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May 16, 2011

Agritourism book helps California farmers diversify their operations

Nearly two-thirds of California agritourism operators surveyed said they planned to expand or diversify their farm’s tourist business over the next 5 years, according to a survey in the April-June 2011 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal.To support this expansion, UC authors George and Rilla completed the second edition version of the popular ANR book titled Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California. Over 10,000 copies of the original manual and book first edition sold out. Widely considered the definitive guide for California agritourism and nature tourism,the brand new second edition is available.
May 16, 2011

Green Sheets make the link between home land use practices and storm water runoff

Land use has a tremendous impact on streams and the coastal marine environment. Land development affects how water cycles between the atmosphere, the land and water bodies. As land is covered by buildings, roads, parking lots and other impervious surfaces, the natural flow of water is altered. Instead of being absorbed into the soil where it replenishes groundwater, on paved surfaces this valuable resource flows quickly, accumulating pollutants, then entering storm drains as polluted storm water runoff. Bacteria, heavy metals, petroleum products, nutrients and sediment are all carried by storm water. During rainstorms large amounts of water pours from storm drains into local water bodies, eroding stream banks and contaminating freshwater and marine ecosystems. Storm water runoff causes polluted coastal water resulting in beach closures and negative economic impacts. Research indicates the amount of paved area in a watershed is correlated to both water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. It is important that property owners and municipalities understand this link. Decisions to pave a driveway or landscape a yard can potentially affect the amount/toxicity of storm water runoff and, consequently, aquatic ecosystems and the cleanliness of stream/ocean waters.
April 26, 2011

Pest Management Alliances lead to IPM adoption

Farmers are facing increasing regulation of pesticides, in part the result of environmental concerns about pesticides in water supplies and health effects on farmworkers.
March 29, 2011

CIMIS conserves water and increases water availability for urban users

The Colorado River is the only source of irrigation and drinking water in the Imperial Valley and the main source in Mexicali, Mexico. As much as 4.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water is used every year to irrigate more than 500,000 acres in the Imperial Valley and in the Mexicali Valley, Mexico. Growers in Southern California are under continuous pressure to conserve water and transfer some of the agricultural water to urban regions of the state. The current water transfer agreement between the Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority calls for transfer of up to 200,000 acre-feet annually of Imperial Valley-Colorado River water. Increased irrigation efficiency using CIMIS-based irrigation scheduling techniques and other water conservation practices is needed to supply the water demand in Southern California and northern Baja California.
March 2, 2011

Less-toxic pest management principles provide for a healthier community

The Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District has a mandate to reduce pesticide applications by home gardeners to keep the San Joaquin River safe and healthy. The District discovered that after city-allowed watering days, the river had increased levels of toxic pest management chemicals. Toxic pest chemicals are broad-spectrum pest control chemicals which do not target one or a few pests but most insects they come into contact with, including beneficial insects.
February 23, 2011

UCCE helps bromeliad growers comply with regulations

Ethylene, a gas found in nature and commonly used to ripen bananas and other fruit, can uniformly induce synchronous flowering in bromeliads. Synchronous flowering is key to marketing bromeliads. However, the EPA considers the gas a pesticide when used in this manner, and there are no registered uses of ethylene as a pesticide. Growers were unaware of that fact, but were told by county regulators they would have to stop using ethylene gas until it was registered. This would have caused a severe economic impact on some of the largest bromeliad growers. Synthetic chemicals are registered to induce flowering in bromeliads, but they are toxic, can cause phytotoxicity and cause asynchronous flowering.
September 27, 2010

Urban runoff study motivates change in landscape practices

Recent droughts and expanding urban populations place increasing pressure on California’s water supplies. In residential areas, outdoor water use, primarily for landscapes, comprises 50 percent or more of total water use. It is commonplace to see excess water gushing down storm drains from poorly aimed sprinklers, broken sprinkler heads, and a larger volume of water applied than the soil can absorb. The runoff water can carry pesticides, fertilizers and other waste into waterways, causing a detrimental effect on the health of the aquatic life in rivers, lakes and bays.
August 17, 2009

