- Author: Cris L. Johnson
The latest issue has recently been posted on our website and features articles on:
Caution on Free "Compost/Mulch." This article by UC San Diego Cooperative Extension advisor Dr. Gary Bender offers a warning to growers on accepting free or very inexpensive mulch or compost. Improper practices can turn a great deal into a breeding ground for pests and plant disease.
Oriental Fruit Fly Affects Green Waste Movement in Southern California. UC Ventura County Cooperative Extension advisor Dr. Ben Faber adds to the disussion on green waste and how the Oriental Fruit Fly, Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer, Asian Citrus Psyllid and other harmful pests can be spread through recycled green waste.
Olive Tree Phenology. UC Tulare County Cooperative Extension advisor Elizateth Fichtner and UC Riverside Professor Carol Lovatt report on the relationship of fruit load to vegetative growth and return bloom.
Training and Pruning of Cherimoya. A Santa Barbara County cherimoya grower provides some hands-on advice on handling these trees.
High Density Avocado Installation: Use a quick cost study to make a decision. Dr. Gary Bender follows up on a previous "Topics in Subtropics" article with some useful cost estimates for high density avocados.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Pesticides. Tunyalee Martin with the UC Statewide IPM Project summarizes California Department of Pesticide Regulation's online VOC information.
Read the full articles from this newsletter or check out other issues of Topics in Subtropics here.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
Once a tree has been infected by the psyllid that carries and transfers the huanglongbing (HLB) bacteria to the tree there has been no alternative but to quarantine the infected area and destroy the tree. To complicate the issue further, the disease can lie dormant and be difficult to detect as the infection spreads from tree to tree.
Efforts to control the psyllid through pesticides have been ineffective and while quarantines have helped raise awareness and slowed some of the spread, a viable weapon to combat this invasive pest has been unavailable until recently.
Mark Hoddle, director at the Center for Invasive Species Research at UC Riverside, has been experimenting with a tiny parasitic wasp, Tamarixia radiata, that feeds on and kills the psyllid. After a series of tightly controlled and successful tests, the wasps have been released on infected sites and have been effective in reducing the psyllid population. There is no danger to pets or humans and the release program has been approved by the Department of Agriculture.
To learn more about this effort, please see the UC Riverside Newsroom article.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
Spider mites are a major recurring pest of strawberry. If left untreated, these pests will infest fields, decrease yield and eventually kill your plants. Several methods are available to help control spider mites on strawberry including biological control (i.e., predatory mites) and miticides. Watch this video to learn more about spider mites in strawberry and their control:
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
Join Ventura County strawberry growers at the 12th Annual Strawberry Production Meeting!
Strawberries are the largest crop grown in Ventura County and represent millions in revenues to the area. UC Ventura County Cooperative Extension advisor Dr. Oleg Daugovish sponsors this event every year to update the public and county growers on the latest in strawberry research. The meeting will feature agricultural experts who will speak on topics relevant to strawberry production in Ventura County.
Time: 7:30 (registration); 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location:
Freedom Center
516 Eubanks Rd.
Camarillo, CA
Event is free, no cost to public and includes lunch and refreshments.
In English and in Spanish
Continuous education credits have been requested from the Department of Pesticide Regulation and VCAILG credits from the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
Anna Howell, UC Ventura County Cooperative Entension's staff researcher and entomologist, will join UC advisors and California agricultural experts for a "Mite Pest Management in Strawberry" meeting in Salinas, California.
Presentations include management of destructive mites, chemical and alternative options for control and identification of mites.
Speakers will also focus on the two-spotted spider mite and Lewis Mite. Anna Howell has been part of a research project studying the Lewis Mite which has been known to cause damage in strawberry and raspberry crops. The two-spotted spider mite causes damage to strawberry in coastal areas.
Growers interested in attending:
Date: Thursday, June 27, 2013
Time: 7:30 am to 11:00 am
Location:
UC Cooperative Extension Augitorium
1432 Abbott Street
Salinas, CA
Contact: Dr. Shimat Joesph, (831) 759-7359 or svjoseph@ucdavis.edu
View the agenda here.