CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 2009 California Plant and Soil Conference Biotechnology in California Agriculture California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy Co-sponsored by the California Plant Health Association February 3 & 4, 2009 Piccadilly Inn University Hotel 4961 N. Cedar Ave Fresno, CA 93726 Break Sponsors: To download additional copies of the proceedings or learn about the activities of the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy, visit the Chapter’s web site at: http://calasa.ucdavis.edu --1-- CALIFORNIA PLANT & SOIL CONFERENCE Biotechnology in California Agriculture TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009 10:00 General Session Introduction – Session Chair & Chapter President – Tom Babb, CA Dept of Pesticide Regulation 10:10 Biotechnology 101: (some of) What You Need to Know in a Few Minutes – Peggy Lemaux, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Biotechnology, UC Berkeley 10:40 Biotechnology: Balancing Potential Environmental Cost with Probable Benefits – Paul Gepts, Professor and Geneticist, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis 11:10 Biotechnology: Real World Experiences in Alfalfa – Dan Putnam, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Alfalfa and Forage Crops, UC Davis 11:30 Discussion 12:00 Western Plant Health Luncheon Speaker: Leonard Gianessi, director of the Crop Protection Research Institute – “The Importance of Pesticides in California” CONCURRENT SESSIONS (PM) I. Cultural Practices that Affect Pest Management II. Nutrient Management 1:30 Introduction - Session Chairs: Ben Faber, UCCE Ventura 1:30 Introduction – Session Chairs: Sharon Benes, Fresno Co.; Suduan Gao, USDA, ARS. State; Ben Nydam, Dellavalle Lab, Inc. 1:40 Mulch Effects on Trees– James Downer, UCCE 1:40 Timing of Nutrient Application -Table Grapes – Jennifer Ventura Co. Hashim, UCCE Kern Co. 2:00 Cultural Practices to Reduce Pest and Disease 2:00 Grapevine Nutrition–An Australian Perspective - Pressure in Vegetables-Surendra Dara, UCCE Santa Rachel Ashley, Foster Wine Estates (Beringer) Barbara Co. 2:20 How to Develop a Nutrient Management Program for 2:20 Cultural Practices in Citrus/Avacado to Reduce Pests Nut Crops – Bob Beede, UCCE Kings Co. – Ben Faber, UCCE Ventura Co. 2:40 Discussion 2:40 Discussion 3:00 BREAK 3:00 BREAK 3:20 Timing of Nutrient Application– Stone Fruit - Keith 3:20 Farming without Fumigants - Myth or Reality – Becky Backman, Dellavalle Lab, Inc. Westerdahl, UC Davis 3:40 Fertilization of Perennial Tree Crops: Timing is 3:40 Challenges in Weed Management without Methyl everything! – Carol Lovatt, UC Riverside Bromide - Bradley Hanson, USDA, ARS 4:00 Nutrient Management with Costly Fertilizers – 4:00 What to Consider When Emission Reduction is Jerome Pier, Western Farm Service Required from Soil Fumigation – Suduan Gao, USDA, ARS 4:20 Discussion 4:20 Discussion 4:30 ADJOURN 4:30 ADJOURN ADJOURN to a Wine and Cheese Reception in the Poster Room. A complimentary drink coupon is included in your registration packet. --2-- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2009 CONCURRENT SESSIONS (AM) III. Nitrogen Management IV. Commodity Boards 8:30 Introduction – Session Chairs: Robert Mikkelsen, IPNI and 8:30 Introduction – Session Chairs: Lori Berger, CA Specialty Dave Goorahoo, California State University, Fresno Crops Council and Joe Fabry, Fabry Ag Consulting 8:40 Process Based Models for Optimizing N Management in 8:40 Tracking Commodity Inputs with Technology- Joe California Cropping Systems – William A Salas, Applied Middione, Agrian, Inc GeoSolutions, LLC 9:00 Mitigating pesticides in sediments transported from 9:00 Quantifying Nitrous Oxide Emissions from N fertilizer irrigated agriculture– Parry Klassen, CURES Management Practices – Johan Six, UC Davis 9:20 The High Cost of Aflatoxins-Kelly Covello 9:00 Factors Affecting a Nitrogen Budget for California Cotton – Bruce Roberts, California State University, Fresno 9:40 Discussion 9:40 Discussion 10:00 BREAK 10:00 BREAK 10:20 Ag Air Quality Issues in the SSJV - Johnny Siliznoff, USDA, NRCS 10:20 Managing N on Organic Farms: A Grower’s Perspective – Tom Willey, T & D Willey Farm 10:40 Management Practices and Water Quality: Conflict, Compromise and Considerations – Kay Mercer, 10:40 Evaluating Organic N Fertilizers using the Food Web Agricultural Watershed Coalition Rating™ Approach – Tim Stemwedel, California Organic Fertilizers 11:00 Trends in the Grape Industry – Nat DiBuduo, Allied Grape Growers 11:00 Optimizing Nitrogen Management in Organic Farms with AirJection® Irrigation.