Sand backfill improves transplant success of some landscape palms

Imparting an exotic and dramatic theme, palms are emblematic of California landscapes. Indeed, there is a revival of interest in palms as specimens and accents or to add height, dimension, and architectural interest for homes, businesses, parks and other public areas. Because of their unique root and trunk structure, large specimen palms can be transplanted with a relatively small root ball, creating an instant, mature landscape. The standard industry practice when transplanting palms is to use builder's or washed plaster sand as the backfill medium in order to enhance stability and anchorage, drainage and survival, but the practice had not been scientifically validated.
September 14, 2008

Trap Cropping for Management of Root-knot Nematode by Home Gardeners

Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic roundworms that cause problems for home gardeners. Few control measures are available to California homeowners other than keeping the planting area fallow for two years, or planting nematode-resistant tomatoes. The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne sp., causes the most serious problem and its effects are readily visible to home gardeners by the presence of knots or galls visible on roots.
September 4, 2008

Field trials identify more native plants suitable for urban landscapes

California's landscape horticulture industry is constantly growing due to population growth, housing expansion and refurbishing of older urban areas. This industry growth requires an almost constant input of new plant material to address a variety of horticultural needs and tastes. Historically, many landscapes were planted with species requiring large amounts of water, fertilizers, and pesticides to remain attractive and healthy. One significant result of this practice has been increasing levels of chemicals in urban water run-off to watersheds, leading to negative impacts on the health of the aquatic ecosystems. In addition to this, widespread use of inappropriate plants in a summer-dry climate can contribute to a shortage of water in areas supplied by seasonal snow-melt. For these reasons, the nursery and landscape industry is in constant need of a supply of new, beautiful, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant plants.
August 20, 2008

Inmates dig their way to new careers in horticulture

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department runs a unique vocational education program that teaches horticultural work skills to inmates on five acres near the UC Cooperative Extension office. According to Rick Stern, Adult Corrections Instructor, this is the only program in the state that goes outside the jail to have inmates grow and sell plants while interacting with the public. The program accommodates 20 inmates each day, four days per week. Most of the participants have little or no knowledge of plants, and with only one program coordinator on a limited budget, there were very few opportunities to teach more complex horticultural gardening skills.
August 30, 2007

Management practices to conserve water and reduce off-site movement of sediment and pesticides in drainage waters

Drainage waters discharged from irrigated fields in California and other states are under ever-closer scrutiny. The quality of drainage waters discharged into waterways in California is regulated under California Water Code and Federal Clean Water Act. Growers that discharge drainage waters that could affect the quality of water bodies in the state are required to comply with water quality regulations. Compliance with water quality regulations could be achieved by filing a Report of Waste Discharge (RWD) that complies with state-prescribed Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs). WDRs could be used as a permit, limiting the levels of pollutants that may be discharged in waterways to protect the beneficial uses of water bodies in the state. Complying with the Irrigated Lands Conditional Waiver Program or the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) limits may provide alternates to WDRs for growers in the state. Sediment, nutrients and pesticides in drainage waters have been identified as the leading cause of water quality impairments in rivers and other water bodies in California. For example, sedimentation/siltation TMDLs for agricultural drains and two major rivers in Imperial Valley have been implemented to address water quality problems in the Colorado River Basin of Southern California. Accurate and reliable estimates of the load of sediment, nutrients and pesticides in drainage water are needed to assess the quality of drainage water or to comply with WDRs.
August 6, 2007

Self-Help Kiosks Used to Extend IPM Information to Gardeners

Pesticides used by home gardeners can contribute to water pollution if the chemicals get carried away in runoff. To minimize pesticide use, home gardeners need an interesting and easy way to identify pests and learn the least-toxic, science-based methods of controlling them. While much information is available online (www.ipm.ucdavis.edu), not all consumers are Internet users and must often depend on untrained store personnel or anectodotal information about how to treat pests in and around their homes. More often than not, a pesticide treatment is recommended, even if the pest has not been clearly identified.
July 23, 2007

