UC Ag and Natural Resources is hosting a Dragon Fruit Production Workshop and Farm Tour for growers in the San Diego area. The two-day event will discuss topics ranging from variety selection and field establishment to irrigation, pest management and marketing. Growers will have an opportunity to see the latest research and witness hands-on demonstrations, gain insights from local grower experiences and find out how to gain access to industry resources for this increasingly popular fruit.
The workshop will be held Sept. 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the San Diego Farm Bureau in Escondido, and the farm tour will be held Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Farm stops and itinerary are yet to be decided. Registration comes with a $60 charge and must be completed by Sept. 11.
WORKSHOP TOPICS
Dragon Fruit Varieties, Establishment and Economic Considerations for Commercial Production
The Dragon Fruit Value Chain and Market Dynamics, from Producer to Consumer
Dragon Fruit Diseases and Cactus Virus X (CVX) Incidence and Management Strategies in Florida
Issues and Challenges with Dragon Fruit Production in Southern California – Facilitated Discussion with Local Growers
Dragon Fruit Sensory Evaluation and Post-Harvest Management
Dragon Fruit Value-Added Product Development
Weed Management Strategies for Dragon Fruit Production
Irrigation System Design Considerations and Water Management
Insect Pests and Management Strategies for Dragon Fruit Production
Agritourism as a Marketing Tool for Dragon Fruit
Lightning Presentations About UCANR & Other Support Programs
Food Safety Technical Assistance Program
California Agricultural Land Equity
California Under Served Population (CUSP) Program
Transitioning to Organic Agriculture
Climate Smart Agriculture Program
Mission Resource Conservation District (RCD) Programs
FIELD DAY ACTIVITIES- (Tour stops to be determined)
Host farm overview and Tours
Pruning, Pollination and Trellis System demonstration
Irrigation Systems Design and Components
Insect and/or Weed Pest Identification Clinic
Backpack Sprayer Calibration Clinic
Value-added Product Development demonstration
Pitahaya and Value-added product tasting
— Story contributed by UC Ag and Natural Resources
Sixteen regulatory staff got a firsthand look at almond farming during the Almond Board of California’s (ABC) 18th annual Environmental Stewardship Tour on May 8 at Chamisal Creek Ranch in Arbuckle. Grower Mike Dougherty and his daughter Emma welcomed representatives from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, State Water Board and Central Valley Regional Water Board for an on-the-ground conversation about how almonds are grown and how stewardship practices play out in the field.
Designed to help regulators have a better sense of what it takes to grow almonds; the annual tour gives regulators an opportunity to see the range of factors growers face throughout the season. Attendees spent more than four hours in the field engaging directly with growers and ABC staff through open dialogue and seeing almond trees up close.
Beyond giving regulators a firsthand look at almond production, the tour also provides ABC with an important opportunity to demonstrate the depth of knowledge, research and practical information it can offer as a resource on almonds. Through conversations throughout the day, ABC staff and growers can answer questions, share context and strengthen relationships with regulatory audiences who play a key role in shaping the environment in which California almonds are grown.
“It’s really just time for them to ask in-depth questions,” said Danielle Veenstra, ABC Senior Manager of Global Stewardship. “These tours create space for candid conversations and help show that we’re open and we’re here to share the real-world realities of farming.”
Throughout the morning, participants saw both young and mature orchards, providing an almond growing 101-education while learning how growers approach key decisions around irrigation, nutrient management and crop protection. ABC staff also highlighted the organization’s investment in research and the outreach efforts that help translate science into practical, on-farm solutions.
Natalie Henderson, ABC Director of Global Communications, emphasized the value of bringing new regulatory staff to the farm each year. “They leave more educated and more knowledgeable,” Henderson said. “That understanding doesn’t stop there, it spreads across agencies. And these growers get to share their challenges directly with the people helping shape regulations.”
Following the orchard visit, the group continued to Dunnigan Hills Huller & Sheller, where the focus shifted to what happens after harvest. There, attendees saw how almond hulls and shells are utilized, from traditional livestock feed to value-added products that extend the value of every part of the crop.
“They had products we could actually touch and feel, which really helped bring the story to life,” said Dan Sonke, Environmental Stewardship Workgroup Chair. “The byproduct story came through clearly, showing the full picture of how nothing goes to waste.”
The visit also highlighted how co-product innovation contributes to the industry’s overall environmental footprint, reinforcing the role almonds play in a circular, resource-efficient system. According to ABC staff, these conversations often provide new perspectives for regulators, particularly when they see how interconnected farming practices, economics and environmental outcomes can be.
By the end of the tour, participants left with a deeper understanding of the complexities of almond production, and the continuous improvements being made through research, innovation and grower-led stewardship.
As Veenstra noted, “These opportunities help close the gap between perception and reality. When regulators see it firsthand, it changes the conversation.”
— Story contributed by the Almond Board of California
Sacramento, March 23, 2026 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is now accepting pre-proposals for the 2026 grant cycle. FREP’s competitive grant program funds proposals that advance efficient nutrient and irrigation management practices that minimize environmental impacts through research, demonstration, education and training.
