Ongoing research

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branch dieback on clementine
Topics in Subtropics: Article

Shoot and Twig Dieback of Citrus

April 19, 2017
By Ben A Faber
Recently, an outbreak of shoot and twig dieback disease of citrus has been occurring in the main citrus growing regions of the Central Valley of California (Fig 1).
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Insect Wedding Photography in a Rose Garden

April 18, 2017
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
"I do! I do! I do!" Some of us engage in wedding photography. Not with humans. With insects. All you need is a bride, a groom and ahmmbedroom. That could be a leafy green bedroom in the rose garden where the lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are. Most of the time they're in the kitchen, eating aphids.
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UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

High Prevalence of Bur Buttercup

April 18, 2017
By Gale Perez
The weather pattern this year in the Intermountain Region of Northern California has been radically different from what we have seen the previous 4 years. In most years, high pressure usually moves in periodically sending Pacific cold fronts farther north and giving us periods of warm dry weather.
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A Chance Encounter with an Ichneumon

April 17, 2017
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
So here's this lady beetle patrolling a rosebud. It's early spring--April 15--in Vacaville, Calif.--and our little subject is looking for some tasty aphids. Or perhaps a mate. Oh, a visitor is on my rosebud, heading right toward me.
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SJC and Delta Field Crops: Article

2017 UC Davis Small Grains and Alfalfa Field Day

April 17, 2017
By Michelle M Leinfelder-Miles
The annual UC Davis Small Grains and Alfalfa Field Day will take place on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Agronomy Field Headquarters (2400 Hutchison Drive, Davis, CA 95616). Registration opens at 7:45am, and lunch is provided between the small grains morning program and alfalfa afternoon program.
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kaolin spray

Kaolin Control of Asian Citrus Psyllid

April 17, 2017
By Ben A Faber
Psyllids as a pest group have very few specific predators that can be used in biocontrol. Instead there can be some control by generalist predators, like minute pirate bugs, spiders, lady bug beetles and predatory thrips.
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Can Lady Beetle Larvae Eat Aphids?

April 14, 2017
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Can the larvae of lady beetles (aka ladybugs) eat aphids? Yes, they can. And yes, they do. We spotted some lady beetle larvae on our yellow roses today and guess what they were doing? Right, eating aphids. Eating lots of aphids.
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Bug Squad: Article

Is It an Insect? Find Out at UC Davis Picnic Day

April 13, 2017
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Is it an insect? How can you tell? When the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology participates in the 103rd annual UC Davis Picnic Day on Saturday, April 22, visitors to Briggs Hall and the Bohart Museum of Entomology will learn all about insects.
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SJC and Delta Field Crops: Article

Alfalfa Q&A - Notes from the Field

April 13, 2017
By Michelle M Leinfelder-Miles
To say it has been a strange year would be par for the course. When don't we have a strange year anymore?! To say it has been a wet year, however, would be an understatement.
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avocado flowers

The Remarkable Avocado Flower - It's Here and Now Watch it.

April 13, 2017
By Ben A Faber
Adapted from "The Remarkable Avocado Flower" By Dr. B. O. Bergh Introduction The avocado (Persea americana Mill.) flower behavior is noteworthy in that there is nothing quite like it known in any other plant. The flower has both female and male organs, but they don't function at the same time.
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