California Ag Network

Category: Pest/Disease Management

  • New Pima Cotton Cultivars Show Improved Resistance to Disease

    Pima cotton is the predominant variety of cotton grown in California. It’s ideal for making premium fabrics for clothing and bed sheets. But Fusarium wilt disease, caused by a soil-borne fungus, can devastate a cotton crop. It’s responsible for crop losses in several production regions in the U.S. and worldwide.

    Researchers with the University of California, Davis, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and other groups have been working for nearly 18 years to identify sources of resistance to a specific strain of Fusarium, known as race 4, by field testing plant materials with different genetic backgrounds. They have now developed three Pima cotton cultivars that show improved resistance to the disease, which is a big step toward creating commercial varieties for cotton growers and producers.

    Bob Hutmacher, Physiologist in Plant Sciences at UC Davis & Cooperative Extension Cotton Specialist

    Bob Hutmacher, a physiologist in plant sciences at UC Davis and a Cooperative Extension cotton specialist, has been working on various aspects of this research since 2003. Hutmacher says various strains of Fusarium wilt disease have been a problem in California for decades. The newest Fusarium race 4 strain was initially discovered in the San Joaquin Valley in the early 2000s and has since been detected in cotton fields in other U.S. cotton production regions, including El Paso, Texas; and Las Cruces, New Mexico. In severely infected plants, leaves wilt and drop, resulting in bare stems. Plants affected by the disease can’t produce high yields of the white, fluffy bolls that grow on the stem, which contain the raw forms of cotton.

    Disease could mean higher prices

    Crops impacted by the disease could spell trouble for consumers. Hutmacher says when production suffers, that could potentially lead to higher costs for cotton products.

    “It can be a very damaging disease in terms of greatly reducing yields, and to some extent, even making it uneconomical for production of cotton as a crop in a region,” Hutmacher said. “As it becomes more difficult to produce something economically, the only way to keep producing it is to have the cost of everything go up.”

    Hutmacher says this type of fungal disease can likely survive in soil for decades and can easily move from place to place if infected soil particles get stuck on tractor tires, boots or shovels. Planting resistant varieties can help prevent the spread.

    “It’s probably the most environmentally acceptable way of trying to figure out how to control a disease,” Hutmacher explained. “You’re basically looking for a solution that is already there and available in the plant’s genetics, and so it’s not dependent on a chemical, which may or may not have some other impact on the environment.”

    This collaborative project also included work by researchers from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics at Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences. Together they will make genetic plant material, including seeds of the newly developed Pima cotton, available to cotton breeders, geneticists and researchers. The hope is that breeders and seed companies can create a product that can eventually make it onto farms and fields.

    “That’s the next step you wish for with all these types of materials; you make them available, demonstrate that there is improved resistance to a disease, and then the companies can pick it up from there and turn it into a variety with good yields and good fiber quality characteristics, so it has a place in the market,” Hutmacher said. — By Tiffany Dobbyn, UC Davis

  • Soil-Biodegradable Mulch In Strawberry Field Day, Aug 17

    The UC Cooperative Extension, Washington State University and Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary have been working together this past year field testing five different formulations of biodegradable bed mulch in strawberry.  See five types of soil-biodegradable mulches (BDMs) applied to strawberries in Salinas Valley. Learn what a BDM is, what it is made from, and comparative economics with traditional PE plastic mulch. See first-hand how it is performing in the field and learn from other farmers who are trialing it about their experiences and expectations. Learn about how plastic impacts soil health. For more information on the event, contact Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz at jazmine@californiamsf.org or call (661) 331-2612. Register HERE  All local and state health guidelines will be enforced. If you have not received a Covid vaccine please wear a mask.

    Location:

    Strobel Ranch
    1656 Castroville Road
    Salinas, CA 93907
    This event is supported by the ‘California Climate Investments’ program.

  • ComBase Bioinformatic Tool Reduces Scourge of Foodborne Illness

    For many, the science of food preservation is not terribly exciting, but each year researchers save thousands of lives and countless belly aches. Although the United States has one of the world’s safest food supplies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says foodborne illness affects about 48 million Americans each year, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Food poisoning is most often caused by eating food that’s been contaminated by bacteria or other pathogens.

    No one can control how private citizens prepare and store their own food, but America’s commercial food industry is closely monitored by several state and federal agencies. These agencies have many tools to accomplish that mission, including something called ComBase.

    ComBase is an online quantitative food microbiology database that contains more than 65,000 records collected from research organizations and published scientific articles. The information includes graphical data on how microbes grow, survive, and die under specific conditions, such as temperature and acidity. ComBase also contains food and broth models that predict the growth or inactivation – death – of microorganisms in food.

