For those of you who were not able to make the meeting earlier this month, please feel free to check out the presentations below. Some of the audio for the slides was cut short due to a few technical difficulties, but most of the presentations are intact. You can move through the videos to just get a look at the slides as well.
Preventing Rodent Damage in Shrink Swell Clays, Konrad Mathesius, Agronomy Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Yolo, Sacramento, and Solano Counties.
Several ideas for preventing rodent damage associated with shrink-swell clays opening up when soils dry down after wheat. These are hypothetical ideas but that will be tested out in the coming season.
Pump Efficiency Monitoring with Wexus Technologies
Aric Saunders presents some of the methods that Wexus brings to growers to monitor pump efficiency, thereby reducing energy consumption and overall operating costs. Growers with questions for Aric can contact him directly at: asaunders at wexusapp.com. Many thanks to Wexus for providing refreshments for our growers and PCAs.
Integrated Approach to Controlling Pocket Gophers, Roger Baldwin, UC Cooperative Extension Wildlife Specialist
Roger Baldwin presents an overview of recent research related to controlling gophers in alfalfa and orchards.
Winter Annual Oilseed with Nic George, UC Cooperative Extension Plant Science Specialist
Nic presents an update on new canola and camelina varieties that have been developed in Australia in the last 30 years as well as cultural recommendations to deal with them. These crops largely fell out of favor in California in the 80s, but in the face of falling commodity prices, improved varieties with higher yields and improved tolerance may make them a viable alternative option once again.
Yolo County Pesticide Use and Regulation Update, Yolo County Ag Department
The Yolo County Ag Department provides an update on new regulations (2016) and recommendations including: buffer zones, personal protective equipment, container disposal, and the use of phenoxy herbicides around certain perennial crops.
Opportunities in Precision Agriculture, Konrad Mathesius, Agronomy Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Yolo, Sacramento, and Solano Counties.
A discussion of some possible uses of drones in agriculture, a crash course in soil mapping, and an overview of several useful tools created by UC, ANR, and CDFA.