Field Crops

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Upcoming Field Days Featuring California Small Grain Cropping Systems

April 7th, 2025
By Mark E Lundy
 Save the dates!There are two upcoming opportunities to attend field days and learn about current work related to small grain crops in California:Thursday, April 10, 10AM – 12PM, Fresno State Center for Irrigation TechnologyFresno State will be hosting a Field Day this coming Thursday, 4/10 in…
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Stem nematodes are visible under a dissecting microscope emerging from an alfalfa stem.
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Alfalfa Stem Nematode

April 2nd, 2025
By Michelle M Leinfelder-Miles, Mick M Canevari
A crop consultant brought in some stunted, seedling alfalfa plants and asked us to help identify the problem. The plants came from a field in the southwest part of San Joaquin County that was only planted about three months ago. After looking at them under the dissecting microscope, we came to the conclusion…
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Alfalfa

Alfalfa is an important crop in California and the Delta. California ranks first in alfalfa production nationwide, and in the Delta, alfalfa is one of the top three crops by acreage, occupying approximately 10 percent of the land area.
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Dry Beans

California farmers grow a variety of dry beans, including baby and large limas, blackeyes, kidneys, and garbanzos, among others. Variety development, pest management, irrigation, and fertility are important production considerations.
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Small Grains

Small grains are important crops in the Delta because they provide a winter rotation and generally have salinity tolerance. Variety selection, nitrogen fertility, and pest management are important considerations for small grains production.
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Corn and Sorghum

Corn is one of the leading crops in the Delta by acreage. While most of the corn grown in California is for silage, most of the corn grown in the Delta is for grain.
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Rice

Most of California's rice is grown in the Sacramento Valley, but production also occurs in the Delta region. Certain challenges, like cooler in-season conditions, and opportunities, like sequestering carbon in muck soils, are unique to Delta rice production.
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