This year’s priorities include: outreach, education, and demonstration projects focused on increasing the adoption of efficient crop nutrient and irrigation management practices and technologies; evaluating challenges and barriers to adoption of management practices; the role of organic input materials in soil nutrient management; demonstrating and/or validating management practices that optimize nutrient and/or irrigation water use; filling knowledge gaps for nutrient and irrigation management in specific crops; understanding nutrient movement from the root zone; and mitigation strategies to reduce nutrient losses.
California’s agricultural communities are diverse and many have historically lacked access to resources and information needed to help them successfully run their businesses. CDFA encourages projects that include demonstrable benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and farm workers, including groups whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination.
Applicants are invited to submit pre-proposals to FREP by April 27, 2026. Pre-proposals should be aligned with at least one of the identified funding priorities and use the provided pre-proposal template. Further information on the 2026 FREP RFP, including timelines, funding priorities, and templates are available on the Grant Program web page at www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep/CompetitiveGrantProgram.html
All pre-proposals will be reviewed by the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC). Applicants whose pre-proposals are selected by TASC will be invited to develop full proposals.
Since 1990, FREP has funded more than 280 projects, investing over $32 million in research, outreach, and education projects focusing on irrigation and nutrient management practices in California. A database of completed and ongoing research is available on the FREP Research web page at www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/FREPresearch
For more information, please send email inquiries to FREP@cdfa.ca.gov. — By the California Department of Food and Agriculture
This work was partially funded by the Stockton East Water District — Crown rot and root rot caused by Phytophthora species are diseases of great concern for almond growers. Many people believe that irrigating with surface water puts your trees at risk of Phytophthora, and that irrigating with groundwater is the best way to prevent these diseases. However, a recent study of Phytophthora in irrigation water and orchard soils tells a different story.
The Bottom Line:
Irrigation management is Phytophthora management. This study showed that Phytophthora is common in orchard soils. Regardless of whether they are irrigated with surface water or groundwater, over 30% of tested orchard soils were positive for Phytophthora. Since water (either standing water or saturated soil) allows Phytophthora to cause disease, good irrigation management is crucial to prevention, no matter what your water source.
— Reduce ponding: irrigation application rate should not exceed soil infiltration rate.
—Reduce length of soil saturation: run shorter sets (24 hrs max) more frequently.
— Avoid water on the trunk of the tree and avoid soil saturation at the trunk: plant on berms, use stream splitters, choose microsprinkler wetting patterns that avoid the trunk, move drip emitters away from the trunk.
Using a resistant rootstock is an excellent tool to help limit Phytophthora disease if you are planting a new orchard (see this chart for rootstock info) or putting in replants. Even with a resistant rootstock, good irrigation management is crucial because no rootstock is immune.
The Details:
Phytophthora is a genus of fungus-like organisms which contains over 200 different species. Many of these species are important pathogens of orchards, causing root rot or crown rot (for example Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora cactorum, and Phytophthora mediterranea) or pruning wound cankers (mainly Phytophthora syringae). Many previous studies have shown that Phytophthora species are common in surface sources of irrigation water, such as rivers, canals, and sloughs. Phytophthorahas not been found in groundwater from wells, unless that well has been contaminated with surface water. From this, people have assumed that irrigating with surface water puts an orchard at risk of Phytophthora root or crown rot, and that irrigating with groundwater is ”safe.” However, biology is rarely that simple: in my experience, orchards irrigated with groundwater can struggle with Phytophthora, and many orchards irrigated with surface water do not show symptoms of Phytophthora disease.
In 2021 and 2022, collaborators and I conducted a study to look at the effects of Phytophthora in irrigation water from a broader perspective. This study took place in the Stockton East Water District (SEWD), a local water agency that manages both groundwater and surface water use by agricultural producers east of Stockton, CA. The study had three objectives:
— Test SEWD surface water for Phytophthora during the irrigation season.
— Test for live Phytophthora coming through irrigation emitters.
— Test orchard soils for Phytophthora, comparing orchards irrigated with surface water vs groundwater.
Objective 1. Test SEWD surface water for Phytophthora during the irrigation season
During the 2021 irrigation season, we sampled water from surface water irrigation sources throughout the SEWD. Some locations (core sites) were sampled monthly from June through October, and some locations (additional sites) were sampled twice during the season, in July and October. Samples were taken back to the lab and tested for Phytophthora using DNA sequencing.
Overview of the Stockton East Water District (SEWD) with water sampling sites marked.
We found that Phytophthora species were common in SEWD waterways. Over the course of sampling, we found 39 Phytophthora species, 10 of which are known pathogens of orchards crops grown in the SEWD. Many of these species were found throughout the irrigation season. We did find that different waterways had different Phytophthora species, and some waterways had more orchard pathogens than others. However, every waterway, and nearly every site, had at least one Phytophthora species of concern to orchards. These results are consistent with many previous studies, which have determined that Phytophthora species are common in surface sources of irrigation water.
