Walnuts
Fall walnut irrigation: Check surface soil before freezes
UCCE guidance puts moist, unsaturated surface soil at the center of autumn walnut freeze preparation, with ET reports helping growers assess whether rainfall has met…
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Timely updates and useful context for the people who grow, advise and lead agriculture.
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Pest Management
UC updates kikuyugrass guide, emphasizing prevention and early removal
Kikuyugrass can move on equipment and in planting materials. UC’s revised guide explains how to identify it and why vigorous turf offers suppression, not assured…
Pest Management
UC IPM revises lawn-mushroom guide with new identification photos
The updated resource distinguishes common lawn fungi from mushrooms that may signal nearby tree problems or pose a risk if eaten.
Regulations
DWC seeks comments on proposed attorney deposition-rate ranges
Comments are due Nov. 9 on a revised California workers’ compensation proposal covering attorney rates for certain depositions. The draft is not an adopted rule.
Citrus
When orchard soils stay wet, citrus and avocado roots can suffer
UC ANR guidance explains how saturated soils can trigger leaf and fruit loss, why young avocados are vulnerable, and how drainage relates to citrus disease…
Vegetables
Fall container lettuce starts with drainage and a close watch on water
UC gardening guidance offers practical choices for lettuce varieties, potting mix and container depth, while reminding gardeners that seasonal rain may not reach sheltered plants.
Research
Late-Season Smoke Can Leave Orchards Short of Stored Energy
Research on California’s 2020 wildfires links prolonged smoke exposure to lower tree carbohydrate reserves, with exposure timing and incomplete yield records complicating next-season forecasts.
Regulations
Proposed EQIP cuts put near-term conservation funding in focus
An October 22 University of Illinois analysis says proposed EQIP reductions would add to a funding shift that already moves conservation spending into later years.
Row Crops
2026 ARC-CO or PLC choice hinges on county yields and price risk
University researchers favor ARC-CO for many corn and soybean situations, while wheat looks closer. They report a December 11 election deadline, with any payments arriving…
Pest Management
Reading aphid mummies and parasitoid exit holes
UC identification guides explain how crusty aphids, darkened hosts and emergence holes reveal natural-enemy activity, without proving pests are under control.
Regulations
USDA opens rural home-loan guarantees to rental ADUs Dec. 28
A final rule allows homes with income-producing accessory units to qualify, but potential ADU rent will not count toward applicants’ qualifying income ratios.
Berries
Drone trial moves blueberry-feeding birds, but crop protection remains unproven
In a California blueberry study, drones displaced birds in 85% of encounters, but only 30% ended in apparent field departure. Further testing will examine sustained…