    ComBase was created in 2003 from a collaboration among the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the United Kingdom’s Institute of Food Research, and Australia’s University of Tasmania. Since 2020, ComBase has been managed by ARS and hosted by the Eastern Regional Research Center (ERCC), in Wyndmoor, PA.

    “Representatives from the regulatory agencies, food companies, allied industry, academic institutions, and consumers in the United States and foreign countries help identify types of information needed to better predict and manage food safety,” said Vijay Juneja, ARS microbiologist at ERCC.

    ComBase data allows food companies to use predictive microbiology to help them design and implement food safety programs, document regulatory compliance, and test new model interfaces. Predictive microbiology states that microbial behavior, under a specific set of environmental conditions, is reproducible and can be predicted with mathematical equations. “In other words,” Juneja said, “it uses mathematics to describe how microorganisms will respond to specific environmental conditions.”

    For example, a food safety professional can search ComBase and retrieve specific information on the growth of a pathogen found in the food. This information could then be used to determine whether the food is safe to sell or consume; all without the need for an expensive and untimely microbiological test.

    “The result,” Juneja said, “is safer food, less foodborne illness, better public health, fewer product recalls, less litigation, and greater consumer confidence, health, and well-being.

    “ComBase saves the food industry millions of dollars a year in testing and other associated costs, as well as helping to prevent recalls and foodborne illness,” Juneja said. — By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications

  • Detection of Citrus Disease (HLB) in San Diego County Establishes New Quarantine Area

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has declared a quarantine in north San Diego County following the detection of the citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two citrus trees on one residential property in the city of Oceanside. This is the first time the plant disease, which does not harm people but is deadly to citrus, has been detected in San Diego County. CDFA is working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner on this cooperative project.

    The detection will require a mandatory 68-square-mile quarantine area around the find site to restrict the movement of citrus fruit, trees and related plant material. The quarantine area is bordered on the north by Stagecoach at Camp Pendleton; on the south by Tamarack Ave in Carlsbad; on the west by the Pacific Ocean; and on the east by North Santa Fe in Vista. HLB quarantine maps for San Diego County are available online at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/hlb/regulation.html. Please check this link for future quarantine expansions, should they occur. An HLB quarantine area currently exists in parts of Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, where more than 2,400 trees have tested positive for the disease and have been removed.

    The quarantine prohibits the movement of all citrus nursery stock or plant parts out of the quarantine area. Provisions exist to allow the movement of commercially cleaned and packed citrus fruit. Fruit that is not commercially cleaned and packed must not be moved from the property on which it is grown, although it may be processed and/or consumed on the premises. This includes residential citrus, such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit and kumquats.

    Residents are urged to take several steps to help protect citrus trees:

    – Do not move citrus plants, leaves or foliage into or out of the quarantine area or across state or international borders. Keep it local.
    – Cooperate with agricultural officials placing traps, inspecting trees and treating for the pest.
    – If you no longer wish to care for your citrus tree, consider removing it so it does not become a host to the pest and disease.

    HLB is a bacterial disease that affects the vascular system of citrus trees and plants. It does not pose a threat to humans or animals. The Asian citrus psyllid can spread the bacteria as the pest feeds on citrus trees and plants. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure; the tree will produce bitter and misshaped fruit and die within a few years.

    CDFA staff are scheduling removal of the infected trees and are in the midst of surveying citrus trees in a 250-meter radius around the detection site to determine if any other trees are infected with HLB. A treatment program for citrus trees to reduce Asian citrus psyllid infestations will also be conducted within 250-meter radius of the find site. By taking this action, a critical reservoir of the disease and its vectors will be removed, which is essential to protect surrounding citrus from this deadly disease.

    CDFA, in partnership with the USDA, local County Agricultural Commissioners, and the citrus industry, continues to pursue a strategy of controlling the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid while researchers work to find a cure for the disease.

  • State Warns Organic Farmers to Stop Using W.O.W. Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro Pesticides

    The state is warning organic farmers against the use of pesticides labeled as W.O.W Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro distributed by EcoMIGHT, as lab tests show that these products labeled as organic, natural and glyphosate-free do in fact contain potentially hazardous chemicals.

    Today, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued a notice to EcoMIGHT, LLC, a Florida-based company, that it may be in violation of state law by manufacturing, delivering or selling unregistered pesticide products in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) issued a Stop Use Notice for organic growers about EcoMIGHT products. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) also notified EcoMIGHT that it may be in violation of federal law.

    EcoMIGHT currently markets its products as “organic,” “natural,” “glyphosate-free,” and “non-toxic and safe.” However, state laboratory analyses of W.O.W. Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro products sold in California found that the products tested contain potentially hazardous chemicals including glyphosate, bifenthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, and carbaryl. California registered pesticides that contain these chemicals go through scientific review and have specific requirements for use and personal protective equipment that protect workers, communities and the environment from harmful pesticide exposure. W.O.W Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro do not contain these safety instructions.

