California Ag Network

Tag: UC Davis

  • Runze Cliff Yu Joins the Fresno State Department of Viticulture & Enology

    The Department of Viticulture and Enology at Fresno State has a new assistant professor joining the faculty. This new assistant professor is Dr. Runze Cliff Yu. A Fresno State V&E alumnus, Yu finished his master’s degree at Fresno State in 2016 before moving on to UC Davis. He earned his PhD degree in June 2020 there and stayed for another year as a post-doctoral researcher.

    Yu is excited to share his knowledge and experiences with the students in the department. Yu also has an extensive research background. Working with his advisor Dr. Kaan Kurtural for many years, his research focuses on the current issues Central Valley wine grape growers have been experiencing, such as drought, heat and labor. He is planning to conduct research around these topics.

    “Teaching and research should be mutually inclusive in viticulture,” said Yu. “We need to provide our students with the latest research and innovations. They are the future of this industry and will need to be equipped to solve problems and move the industry forward.”

    Yu is very happy to back in the department. “It feels like coming back home,” he said. “I look forward to working with both students and grape growers to do my part to further the success of the grape industry.”

  • UC Davis Announces New Viticulture and Enology Executive Leadership Board Members

    As the world’s top-ranked research institute for viticulture and enology, the University of California, Davis, is pleased to announce the newest members of its Executive Leadership Board for the department of Viticulture and Enology. The 26-member board is an important and influential advisory group for the department.

    New leaders include NBA legend and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade with Wade Cellars, wine writer and Black Wine Professionals founder Julia Coney and viticulturist and recent UC Davis alumnus Miguel Luna, a partner with Silverado Farming Company.

     “All of our new board leaders have really unique skills to help the department achieve our strategic goals,” said David Block, professor and chair of the Viticulture and Enology department. “They bring excellent communication skills, a passion for diversifying the industry and making sure students receive a great education and fulfilling career, and a passion for wine. Past and current members will help us to reach even a higher level of teaching, research and continuing education for the industry.”

    Dwyane Wade

    Dwyane Wade, three-time NBA champion and thirteen-time NBA All-Star, is co-founder of Wade Cellars in Napa Valley.

    Wade founded The Wade Family Foundation to provide relief to marginalized communities in need and also helped launch the Social Change Fund United to invest in and support organizations focused on empowering communities of color. He joined the Executive Leadership Board this year and hopes his involvement will increase minority enrollment and opportunities in programs at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

    “I’m excited to join forces with UC Davis to support their efforts in bringing more diversity to the wine industry and make it more inclusive,” said Dwyane Wade. “Wine is for everyone, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to create meaningful and impactful change. Together we hope to reach and inspire our community to pursue a career in the wine industry by creating a more equitable and viable pathway to achieve those dreams.”

    As an influential and outspoken activist for social equality, Wade’s expertise will help the department reach new audiences and spawn interest in the wine industry among a diverse and younger demographic.

    Julia Coney, founder of Black Wine Professionals, joined the Viticulture and Enology Executive Leadership Board this summer (photo courtesy of Julia Coney).

    Julia Coney

    Julia Coney, a Washington D.C. and Houston, Texas-based wine writer, educator and founder of Black Wine Professionals, joined the board in June. Coney is a contributing editor at VinePair, the largest online drinks platform. She was recipient of the Wine Enthusiast’s 2020 Social Visionary Award for her work in writing and speaking on diversity, equity and inclusion in the wine industry.

    “I look forward to working with my fellow members, faculty, staff and students to increase the diversity of our student population and other key ELB initiatives,” said Coney. “I invite anyone who has ever considered working in the wine industry to come along on this journey.”

    Coney has already become actively involved with UC Davis, providing a keynote address at the Viticulture and Enology continuing education event, “The Importance of DEI in the Grape and Wine Industries,” this past June and playing a key role in planning a virtual recruitment event with the department.

    Miguel Luna

    Miguel Luna, named Viticulturist of the Year in 2020 by Wine Enthusiast, now sits on the UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Department Executive Leadership Board (photo by Suzanne Becker Bronc).

    Miguel Luna is a partner with Silverado Farming Company in Napa Valley and is a partner and founder of La Pelle Wines. He was named Viticulturist of the Year in 2020 by Wine Enthusiast. Luna is the first member asked to join the board as the Recent UC Davis V&E Alumnus Board Member, a position created by the ELB to provide a unique perspective on strategic plans for the department. He is recognized for his work as a mentor in the wine industry and for his commitment to transitioning vineyards to herbicide-free environments.

