California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: Vegetables West Magazine

  • New Beginnings for Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Camarillo

    In December 2022, the University of California (UC) acquired a 114-acre farm property on the west side of Camarillo to become the new home of the Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC), supported by an endowment bequeathed to the University of California by Saticoy farmer Thelma Hansen. The mission of the Thelma Hansen Fund is to support and maintain University research and extension activities for the sustainability and benefit of agriculture and natural resources in Ventura County.

    For the past 25 years, the Center has been located on the historic Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula. At 27 acres, HAREC was the smallest of the nine research and extension centers operated by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources throughout California. For many years, it hosted a popular school field trip program, a Master Gardener demonstration and training garden, and numerous research trials on fruit and vegetable crops and landscape plants. In 2019, it was decided that the Center should move to a larger property on or near the Oxnard Plain to expand research and extension capacity. The Faulkner Farm was eventually sold in March 2021 but a portion was leased back to the University to maintain research and educational activities until a new location was identified.

    A planning committee of agricultural stakeholders, UC and County staff, and external consultants embarked on the search for a new location and developed a provisional layout of the new facility. The search was complicated by a paucity of suitable farm properties for sale during that period. One of the desired features of the new site was a location on the Oxnard Plain in order to have a representative environment for doing research on high-value crops in Ventura County, such as strawberries. Other criteria were acreage, accessibility, having representative and diverse soil types, access to sufficient irrigation water of good quality, low risk of flooding, proximity to California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI), and municipal water and sewer access.

    The new farm location meets most of our search criteria and is representative of the coastal agriculture environment. Various soil types are present at the site, including clay, clay loam, loam and loamy sand, suitable for a variety of crops. Of the approximately 104 cultivable acres, 28 are certified organic, which will allow us to do research on organic as well as conventional crop production methods in the future. The farm has two agricultural wells, a 7-acre yard area with several shop buildings, and is fully tiled and set up for irrigation. The land is currently used to grow strawberries and vegetables but was a lemon orchard in the past. A bonus is its proximity to the Rodale Institute California Organic Center, which will enhance opportunities for collaboration, as well as Sterling Hills Golf Course, which has banquet facilities for large events.

    So, what are our plans now that we have found a new home for HAREC? Over the next 6 months, we will orchestrate the move from the Faulkner Farm to Camarillo, which will involve the transportation of two modular office buildings, a walk-in cooler, shed, various sea containers and all of our farm equipment, vehicles and tools. Seismic and other repairs will be needed at the new site before the buildings can be usable. Since a substantial part of the parcel is leased out for farming for the next three years, we will initiate and expand research projects and plantings on the remaining acreage.

    Then the long process of designing a new research and educational facility will begin with the help of stakeholders, staff, architects and engineers. The new facility, which is expected to be completed in 4 to 5 years, will have offices, conference rooms, laboratories, greenhouses, storage space, a demonstration kitchen and indoor and outdoor education areas. The facility will aim to be water efficient and energy neutral, relying on solar panels for much of its energy usage. The new site is envisioned to have Master Gardener demonstration gardens, a Student Organic Farm in collaboration with CSUCI and the Rodale Institute, a pollination garden with beehives, and a Compost Training Center. Other ideas on the table are the establishment of a Biological Control Research Center for Southern California and possibly a Fire Science Laboratory. Eventually, the UC Cooperative Extension Office in Ventura will also move to the new site for administrative and programmatic efficiency.

    The ultimate goal of the new Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center is to become a vibrant research and education hub that provides science-based solutions and is responsive to the needs of agricultural, rural and urban communities and the environment in Ventura County. Staffing levels will increase in order to expand current programming and bring new educational opportunities to the County, such as the UC Master Food Preserver and Master Beekeeper programs. A capital campaign will be needed to gather sufficient funds for the establishment of the facility. We look forward to gathering input on how to best fulfill our mission and future-proof the facility. — By Annemiek Schilder, UCANR

  • UC Davis Seeks Mighty Bacteria-Resistant Lettuce

    Maeli Melotto and her team at the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences are looking for strains of lettuce that are genetically stronger at resisting bacteria that can make people sick. Their work has led to the identification of a gene that could play a role in the plant’s susceptibility to E. coli, a bacterium that causes potentially lethal intestinal illness.

    If the team could develop lettuce that can fight off the bacterium, that would avoid thousands of cases of sickness each year, cut production costs for farmers and save millions of dollars in public health expenses.

