Calag Archive

In recent years there have been some exciting successes using deep-placement, high-dosage soil fumigation to produce flourishing grapevines where previous crops have failed due to nematodes. Replanting new grapevines on their own roots in nematode infested soils can be disastrous because nematode attacks may destroy the developing root systems, restrict plant vigor, and reduce potential yields. In extreme cases young vines are stunted by nematodes and never develop sufficient vigor to produce a full crop.

If jojoba could be pruned to resemble tree-like plants recently found growing wild in Baja California, nuts could be harvested with existing equipment, making commercial jojoba plantations economically feasible.

From 40 to 90 percent of the mature lemon fruit on young close-set or trellis-grown trees have been removed mechanically by a grape harvester in 3 years of field trials in Ventura County. Abscission chemicals to loosen the fruit and growth inhibitors to retard the tree foliage proved helpful.

Two applications of sulfur dust at 35 or 40 pounds per acre gave good control of sugar beet powdery mildew and was superior to Benomyl, wettable sulfur, cupric hydroxide, or three proprietary fungicides. None of the materials was phytotoxic.