Entomology and Biologicals
Surendra Dara, the UCCE Entomology and Biologicals Advisor, works with growers to address challenges and opportunities in crop production by carrying out applied research, extending knowledge through educational meetings and publications, and by assisting with the diagnosis of crop production problems.
NEWLY PUBLISHED!
Biology and Management of Spider Mites in Strawberry also available in Spanish: Biología y Manejo del Ácaro Araña en la Fresa
Download it at: http://ucanr.edu/spidermiteguide
or simply click on the link below
Follow the Strawberries and Vegetables Blog...
-
Improving strawberry yields with biostimulants: a 2018-2019 study
Biostimulants are beneficial microorganisms or substances that can be used in crop production to improve plants' immune responses and their ability to perform well under biotic and abiotic stresses. Biostimulants induce plant resistance to stress...
-
A sustainable way of producing strawberries using the new IPM model
A strawberry field in Nipomo (Photo by Surendra Dara) The traditional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) model is focused on maintaining ecological balance in the cropping system with some attention to the economics of pest management related to...
-
Evaluating the efficacy of anti-stress supplements on strawberry yield and quality
Good nutrient management is essential not only for optimal plant growth, but also for maintaining good plant health and the ability of the plant to withstand biotic and abiotic stressors. Strawberry, a $3.2 billion commodity in California,...
-
Five shades of gray mold control in strawberry: evaluating chemical, organic oil, botanical, bacterial, and fungal active ingredients
Botrytis fruit rot or gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is common fruit disease in California strawberries (Koike et al. 2018). Botrytis cinerea has a wide host range infecting several commercially important crops including blueberry (Saito...
-
Improving tomato yield with nutrient materials containing microbial and botanical biostimulants
Transplanting tomatoes There has been a growing interest in the recent years in exploring the potential of biostimulants in crop production. Biostimulants are mineral, botanical, or microbial materials that stimulate natural processes in plants,...