Nurseries implement management practices to protect water quality

The year 2004 was a crossroads for Ventura County agriculture. Stricter water quality regulations promised over the past decade were finally being implemented. Regulatory agencies were mandating changes that would greatly impact agriculture, especially the intensely managed nursery industry. There was much concern that the new regulations would drive Ventura County nurseries out of business or into other areas where regulations were not as restrictive. Another concern was that substantial capital would be required to comply with these regulations, especially for those nurseries where the best solution would be the construction of recycling and water capture systems.
January 12, 2007

UCCE Helps Growers of Ornamental Eucalyptus Ravaged by an Invasive Pest

Baby blue gum eucalyptus is grown for the production of fresh cut foliage for flower arrangements or it is dried, dyed and sold in preserved floriculture markets. It has been grown commercially in California from San Diego County to Sonoma County for 40 years. There is no other significant commercial production of baby blue gum elsewhere in the United States. Ornamental eucalyptus has been virtually pest-free, requiring only occasional pesticide treatments. However, in August 2003, tortoise beetles (Chrysophtharta m-fusca Boheman) were observed on ornamental eucalyptus in Orange County, Calif. Within a few years, this leaf-feeding beetle spread throughout Southern California in the major growing area of ornamental eucalyptus, and has caused very heavy feeding damage to terminal growth. In 2006, beetle populations in growing regions reached extremely high levels, resulting in nearly complete crop loss.
January 4, 2007

UC Delivers: Sudden Oak Death Outreach Survey

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a plant disease caused by Phytophthora ramorum, which was likely introduced to California through the shipment of infected nursery plants. The disease first appeared in the mid-1990s in coastal California, and caused extensive tree die-offs in 1999 and 2000. An estimated 1 million tanoak and oak trees in California have died from SOD, with another 1 million currently infected in an area stretching from Monterey to Humboldt counties. In addition to the oaks, another 100 plant species and varieties are susceptible to the pathogen. Most of these species suffer only minor damage, but they can be important to the spread of the disease. Since its discovery, SOD has generated a need for timely distribution of accurate information. UCCE has been involved with outreach efforts from the start, including cooperating with the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF). However, neither group formally evaluated the effectiveness of their outreach tools and materials. As SOD continues to be an important natural resource issue in California, these efforts needed to be assessed in order to better direct resources toward areas and groups of highest priority.
July 27, 2006

Choosing a landscape company with environmentally sound practices

For many years, we have worked with local agricultural producers to develop sound management practices to alleviate water quality and other environmental problems. Many of the legal requirements faced by the growers are a result of the concern of homeowners and other non-farming groups. Ironically, in many situations, the environmental impact of a large housing development can be equal to or greater than the impact of the farming operation. However, many residents do not understand the collective impact of their home and garden pest control and fertilization activities on the environment. In addition, most of these homeowner activities are generally unregulated.
April 26, 2006

Researchers find wasp can control spotted gum psyllid

In August 2000, two psyllid species were discovered on lemon-scented gum and spotted gum trees in the Anaheim area. One is the spotted gum psyllid, a lerp psyllid, and another is the lemon gum psyllid. The insects cause leaf damage and drop which can stress trees and make them susceptible to fatal attack by other insects. Psyllids suck sap from leaves and produce a sticky substance called honeydew, which drops to the ground on cars and sidewalks.
May 4, 2004

UC Riverside Researchers Improve Drought Tolerance in Plants

Diminishing water resources, climate changes brought about by global warming, and drought conditions in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world are making it increasingly difficult to grow viable crops. Rainfall in California has been below normal in recent years, raising concerns that the state may be experiencing another of its periodic droughts. And in the sub-Saharan area of Africa where many regions depend on rain-fed agricultural production, rain can be extremely scarce and the rainy season short. On top of this, there will be enormous needs for increased food production over the next 50 years. Current projections are that the global human population will increase from approximately 6 billion currently to between 8 and 12 billion around 2050.
January 16, 2004

