Pest Management & Plant Health

A new species of gigantic tumbleweed once predicted to go extinct is not only here to stay -- it's likely to expand its territory. The species, Salsola ryanii, is significantly larger than either of its parent plants, which can grow up to 6 feet tall.

Consider the tsetse fly. The blood-sucking insect, which transmits the parasite that causes human and animal trypanosomiasis, has wreaked havoc in African countries.

Native California elderberries can be found at the intersection of sustainable farming, super nutrition and economic viability. Naturally drought tolerant, flavorful and packed with nutrients, they are capturing the interest of farmers, health-conscious consumers and scientists.

As the summer heat is finally nearing its end, and its officially fall on the calendar, there unfortunately is a new crop of weeds flowering right now. Some of our summer annuls have started to go to seed, others are just about ready, and others are already starting to senesce.

If you're interested in nematodes--also called "roundworms"--then you'll want to be around when plant nematologist Nathan Schroeder, associate professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, presents a seminar on Wednesday, Oct.

UC Davis agricultural entomologist Christian Nansen, the newly selected guest editor of a special issue of the journal Remote Sensing, has issued a call for contributions.

Advice from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program for Contra Costa County When to Remove Garden Monterey Pines Client's Request:I live in El Sobrante near the San Pablo Reservoir. On August 8th PG&E had a tree crew come to prune trees away from the power lines.

The UC Davis-based California Master Beekeeper Program is sponsoring a daylong course on "Advanced Anatomy and Physiology of the Honey Bee" on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Harry H. Laidlaw Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road. The course, set from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

When using any kind of pesticide, including herbicides, it's important to read the pesticide label carefully and to be sure that you have the proper equipment for applying the pesticide correctly and safely.

Consider the honey bee. Like all insects, it has a head, thorax and abdomen. But are you familiar with the rest of its anatomy? Here's an opportunity to learn about "Advanced Anatomy and Physiology of the Honey Bee" in a class offered Saturday, Oct.