    Lettuce “sweats” substances onto the surface of leaves that E. coli and other bacteria can eat. In addition, bacteria can live just below the surface of lettuce leaves. Melotto, a professor specializing in the interactions between plants and microbes, is studying the genetic factors that determine how long bacteria can endure in the leaves. She and her team looked at more than 300 samples of lettuce and how they react to the pathogens, identifying the gene responsible for letting them in.

    Their next step is to test whether removing that gene could make lettuce more resistant to bacteria.

    Maeli Melotto, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, and her team have found a gene she thinks governs whether lettuce can resist bacteria such as E. coli. (Trina Kleist/UC Davis)

    Some lettuce more likely to “feed” bacteria

    In a related study, Melotto’s team is looking at the surface of lettuce leaves and the layer just below the surface, which has tiny spaces where bacteria can live. The researchers want to learn what natural chemicals are in these two areas, and what compounds lettuce releases onto the surface of leaves that bacteria can use as food. Melotto expects to find that some types of lettuce are genetically disposed toward “feeding” bacteria.

    Melotto presented her findings at meetings earlier this year of the California Specialty Crops Council and the California Leafy Greens Research Board. Her work is funded in part by a five-year grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

  • North American Strawberry Symposium & Growers Association Conference

    Strawberry growers, researchers, and other industry members from around the globe are invited to attend the 10th North American Strawberry Symposium (NASS), a meeting of  to be held in conjunction with the annual North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA) conference, March 7-10, 2023 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo, California, USA. California, where nearly 90% of U.S. strawberries are grown, features a unique coastal environment with its western ocean exposure, moderate temperatures, warm sunny days, and cool foggy nights –perfect for growing strawberries year-round.

    The Symposium will include two and a half days of workshops, reception, research presentations, marketing presentations, poster sessions and an award luncheon, and will be followed by a post- conference tour on March 10, which will encompass strawberry production in the region as well as the research, training and testing facilities at the CalPoly Strawberry Center. The Program Committee is committed to making this a world-class research symposium for growers and scientists, and we eagerly look forward to seeing you in San Luis Obispo.

    Subject areas for oral and poster presentations include: Global and North American Overviews, Breeding, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Disease & Pest Management, Propagation & Nursery Management, Cultural Practices, Indoor Production, Precision Agriculture, Robotics, Automation, Plant Nutrition and Water Management, Plant Physiology, Economics of Production Practices, Post-Harvest Quality Management, and Food Safety.

    Workshop topics include: Disease Management, Nursery Developments, Entomology, Strawberry Breeding Tools and Tips, Production Management/Plant Physiology, Getting Started with Automation/Precision Agriculture, Indoor Production, Methyl Bromide Alternatives, Novel Weed Management Approaches. View the full program HERE.

    Look for a mail-in registration form and more program details (abstract deadlines, keynote speakers, etc.) and opportunities for industry, organization and agency sponsorship on the NASGA website: http://www.nasga.org/. Please spread the word to fellow researchers and strawberry growers.

  • 2023 UCCE Carrot Research (Virtual) Symposium

    The UC Cooperative Extension will be hosting its 2023 Carrot Research Symposium on Tuesday, February 14th online via Zoom from 8 a.m. to noon.  Attendance is free and open to the public.  The symposium will focus on the latest information in research and activities related to carrots, with 1.5 hrs. of ‘Other’ CEUs applied for from the CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulations.  Some of the highlighted topics on the agenda include: screening carrot lines for resistance to cavity spot and other traits, carrot breeding to develop/introduce improved cultivars for CA production, root-knot nematode injury prevention in CA fresh carrot production, steam disinfestation of weed seed banks in carrots, and more.  See the full agenda HERE.  Register to attend HERE.

    Contacts for More Information

    Registration/Logistics: PJ Kelly, anrprogramsupport@ucanr.edu or (530) 750-1361
    Course Content: Jaspreet Sidhu, jaksidhu@ucanr.edu, Vegetable Crops Advisor, UCCE Kern County

  • How Do Nutrients Get Into My Vegetables?

    Like all living organisms, vegetables need nutrients for their proper growth and development. But where do they get their mineral nutrients from? The answer is soil. Okay, the next question is, how do nutrients go from the soil and into the vegetables?

    The three processes responsible for nutrients from the soil reach the plant are diffusion, mass transport, and root interception. I know it seems to be complex to understand, but I promise it is not.

