Orchardgrass reduced vine growth, but did not increase vine yield; it lowered some insect and nematode populations.

Sutter and Yuba almond growers report crow damage inflicts a 3 to 4% production loss.

When sprinkler angle is set low, less water reaches the tree canopy, reducing spore release and dispersal.

Nonlegumes grown as cover crops during the rainy fallow season reduced leachable nitrate in lettuce fields.

Polyacrylamides provide economic benefits and reduce pesticide residues carried by irrigation runoff into the San Joaquin River.

Research reveals widely varying costs associated with different methods of rice straw disposal.

Some pest control practices in the nursery may be unnecessary, according to a UC Davis Arboretum study.

Division scientists have charted a wide range of research “firsts.”

With whitefly-associated cotton defoliation, a new test for early diapause in pink bollworm gains added importance.

Although increased use of contractors has held down labor costs, contractor abuses seem to be rising.

Treeshelters fostered height increases for both container-grown ornamentals and transplanted redwood seedlings.

Surveys in the Yosemite-Mariposa region indicate poverty is the chief cause of inadequate nutrition.

In addition to changes in demand, the rice industry is facing changes in environmental regulation, price supports and trade policy.

Experiments reveal comparative digestibility of both common and relatively new feedstuffs.

Encapsulized copper needles administered in cattle feed proved as effective as copper injections.

Municipal sewage sludge — whether heat-dried or amended with Eucalyptus and composted — proved beneficial to crop growth.

In some Southern California farms, water distribution uniformity was low, adding to water and energy costs.

In commercial areas catering to shoppers and outdoor diners, effective biological control of BVW is preferable to chemical.

Codling moth flight activity is greatest in tree tops; pheromone traps and dispensers should be placed in the upper canopy.

Treatments should occur when the largest number of crawlers appears on twigs.

California small farms are on the rise – contrary to trends nationwide.

Family-owned small farms generate numerous benefits to agriculture and society, but also face economic challenge.

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The most conspicuous characteristic of agriculture in San Diego's coastal north is not the farms. It is urban encroachment. Housing developments. Golf courses. Shopping centers.

Pre-dawn floor temperatures in an almond orchard were highest when no ground cover was present unless the soil surface was previously dried by strong winds.

Four lines of evidence suggest “sweetpotato whitefly strain b” is a species, not a strain; it has been renamed “silverleaf whitefly.”

Due to cooler temperatures in the San Joaquin, silverleaf whitefly populations will probably not reach levels recorded in the Imperial Valley.

Polyethylene tarps controlled bermudagrass and johnsongrass at Central Valley and near-coastal sites.

The resistant parasite is ready for practical use, and is available at a commercial insectary.

Researchers found possible errors as large as 25% in estimates of groundwater flow to the San Joaquin River.

Early exposure to ewes improves the sexual performance of rams in tests measuring mating competence.

To minimize risk of wheat injury and to maximize yields, the optimal time to apply postemergence herbicides is at the tillering growth stage.

California beekeepers can learn from Mexican beekeepers how to deal with Africanized bees and maintain effective crop pollination.

Improvements in growth or yield were occasionally seen in Enzone-treated vines that were severely affected by phylloxera.

Computer-processed aerial images help growers manage for crop uniformity and identify weak areas of vineyards.

Organic farming is conservatively estimated to be a $75 million industry in California, producing more than 70 commodities.

Crew workers can enhance their wages with piece-rate pay, but many prefer hourly pay.

New strains of root-knot nematodes have been attacking tomato plants containing the Mi gene, which were once resistant to the pest.

Latino-Americans showed improved nutrition knowledge and food-buying and preparation practices after listening to nutrition lessons on Spanish-language radio.

A model that relates pink bollworm de; velopment to a thermal scale predicts the cotton pest's emergence based on accumulated heat units.

The pest control benefits of metamsodium must be weighed against added fertilizer costs needed to offset the loss of mycorrhizae.

Grass vigor was reduced by some herbicides, particularly the ones that best controlled weeds, but most had minimal effects.

A field experiment showed that organophosphate systemics fail to control adelgids on Douglas fir Christmas trees, but a newly registered systemic insecticide is highly effective.

Deep-plowing may change the distribution of soilborne sclerotia, ultimately resulting in higher disease incidence in subsequent lettuce crops.

Consumers are concerned about their health and weight, but do not always follow through on meal-time practices to lower dietary fat and increase fiber.

By composting kitchen scraps and yard trimmings, trained home composters reduced their garbage by 18.3% — about six 32-gallon garbage cans per house-hold per year.

A “vegetation index” calculated from aerial photos can reveal differences in plant growth and health that could be useful for site-specific management within a field.

Field-monitoring methods can be used to make decisions about preharvest fungicide sprays and when to market and ship kiwifruit.

Almond trees are susceptible throughout the year to infection by the fungus Ceratocystis.

Internal browning of Fuji apples during postharvest storage varied from year to year, but incidence and severity were lower in fruit harvested within 180 days after bloom or stored in low-CO₂ atmospheres.

Cooperative Extension must find alterna tive ways of reaching growers as fewer resources become available to support traditional extension methods.

Native blue oak seedlings less than 6 inches tall could be 15 years old.

An Australian wasp is highly efficient at finding and parasitizing eggs of the eucalyptus longhorned borer, which is killing eucalyptus trees.

Policies to conserve hardwood range-lands will be more effective if developed locally.

Crop type, topography and soil type appear to be major considerations in making irrigation technology choices.

Nitrates from different sources have different nitrogen isotope ratios.

Using a low/correct inflation pressure for radial ply tractor tires can save significant time and money and reduce soil compaction.

All of the cauliflower cultivars tested, both commercially available and experimental selections, were susceptible to the disease Verticillium wilt.

Growers list reliability of labor source and reduced recordkeeping among reasons for using farm labor contractors.

Thinning small understory trees, which act as fuel ladders into the crowns of larger trees, may prevent uncontrollable wildfires.

With ripple effects, urban forestry accounted for at least $3.8 billion in total sales annually, as well as $2.1 billion in income to individuals, and 64,000 jobs.