Matthew Fatino

Matthew Fatino is the Cooperative Extension Subtropical Crops advisor in San Diego and Riverside counties. His background is in horticulture and agronomy with formal training as a weed scientist in both row and tree crops. Matthew received a BS in Fruit and Crop Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, working in the orchards on campus and as a research assistant on campus and with an agricultural chemical company on the Central Coast. He continued his research career at University of California, Davis, where he received an MSc and PhD in Horticulture and Agronomy with an emphasis in weed science. He briefly worked as a post-doctoral researcher at UC Davis before starting his position with UC ANR. 

Matthew’s graduate research focused on developing a management program for the invasive parasitic weed branched broomrape in California processing tomatoes. His research evaluated existing herbicide programs from around the globe, refined new programs for use under California cropping conditions, as well as developed cultural methods for reducing branched broomrape attachment in-season. As a part of his dissertation work, Matthew collaborated with chemical companies and tomato industry partners on providing data needed to successfully acquire a 24(c) Special Local Need label for chemigated rimsulfuron in tomatoes for branched broomrape control. In addition to his dissertation research, Matthew conducted numerous herbicide screenings and evaluations in tree and vines crops throughout the Central Valley of California. He has worked with almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pomegranates, winegrapes, olives, and agave grown for spirit production. He has worked extensively with the USDA IR4 program to generate registration support data for specialty crops grown in California, with the goal of giving growers additional tools to manage weeds and other pests within their operations. 

Matthew is continuing his work with the USDA IR4 program evaluating a range of pesticides in various subtropical crops in his region. He hopes that the data generated from these studies can help register new tools for use in the multitude of different specialty crops grown in San Diego and Riverside counties. Matthew’s research and extension program will continue to focus on pest management as well as general production of avocados, citrus, dates, and other subtropical crops that his stakeholders produce. He is currently working with PCA’s, growers, and grove managers to get a pulse on the needs of the industry in Southern California and using this information to guide the development of his research program. 

Matthew is developing his extension program already, and enjoys speaking to a diverse group of audiences about weed management in various subtropical cropping systems, both conventional and organic, and making farm calls with producers. Engaging with stakeholders is why Matthew chose this job, and he looks forward to continuing to serve subtropical crop producers in Southern California. 

Matthew can be reached by his email, mfatino@ucanr.edu.