Phytophthora species detected in Stockton East Water District waterways throughout the irrigation season.
The Phytophthora species listed in this table are reported to cause disease on walnut (W), cherry (C), almond (A), or pistachio (P). If the crop is bold, the Phytophthora species is particularly aggressive on that crop. A plus (+) indicates that the Phytophthora species was detected at least once in that waterway. A period (.) indicates that the species was not detected in that waterway. Nineteen other Phytophthora species (not listed) were detected, but these are not known to cause disease on orchard crops.
Objective 2. Test for live Phytophthora coming through irrigation emitters
In objective 1 we determined that Phytophthora is common in the SEWD waterways. However, very few studies have looked at whether Phytophthora in a waterway can get into an orchard through the irrigation system. This is especially true of drip irrigation systems, which require substantial filtration of surface water to keep emitters from plugging.
During the 2021 and 2022 irrigation seasons, we collected water directly from irrigation emitters during a normal irrigation and tested this water for the presence of live Phytophthora. This was done in three surface-water-irrigated orchards, two with drip emitters and one with sprinklers, as well as two groundwater-irrigated orchards, one with drip emitters and one with sprinklers.
Orchard sampling stations used to detect live Phytophthora in water from A, sprinklers and B,
drip emitters.
We found that Phytophthora commonly survives the journey from surface water sources into the orchard, and that the irrigation system type did not seem to matter. Also, the presence of a sand media filter did not seem to affect how regularly we detected live Phytophthora coming through irrigation emitters.
Summary of Phytophthora detections in water collected from irrigation emitters
Objective 3. Test orchard soils for Phytophthora, compare orchards irrigated with surface water vs groundwater
In objectives 1 and 2 we determined that Phytophthora is common in SEWD waterways and that it can survive the trip through an irrigation system and into the orchard. However, in most cases Phytophthora must survive in the soil to infect the orchard when conditions are right. Even though we knew that irrigation with surface water is bringing Phytophthora into orchards, we didn’t know if this affects the incidence of Phytophthora in orchard soils.
In 2021, we collected soil from 20 SEWD orchards exclusively irrigated with groundwater for at least 60 years and from 20 SEWD orchards mainly or exclusively irrigated with surface water over the same timeframe. This soil was tested for the presence of Phytophthora species using both the DNA sequencing from objective 1 and the live detection methods from objective 2.
We found that Phytophthora is common in orchard soils, with 32.5% of sampled orchards (13 out of 40) testing positive. We also found that the source of irrigation water did not affect the chances of finding Phytophthora in the soil: groundwater irrigated orchards were as likely to have Phytophthora as orchards irrigated with surface water. This indicates that irrigation with surface water was not the main factor determining whether Phytophthora was present in orchard soils and that irrigation with surface water may not increase risk of Phytophthora disease in orchards.
Hytophthora species in bold are particularly aggressive on orchard crops
The results from this study confirm that Phytophthora is common in surface water but show that irrigating with surface water was not the main factor determining whether Phytophthora was present in an orchard. Where is the Phytophthora coming from? It is hard to know, but historical flooding may play a role. We also know that Phytophthora can be moved into an orchard on planting material and in soil on equipment. Where does this leave us in terms of management? This study shows that Phytophthora is very common in orchard soils, regardless of the source of irrigation water. Since over 30% of tested orchards were positive for Phytophthora, it would be prudent to assume you have Phytophthora in your orchard. Saturated soil allows Phytophthora to infect and cause disease, so good irrigation management is crucial to prevention. By “good irrigation management”, I mean that you want to reduce the length of time that orchard soils are fully saturated and avoid having standing water. This can be done by using irrigation emitters with output volumes suited for your soil infiltration rate and by irrigating more frequently for a shorter duration (24 hrs maximum). In addition, you want to apply irrigation water in the root zone but away from the trunk to reduce the opportunity for infection of the trunk or major roots. This can be done using stream splitters with sprinklers to protect the trunk, choosing a microsprinker wetting pattern that avoids the tree trunk, or moving drip emitters away from the trunk of the tree. At planting, consider using a resistant rootstock, and plant on berms. Note that even if you are using a resistant rootstock, good irrigation management is crucial because no rootstock is immune.
I want to leave you with this thought: irrigating well is much more important for preventing Phytophthora than the source of your irrigation water. I have been to many surface-water-irrigated orchards with no symptoms of Phytophthora. Some of the worst orchards I have seen, in terms of Phytophthora disease, were irrigated with groundwater with the driplines right against the trunk on 3rdleaf trees. Irrigation management is Phytophthora management.
Thank you to my collaborators on this project, Greg Browne (USDA-ARS) and Mohamed Nouri (UCCE San Joaquin County). Special thanks to Justin Hopkins with the SEWD for his help planning and executing this project. Thank you also to the SEWD growers who welcomed me into their orchards for sampling. This work was partially funded by the Stockton East Water District. — By Jaime Ott, UC Extension Tehama, Shasta, Glenn, and Butte Counties