    “I am committed to making sure students see viticulture, enology and the wine industry as a great career path,” said Luna. “I am also committed to educating immigrant parents to navigate the American school system to ensure first-generation Americans are prepared to succeed in higher education. It’s a great honor to be part of the ELB and I look forward to helping the V&E program continue to be the best in its class.”

    Luna and the Silverado Farming Company team oversee farming for some of the best vineyards across Napa’s top appellations.

    More about the board

    The Executive Leadership Board is composed of invited industry leaders, educators, wine appreciators and selected colleagues to lend expert counsel and assistance to the department in setting and accomplishing its long-range goals. These goals include strengthening relationships with the wine and grape industries, increasing industry investment in research, building strong relationships with alumni and strengthening the department’s teaching program.

    The department also continues its commitment to help increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the wine industry. In 2012, the department of Viticulture and Enology established the Broadening Horizons project, which aims to increase the percentage of underrepresented students pursuing careers in all parts of the grape and wine industry. As a result of those efforts, the percentage of underrepresented students enrolled has increased from less than 10% to more than 25%. — By Amy Quinton, News and Media Relations, UC Davis

  • UC Davis to Lead Groundwater and Irrigated Agriculture Sustainability Study

    Researchers from the University of California, Davis, have been awarded a $10 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to find ways to sustain irrigated agriculture while improving groundwater quantity and quality in the Southwest under a changing climate.

    Isaya Kisekka, associate professor of agrohydrology and irrigation at UC Davis, is leading a team of more than two dozen climate, plant and soil scientists; hydrologists; engineers; economists, educators and extension specialists from UC Davis and other institutions in California, Arizona and New Mexico. They will develop climate change adaptation management strategies that ensure sustainability of groundwater and irrigated agriculture.

    Kisekka says the project team in California will work with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to develop tools and data to enhance water management at both the farm and groundwater basin scales to improve crop production and achieve sustainability goals under the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which provides a statewide framework to help protect groundwater resources over the long-term. The research team will also work with grower coalitions to achieve the groundwater quality goals of the Central Valley Salt and Nitrate Management Plan.

    “For farmers, the biggest challenge threatening their business is water,” Kisekka said. “Our project is going to develop climate-smart adaptation management practices to help growers achieve their production goals while addressing the co-benefits for the environment and human health. We are going to develop cutting edge tools to manage groundwater quantity and quality as well as study how policies impact behaviors such as water use in agriculture.”

    The practices, models and tools developed will be used by growers or their advisors, policymakers, irrigation districts, coalitions and groundwater sustainability agencies to address climate change extremes such as drought or floods.

    Growing Dependence on Groundwater

    Growers have increasingly depended on groundwater during multi-year droughts and heat stress. Part of the five-year project includes looking into aquifer systems in California’s Central Valley, central Arizona and the lower Rio Grande basin in New Mexico. These regions have all experienced unprecedented overdraft, which happens when more water is pumped from a groundwater basin than is replaced from sources, including rainfall.

    “For a long time, a lot of farmers would use groundwater as an insurance policy whenever there was a drought,” Kisekka said. “The negative consequences of that became obvious: groundwater levels declined, we had subsidence which causes land to sink, we had deterioration in water quality and so on. What are growers going to do when we have another drought like we are now? We have to think more broadly.”

    Kisekka says they will also come up with management practices to improve soil health, develop alternative water supplies and reduce water demand so the region can continue to produce various agriculture commodities, such as vegetables, grapes and almonds.

    “We grow crops in California that we cannot shift to another part of the country because they won’t grow well there,” Kisekka said. “We can’t grow almonds in the Southeast where they have a lot of water because they require a certain climate. We want to ensure food and nutritional security of the United States by sustaining irrigated agriculture in the Southwest.”

    Project researchers will also establish innovative education and extension programs to teach students of all backgrounds and ages, as well as the public, about the importance of water in agriculture.

    “Part of this is to develop educational curriculums from elementary to high school to college, where instructors can pull our modules on water management or sustainable agricultural systems and teach that in their classes,” Kisekka said.

    While the depletion of groundwater supplies, among other factors, puts major pressure on agricultural operations in the southwestern region, Kisekka hopes the management practices and tools that will be developed during this project will help improve production and resource sustainability and help make California and the country more resilient to climate change. UC Davis will establish the Agricultural Water Center of Excellence as part of the grant. This unique Center of Excellence will also have capacity to support agricultural water research, education and extension activities at collaborating institutions with potential impact at local, state, national and international levels.

