Pest Management & Plant Health

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Photo 2. Central growing point of purslane burned by lasers in a high
density planting of spinach.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

Advances continue in automated weeders

August 14, 2022
By Richard F Smith
There have been significant developments in automated weeder technology in the past several years. A quick perusal of automated weeders on YouTube reveals many machines developed in diverse parts of the world.
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Aquatic Weed School
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

EVENT :: Aquatic Weed School 2022

August 11, 2022
By Gale Perez
UC Davis will host the Aquatic Weed School 2022 on October 31-November 1, 2022 at the Walter A. Buehler Alumni Center on the UC Davis campus.
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Jumping spider eating a fly. [Credit: Jack Kelly Clark]
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Webinars: Spiders, Pesticides and Water!

August 11, 2022
By Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Are you concerned about pesticides in our waterways? Join us on August 18, 2022 at noon for UC IPM's free monthly webinar to learn how to keep surface water clean by reducing pesticide use and runoff.
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The gold-winning video "Diagnosing Herbicide Injury" includes several interactive features to make it more engaging and entertaining, and to help viewers remember the information.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

Video based on Al-Khatib, Hanson course wins Gold Award

August 7, 2022
By Gale Perez
A cartoon character that looks suspiciously like a Department of Plant Sciences professor leads an animated, online tutorial that recently won a 2022 Gold Award from the Association for Communication Excellence.
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Figure 1. Ligule and auricle on a rice plant. Watergrass species do not have ligules and auricles.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

Weedy Rice Scouting and Reporting 2022

August 4, 2022
By Whitney B Brim-Deforest
It is getting close to the time we need to scout for weedy rice. Our team will be scouting known infested fields that are planted to rice this year. Troy Clark, our Rice Junior Specialist, will be starting in the next few weeks, and will be reaching out to growers and PCA's.
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Wide angle shot of a western spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata, chewing a hole in a petal of a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Spotted Cucumber Beetles: They Know How to Hit the Spot

August 4, 2022
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Western spotted cucumber beetles know how to hit the spot. Make that "multiple spots." These beetles, Diabrotica undecimpunctata, are agricultural pests that feed on roots, seedlings, flowers and foliage. And they can transmit diseases.
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Clusters of dark spots on a satellite image of a green pasture indicate an infestation of an undesired plant. The clusters are most dense on the west side of the pasture.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

A different perspective on weeds

August 1, 2022
Several months ago, I got a question about weeds in an irrigated pasture. The mystery plants were slowly but surely taking over a significant proportion of the pasture, and the owner asked me to visit the property to identify the plants and options to control them.
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The larvae of the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) inside a bee hive. The black dotes are small hive beetles. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

National Moth Week: Here's One Moth that Beekeepers Won't Celebrate

July 29, 2022
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
During the 11th annual National Moth Week, one thing's for sure: Beekeepers won't be celebrating the beauty, life cycle, or habitat of the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella), also known as "the honeycomb moth." It's a major pest of bee colonies that aren't maintained well.
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Thinning canopy is an early sign of Bot canker. [Credit: J. Downer]
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Bot Canker: Have You Heard of It?

July 28, 2022
By Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Ever heard of Bot canker? "Bot" stands for Botryosphaeria which is a plant disease that results in cankers of trees and other woody plants. This fungal disease can be worse under drought conditions when trees are stressed.
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