Backyard Orchard News
Kearney held the 62nd annual conference on soilborne plant pathogens and the 48th California nematology workshop March 22-24 2016.
Andreas Westphal helped provide back to back meetings that concentrated on sharing research, discoveries, and disease problems, as well as developing and new pest management technologies for soilborne diseases. These diseases include fungus, nematode, bacteria, and virus populations found in the soil. Attendees included personnel from universities, state agencies, and multiple components of the Ag industry. Information was shared in meeting rooms and field sites. Soilborne pests of food crops, ornamental plants and native plants were discussed. The basic agenda is available online.
Lettuce planting workshop at the Fresno Farm and Nutrition Day on March 18, 2016 attracted many 3rd grade students.
UC ANR Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center provided a lettuce planting workshop for about 3500 third grade students from 36 schools and 16 districts at the 11th annual Fresno Farm and Nutrition Day. Students learned what it takes to be a healthy plant and a healthy person, they then planted 2 leaf lettuce plants to take home and enjoy. An ABC 30 news video shows some of the lettuce planting, which was made possible with the help of many volunteers. Greenheart Farms and The Food Plant People provided donations for the workshop. The lettuce planting was featured in videos and on the front page of the March 19, 2016 edition of The Fresno Bee. UC ANR was also represented by a Cal Fresh workshop and 4-H youth who brought farm animals. For more photos, please go to the UCANR facebook page.
The Day the First Bumble Bee Arrived
When the monarchs return to southern California and central Mexico to overwinter, the residents...
Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), foraging on verbena. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Its wings glistening, the yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, sips nectar.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This 'B' Gets an 'A' for Good Grooming
This "B" gets an "A" for good grooming. We recently watched a honey bee land on the edge of a...
A honey bee lands on the edge of a planter and proceeds to clean her tongue (proboscis). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee removing the particles from her tongue so she can keep foraging. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Am I good to go? The honey bee finishes cleaning her tongue and stares at the photographer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bloom treatments established in LREC olive block for alternate bearing research
Dr. Carol Lovatt, Professor of Plant Physiology, Botany, and Plant Sciences, UC Riverside, worked...
Plant growth regulators were injected into the trees during the initial proof-of-concept phase of the research program.
Kurt Schmidt, LREC Superintendent, and Carol Lovatt, Professor of Plant Physiology, Emeritus, and Professor in the Graduate Division, discuss application of treatments at bloom.