    Diffusion

    When the concentration of nutrients is higher in the soil than in the plant root, then the nutrients in the soil will move from a region of higher concentration (soil) to a region of lower concentration (vegetable). Potassium and phosphorus are examples of nutrients that get into the vegetables by diffusion.

    Mass transport

    Nutrients move to the roots via water. As plants transpire water, it draws water and nutrients from the soil up through the root system. Mass transport accounts for nutrient acquisition of mobile nutrients, such as nitrogen and sulfur.

    A radish plant with soil pulled aside to demonstrate the root system. Plants get their nutrients from the soil – and if the soil is deficient in nutrients, the resulting crop will be too. Credit: Carlos Bonini Pires

    Root interception

    Vegetable roots grow through the soil to meet nutrients. As the root grows through the soil it generally only comes in contact with about 1% of soil volume. Good soil structure is essential in the process of root interception. Soil compaction can significantly limit root growth and interception with nutrients throughout the soil. Some important macro and micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc are absorbed by root interception.

    Of course, some nutrients are absorbed in more than one way. For example, iron and zinc can be absorbed by three different methods. As you can see, there are a lot of variables that may impact how vegetable acquire their nutrients.

    Moving within the plant

    Once the nutrients get inside the plant, they can move upward to the leaves and developing vegetables. How? Like a human body, plants also have a vascular system. Rather than a bloodstream, they have xylem and phloem. The Xylem distributes water and dissolves nutrients upward to the plant, from the roots to the leaves. The phloem carries nutrients downward, from the leaves to the roots (photosynthesis). In simple words, the root is the mouth and xylem and phloem are the veins of a “plant body.”

    Checking soil nutrients

    Soils nutrient concentration is crucial for ensuring high nutrient content vegetables. If the soil has few nutrients, no matter how the plant tries, it will not be able to acquire the nutrients it needs for good yields and plant health.

    That is why soil testing is important, and correct fertilization might be needed. Understanding how nutrients are absorbed is vital for a placement strategy. Phosphorus and potassium are nutrients with low mobility and are absorbed by diffusion, so it is important to place them near the plant. On the other hand, nitrogen can be spread over the plants since it is mobile in the soil. This is true whether you are applying organic or mineral fertilizer.

    In agronomy, we pay attention to the nutrient 4R’s: right source, right rate, right time, and right place. This refers to choosing the right type of nutrient or fertilizer, applying at the right amount, when the plant can use it the most, and in the right location. By applying these principles to your home garden, you can increase your yields and create more nutritious produce for your next meal! — By Carlos Bonini Pires, Kansas State University

    An illustration of a soybean plant growing in nutrient-rich soil, producing nutrient-rich soybeans on the left. On the right, a soil that has fewer nutrients will result in soybeans with less nutrients. Credit: Jim Toomey

    American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Crop Science Society of America: Collectively, these Societies represent more than 12,000 individual members around the world. Members are researchers and professionals in the areas of growing our world’s food supply while protecting our environment. Together we work toward solutions to advance scientific knowledge in the areas of agronomy, crop science, and soil science.

  • Juicy Research Unearths New Genome Within the Tomato Family

    Hidden beneath the delicate, red skin and juicy flesh of a tomato is a wealth of nutrients and genetic makeup. With recent research on the first genome of a species in the tomatillo tribe (part of the tomato family), we now have a better idea of how this vital plant family came to be.

    Put simply, a genome is a complete set of DNA (genetic material) in a plant. The genome contains all the information needed for a plant to develop and grow. When scientists assemble genetic sequences to build an entire genome– a lot like completing a puzzle – this helps them predict things like how a plant will grow (straight or crooked) and what the fruit might look like (thin or thick skinned.) This information is important for understanding how different varieties come to be and is key for breeding better crops.

    “The tomato family is simply the most fascinating family. It consists of plants that are major crops, invasive weeds, important medicines, beautiful bedding plants, and many wild species that are crop relatives,” says Stacey Smith, a professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

    This research was published in The Plant Genome Journal, a publication of the Crop Science Society of America.

    A closer look at the flower and fruit of an Iochroma cyaneum shrub grown in southern Ecuador. Like its relative, the tomatillo, this shrub’s fruit has an enlarged husk growing around it. Researchers recently were able to create a full genetic sequence for the plant, called the genome.