    “It is critical that we notify California employers, workers and residents, who may be using EcoMIGHT products about these safety concerns to prevent potential injury,” said DPR acting director Julie Henderson. “This includes ensuring pesticides are properly registered and labeled so you know if you are handling benign ingredients or need to use protective equipment – like gloves, goggles or respirators.”

    The synthetic chemical compounds CDFA laboratory analysis found in W.O.W. Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro products are prohibited for use in organic production by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Additionally, these products pose a public health risk because the products were found to contain hazardous chemicals not disclosed on their labels.

    “It is imperative that we alert California organic growers that these EcoMIGHT products contain substances that are prohibited in organic production, in order to preserve the integrity of the California organic label and to protect our growers,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

    DPR and CDFA investigations began in San Diego and Ventura Counties in June 2021, when local County Agricultural Commissioners alerted state agency partners of a potential concern with the EcoMIGHT products. CDFA’s Sacramento lab analyzed samples and DPR, CDFA and additional state and federal regulators are reviewing the lab analyses for potential state and federal violations.

    In addition to actions taken by California state agencies, U.S. EPA notified EcoMIGHT that it may be in violation of federal law by manufacturing, distributing or selling unregistered pesticide products. As part of its enforcement of the law, U.S. EPA registers pesticide products and approves label language before a pesticide can be sold or distributed. The agency’s goal is to provide clear directions for effective product performance while minimizing risks to human health and the environment.

    If you are aware of illegal pesticide use or concerned about potential illness from pesticide exposure, please report your concerns immediately to 1-87PestLine (1-877-378-5463), anonymously report using DPR’s mobile app CASPIR or reach out directly to your County Agricultural Commissioner.

    Read DPR’s Notice of Advisement to EcoMIGHT, PDF
    Read CDFA’s Stop Use Notice, PDF

  • NIFA Invests $14M in Animal Health & Disease Research

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $14 million in research to protect agricultural animals from disease. The grants are part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Diseases of Agricultural Animals program area priority.

    “Animal health is critically important to farmers and ranchers,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille. “This research will help better understand, diagnose, control and prevent diseases in agricultural animals and aquaculture.”

    Funded projects will focus on developing new and improved vaccines, diagnostics and antimicrobial alternatives; breeding disease resistant animals; and understanding better ways to manage animals to minimize disease outbreaks.

    Examples of the 31 recently awarded Diseases of Agricultural Animals Program grants include:

    • Iowa State University’s project will introduce a new approach to Vitamin A and Zinc supplements to help protect cattle against stress and respiratory disease ($500,000).
    • University of Maine, Orono’s project will develop a new, safe aquaculture vaccine to help improve disease immunity in Atlantic salmon in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way (495,000).
    • University of Florida’s project will examine ways to improve immunity in pigs that can protect them from lung disease and influenza virus infections ($500,000).

     

    NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

    Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science (searchable by state or keyword), visit www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts.

  • National Weather Service Issues Excessive Heat and Elevated Wildfire Danger Warnings

    California Avocado Commission — The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat and elevated wildfire risk warnings in California this week beginning Tuesday, July 6 through Sunday, July 11. The conditions will pose a high risk for heat-related illnesses with possible record temperatures for the Antelope Valley area of Southern CA and brief critical fire weather conditions for the interior region. There also is a slight change of monsoonal thunderstorms and dry lightning from Wednesday through Sunday in the interior regions of Southern CA, most notably the mountain and desert areas.

    From Tuesday, July 6 through Thursday, July 8, the NWS notes there will be widespread highs of 95˚F – 105˚F in the inland valleys, mountains and deserts with warm overnight lows (about 70˚F) in the foothills and deserts. These conditions will pose a high risk of heat-related illnesses for those who work outdoors. During this same timeframe, humidities will lower to 5% – 15% and winds may gust from 25 – 45 mph during the afternoon and evening. The strongest gusts are predicted for the Antelope Valley and Santa Ynez Range. These high winds, low humidities and abnormally dry fuels will lead to elevated critical fire weather conditions over the mountains and interior valleys.

    From Friday, July 9 through Sunday, July 11, NSW predicts very hot conditions with temperatures ranging between 105˚F – 112˚F in the interior areas and Antelope Valley. Overnight lows will be in the mid to upper 70s in the deserts. Low humidities (5% – 15%) and gusty winds will continue the brief critical fire conditions in the mountains, deserts and inland valleys of this region.

    Employers should take special precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses from occurring. It’s important to provide ample water, provide shade and frequent rest breaks, and ensure supervisors and employees are aware of heat illness symptoms and those that require immediate medical attention. For more information, read “Reduce heat illness risk for employees” on the California avocado growers website.