    “We hope at the end of the day we can still grow food in California and the Southwest in general without drying out our groundwater aquifers,” he said. “We have to learn to adapt to climate change. We may not be able to stop it in the short term, but we should be able to adapt.”

    Researchers from University of California, Berkeley, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Stanford University, CSU Fresno, University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, USDA Agricultural Research Service (Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research: Davis, CA and Water Management and Conservation Research: Maricopa, AZ) and USDA Climate Hub are also participating in the project. — By Tiffany Dobbyn, UC Davis

  • Leslie Wada Named USHBC’s First-Ever Senior Director of Nutrition and Health Research

    The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) recently announced the appointment of Leslie Wada, Ph.D., RD, as senior director of nutrition and health research. A longtime consultant for the council, Wada will continue to manage USHBC’s multi-million dollar pipeline of health research projects as she has for the past 12 years. In her expanded role, Wada will have increased ownership and responsibility in leading the health and nutrition pillar of the USHBC’s 2021-2025 strategic plan, integrating the research projects and results with the council’s overall strategy in marketing and promotions. 

    A registered dietitian with an undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of California, Davis, Wada earned a Ph.D. in nutritional sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as a research scientist on nutrition studies and taught classes in dietetics at UC Berkeley before leaving academia to work with companies that developed functional foods and ingredients. For the past 20+ years, she has worked as an independent consultant for companies in the food and agriculture industry.

    To hear Wada tell the story of the heart-healthy properties of blueberries, check out this podcast episode of “The Business of Blueberries” from earlier in the year.

  • USAID Awards UC Davis $15 Million for Global Horticulture Research Program

    The U.S. Agency for International Development will provide a base $15 million investment over the next five years, with up to $34.5 million total funding possible, to support a global research program led by the University of California, Davis, that advances fruit and vegetable production, handling, and consumption.

    The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture will work with and promote local leadership in communities across the globe to advance horticultural and social innovations for nutritional and financial security. This competitive five-year program was first awarded to UC Davis in 2009 and renewed in 2014.

    “Horticulture offers big health, economic and environmental benefits,” said Elizabeth Mitcham, program director and a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences. “UC Davis will be leading an outstanding global consortium that will be able to make big impacts on developing sustainable, local expertise and innovative technical and social solutions to empower horticulture producers and their communities.”

    UC Davis will be joined in a consortium with Florida A&M University, Michigan State University, Texas A&M, and World Vegetable Center, along with subject matter experts from Penn State University and Making Cents International, to help manage this program.

    The Horticulture Innovation Lab will focus their efforts in West Africa, East Africa, South/Southeast Asia and Central America. At the forefront of their research will be the development of environmentally sustainable, market-oriented production and post-harvest handling methods that provide smallholder farmers and other stakeholders in fruit and vegetable value chains more income, as well as improved access to fruits and vegetables to better nourish their families and communities.

    Locally led, globally supported

    Within the UC Davis-led consortium are partners and specialists with expertise in horticulture, agronomics, agri-sociology, agribusiness and agri-policy. The Horticulture Innovation Lab will convene these global, regional and local experts to determine research needs in each geographical area. Once these research needs are defined, the team will emphasize a holistic, locally led approach to build community resilience and to support inclusivity. 

    “We asked ourselves, ‘how do you effect change in a system now that overcomes immediate challenges and those yet to present themselves?’” said Erin McGuire, associate director of the Horticulture Innovation Lab. “We need to understand the implications of our projects and to work closely with local leaders and community members to ensure a pipeline of appropriate innovations now and in the future.”

    Building on fertile grounds

    Fruits and vegetables provide vital nutrients for healthy communities, empower women and youth, and improve overall sustainability in production systems — this was the central tenet informing all of the work that the Horticulture Innovation Lab did during its first 10 years.

    As a direct result of the Horticulture Innovation Lab’s work, more than 750 horticultural technologies are now available for transfer and scaling in communities across the globe. More than 32,000 farmers are applying or using these technologies as a result of the lab and its network’s collective work, and more than 13,000 hectares of land are under new management practices.

    The Horticulture Innovation Lab produced a number of innovative technologies, including a chimney solar dryer that more efficiently dries and preserves fruits and vegetables for long-term storage, and a simple tool called the DryCard that lets farmers know if food is safe for dry storage.