    Smith led the work on the sequencing the genome of Iochroma cyaneum, a wild shrub in the tomatillo tribe of the tomato family. Iochroma displays striking blue flowers but isn’t widely grown. Scientists like Smith can learn how important plant families evolved by collecting many genomes from different sub-species.

    “Unlike most plants in the family with sequenced genomes, it is not a crop species. It’s also the only member of its entire tribe with genome assembled to the level of chromosomes,” says Smith. These unique traits make the new genome even more valuable to understand how the broader family evolved.

    After sequencing the Iochroma genome and assembling the sequences into chromosomes like a puzzle, Smith’s research team compared it to other members of the family. The broader tomato family has almost 3,000 species. Some of these species, like belladonna, are poisonous to humans. Forty species have been domesticated, which include potatoes, eggplants, and hot peppers, in addition to tomatoes. All of these plants belong to the family are also called “nightshades.” In the puzzle example, this means that they all have a similar set of puzzle pieces, up to a point. From there, their puzzle pieces are different.

    The genome told researchers that Iochroma was part of the family known as the “berry clade.” This subgroup forms “berries” which are juicy fruits with many seeds, like tomatoes and hot peppers. But the scientists were surprised to find that the family relationships within this clade were far from clear. The genetic evidence was uncertain about which species were most closely related. Biologists call this kind of disagreement “discordance.”

    “This kind of disagreement often arises when lineages reproduce quickly within different species,” says Smith.  “That may be what happened tens of millions of years ago when fleshy-fruited berries from this family burst onto the scene. As a result of this discordance, we can’t make definitive statements about which species are more closely related.”

    A wild Iochroma cynaeum growing in southern Ecuador. South America is home to many diverse members of the tomato family, which also includes potatoes and chili peppers. Researchers can learn how important plant families evolved by collecting genomes from different sub-species. This information can inform future breeding efforts.

    Still, the new genome gives a new look into the evolution of the family. One clue is how the genes have moved around. As species evolve, genes can move from one chromosome to another. Plants adjust efficiently to these changes. But Iochroma offered up a surprise. Its genome shuffling didn’t closely resemble any other sequenced genome, meaning the shrub has had its own unique evolutionary path.

    “With the addition of the lochroma genome, we are working towards understanding how genes have been shuffled around during the evolutionary history of the berry clade,” says Smith. “We have only scratched the surface in terms of understanding how this diversity evolved.”

    While the new research won’t produce a tastier tomato or tangier tomatillo right away, Smith says the family already offers a lot of flavors to the bold gardener. And, perhaps, an appreciation for the diversity offered by evolution.

    “I would encourage anyone who is curious about nightshades to get to know some of the lesser-known crops — try out golden berries, ground cherries, pepinos, wonderberries, or naranjillas!” says Smith. “There are even species that can be eaten as greens. Many of these will happily grow in northern climates and bring a lot more flavor than any tomato you can find on the grocery store shelf.”

    Funding for this research was supported in part by NSF-DEB 1355518.

    American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Crop Science Society of America: Collectively, these Societies represent more than 12,000 individual members around the world. Members are researchers and professionals in the areas of growing our world’s food supply while protecting our environment. Together we work toward solutions to advance scientific knowledge in the areas of agronomy, crop science, and soil science.

  • CA Tomato Processors Expect To Contract 12.4 Million Tons In 2023

    As of January, California’s tomato processors reported they have, or will have, contracts for 12.4 million tons in 2023, which is an increase of 18% compared to 10.5 million contracted tons forecast in the August 2022 California Processing Tomato Report. Processors estimate that the contracted production for 2023 will come from 248,000 acres, generating an average yield of 50.0 tons per acre. The contracted planted acreage forecast is 8% higher than the 2022 acreage of 229,000 reported under contract in August.

    The USDA-NASS Pacific Regional Office surveyed California’s tomato processors for their intended contract acreage and tonnage for the upcoming 2023 season. The data reported by processors was either tonnage with derived acreage, or acreage with derived tonnage.

    This early processing tomato estimate is funded by the California League of Food Producers.

  • WSU Soil Researchers Seed long-term Projects

    Washington State University — Professor and Washington State University Extension Agent Chris Benedict is partnering with colleagues at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR) to lead the state forward on soil research, outreach, and best practices.

    Their work improving soil health and productivity helps guide the efforts of agricultural industries, environmental constituents, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to protect Washington’s environment while boosting the state’s food supply and economy.