    To ensure California avocados maintain their superior quality it is imperative growers manage their trees and harvest their fruit according to best management practices as outlined below.

    IRRIGATION
    Growers should be irrigating their trees now, in advance of the heat, to ensure their trees are fully hydrated. It is recommended that an additional 50% of the budgeted amount of water be applied the day before a heat wave. For extended heat waves, daily pulses of irrigation are recommended to maintain the trees’ water status. A well-watered tree will tolerate the stress of a heat wave much better than a tree that is suffering from water stress. Signs of heat damage to trees include fruit drop, shoot damage, leaf burn and in severe cases leaf drop.

    HARVESTING

    Every attempt should be made to harvest fruit when temperatures are below 90 °F, and no harvesting should take place when temperatures exceed 95 °F. Temperature in the shade should be monitored during harvesting and, when possible, harvesting crews should be moved to the coolest, least exposed areas of the grove.

    Field bins should be placed under the trees while being filled to protect the harvested fruit from sunburn. Once filled, bins should be moved to a shade structure (open-sided roofed building), or covered with bin covers or light-colored tarps if they cannot be immediately transported to the packinghouse. Never leave filled bins exposed to the direct sun. The surface layer of fruit can easily heat up to more than 15 °F above ambient temperature when exposed to direct sun. Acute sunburn will only show on fruit after it is packed and is a major quality detractor.

    To avoid water loss and decreased fruit quality do not hold fruit too long after harvest. Transport fruit to the packinghouse at least once per day, if not twice daily. Bins should not be left in the grove for more than 8 hours after harvest. Cover bins during transport to avoid sunburn and to reduce water loss.

    For more information about managing heat in avocado groves, growers can view the following articles on the California avocado growers’ website:

  • Citrus Research Board Awarded $3.4 Million to Fund HLB Research

    The Citrus Research Board (CRB) has been awarded $3,438,059 in funding from the Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group (HLB MAC) to support its California Focused Citrus Research and Field Trials (CRaFT).

    The overarching goal of the CRaFT project is to demonstrate additional mitigations to improve psyllid control within commercial citrus groves across the various citrus growing regions in California. This information will inform areawide control efforts and demonstrate the benefits of control mitigation measures currently available to growers for regional, state, and national benefit. This project aims to demonstrate reduced psyllid levels (through trap, tap, and visual monitoring) within treated groves as a year-by-year measurement and relative to the regional psyllid levels.

    “We are excited to develop the first CRaFT project for citrus in California, as this project will bring new energy to the fight against HLB and benefit growers across the state while investing in vital research,” said CRB President Marcy L. Martin.

    A group of 10 industry members will steer the project through the CRaFT Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) in conjunction with the CRB. This combined group will work with industry personnel to recruit growers in various regions to implement innovative psyllid management strategies. Growers who apply and are selected will receive reimbursement for costs associated with participation in the program.

    The project will be administered over two years by the CRB, with the intent to renew. Efforts in year one will include creating a foundation for the program while conducting trap-based monitoring. Data from these measures will be collected and summarized to demonstrate changes in psyllid populations from resulting mitigation measures. Semiannual grower meetings and quarterly CRaFT TAC meetings will be initiated to review project progress and identify any potential project issues.

    Year two will expand on previous efforts to provide data demonstrating changes in psyllid populations from applied mitigation measures. Findings will be summarized and shared with industry members to promote effective treatments.

    The HLB MAC group was established as an emergency response framework to better position the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to coordinate the citrus industry’s immediate and long-term needs in dealing with HLB. HLB MAC funds projects to drive innovative solution-oriented research while delivering effective and practical tools to growers.

    In addition to funding for the California Focused CRaFT project, other programs awarded funding for FY2021 include:

    • $4,061,941 to Texas (CRaFT project)
    • $676,665 to USDA Agricultural Research Service (expand data management tools to support these projects)

    For more information about the California Focused CRaFT Project and HLB MAC, visit www.citrusresearch.org.

    The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and grower directed program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the State’s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org.

  • Managing Vineyard Pests & Diseases in a Dry Year

    A dry winter and spring impacts more than just water availability for the season. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Viticulture Advisor Gabriel Torres as he shares expected vineyard pest and disease pressures in a dry year.  Read more about vineyard pest and disease management in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.

  • Ravens & Crows Wreak Havoc in Orchards, Vineyards & Dairies

    Do you suspect some big black birds are damaging your irrigation lines, pecking at your newborn calves or eating your developing crop? You may have a problem with crows or ravens. But how do you tell the two apart, and how can you legally control them? Watch this brief interview with Brian Popper from USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services to learn more (special thanks to Hardshell Labs for providing some of the video b-roll footage).

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.