    Additionally, researchers facilitated the adoption of improved agricultural methods, such as drip irrigation in Guatemala, and conservation agriculture for vegetable production and a packinghouse in Cambodia, that led to climate and social resilience.

    The Horticulture Innovation Lab is a part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s initiative to combat global hunger and poverty. It brings partners together to help some of the world’s poorest countries harness the power of agriculture and entrepreneurship to jump-start their economies and create new opportunities.  — By Matt Marcure, UC Davis

  • Paso Robles Soil Health Project Looking for Participants

    The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Upper Salinas Las Tablas RCD is working with a team of California soil scientists and extension agents (Dr. Cristina Lazcano, Dr. Kerri Steenwerth, Dr. Charlotte Decock, Mark Battany and others) to study soil health, and the potential for carbon sequestration in vineyard soils of Paso Robles. Our goals include developing real metrics for what a “healthy soil” is for premium wine grapes, and as we learn, educating our members and all growers on what practices best impact soil health, carbon sequestration, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in our vineyards. This study is funded through the American Vineyard Foundation. We are now recruiting collaborating growers in the Paso Robles AVA. Are you willing to participate in the next phase of this exciting research project?

    BACKGROUND

    In the last years there has been a big push for growers to incorporate practices that improve or preserve soil health. However, there are not yet clear guidelines on how much the health of a particular soil can be improved given certain management practices. There is also no information on how soil health may be important for wine grape production as compared to other crops. This project aims to determine the variability of soil health indicators (soil organic matter, infiltration etc.) in areas with different soil types and climate in Paso Robles.

    GROWER COMMITMENT

    • Allow our researchers to collect soil samples and perform soil health assessment during the 2022 late winter months (aiming for February 2022). They would like to sample from blocks that have high vs. low soil health/vigor. (approx. 2 hours needed).
    • Participate in an interview (approx. 1 hour long) to discuss what aspects of soil health you consider important for wine grape production, and the practices that you are using to promote soil health. Interviews can be done at the time of sampling, or at a different time either in person or remotely (through Zoom).
    • Approx. 3 hours total time commitment
      

    SAFETY PROTOCOLS

    • At all times, the researchers will adhere to strict COVID-19 safety protocols as directed by the CDC, OSHA and adhering to the specific practices that each grower has in place for your operation.
      

    Thank you in advance for your consideration, If you are willing to participate or have any questions please contact Dr. Lazcano, Assistant Professor of Soil Ecology, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California Davis at clazcano@ucdavis.edu.

  • California’s Local Meat Suppliers Struggle to Stay in Business

    The University of California, Davis, Food Systems Lab has released a white paper showing the need to support California’s small and mid-scale meat suppliers and processors in order to build a more resilient meat supply chain. It describes how the meat supply chain and rural economies could benefit from regulatory changes and more collaboration among producers and other stakeholders in the system.

    The pandemic shut down meat processing plants in 2020, as did recent ransomware attacks on JBS, the nation’s largest meat supplier. Report authors said this highlights the need to support small- and mid-scale suppliers.

    “COVID and the ransomware attacks put a spotlight on how the concentration of the meat supply chain increased vulnerability in the food system,” said report co-author Tom Tomich, founder of the UC Davis Food Systems Lab and distinguished professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. “We need to level the playing field so small- and mid-scale farms have an easier way to bring their product to market.”

    The report says the lack of access to slaughter facilities, limited capacity of cut and wrap facilities, and concentration of marketing channels create conditions in which small- and mid-scale farms and ranches struggle to stay in business.

    “These challenges are exacerbated by policies that tilt the playing field against small operators. Fortunately, new state and national legislation and programs are developing that could increase resilience in our food systems,” says Michael R. Dimock, Roots of Change program director and lead author for the report. “We need cities and counties to help fix the problems because local land use policies often impede development of resilient supply chains.”

    Lack of Access & Limited Capacity

    Smaller ranchers in California have limited access to slaughter and processing facilities. In the last 50 years, California has lost half of its federally inspected meat processing plants, and the remaining facilities are unable to meet demand. Many of the 46 USDA-certified slaughter plants operating in California are closed to smaller producers.

    “This means that smaller ranchers must drive hundreds of miles to reach a facility or have to wait months due to limited capacity,” said Tomich.

