Past webinars - other topics

As webinars are completed, we post recordings on YouTube for future study and sharing with others. Continuing education units are not available for recorded webinars. Only participants of live webinars receive credits.

Management of Lygus Bugs in Strawberry by Mark Bolda (June 5, 2024)

• Mark Bolda discussed the biology and damage of lygus bugs in strawberry crops and explained the seriousness of the problem with some estimates causing an annual loss of 20% statewide. He covered their relationship to strawberry, including the role of the surrounding environment on lygus bug severity. Traditional management and advances in managing lygus were also discussed, including effectiveness of bug vacs, biological controls, pheromones, and chemical control. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Alfalfa Insects and Their Management in California by Michael Rethwisch (March 13, 2024)

• Michael Rethwisch discussed damage and control of alfalfa weevils, including insecticide resistance. He spoke about aphid species affecting California alfalfa production and mentioned effects on yield and quality and control measures including biologicals. Also discussed were caterpillar pests, including information on new pests in California. Finally other insects that cause damage almost every year somewhere in the state were discussed. This included western flower thrips, spider mites, and blister beetles. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Branched Broomrape: A Parasitic Weed Threat to the Tomato Industry by Dr. Brad Hanson (November 8, 2023)

• Dr. Brad Hanson discussed branched broomrape, a parasitic weed currently classified in California as an “A” pest, an organism of known economic importance subject to California State enforced action involving eradication, quarantine regulation, containment, rejection, or other holding action. He discussed the establishment and spread of branched broomrape in California tomato production regions and the potentially severe consequences for individual growers and for the entire tomato industry. Regulatory and quarantine status and management updates were also provided. (Presentation slides in PDF format)
  

Decision Thresholds: The Fatal Attraction at the Heart of IPM by Dr. Neil McRoberts (September 20, 2023)

• Dr. Neil McRoberts discussed economic thresholds and how they have been a cornerstone of IPM since the development of the concept of integrated management. He provided a refresher to the basic ideas underlying the use of thresholds and then took a different perspective on the subject which raised some interesting questions about the validity of the generally accepted ideas about what thresholds do.

Management of Voles, Rats, and Mice in Agricultural Fields by Dr. Roger Baldwin (October 26, 2022)

• Dr. Baldwin discussed the management of voles, rats, and mice in agricultural fields with a particular emphasis on an IPM approach. He covered a variety of management tools including biocontrol, habitat modification, trapping, rodenticides, and fumigants. (Presentation slides in the PDF format)

Weed Control in Non-Crop and Natural Areas with Research Highlights from the Intermountain Region by Thomas Getts (September 7, 2022)

• Thomas Getts discussed the fundamentals of utilizing an integrated management approach for weed management outside of cropping systems, including tools for plant identification, principles of weed biology and cultural techniques, various chemical and non-chemical control techniques, and how they can be utilized alone or in combination to achieve management objectives. (Presentation slides in the PDF format)

Weed Management in California Rice - Current Research and Future Outlook by Whitney Brim-DeForest (October 27, 2021)

• Dr. Brim-DeForest discussed weed management practices in California rice, including cultural and chemical controls. She covered current research, as well as new and upcoming research on weed species, herbicides, and potential cultural controls.

Soilborne Pathogen Management in Southern California High-Value Crops – a Review by Oleg Daugovish (May 26, 2021)

• Dr. Daugovish talked about the management of soil pathogens, weeds, and environmental changes in soil impacting crop performance. Specific topics included biofumigation with plant-derived products for lettuce and celery, disinfestation of soil for strawberry production with fumigant and non-fumigant technologies (fumigant optimization, steam, ASD, cultivar resistance, etc.), and integration of multiple strategies.
  

Effects of Drought and Botryosphaeria Fungi on Permanent Crops by Ben Faber (April 21, 2021)

• Effects of drought are often confused with symptoms of Botryosphaeria. Dr. Ben Faber talked about symptoms and classification of Botryosphaeria fungal diseases in avocado, citrus, and other perennial crops, the relationship between drought and Botryosphaeria fungi, the difficulty of controlling Botryosphaeria with chemicals, and mitigating drought effects and preventing Botryosphaeria with horticultural controls. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Evaluation of Soil Salinity, and Soil, Plant Tissue, and Water Reports by Dr. Phoebe Gordon (October 14, 2020)

• Dr. Phoebe Gordon discussed how to interpret soil, water, and plant tissue lab test reports, including proper sampling, the differences between tests, units, calculating amounts of nitrogen, the importance of pH, and more.

What is in Your Orchard: Protecting California from Invasive Species by Dr. Mark Hoddle (September 9, 2020)

• Dr. Mark Hoddle discussed the problems caused by invasive species in California - invasion statistics of importance to California, invasion biology that drives invasion pathways, establishment likelihood, and subsequent spread after establishment. Problems caused by current high-profile invaders (e.g., South American palm weevil), and biocontrol programs targeting destructive invasive pests (e.g., Asian citrus psyllid) were presented. Finally, Dr. Hoddle introduced a new twist on a classic approach: "Proactive Biocontrol" program targeting spotted lanternfly, a pest not yet present in California, but one that is likely to establish and cause significant problems for the grape and nut industries.

Ground Squirrel and Pocket Gopher Management in Orchard Crops by Dr. Roger Baldwin (June 17, 2020)

• Dr. Roger Baldwin discussed how to manage ground squirrel and pocket gopher damage with a variety of tools in orchard crops. This information is critical for PCAs and growers to better understand the importance of IPM in vertebrate management. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Air Blast Sprayer Calibration by Lynn  Wunderlich and Dr. Franz Niederholzer (June 9, 2020)

• UCCE Farm Advisors discussed the importance of proper calibration and the steps to properly calibrate an air blast sprayer. This information is critical for PCAs, applicators, and growers of trees and vines so that pesticides are applied to the target crop at the proper application rate with good coverage and minimal drift. (Presentation slides in PDF format - Part 1 and Part 2)

Pesticide Label Reading for Safe Applications by Lisa Blecker (November 20, 2019)

• Lisa Blecker outlined the content found on pesticide labels with a special focus on label requirements that ensure safety for the pesticide handler, other employees, and bystanders, including restricted entry intervals, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, early-entry requirements, interpreting pesticide rates, application intervals, and plant-back restrictions. Lisa will identify where California-specific requirements are more restrictive than what is found on pesticide labels. This information is critical for employers and supervisors to ensure compliance, and for applicators to understand how to protect themselves. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Slugs and Snails by Dr. Cheryl Wilen, Dr. Rory Mc Donnell, Dr. Adler Dillman, and Dr. Irma De Ley (May 22, 2019)

• Speakers covered an overview of snail and slug biology, damage and management with an emphasis on brown snail and Italian white snail, and current research on slug biocontrol using nematodes. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Management of Glyphosate-Resistant Weeds in Orchard Crops by Dr. Brad Hanson (April 24, 2019)

• Dr. Hanson discussed what is herbicide resistance, the current state of resistant weeds in California's permanent crops, identification, and lifecycle of key glyphosate-resistant weeds, selection pressure for resistant biotypes and species, herbicide modes of action, and examples of herbicide programs for orchard crops. (Presentation slides in PDF format)

Respirators by Lisa Blecker (December 12, 2018)

• Lisa Blecker covered the importance of respiratory protection, types of respirators used by pesticide handlers, how to determine when to wear a respirator, and federal and state requirements for respiratory protection. (Presentation slides in PDF format)