– Dave Goorahoo, California State 11:20 Discussion University, Fresno 11:20 Discussion 12:00 ANNUAL CHAPTER BUSINESS MEETING LUNCHEON: Presentation of Honorees, scholarship awards and election of new officer CONCURRENT SESSIONS (PM) V. Irrigation & Water Quality VI. Dairy Management 1:30 Introduction – Session Chairs: Larry Schwankl, UC Davis, 1:30 Introduction – Session Chairs: Brook Gale, USDA, NRCS Blake Sanden, UCCE Kern Co. and Rob Mikkelsen, IPNI. 1:40 Irrigating Alfalfa with Limited Water Supplies – Blaine 1:40 Dairy Feed Management Basics to Reduce Nutrients to Hanson, UC Davis Cropland- Joe Harrison, Washington State Univ. 2:00 Irrigating Stone Fruit with Limited Water Supplies – Scott 2:00 Dairy Lagoon Water Nitrogen Mineralization - Aaron Johnson, UC Davis Heinrich & Stuart Pettygrove, UC Davis 2:20 Drought Irrigation Strategies for Citrus, Almond, and 2:20 SSLAP, A Land Application Program, Matching Manure Pistachio – Dave Goldhamer, UC Davis Mineralization to Crop Uptake-David Crohn, UC Riverside 2:40 BREAK 2:40 BREAK 3:00 Managing Organophosphate Pesticide Residues Using 3:00 Infrastructure to Facilitate Nutrient Management – Degradation Enzymes – Terry Prichard, UC Davis Marsha Campbell-Matthews, UCCE Stanislaus Co. 3:20 Using Mating Disruption to Reduce Use of OP Insecticides 3:20 Progress Report on Dairy Management Plans to RWQCB in peaches – Walt Bentley, UC IPM Region 5 - Rudy Schnagl, RWQCB-Region 5 3:40 Using Aerosol Pheromone Puffers for Area-wide 3:40 Dairy Consultants Experiences in the Field: Panel Suppression of Codling Moth in Walnuts – Joe Grant, Discussion – CCA’s & Consultants UCCE, San Joaquin Co. 4:00 Discussion and ADJOURN 4:00 Discussion and ADJOURN --3-- Table of Contents Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................4 Past Presidents ...............................................................................................................................7 Past Honorees.................................................................................................................................8 2008 Chapter Board Members .....................................................................................................9 2008 Honorees ..............................................................................................................................10 2008 Scholarship Recipients and Essay .....................................................................................17 General Session. Biotechnology 101: (some of) What You Need to Know in a Few Minutes............................22 Peggy Lemaux, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Biotechnology, UC Berkeley The Importance of Pesticides in California...............................................................................27 Leonard Giasnessi, director of the Crop Protection Research Institute Session 1. Cultural Practices that Affect Pest Management Mulch Effects on Trees ...............................................................................................................31 James Downer, UCCE Ventura Co. Cultural Practices for Reducing Pest & Disease Pressure in Vegetables ...............................34 Surendra Dara, UCCE Santa Barbara Co. Cultural Practices to Reduce Pest and Disease in Avocado and Citrus..................................38 Ben Faber, Farm Advisor Santa Barbara/Ventura Counties Farming without Fumigants; Myth or Reality?........................................................................40 Becky Westerdahl, UC Davis Challenges in Weed Management without Methyl Bromide ...................................................44 Bradley Hanson, USDA, ARS What to Consider When Emission Reduction is Required from Soil Fumigation ................48 Suduan Gao, USDA, ARS Session II. Nutrient Management Timing of Nutrient Application-Table Grapes..........................................................................56 Jennifer Hashim, UCCE Kern Co. Grapevine Nutrition- An Australian Perspective .....................................................................62 Rachel Ashley, Foster’s Wine Estates Americas, Beringer How to Develop a Nutrient Program for Nut Crops ................................................................71 Bob Beede, UCCE Kings Co. Timing of Nutrient Application– Stone Fruits ..........................................................................79 Keith Backman, Dellavalle Lab, Inc. Fertilization of Perennial Tree Crops: Timing is everything! .................................................82 Carol Lovatt, UC Riverside Nutrient Management with Costly Fertilizers ..........................................................................88 Jerome Pier, Western Farm Service --4-- Session III. Nitrogen Management Process Based Models for Optimizing N Management in California .....................................92 Cropping Systems – William A Salas, Applied GeoSolutions, LL Quantifying Nitrous Oxide Emissions from N fertilizer