    The report said a combination of federal, state and private investments could provide a broader geographic distribution of plants of differing scales. It also suggests expanding mobile, on-farm slaughter operations for sheep, goats and hogs, similar to those for beef.

    Regulatory Barriers & Opportunities

    Complex inspection requirements and other regulatory barriers make it difficult for small- and mid-scale producers to compete with big suppliers. The report suggests California create its own meat inspection program equivalent to the federal program to serve smaller ranchers. Prioritizing public procurement of local, high-value meat would also help expand market access for smaller producers.

    Broader Benefits of Smaller Operators

    The report notes other beneficial roles of small- and mid-scale livestock operations, apart from the potential to increase resilience in our food system. Livestock grazing is a cheap and effective way to reduce wildfire risk. Supporting local meat processing also helps rural economies and creates community-based jobs.

    The report was based on 27 interviews with people representing a wide spectrum of activities and points of view within the meat supply chain throughout the state. Authors are Courtney Riggle, Allan Hollander, Patrick Huber and Thomas Tomich of the UC Davis Food Systems Lab, and Michael R. Dimock with Roots of Change.

    Funding for the study came from the TomKat Foundation and USDA Hatch Program. — By Amy Quinton, UC Davis

  • Dairy and Almond Groups Partner on Healthy Soils Research

    UC Davis researchers are evaluating the use of pelletized compost made from dairy manure and almond tree twigs, to create safe, pathogen-free, value-added amendments to boost soil health.

    Building healthy soils has tremendous benefits. Increasing the amount of organic matter within the soil can improve water retention and protection, reduce erosion, sequester carbon, and improve crop yields. Increasing water scarcity and severe drought conditions make boosting soil resilience an even greater priority for California. Researchers are exploring how the environmental benefits of healthy soils initiatives can extend even further when readily available agricultural resources are used in regenerative ways.

    A team of UC Davis researchers, led by Dr. Ruihong Zhang, has recycled dairy manure and almond twig waste into a nutrient-rich, safe, organic soil amendment. The new product was created and applied, and its effects continue to be studied. The idea is that the woody material can capture nutrients in the manure and slowly release them, as needed, into the soil. Because the product is also pelletized, it can be applied to croplands and orchards with standard farm equipment. Ultimately, the researchers hope to create a new model for using recycled agricultural resources to sequester carbon and provide benefits to the soil, crops, and the environment.

    The partnership was a natural fit, as the Central Valley is home to many neighboring dairy farms and almond orchards, which have a long history of collaboration. Dairies are already major consumers of almond co-products, including hulls (used as a highly nutritious feed ingredient) and shells (used as a bedding material). With a goal of achieving zero waste by 2025, the California almond community has been actively investigating a wide variety of ways to utilize woody biomass, including twigs, pruned branches, and tree removals. Meanwhile, the dairy community has been exploring ways to expand use of manure nutrients across California’s diverse agricultural landscape.

    “Creating valuable manure-based soil amendments is an area that the dairy sector has been focusing on, but there are some challenges,” said Denise Mullinax, Executive Director of the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF). “We know that farmers want a soil amendment with a consistent and reliable nutrient profile. It also needs to be easy to transport and apply. That’s why we are thrilled to support this team of esteemed researchers and to partner with the almond industry on this project. Together, we’re piloting a new avenue to enhance the benefits of both manure and woody biomass.”

    The initial project was funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)’s Healthy Soils Program. As the project scope grew, the researchers were awarded additional funding from the demonstration category of CDFA’s Alternative Manure Management Program. With supplemental support from the CDRF and the Almond Board of California, the research project developed to include a team of more than 20 individuals—including researchers, farmers, and industry collaborators—contributing throughout a three-year timeframe. The project includes two seasons of creating soil amendments and applying them to the orchard, and three years of studying effects on soil health, emissions, tree health, and crop yield, while ensuring food safety.

    Using composted manure from Wickstrom Dairies, the study will shine a light for future research on expanding and improving manure utilization. Like many California dairies, the farm uses a separator system to remove solids from liquid manure streams. The solids are then sun dried in rows that are turned over periodically, as a form of composting. Dried manure solids are traditionally used for bedding or are applied to dairy forage fields. For this study, a portion of the finer manure solids were co-composted with twigs from almond production and then ran through a pelletizer. Pelletizing the compost is intended to provide a more consistent blend, while creating an easy-to-use product. The pelletized compost product has now been applied to the pilot orchard for two consecutive seasons. Four treatments were used to examine differences in manure-only verses manure-twig and pelletized versus non-pelletized compost products.