Study Manual Series for Commercial and Private Pesticide Applicators

Since pesticide and pest control regulations are very complex, anyone who uses or supervises the use of restricted materials must be certified. Commercial applicators must pass at least two qualifying examinations administered by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Private applicators are certified by passing an examination given by county agricultural commissioners. Until UC experts stepped in, however, all those studying for the exams struggled to glean the information they needed from various sources.
July 16, 2003

Salt Tolerance of Landscape Plants for Reclaimed Water Irrigation

Water is a limited natural resource for most of the arid and semi-arid regions of the United States. Despite this, rapid population growth and development are occurring in these areas, especially California. Many municipal water providers are faced with the need to reduce demand for freshwater supplies while protecting against drought and cutting down on wastewater discharges into sensitive bays and estuaries. Agencies encourage the use of reclaimed or recycled water from wastewater treatment facilities for appropriate non-potable uses, including urban landscape irrigation. In 2000, 19.5 percent of recycled water in California was used for landscape irrigation, saving enough fresh water to supply 300,000 homes. An important caveat to the use of reclaimed water for landscape irrigation is that after most of the water treatment processes, sodium chloride is the most detrimental chemical compound remaining in the recycled water. Little information is available on the tolerance of common landscape plant species to the levels of salts found in reclaimed waters. This basic information is needed by landscape managers to ensure the maintenance of healthy landscapes, given the reality of increased use of reclaimed water for irrigation.
May 21, 2003

A Field Key to Lygus Species of the San Joaquin Valley

Lygus bugs are a key economic pest of many crops in California, including field crops, vegetables, nuts and fruits. There are 43 species of Lygus bugs in the world, 34 of which are known to exist in North America. Three species are reportedly found in the central San Joaquin Valley of California: Lygus hesperus, Lygus elisus, and Lygus lineolaris. To date, there has been no simple method to distinguish among these three species. Pest management strategies must begin with correct identification.
May 19, 2003

Grow Food Safely in Urban Gardens

Many urban residents grow much of their own food in backyard or community gardens out of necessity and/or as a hobby. However, any place subjected to human activity is likely to have potentially harmful trace elements at elevated levels in the environment, particularly in the soil. Trace elements, especially heavy metals, can accumulate in the soil and on plants, and may pose a potential health risk to people who breathe or, especially, swallow contaminated soil or eat contaminated vegetables, especially young children.
May 12, 2003

Nematode management techniques

In Imperial County, there are several species of nematodes (microscopic roundworms) that can cause damage to many crops. Nematode-infested roots are inefficient in taking up water and nutrients, and yield or quality of the product is reduced. Although these pests are widespread and the damage is substantial, the most commonly-seen symptom in many cases is simply lack of vigor. For that reason, the cause of the problem is frequently misidentified.
May 5, 2003

Controlling Invasive and Noxious Weeds Through a Weed Management Area

Invasive and noxious weeds do not respect property lines or jurisdictions. To help prevent their introduction and spread, a public-private partnership that combines resources and expertise is required. These invasive plants are often detrimental or destructive to agriculture. They also degrade wildlife habitat and impair plant biodiversity.
March 14, 2003

An Alternative to Honey Bees for Pollination

Managing bees for pollination is becoming more difficult as beekeepers face challenges from the Africanized honey bee, the Red Imported Fire Ant, Varroa and tracheal mites and several other pests and diseases. Colony strength, winter survival and restrictions on movement of bees in to and out of the state all affect the economics of beekeeping. Growers who rely on honey bees for pollination are concerned about future availability of bees as well as increasing costs for pollination. Leafcutter bees are used for pollination on certain crops in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, but they had not been used in California due to their higher cost and more intensive management requirements. If leafcutter bees could be used to pollinate several commodities in this area, there would be greater incentive to establish the necessary infrastructure, the cost would go down, custom pollinators might become involved and more growers could take advantage of the leafcutter bee's superior pollinating activity on certain crops.
March 4, 2003

