- Author: Mark E Lundy
2023 UC Davis Small Grains and Alfalfa/Forages Field Day
May 11th, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Supported by the California Crop Improvement Association (CCIA)
Department of Plant Sciences Field Facility, UC Davis
(2400 Hutchison Dr, Davis CA 38.5390, -121.7800)
- Author: Mark E Lundy
Please join us for upcoming field events hosted by University of California Cooperative Extension:
Nutrient Management Alternatives in Small Grains: Research Updates
4/18/2023 from 8:40 to 10:30
On-farm in Solano County
Click here for details and to register
UC Small Grains and Alfalfa/Forages Field Day
- Author: Mark E Lundy
The 2022-23 cropping season got off to a wet start throughout most of California. Across the main small grain growing regions of the state, rainfall is 158% of average to date (Figure 1), with 164% and 197% of average in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, respectively.
Much of this rain came in high volumes over short periods. See for example the seasonal rainfall accumulation for a field in the Yolo County area compared to the historical (Figure 2).
- Author: Sarah Light
- Contributor: Rachael Freeman Long
- Contributor: Michelle Leinfelder-Miles
- Contributor: Mark E Lundy
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Geese have been heavily foraging again in small grains and alfalfa fields this winter. Drought conditions led to heavy geese damage to Sacramento Valley fields in 2021. Why are they feeding heavily on crops again this year? Rice plays an important role in providing foraging habitat for geese. With acreage in the state down by about 50% this past year due to drought conditions, there's not enough feed to sustain them. In addition, feed shortages in the Klamath Basin, a major stopover for geese in their migration south, means more geese are coming into the Sacramento Valley earlier and hungrier, causing them to move out from refuges.
Fortunately, wheat...
- Author: Taylor Nelsen
- Author: Gabriel Rosa
- Author: Justin Merz
- Author: Mark E Lundy
The growth stage of a crop is a critical piece of information for growers and agronomists. For small grain crops like wheat and triticale, many field management decisions are sensitive to the stage of crop development. These include irrigation, fertilizer additions, herbicide and pesticide applications, and harvest timing. In addition, the planting date, the amount and timing of rainfall and/or irrigation, and cumulative seasonal temperatures all impact how rapidly a crop emerges, develops and matures. Because of the extreme variability in winter weather in the state, rates of development for small grain crops in California are not always consistent from year-to-year and farm-to-farm. This can make precision management and planning more...