    “We look forward to seeing the final results,” said Mullinax. “Dr. Zhang and her team are demonstrating that it’s possible to make a pelletized product that is safe and easy to use, while fully assessing the environmental benefits. It’s projects like this that will pave the way for implementing advanced nutrient management on a larger scale, greatly enhancing soil health and further improving water conservation and protection.”

    The research team highlighted the project by providing a virtual field day, and they plan to host another outreach event this fall. Research is scheduled to conclude in March 2022. However, longer-term effects on soil health will continue to be studied. And the final report will only be the beginning of more learnings to come.

    Potential research areas to be explored next include applications on different kinds of crops, comparing a pelletized versus granulated product, and using varying types of dairy manure solids (from different types of separators, settling basins, and lagoon solids). Additionally, the use of infrared technology versus composting will be explored prior to pelletization or granulation. All options will also need to be assessed for cost-effectiveness and potential scalability.

    The manure-twig project is part of a broader, collaborative effort to expand manure’s role in healthy soils. California dairy farmers will continue to work with researchers, state officials, and other agricultural professionals to find more ways to maximize manure’s role in building healthy soils and protecting our air, water, and climate. The possibilities for sustainable solutions are bright when farmers and scientists come together to make new use of existing resources and technologies.

    California dairy farmers will continue partnering to help make an underutilized resource an important part of a healthy-soil future.

    — By Dairy Cares

  • Field Bindweed Yield Impacts on Processing Tomatoes May be Less than Expected

    Figure 1. Field bindweed (Convolvulsus arvensis)

    Field bindweed (Convolvulsus arvensis) is considered by many tomato growers to be the most problematic of all weeds in California production areas. Indeed, field bindweed and the closely related morning glory weeds were ranked the 8th most troublesome weeds in North America in a recent survey by the Weed Science Society of America. The rapid adoption of drip irrigation and the economic necessity of maintaining the beds and replanting with only minimal tillage for multiple seasons in processing tomatoes has created a system where field bindweed has become more prevalent. Field bindweed is extremely difficult to control because it propagates from seed and vegetatively from buds formed in the roots. Seedlings can be controlled with tillage when very young, but they become perennial very rapidly. Chemical control of seedlings is possible, but established plants are much more difficult to control. Established plants often have a large root system relative to the amount of top growth, and thus are extremely tolerant of post emergence herbicides such as carfentrazone (Shark), glufosinate (Rely), and glyphosate (Roundup).

    Bindweed is a headache not only for its persistent and pernicious growth habit and ability to reduce tomato yields, but also because it can physically stop a processing tomato harvester in the field. Vigorously growing vines can become entangled around the shaker and conveyor belts, requiring the equipment operator to shut down and manually clear out the foliage.

    Several years ago, myself and other UC researchers conducted herbicide trials evaluating field bindweed control — with marginal success. In a given year and location, most of the registered herbicides in tomatoes gave only temporary suppression – about 40 – 80% bindweed control at 8 weeks after transplanting. Best results were observed where herbicides were stacked: trifluralin (Treflan) pre-plant incorporated followed by rimsulfuron (Matrix) post. Glyphosate helped in situations where the bindweed emerged early and could be applied before transplanting (Figure 2).

    Figure 2. Bindweed control plots at UC Davis. Untreated control on the left, glyphosate, trifluralin, and rimsulfuron on the right.

    Earlier this year, I was asked to summarize the effects of weeds on processing tomato yield. This made me go back and look at this work, but with a slightly different emphasis: impact of weed control (or really, lack of weed control) on yield. To increase the size of my dataset, I also included data from trials done at UC Davis. Where I had data for both yield and weed control in good, replicated trials, I performed a regression analysis comparing % weed control and % relative yield (relative yields remove the year-to-year and location variability). In the end, I used 4 trials from 2012-13 (Table 1).

    Scott Stoddard, UC Cooperative Extension Merced-Madera Counties Vegetable Crops and Soils Farm Advisor

    Surprisingly, these data suggested that where bindweed dominated, it did not have a big impact on processing tomato yield. Even with just 50% control 8 weeks after transplanting, potential yield was 88-95%. This may have occurred because bindweed does not shade out the tomato canopy nearly as much as some of the common annual weeds. However, when tall broadleaf weeds dominated, such as pigweed, nightshades, and lambsquarters, yields dropped rapidly. I had some plots with a 99% yield drop if these weeds were allowed to grow all season. In this situation, the weeds towered over the tomato canopy.

