University of California Cooperative Extension and the Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center are offering the three day extension course, Advances in Pistachio Production, November 18^th – 20^th, 2014. This extension course sets the standard for UC extension courses with a wide array of farm advisor, specialist and faculty instructors representing decades of experience in California pistachio production. Course topics span the full range of pistachio production including tree biology, orchard establishment, pruning, irrigation, nutrition, pest management, harvest and postharvest.

In addition to lectures covering the essentials of California pistachio production, four new lectures have been added this year to address ‘hot topics' in pistachio production:

• University of California experts will combine a discussion of pistachio biology, with data from new research projects, to present the latest production recommendations for irrigation under saline conditions. Although pistachio is more tolerant of salinity than most tree crops, excess salinity does affect pistachio tree biology and production.
• Everyone knows the feeling of walking into an orchard, or getting last season's grade sheets, and realizing that something is wrong. This is inevitably followed by the question, “How do I fix it?” UC Farm Advisors will provide a new, unique lecture outlining the diagnostic process they use to determine the cause of poor production or tree health.
• Grade sheets are an important tool to measure yield, and understand potential problems in an orchard. UC specialists will review the components of grade sheets in detail, and connect this important postharvest information to future orchard management decisions.
• The success of a pistachio orchard in California is ultimately determined by international markets and exports, even if all other aspects of production are optimal. At the end of the conference experts will present an updated analysis of international markets, and look into the future for pistachio production.

Participants will receive a bound copy of all lecture slides, the recently published Nutrient Deficiency in Pistachio booklet, and exclusive electronic resources.

Advances in Pistachio Production will be held at the Visalia Convention Center on November 18^th – 20^th, 2014.

Enroll now using our online registration survey: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=13178