Agriculture

Have you hugged your taxonomist yet today? No? Probably can't due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but at least we can honor them every March 19 on Taxonomists' Appreciation Day. Basically, taxonomy is the science of describing, naming, defining and classifying organisms, both alive and extinct.

Paraquat is a very lethal pesticide that requires sime pretty heavy level of protective gear if it is to be used. It's an old pesticide and there are many newer ones that are much safer to use. Here's an example of the power of fungi to neutralize this chemical.

Looking a little dry out there? January and February of 2021 were some of the driest months on record, with near Zero (1.7) precipitation in Northern California. Things don't look good for summer. What can alfalfa growers do under these conditions? Drought Coming.

Seen any bumble bees lately? No? Me, neither. It's almost the first day of spring, and bumble bees are as scarce as the proverbial hen's teeth. (Hens have no teeth, y'know.) We've been watching our nectarine tree bloom. It's drawing honey bees, but no bumble bees.

Concerns about a growing resistance to herbicides In Mediterranean or arid climates, particularly in areas with marginal soils, crop rotations are often limited to a narrow range of hay, pasture, a handful of winter legumes, or rainy-season grasses.

Biopesticides contain active ingredients of natural or biological origin that include plant extracts, microorganisms, microbial metabolites, organic molecules, minerals, or other such natural materials that have pesticidal properties.

The popularity of pistachios as a healthy snack continues to drive demand. California's pistachio crop was valued at $1.94 billion in 2019, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

From the Western Farm Press March 17, 2021 By Lee Allen ********** Brad Hanson gets down and dirty in his line of work as a weed specialist with the University of California, Davis Plant Sciences Department, typically conducting field trials in a 400-mile swath of the Central Valley.

And what do you get, a defoliated tree. And a defolated tree has no way of moving water through its system. The leaves are not there to transpire and create a flow of water through the tree. When hot day comes and it does not need to be much hotter than 80 deg the bark will heat up and burn.

Concerns about a growing resistance to herbicides In Mediterranean or arid climates, particularly in areas with marginal soils, crop rotations are often limited to a narrow range of hay, pasture, a handful of winter legumes, or rainy-season grasses.