    There have been no new registered herbicides in processing tomatoes in the last 10 years, while robotic weed control has progressed rapidly during this time. Unfortunately, neither our current slate of registered herbicides nor robots provide adequate control of field bindweed. This may not matter as much as previously thought, however. The annual grasses and broadleaf weeds have far greater yield impact, especially when they grow tall and shade out the crop. Thankfully, there are several registered herbicides that provide effective control of those weed types. — By Scott Stoddard, UC Cooperative Extension

  • Rhone Rangers To Honor Gary Eberle With Lifetime Achievement Award

    The national Rhone Rangers organization will present its sixth Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday, August 19, 2021, to recognize the significant contributions made by an individual to the American Rhone wine movement. This year’s award will be given to Gary Eberle, founder and owner of Eberle Winery. Honoring Eberle on behalf of the Rhone Rangers will be guest moderator and journalist Matt Kettmann, and special guests Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard and Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.

    A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and standout football player for Penn State, Gary Eberle had an extraordinary academic career that includes an undergraduate degree in Biology from Penn State, graduate work in cellular genetics and a Master of Science Invertebrate Zoology at Louisiana State University, and a National Science Fellowship with Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was in New Orleans that Eberle was introduced to wine, setting the course for his Ph.D. in Enology and Viticulture from U.C. Davis in California.

    One of the original co-founders of the Estrella River Winery, Eberle settled in Paso Robles, California in the early-1970’s. He has the first documented planting of Syrah in the state of California in 1975, along with the first commercially produced 100% Syrah wine in 1978. “Gary Eberle is known as the Godfather of Paso Robles for his pioneering work here. But he should be equally famous for his early championing of Syrah, and for the sourcing and propagation of the clone now dominant throughout California,” stated Haas. In the late-70’s, Eberle founded Eberle Winery, with a focus on the crafting of premium, small production lots of wine. In addition to the acclaimed Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah, Eberle Winery has an extensive Rhone wine portfolio, including a Viognier, white-Rhone blend, Côtes-du-Rôbles Blanc, a Grenache-based Côtes-du-Rôbles Rosé, and Côtes-du-Rôbles Rouge blend.

    “U.C. Davis was where my love of Rhône varietals all started. I met Brian Crozier who introduced me to Shiraz. I was immediately fascinated by this varietal, and its ability to be produced all around the world. I noticed that it had not yet been produced in the U.S. and I made it my quest to establish Syrah in Paso Robles,” Gary Eberle said, adding, “Introducing and propagating Syrah in the US is still one of my proudest accomplishments, and it has been rewarding to see what other wineries have

    done not only Syrah, but also my other favorite Rhone’s – Viognier, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. I am honored to be recognized by the Rhone Rangers and I will cherish this award forever.”

    Past Rhone Rangers Lifetime Achievement honors have been awarded to notable Rhone wine luminaries, including Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon Vineyard (2013), Robert Haas, Tablas Creek Vineyard (2014), Robert “Bob” Lindquist, Qupé/Lindquist Family Wines (2015), Bill Easton, Terre Rouge (2016), and Sondra Bernstein, the girl and the fig (2017).

    The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Gary Eberle on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 5pm PST during a virtual event which may be viewed on Facebook Live @rhonerangers or via Zoom. For additional details and to RSVP for the Zoom session, please visit www.rhonerangers.org.

    About the Rhone Rangers

    Founded in 1998, the Rhone Rangers are a group of 100+ wineries throughout the United States dedicated to making wines from the 22 grape varieties originally made famous in France’s Rhône Valley. These varieties range from the better-known Syrah and Viognier to the up-and-coming Mourvèdre, Grenache and Roussanne, and obscure grapes like Counoise and Picpoul.

    The Rhone Rangers started from a small gathering of American vintners who began meeting informally in the 1980s. As their numbers expanded, the non-profit organized under the name “Rhone Rangers,” with a focus on promoting the enjoyment of Rhône varietal wines produced in the United States. These grapes include the 22 traditional varieties approved by the French government for the Côtes du Rhône, as well as Durif (Petite Sirah). In order for a winery to join the Rhone Rangers, they must produce at least one wine that contains 75% of any single approved varietal (or combination of these varieties). For more information, please visit www.rhonerangers.org.