UC Small Grains Blog

Due to the health concerns surrounding COVID-19, we had to cancel our annual field day that typically occurs in May at UC Davis.

Measuring soil nitrogen (N) prior to fertilizing can improve N fertilizer management. The soil nitrate quick test is a simple and low-cost test. It provides a ballpark estimate of the soil nitrate-N concentration in the rootzone. Nitrate is a highly plant-available form of nitrogen.

Winter grains like wheat and triticale are incredibly attractive to nesting ducks.

Summary Note Mechanical cultivation is a useful tool in controlling herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass individuals in a rainfed wheat system but is only about half as effective as Axial in reducing overall pressure from Italian ryegrass (expressed as a percentage of total groundcover).

Results for the 2018-2019 fall planted UC Statewide Small Grain Variety Trials are now available at: http://smallgrains.ucanr.