Holtz receives Almond Technical Achievement Award 

Brent Holtz, UC Cooperative Extension orchard systems advisor, received the 2024 Almond Board of California's Almond Technical Achievement Award on Dec. 11 at the Almond Conference, held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento. 

Recognized as the "Grandfather of Whole Orchard Recycling," Holtz has revolutionized how almond growers approach orchard sustainability. As an alternative to field burning, the farm advisor for San Joaquin County researched shredding orchard prunings, finding multiple benefits. He has championed whole orchard recycling as a method to improve soil health by recycling entire orchards back into the soil before replanting.  

Williams honored for lifetime achievement 

The San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association presented UC Davis Professor Larry Williams with its lifetime achievement award in a Nov. 8 ceremony at the Big Fresno Fairgrounds. Over the course of his 36-year career at UC Davis, Williams, a plant physiologist, helped determine the nitrogen and potassium needs of raisin, table and wine grapes throughout the state. However, he is probably best known for his extensive research on grapevine water use and vineyard irrigation management.

Williams showed that vineyard water use (ETc) can be reliably estimated by multiplying reference evapotranspiration (ETo) by a crop coefficient. Reference ET can be obtained from private or public weather stations, such as the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS). The crop-coefficient (Kc) accounts for crop characteristics that differ from the reference crop, including the type of plant, growth stage and canopy architecture, and is usually determined experimentally.

Read more about Williams's research at https://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/grapes/learning-more-about-optimal-grape-growing-made-in-the-shade.

Linquist named Soil Science Society of America fellow 

The Soil Science Society of America named Bruce Linquist, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, a fellow of the society. The honor recognizes Linquist's leadership and research excellence in cultivation techniques that reduce water use and farmers' expenses in the water-intensive crop of rice. He was recognized at the society's international annual meeting on Nov. 11 in San Antonio, Texas.

Linquist studies sustainability of rice systems, including nutrient management and fertility, the quality of water leaving rice fields and greenhouse gas emissions.

One of Linquist's areas of focus is the benefits of reducing or eliminating the tilling of land. While tilling is a common practice, reduced tillage helps preserve the soil's natural structure, conserves organic matter, boosts beneficial organisms in the soil and makes it more resistant to erosion -- plus, it reduces soil compaction by farm equipment. In addition to reducing tillage costs, farmers can also use less water, an increasingly valuable resource.

“In the near future, I hope to explore no-till in rice systems as an opportunity to reduce water use and input costs,” Linquist said. “I am happy that the work from my lab and of many students is being developed into a recognized climate-smart practice for California rice farmers that could help them with their bottom line.”

Read more about Linquist's work at https://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/news/linquist-sssa-fellow.

Spinelli honored with nursery research award

Gerardo “Gerry” Spinelli, UCCE production horticulture advisor for San Diego County, was recognized bythe Plant California Alliance at the UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance Nursery Conference in Watsonville in October. Spinelli received the 2023 Research Award for his outstanding contributions to the California nursery industry.

His research focuses on water and nitrogen management in horticultural container production, hydroponics and greenhouses. He works with nursery growers to improve the efficiency of irrigation water application, water distribution uniformity and correct scheduling of irrigation events, along with irrigation runoff, storm water management, nitrate and sediment management and erosion control.

Learn more about Spinelli's research and extension program at https://bit.ly/3YReQ0j. 

Niederholzer named Certified Crop Adviser of the Year 

Franz Niederholzer, UC Cooperative Extension orchard systems advisor for Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties, was named this year's Certified Crop Adviser of the Year by the Western Region Certified Crop Advisers. He received the award at the 2024 Crop Consultant Conference, hosted by JCS Marketing Inc. and Western Region Certified Crop Advisers on Sept. 25 and 26 in Visalia.

“It was a surprise and an honor to get that award from a great organization,” said Niederholzer, who specializes in prunes, almonds, pears, apples, cherries, olives, plums, citrus and pomegranates, and studies orchard mineral nutrition, rootstock evaluation, crop load management and airblast spray coverage and drift.

The Certified Crop Adviser of the Year award recognizes a certified crop adviser in the western region of the U.S. who has shown dedicated and exceptional performance as an adviser. The ideal candidate leads others to promote agricultural practices that benefit the farmers and environment in the western region.

Niederholzer served as a member of the WRCCA Board of Directors from 2006 to 2022. While on the board, he served on the WRCCA Testing and Continuing Education Committee, including 10 years as committee chair.