Agricultural Labor Management – Conflict Management: A New Approach

Despite the enormous strides made in modern negotiation and conflict management theory, practitioners sometimes find themselves floundering. In the traditional approach, mediators bring the contending parties together where each has the opportunity to explain his or her side while the other side listens. In reality, this approach often increases the contention between the stakeholders. Also, in this traditional approach mediators tend to take a very active part in the process, where stakeholders talk to the other party through the mediator rather than addressing each other directly. One of the concerns with this conventional approach is that mediators often take on the role of arbitrator in the process.
February 24, 2003

Home Horticulture Articles Appear in Local Papers

In bringing information from UC to the home and garden audience, the most efficient method is to make use of local mass media because they reach the largest numbers of clientele. Newspapers are widely read and as such are an excellent extension method. The objective of the weekly column is to provide to home and garden clientele researched-based information that is up to date and timely.
February 24, 2003

Home Gardener On-Line Publications

In light of the increasing need to bring up-to-date information on landscaping and gardening to urban audiences, the web offers an efficient way to provide on-line information in an accessible format to home gardeners and horticulture professionals.
February 4, 2003

ANR Research Clarifies Role of Tree Species in Air Pollution

Trees and shrubs help clean the air. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen and provide surfaces for the deposition of airborne particles and unhealthful gases such as ozone. Also, water evaporating from tree leaves cools the air and shade from trees cuts energy consumption, reducing the need for air-polluting energy generation. However, there is another side to the story. Some trees and shrubs emit high rates of certain volatile organic compounds (VOC), which react with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sunlight to form ozone, a ground-level pollutant. Other plants emit very little VOC.
February 4, 2003

Fair Oaks Horticulture Center

Both the public and landscape professionals need hands-on information about growing edible and water-efficient landscape plants to complement information provided by UC publications and web sites.
January 30, 2003

Citrus Program Protects Health of State's Trees

California citrus growers often want to import foreign citrus varieties to develop new product lines and extend growing seasons. To protect the state citrus industry from devastating diseases, all foreign budwood entering California must go through an official inspection service, which will quarantine, test, and, if necessary, cleanse the citrus tissues to ensure that they contain no pathogens. Also to protect the industry, the state requires that nurseries and commercial growers propagate new trees either from their own state-registered trees or from budwood increase blocks grown from buds from a registered source.
January 22, 2003

3 Year Study Examines Most Efficient Sprinkler Spacing

Questions about water and fertilizer use efficiency are major economic and environmental issues for California agriculture. Excess nitrate is an important concern for San Joaquin Valley communities that depend on groundwater for drinking. Vegetable crops such as carrots, onions and potatoes typically require high amounts of nitrogen fertilizer and frequent irrigation, usually by sprinkler. Although sprinkler lateral spacings vary from 30 to 50 feet, no season-long field study had determined the impact of these different spacings on efficiency of water and nitrogen use.
January 13, 2003

Agritourism Manual Helps California Farmers Grow Economically

A 1999 survey of California farm operators revealed a growing need for materials on two increasingly profitable industries: agritourism and nature tourism. Farmers and ranchers have heretofore lacked a centralized resource for obtaining such materials, in a time when opportunities abound for tourist ventures to take root.
January 10, 2003

Biological Control Offers Control of Eucalyptus Pest

The eucalyptus snout beetle, Gonipterus scutellatus, was discovered defoliating eucalyptus trees in Ventura County in March 1994. This insect has been introduced accidentally into several eucalyptus-growing regions around the world from Australia and has caused extensive damage wherever it has become established. Female beetles deposit hard brown egg capsules on shoots and young leaves. Both adults and larvae consume young and tender leaves, buds, and shoots. Extensive feeding completely defoliates trees and kills branches, while intermediate levels of defoliation retard growth and affect tree shape.
January 10, 2003

New Bait Technology Controls Ants in Urban, Agricultural Environments

Ants are the major pests in urban environments. Recent introductions of the red imported fire ant in urban environments in California pose a serious threat to agriculture. Argentine and field ants are a major pest in citrus and grapes, where they tend, or care for, homopteran pests and disrupt biological control.