At Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo, UCCE Viticulture Advisor Gabriel Torres provided an in-depth presentation on sour rot prevention and management. If you missed his presentation or would like a refresher, watch this brief interview as Gabriel provides of some key points growers should consider in season-long prevention/management of this crop spoiling complex.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
A new study on the costs and returns of establishing and producing lemons in Ventura County has been released by UC Cooperative Extension in Southern California and UC Agricultural Issues Center, both part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Coastal agriculture is always in transition and as strawberries and vegetables become less profitable due to markets and labor availability, lemons have returned as a potentially profitable alternative to those crops,” saidBen Faber, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Ventura County and coauthor of the study.
California lemon acreage was at roughly 47,000 acres in 2018-19, of which Ventura County accounts for 31%, according to the 2019 Ventura County Crop Report. Ventura County was growing lemons on 14,407 acres in 2019.
“The profitability of lemon production depends on the price of land,” said Etaferahu Takele, UC Cooperative Extension farm management advisor for Southern California, another coauthor of the study. “If the price of land continues in its current trend, it could be prohibitive for new entrants to make a profit and limit further expansion of lemon production in the county.”
Their cost analysis describes production operations for Eureka lemons on macrophylla rootstock, which are planted at 155 trees per acre with an expected life span of 40 years.
The study includes a detailed summary of costs and returns and a profitability analysis of gross margin, economic profit and a break-even ranging analysis table, which shows profits over a range of prices and yields.
Input and reviews were provided by Ventura County farm advisor and grower cooperators. The authors describe the assumptions used to identify current costs for lemon establishment and production, material inputs, cash and non-cash overhead.
The new study, “2020 – Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Eureka Lemons in Ventura County,” can be downloaded for free from the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu and the UCCE Riverside County Farm Management website at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Farm_Management/files/338947.pdf. Sample cost of production studies for many other commodities are also available on the websites.
For additional information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, refer to the section of the report titled “Assumptions” or contact Takele at (951) 683-6491 Ext. 243 ettakele@ucanr.edu or Donald Stewart at the UC Agricultural Issues Center at (530) 752-4651, destewart@ucdavis.edu.
For information about production of lemons in Ventura County, contact Faber at bafaber@ucanr.edu. — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UCANR
California Avocado Commission — Microirrigation systems (microsprinklers, drip emitters and drip tape) tend to provide better distribution/emission uniformity than other irrigation methods. However, the miniscule flow passages in these systems can become clogged and thus disrupt the uniformity of water applied to a crop.
Late fall and winter are an ideal time to review irrigation systems for needed repairs or malfunctions. A great resource is the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ (UCANR) webpage that outlines various causes of microirrigation clogging and means of preventing or mitigating the problems.
The first step in alleviating clogs is identifying the problem. Clogs can be caused by:
To identify the issues, UC ANR recommends first flushing water from the lateral lines through a nylon stocking or paint straining cloth and examining what material is collected. If you see mineral particles, you have identified your problem. If you notice that clogging tends to occur at the ends of the lines, this also tends to indicate particulate clogging.
If you identify organic matter when flushing the line, then biological materials are the issue. You also can open the end of a lateral line and feel inside the tube to see if it is slimy. If so, biological materials are the source of your problem.
If you note white, crusty materials or reddish staining of the soil near the emitters, this is indicative of chemical precipitates.
Once you have identified the clogging source, you can take steps to address the issue.
Particulate issues can be prevented by regular line flushing and the use of filters. UCANR provides a list of various filters and a table noting which filter to choose based on water source, particulates and irrigation system. To adequately flush the lines, water must flush at least 1 foot per second at the end of the drip line — 1 gallon/minute for 5/8” diameter and 2 gallons/minutes for 7/8” diameter drip lines.
If organic matter is the source of the clogging, the best mode of treatment is a good filtration system combined with use of a biocide to remove the biological contaminants. Visit the UCANR site for a list of filters and the aforementioned “how to choose a filter” table.
If calcium carbonate (lime) or iron is clogging your emitters, strong acid can make either disappear if emitters are left in it overnight. Lowering the pH (6 or below) of the water by injecting common acids — sulfuric acid, muriatic acid or hydrochloric acid — can help prevent clogging due to lime. UCANR provides specific formulas to help growers determine the injection rate needed to alter water pH.
If high iron levels are the source of the clogging, aerating the water to oxidize the iron and then allowing the precipitates to settle before irrigating (a reservoir or settling basin is necessary) is the most practical option. Common acids also can be injected to decrease the pH of the water (4 or less).
For more information on routine microirrigation tasks, visit the UCANR website.
Most tree nut growers have heard about the sterile insect technique research underway to combat Navel Orangeworm, the number one pest threat to almond and pistachio growers. But what is the progress on this program and how soon can we expect to see these sterile insects released on a large scale to support California growers? Watch this brief interview with Houston Wilson from the Kearney Ag Research & Extension Center, UC Cooperative Extension, to learn more.
Got vine mealybug in the vineyard? Consider mating disruption in your IPM program. Watch this brief interview with Kent Daane from the UC Cooperative Extension as he shares how it works and how effective their research trials have been throughout the state in utilizing this technology. Read more about vineyard pest management in American Vineyard Magazine.
As almond growers in California prepare for hull split, almond hull rot is often a problem on their minds during this time. As UC Cooperative Extension Orchard Systems Farm Advisor Franz Niederholzer says, prevention is key. Watch this brief interview with Franz as he shares three tips on avoiding this costly issue in the orchard, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive the magazine? Subscribe for free at: https://malcolmmedia.com/pacific-nut-producer-magazine-subscriptions/
Are you not seeing the results you expected in your latest fungicide/insecticide application? Watch this brief interview with Peter Ako Larbi from the UC Cooperative Extension who shares several considerations on how growers can improve their pesticide spray coverage in their orchard or vineyard.
Many growers have probably heard of the newer Golden Hills pistachio variety by now, but it is now being more widely planted in the industry. Likewise, growers and researchers are learning more about the unique characteristics of this variety that growers should consider before planting it. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Kern County Farm Advisor Craig Kallsen, as he explains and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.