Southern California wind storm damages crops

Avocado fruit with mechanical injury from wind causing fruit abrasion.

If guacamole seems extra expensive come Super Bowl Sunday, it's because of the dry windy weather during the past several days, reported Craig Fiegener of NBC News in Los Angeles. Fiegener reported from UC Riverside and spoke to UC Cooperative Extension subtropical horticulture specialist Peggy Mauk.

Wind is no friend to the avocado industry. Prolonged and dry wind will damage trees and fruit. Citrus trees face the same threat, Mauk said.

"The plant starts making choices where the water needs to go, and the fruit, they're already getting close to maturity, they'll go ahead and drop," according to Mauk.

Posted on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 9:34 AM

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