- Author: Trina Kleist, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences
Crisosto and team publish handbook for growing peaches and maintaining quality for canning
In an experimental orchard a few miles west of the UC Davis campus, Thomas Gradziel plucked a nearly ripe nectarine from one of the trees. He whipped out a pocketknife and sliced off juicy chunks for Carlos Crisosto to taste. Both are orchard crops experts in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, and both love peaches.
The two made appreciative sounds as they pulled the fruit's flavor across their palates, discussed how this nectarine variety compared to other varieties, and quickly turned to details of production and orchard management.
Crisosto and Gradziel...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
California Central Coast growers and others now have help estimating costs and potential returns for growing lettuce and broccoli. Four new cost studies for lettuce and broccoli grown in Santa Cruz, San Benito or Monterey counties have been released by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
“These studies provide growers with a baseline to estimate their own costs, which can help when applying for production loans, projecting labor costs, securing market arrangements or understanding costs associated with water and nutrient...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
A study on the costs and returns for growing processing tomatoes has been updated by the University of California, Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and UC Cooperative Extension.
The newly released analysis is based upon a hypothetical well-managed farming operation using sub-surface drip irrigation and farming practices common in the Sacramento Valley and northern Delta. The costs, materials and practices shown in this study will not apply to all farms.
The cost study is authored by Brenna Aegerter, UCCE farm advisor for San Joaquin County; Patricia Lazicki, UCCE farm advisor for Yolo,...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Long's research on crops, pollination and pest control guided farming practices in Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties
Rachael Freeman Long grew up in Berkeley but was fascinated by farming. The UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor has spent the past 37 years doing research on crop production, pollination and pest control and collaborating with farmers.
Long worked with UCCE in Sonoma and San Joaquin counties as well as at UC Berkeley, before settling in Yolo County as a farm advisor in 1992. She has focused on field crops including alfalfa hay and other forages, dry beans, and hybrid seed crops such as sunflowers, melons and onions.
She...
- Author: Saoimanu Sope
Historically, date palms are grown along riverbeds or in areas with groundwater because they require an abundance of water to produce a good crop. Unlike lettuce or table grapes, date palms are deceptive in that they do not immediately wilt if underwatered. Eventually, however, the lack of water hurts yields and fruit quality.
The default for date growers is to apply excessive water, but doing so is neither economically nor environmentally sound. To help growers, Ali Montazar, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties, has developed knowledge that...
