All Issues
Water transfers: Who wins? Who loses?
Cover:
Workers line the South Alamo Canal with concrete, a project involving 150 miles of existing earthen lateral and main canals in the Imperial Irrigation District (IID). The lining prevents ground seepage, a conservation measure funded under the historic water transfer agreement between IID and Metropolitan Water District (MWD). It will allow the capture of previously lost water for use by MWD.
Photo by Don Harvey, courtesy of IID
Most seasonal farm work still goes to new arrivals
Cover:
Despite the intent of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), California farmers continue to rely on new immigrants for most field labor needs.
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Bt controls tobacco budworm on petunia
Cover:
A resistant tobacco budworm feeds on petunia, unaffected by insecticide applications. Researchers at UC are now managing the pest with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium-derived biological control agent. UC;s overall agenda for non-chemical pest control research is set forth in a new book: Beyond Pesticides.
Photo by Marvin G. Kinsey
Goat milk found safe from poison oak toxicants
Cover:
Dairy goats may soon receive increased use statewide in biological control of poison oak. Studies underway at UC Davis indicate goats fed poison oak do not produce milk containing the toxicant.
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Is California headed toward sustainable agriculture?
Cover:
IPM area advisor Jim Stapleton (center) has shown that polyethylene mulch can reduce water use and Verticillium wilt in first-year almond and apricot orchards. Scattered Central Valley farmers are beginning to adopt this sustainable practice. Also pictured are postgraduate researchers Roger Duncan (left) and Abraham Gamliel (right).
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Invasion forecast: the exotic pest threat
Cover:
Registered by a satellite sensor 35,000 kilometers above Earth, the red tones of the infrared image on the cover indicate reflectance by green, photosynthesizing plants. Such satellite images can be used to generate maps of vegetative cover, using a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). NDVI images help track and predict the spread of exotic pests.
Photo and computer image courtesy of NASA AMes Research Center.
November-December 1992
Volume 46, Number 6
Volume 46, Number 6