    “Improving soil health is universally accepted,” Benedict said. “There are few issues where so many stakeholders come together and readily agree.”

    In 2018, the Washington State Legislature provided funding to develop long-term agroecological research and Extension (LTARE) sites across Washington state, with the first located at WSU’s Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center at Mount Vernon.

    WSU, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and the Washington State Conservation Commission are working closely together to spearhead this tri-agency WaSHI effort.

    Currently, the USDA runs 18 long-term agroecological research sites throughout the U.S. With the addition of six new Washington sites (including Mount Vernon), all managed by WSU, the state is now poised to account for a quarter of all sites nationwide.

    “These sites will drive our knowledge,” Benedict said. “The experimental treatments are based on feedback from various industries. Most agricultural research usually spans 3 to 5 years, but we expect this research to provide the first insights in 5 to 10 at the earliest, depending on the production system and treatments involved.”

    Moreover, these LTARE sites focus on several of the state’s most productive agricultural systems and commodities, including dryland agriculture in eastern Washington, irrigated production in the Columbia Basin, wine grapes, tree fruit, western Washington diversified farming, and northwestern Washington potato.

    Research at the LTARE sites will be guided by the already developed Washington Soil Health Initiative Roadmap.

    “The roadmap identifies where we are currently in our knowledge of soil health and the main problems, then lays out our future goals, objectives, and milestones,” Benedict said.

    That’s important because it’s a first in Washington.

    “Imagine you’d never been to the doctor and suddenly you get your first bill of health — we will essentially be creating the first ever ‘bill of health’ for Washington soils,” Benedict said.

  • Grimmway Farms’ Jeff Huckaby Announced Grower of the Year

    The Organic Grower Summit presented by Western Growers and OPN honored long-time organic grower Jeff Huckaby as the recipient of the fifth annual Grower of the Year award. Huckaby, President and CEO of Grimmway Farms, was selected based on his ongoing commitment and dedication to excellence in organic production, organic industry leadership, and innovation.

    The Grower of the Year award was presented to Huckaby as part of the keynote presentation at the Organic Grower Summit on November 30–December 1 in Monterey, CA. The Grower of the Year presentation is part of an extensive educational program designed to inform and engage organic producers and their service providers and supply chain partners.

    “We are honored to present the annual Grower of the Year award to Jeff. His decades-long work exemplifies what hardworking, passionate organic farming is all about. Over the past three decades, Jeff has worked tirelessly to encourage water conservation, natural methods for pest control, and always found ways to share information about those practices with other organic growers,” said Matt Seeley, co-founder and CEO of Organic Produce Network. “His dedication to the environment and community is what makes the organic sector special and makes him so deserving of the title of Grower of the Year.”

    Huckaby is a fourth-generation farmer who has more than 30 years of farming management experience and deep roots in the produce industry. He joined Grimmway Farms in 1998 and managed their organic division. During his tenure, the program has grown from several hundred to 40,000 acres of certified organic ground. Before becoming President and CEO in 2016, he served as Executive Vice President and oversaw sales, production, engineering, and farming for all Grimmway Farms products. Jeff’s leadership has been integral in establishing Grimmway’s global organic business and lead position in the category.

    The Grower of the Year award was presented to Huckaby by recognized organic leader and former President of Whole Foods Walter Robb. The two have known each other for many years, and Robb credits Huckaby’s stewardship work for elevating and enhancing Whole Foods’ commitment to organic fresh produce.

    Previous winners of the award have been Vic Smith, CEO of JV Smith Company (2021); The Lundberg Family (2019); Thaddeus Barsotti of Capay Organic (2018); and Vernon Peterson of Peterson Family Farms (2017).

    About Organic Produce Network:

    OPN is a marketing organization serving as the go-to resource for the organic fresh produce industry. The company’s mission is to inform and educate through a strong digital presence with an emphasis on original content and complemented by engaging live events that bring together various components of the organic food community. OPN’s audience includes organic producers, handlers, distributors, processors, wholesalers, foodservice operators, and retailers.

  • Recent IPM Challenges for Western Desert Vegetable Growers

    University of Arizona Extension Specialist John Palumbo was honored recently by the California Association of Pest Control Advisors with their Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture award. Visiting from Arizona, watch this brief video as he shares some of the challenges desert vegetable growers were up against this season.