetles, snout beetles, long-horned beetles and scarab beetles.
"If you look closely," we wrote in a Bug Squad blog posted Dec. 4, 2023, "these UC Davis beetles are all wearing clothes--maybe designer clothes designed just for them? Three are barefoot, and one, the long-horned beetle, is wearing shoes. EGSA records don't indicate who designed The Beetles, but it's a keeper. It never fails to draw smiles. (EGSA sells this t-shirt and others at https://ucdavisentgrad.square.site.)
But back to Jeremy O'Neil and his love of insect-themed T-shirts. On July 26, his friend and colleague, UC Davis distinguished professor Walter Leal, recently elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences, posted an image on X (formerly Twitter) of McNeil wearing his UC Davis Beetles T-shirt. "Jeremy McNeil (Nov. 20, 1944 – July 18, 2024) had 500+ entomology-themed T-shirts, but this is--without a doubt--the number one! I am slightly biased because I like beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, not because I'm a @ucdavis faculty of course."
According to Legacy.com, all of McNeil's t-shirts will be "catalogued and sold to raise money for charity."
Jeremy Nichol McNeil would have loved that--but maybe not quite as much as he loved entomology and inspiring others to learn about insect science.
![This screen shot of a tweet by UC Davis distinguished professor Walter Leal shows Jeremy Nichol McNeil wearing a UC Davis T-shirt, This screen shot of a tweet by UC Davis distinguished professor Walter Leal shows Jeremy Nichol McNeil wearing a UC Davis T-shirt,](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108096.png)
- Author: DIANA CERVANTES
A menudo subestimamos el impacto del humo de los incendios forestales, pero su efecto en la salud pública es significativo y creciente, especialmente en California. A continuación, te ofrecemos una guía rápida para protegerte a ti y a tu familia del humo de estos incendios.
La División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de la Universidad de California (UC ANR) ha producido una serie de videos e información relevante sobre los incendios y los efectos dañinos del humo. ¿Sabías que el humo de los incendios forestales es una mezcla compleja de compuestos químicos, como dióxido de carbono, vapor de agua y partículas finas, conocidas como PM2.5? Estas partículas pueden penetrar profundamente en los pulmones y causar problemas de salud graves. La exposición al humo de los incendios forestales está en aumento, por lo que es crucial estar preparado para protegerte y proteger a tu familia.
¿Qué es la Calidad del Aire?
La calidad del aire se refiere a la cantidad de contaminantes presentes en el aire que respiramos. Durante los incendios forestales, esta calidad puede deteriorarse rápidamente debido al aumento de partículas finas (PM2.5) y otros compuestos químicos en el humo. Comprender cómo se mide la calidad del aire y qué significan esos valores es fundamental para tomar medidas efectivas y salvaguardar nuestra salud.
Recomendaciones del Centro para el Control de Enfermedades (CDC)
El CDC aconseja a las personas con problemas pulmonares o cardíacos que tomen medidas adicionales, ya que son los grupos más vulnerables a los efectos del humo.
Medidas para mantener la calidad del aire
Las quemas prescritas son una herramienta importante para manejar los riesgos de incendios forestales y minimizar su impacto en la calidad del aire. Estas quemas controladas se realizan bajo condiciones específicas, ayudando a prevenir incendios forestales extremos y reduciendo así la cantidad de humo producido.
Consejos prácticos para protegerse del humo:
- Permanece en interiores: Mantén las ventanas y puertas cerradas para evitar que el humo entre en tu hogar.
- Usa purificadores de aire: Los purificadores de aire con filtros HEPA pueden ayudar a reducir la cantidad de partículas finas en el aire interior.
- Usa mascarillas adecuadas: Si necesitas salir, usa una mascarilla N95 que se ajuste bien para filtrar las partículas finas.
Monitoreo de la calidad del aire:
- Utiliza aplicaciones y sitios web como AirNow y PurpleAir para monitorear la calidad del aire en tiempo real y ajustar tus actividades según sea necesario.
Efectos Inmediatos en la Salud:
- Tos
- Dificultad para respirar normalmente
- Ardor en los ojos
- Irritación en la garganta
- Moqueo
- Irritación de los senos paranasales
- Sibilancias y dificultad para respirar
- Dolor de pecho
- Dolores de cabeza
- Ataques de asma
- Cansancio
- Latidos cardíacos acelerados
Posibles efectos a largo plazo:
La exposición repetida al humo de los incendios forestales puede tener efectos a largo plazo en la salud, como el desarrollo de enfermedades respiratorias crónicas, problemas cardiovasculares y una mayor susceptibilidad a infecciones respiratorias.
Recursos adicionales:
- Author: Ben A Faber
- Author: Hamutahl Cohen
On July 30th the Queensland Fruit Fly (Qfly) quarantine was lifted in Ventura County. Qfly is part of the Tephritidae family of flies.
The Tephritidae are one of two fly families referred to as fruit flies, the other family being the Drosophilidae. Drosophila melanogaster is the fruit fly of famous biological studies to figure out how cells and genetics work. Tephritidae contain most of the flies that cause economic damage to crops because some feed on living tissue, they go after fresh fruit. To distinguish them from the Drosophilidae, the Tephritidae are sometimes called peacock flies, in reference to their elaborate and colorful markings. The Artichoke fruit fly (Terellia fuscicornis) has a limited diet, going after artichoke and presumably other thistles, so it's impact is small unless you are an artichoke grower. Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii ) which goes after soft fruits like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries can be a major economic problem, but generally Drosophilidae feed on pollen and rotting material. They are generally nuisance flies.
Some Tephritidae have negative effects, some positive. Various species of fruit flies cause damage to fruit and other plant crops. The genus Bactrocera is of worldwide notoriety for its destructive impact on agriculture. The olive fruit fly (B. oleae), for example, feeds on only one plant: the wild or commercially cultivated olive, Olea europaea. It has the capacity to ruin 100% of an olive crop by damaging the fruit. Bactrocera dorsalis is another highly invasive pest species that damages tropical fruit, vegetable, and nut crops.Euleia heraclei is a pest of celery and parsnips. The genus Anastrepha includes several important pests, notably A. grandis, A. ludens (Mexican fruit fly), A. obliqua, and A. suspensa. Other pests are Strauzia longipennis, a pest of sunflowers and a pest of blueberries. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=60063
Another notorious agricultural pest is the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, Ceratitis capitata, which is responsible for millions of dollars' worth in expenses by countries for control and eradication efforts, in addition to costs of damage to fruit crops. Similarly, the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni) is responsible for more than $28.5 million in damage to Australian fruit crops a year. This species lays eggs in a wide variety of unripe fruit hosts, causing them to rot prior to ripening. The Tau fruit fly (Bactrocera tau) or pumpkin fruit fly, goes after melons and other cucurbits like cucumbers and squash. The oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) has been seen in more than 200 kinds of fruit and nut plants.
Med, Mex, Oriental and Tau have all been in the news lately because of quarantines to contain their spread. The bulk of fruit flies, though don't pose a threat to agriculture, including all 1,500 species of Drosophilidae and the 5,000 species of Tephritidae.
Artichoke Fruit Fly - a drosophila
Tau Fruit Fly - a tephritid