http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm California Agriculture is a peer-reviewed journal reporting research, reviews and news from the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of California. en-us UC ANR http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/ Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST California youth are at risk — their health, education and future. One-third of school-aged children are overweight or obese. One-sixth of the state's 16- to 24-year-olds are both out of school and out of work, and national and international tests reveal youth science literacy is low. Original research and literature reviews on these subjects appear in the January-March 2013 California Agriculture, UC's peer-reviewed research journal of research in agriculture, natural and human resour... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=77 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=77 Nitrogen fertilizer has undoubtedly benefited California's agriculture and citizens. However, applying more nitrogen than can be used by plants may lead to negative impacts on the environment and human health. Finding a balanced use of nitrogen to maximize benefit and minimize harm is essential to protect California's agriculture, people and natural resources. As California legislators focus on nitrogen use in agriculture and its ability to contaminate groundwater, potential regulation on fe... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=78 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=78 State budget cuts have dramatically reduced funding for the Williamson Act, California’s conservation law that provides property tax relief for the owners of 15 million acres of rangeland and farms — preserving California’s prized open space. New research reveals that if cuts continue and the act is eliminated, owners of ranch land plan to sell 20 percent of their total acres, according to William Wetzel and his co-investigators. Wetzel is a doctoral candidate in the UC Dav... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=76 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=76 A 12-year study published in the July-September 2012 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal demonstrates that cotton grown in rotation with tomatoes — using lower-impact conservation tillage — can achieve yields similar to standard cultivation methods and at lower cost. Conservation tillage seeks to reduce the number of times that tractors cross the field, in order to protect the soil from erosion and compaction, and save time, fuel and labor... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=75 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=75 In 1862, in a nation torn by secession and Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a visionary law that laid the cornerstone of public higher education in California and nationwide. The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 gave federal public lands to states, allotting 30,000 acres for each senator and representative. States were encouraged to sell these “land grants” to raise money for new public universities that would educate Americans in agriculture, science and mechanical arts. C... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=74 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=74 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) — farms that regularly provide fresh produce directly to members — is growing rapidly in California’s Central Valley and surrounding foothills, according to a new study published in the January–March 2012 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Total membership in the CSAs surveyed (n = 46) increased exponentially from an estimated 672 members in 1990 to 32,938 members in 2010. Most CSAs in California’s Central Valley and ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=73 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=73 Analysis of the recently approved United States free trade agreement with South Korea in the April-June 2011 issue of the California Agriculture journal shows how California farm exports will now have much improved access to the large South Korean market, significantly enhancing competitive prospects for almonds, walnuts, dairy products, beef and oranges, among other important California commodities. Legislation implementing the Korea free trade agreement, along with smaller agreements w... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=72 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=72 Scientists have developed a low-cost, high-tech system that predicts when flood irrigation will approach the end of an alfalfa field, then signals to turn it off  — an innovation that could save enormous amounts of runoff from the state’s alfalfa fields. Cultivated on 1.1 million acres, alfalfa is the largest consumer of water among all crops in California, accounting for up to 27 percent of the state’s irrigation water use. Alfalfa is usually flood irrigated, often leading to overirrigation... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=69 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=69 Scientists have developed a low-cost, high-tech system that predicts when flood irrigation will approach the end of an alfalfa field, then signals to turn it off  — an innovation that could save enormous amounts of runoff from the state’s alfalfa fields. Cultivated on 1.1 million acres, alfalfa is the largest consumer of water among all crops in California, accounting for up to 27 percent of the state’s irrigation water use. Alfalfa is usually flood irrigated, often leading to overirri... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=70 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=70 Private owners of California’s forests and rangelands value their land mostly for its natural amenities and as a financial investment, according to a new study published in the October–December 2011 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. About 42 percent of forest and rangeland is in private ownership. “A variety of reasons were reported for owning land,” reports lead author Shasta Ferranto, Ph.D. candidate in UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Scie... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=71 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=71 Many foods contain biofactors — biologically active compounds — that may prevent and treat illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to new studies published in the July-September 2011 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. The Center for Health and Nutrition Research (CHNR) at UC Davis received $6.4 million from the Vitamin Case Consumer Settlement fund, which was used to fund 33 research projects. Several are published in a special is... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=68 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=68 Nearly two-thirds of California agritourism operators surveyed said they planned to expand or diversify their farm’s tourist business over the next 5 years, according to a survey in the April-June 2011 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. “Agritourism is a vital strategy for diversifying and boosting profit for a small but significant number of California farms,” wrote lead author Ellie Rilla, community development advisor for UC Cooperative Extension in Ma... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=66 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=66 Technology that allows orchard sprayers to skip the space between trees can protect the environment while saving growers money. The idea is simple: When orchards receive dormant and in-season sprays of agricultural chemicals, the spray should only fall on the trees where it is needed, rather than on the ground. Orchard sprayers can be retrofitted with target sensors that activate spray nozzles only when a tree is present. A review of research on this "smart" sprayer technology, published i... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=67 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=67 CONTACT: Janet Byron, (510) 665-2194, jlbyron@ucdavis.edu Sensory taste panels have helped to elevate California olive oil to premium status, while new hedgerow planting systems are rapidly increasing olive acreage in the state, according to articles in the January-March 2011 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. “The next decade could see California producing a significant amount of the olive oil consumed in the United States,” said UC Cooperative Exten... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=65 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=65 CONTACT: Janet Byron, (510) 665-2194, jlbyron@ucdavis.edu The first of the baby boomers — born from 1946 to 1964 — turn 65 in 2011, and demographers predict that California’s current population over age 65 (11 percent) will double or even triple by 2030. Is the Golden State ready for this “silver tsunami”? Articles in the October-December 2010 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal explore the impact of this cohort of a... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=64 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=64 CONTACT: Janet Byron, (510) 665-2194, jlbyron@ucdavis.edu About 2.5 million acres of California farmland are located within one-third mile of residential homes, which can lead to conflicts along the “edge” when new residents come face to face with unfamiliar noises, odors, pesticides and dust. An article in the July-September 2010 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal explores how communities deal with conflict when new residents — often commuters to urba... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=63 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=63 CONTACT: Janet Byron, 510-665-2194 or jlbyron@ucdavis.edu Cattle grazing, oak woodlands and clean water are not incompatible and are often even complementary, according to articles in the April-June 2010 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Research conducted for a half-century at the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center has found that maintaining and restoring oak habitat on rangeland is critical to ensuring clean water statewide; that certain... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=62 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=62 California’s more than 1 million farmworkers face an increased risk of diabetes, as well as respiratory diseases related to poor air quality, according to articles in the January-March 2010 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Many of California’s agriculture-related health problems are unique to the state. The Central Valley has the highest recorded levels of particulate matter in the country, resulting in increased rates of asthma and other respiratory il... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=60 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=60 As California struggles with how to address the recent arrival of the light brown apple moth, New Zealand’s experience with this invasive crop pest may be instructive. A review article in the January-March 2010 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal details how crop losses in New Zealand were reduced to virtually negligible levels following the adoption of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, which included reduced-risk insecticides and introduction of... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=61 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=61 At least two-thirds of a billion dollars is currently being spent in University of California laboratories systemwide to build better biofuels, a massive effort to help the state achieve its ambitious goal of a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. Hundreds of UC scientists are investigating how to improve the conversion of plant cellulose into ethanol, the conversion of oilseed into biodiesel, and the conversion of plant and animal waste into liquid, gas or solid energy. They ar... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=58 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=58 California backyards from Ukiah to Los Angeles are nourishing hundreds of native bee species, according to a study published in the July-September 2009 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Bees serve a critical role in pollinating native flora, backyard plants and flowers, and crops. Evidence is mounting that the number of native pollinators, especially bees, are declining globally as human population expands. A research team led by UC Berkeley... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=56 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=56 This week, California Agriculture capped off a two-year effort with a keystroke, posting the full text of 63 years -- close to 6,000 articles -- to the World Wide Web. This rich store of peer-reviewed science dating back to 1946 is now freely accessible and searchable at the journal's redesigned Web site: http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.org/. The previous California Agriculture Web site included articles back to 2000. Until now, however, most of the journal's long history of research ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=57 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=57 Earth’s temperature has risen 1°F in the last 100 years — a small number with a profound impact for California. According to scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), our planet will heat up another 1°F to 2.3°F by 2034 — an accelerating change that will take place over the course of just 25 years, rather than 100. In its 2007 reports, the IPCC concluded that climate change is “unequivocal.” The entire April-June 20... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=55 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=55 Treatment with the fungicide phosphonate was effective in stemming the spread of sudden oak death — a tree disease that has killed thousands of oaks and tanoaks in 14 California coastal counties — for up to 2 years, according to a series of studies by UC Berkeley researchers published in the January-March 2009 California Agriculture journal. Conversely, in the studies an alternative treatment comprised of azomite soil amendments and a lime bark wash was ineffective in stopping th... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=53 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=53 New pistachio varieties evaluated for California orchards Sanitation standards revised for navel orangeworm Dairy cattle should be tested for health conditions Allelopathy in sudex cover crops may damage subsequent cover crops Biomass crops can disinfest and remediate soils ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=54 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=54 Winegrapes are one of California’s signature agricultural products, bringing some $52 billion in revenue and 20 million tourists to the state each year. At the same time, grapes are grown on some of the most sensitive acres in the state, in areas of high population growth, high land values and environmental activism. Since the early 1990s, the California winegrape industry has made an unprecedented effort to promote sustainable practices, those that prioritize environmental protection,... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=3 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=3 For Central Valley blueberry farmers like Paul Willems, deciding what variety of crop to plant is about dollars and sense. “You make the wrong decision — and that’s it,” he says. “You’re either going to stay in business or you go broke.” And getting consumers to buy blueberries — and continue buying blueberries — can come down to taste. For farmers and consumers alike, new research published in the University of California’s Calif... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=4 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=4 Glyphosate-resistant hairy fleabane documented in Central Valley Field trials identify California native plants suited to urban gardens Crown gall spreads from walnut trees in nurseries to orchard Pheromone-based pest management can be cost-effective for walnut growers ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=52 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=52 Light brown apple moth’s arrival in California worries commodity groups. Methyl bromide alternatives evaluated for California strawberry nurseries. Transition to conservation tillage evaluated in San Joaquin Valley cotton and tomato rotations. ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=50 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=50 Protecting the earth is getting harder for growers on California’s Central Coast, where the need to ensure food safety conflicts with environmental rules aimed at improving water quality and wildlife habitat. In response to a number of food safety outbreaks — most recently an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with bagged spinach in September 2006 that killed three people and sickened 200 others — some growers are removing conservation measures adjacent to croplands, accor... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=51 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=51 California’s newest invasive pest, the light brown apple moth, is fully described in the current issue (April-June 2008) of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. The roughly 1/2-inch moth has become the subject of intense debate in recent months as the state grapples with eradication and control plans, including proposals to apply pheromones aerially over much of the Bay Area. UC researchers reviewed global research on the light brown apple moth for the p... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=5 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=5 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the California Agriculture Web site. Better wines, more vines: The California wine industry is growing and changing amidst a global revolution in grape growing, wine production, wine marketing and consumer tastes. In an overview of the California wine industry, UC researchers report that California accounted for roughly 90... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=6 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=6 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the California Agriculture Web site. Clearing pistachio mummies from the ground is most effective for navel orangeworm control: Controlling navel orangeworm, a key pistachio pest, is problematic because the moth overwinters in nuts. Researchers investigated the number of available mummies and their levels of navel orange... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=42 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=42 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the California Agriculture Web site. Lower-risk herbicides are cost effective for Central Coast vineyard floors: Central Coast growers are under increasing scrutiny and regulatory pressure to keep herbicides from contaminating groundwater and, in turn, the Monterey Bay and National Marine Sanctuary. UC researchers evalua... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=40 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=40 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the California Agriculture Web site. Minimum tillage could benefit California rice farmers: Field research and grower interviews were used to evaluate the potential of minimum tillage for California rice systems. By tilling only in the fall (instead of both the fall and spring), rice farmers controlled herbicide-resistan... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=41 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=41 <p><em>The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s </em>California Agriculture<em> journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the <a href="http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu/">California Agriculture</a> Web site.</em></p> <p><strong><a href="http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu/0801JFM/pdfs/ca06201p40.pdf">Public work projects cultivate... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=44 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=44 Trained sheep chomp weeds, avoid vines Mapping shows continued vineyard expansion Oiled birds cleaned up at UC facility following San Francisco Bay spill Service grants allow 4-H-ers to build healthier communities Editorial: UC know-how can boost the California wine economy ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=45 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=45 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. To download full-text PDFs, go to the California Agriculture Web site. Bait formulations for navel orangeworm egg traps tested: In response to changes in the availability of commercial bait material for navel orangeworm egg traps, researchers evaluated alternative baits for use in monitoring this key pest of almonds, pistachios, walnuts and figs. Three s... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=43 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=43 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Full-text PDFs are linked below and also available on the California Agriculture Web site. West Coast agricultural cooperatives are financially competitive: In recent years, several agricultural cooperatives have experienced high-profile financial difficulties or failures. West Coast cooperatives and investor-owned firms were analyzed in the fruits and... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=47 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=47 Innovative water-quality research to reduce nonpoint-source pollution UC Santa Cruz agroecology center celebrates 40 years UC students eating local, organic produce Editorial: Sustainable food systems link growers and consumer markets ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=49 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=49 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Full-text PDFs are linked below and also available on the California Agriculture Web site. Juniper removal may not increase water yields in the Klamath Basin: Western juniper has expanded dramatically within the semiarid Klamath River Basin over the past 130 years. UC researchers evaluated the feasibility of augmenting water yields by removing this water... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=46 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=46 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Full-text PDFs are linked below and also available on the California Agriculture Web site. Mandated marketing programs focus on health, food safety: California farmers currently participate in 63 marketing programs, paying annual assessments of more than $226 million to support advertising, promotion, research and inspection programs. Marketing program... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=48 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=48 The following peer-reviewed research articles have been published in the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Full-text PDFs are linked below and also available on the California Agriculture Web site. Management reduces E. coli in irrigated pasture runoff: Microbial pollutants, some of which can cause illnesses in humans, chronically contaminate many California water bodies. This study examined the potential to reduce E. coli contamination from cattle in irrigated... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=7 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=7 OAKLAND -- Growers are most likely to trust their county’s agricultural commissioner, Farm Bureau and UC Cooperative Extension office for information about water-quality management, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the July-September 2007 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal (http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu). Mark Lubell, UC Davis associate professor, and Allan Fulton, UC Cooperative Extension advisor, surveyed more than 1,20... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=8 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=8 Diet can have a significant effect on asthma, according to research reported in the current issue of California Agriculture journal. The evidence suggests that the risk of asthma and the severity of its symptoms may be increased by low intake of magnesium and overweight. The research, by postdoctoral researcher Alexandra Kazaks and nutrition professor Judith Stern of UC Davis, also indicates that people who are overweight get less magnesium in their diets. “Replacing low-magnesium foo... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=9 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=9 By reviewing thousands of research reports, UC scientists were able to pin down four factors that are most likely to cause overweight and obesity in America: the consumption of dietary fat, sweetened beverages and restaurant foods, and a pattern of breakfast-skipping. The systematic review found that intake of protein, simple sugars and fruit juice, as well as food variety, portion size, snacking and frequency of eating, were not consistently related to obesity. The conclusions can help pare... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=10 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=10 Nearly 60 percent of low-income California women of childbearing age are not consuming enough folate to meet recommended levels for preventing birth defects, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the April-June 2007 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Folate is a B vitamin found in foods such as liver, lentils and orange juice. In adults, folate deficiencies are associated with chronic conditions such as anemia, cardiovascular disease and c... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=13 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=13 A new integrated pest management (IPM) program for cut roses has dramatically reduced the volume of pesticides sprayed in California greenhouses and launched a successful biological control of spider mites, scientists report in a peer-reviewed study published in the April-June 2007 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. “This program represents the first and largest effort to demonstrate and implement an IPM strategy on floriculture crops in the U... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=14 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=14 Native perennial grasses were thriving for a decade or more after planting along Sacramento Valley roadsides and required little maintenance, scientists report in a peer-reviewed study published in the April-June 2007 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. “Native grasses are somewhat labor-intensive to establish on roadsides, but after a few years they offer a low-maintenance alternative to the nonnative, invasive plants that dominate many Califo... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=11 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=11 Pharmaceutical crops — those genetically engineered to produce medicines, vaccines and other pharmaceutical proteins — have been cultivated on a limited scale in California amid increasing U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations to reduce risk of gene flow and contamination of human food and livestock feed, according to a review article published in the April-June 2007 issue of the University of California's peer-reviewed California Agriculture journal. See the entire current ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=12 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=12 Fencing placed close to blue oak seedlings can prevent them from succumbing to grazing by deer and livestock while limiting rodent damage, both significant risks to notoriously slow-growing California native oak trees. In a peer-reviewed, 8-year study published in the January-March 2007 issue of California Agriculture journal, University of California researchers found that blue oak seedlings surrounded by 2-foot or 4-foot “exclosures” had significantly higher growth rates than un... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=15 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=15 Lead levels in air and food have been drastically reduced since the 1970s, but some U.S. children still face an elevated risk of exposure to lead from old paint, dust, soil, imported pottery and ceramic ware, ethnic remedies, and some imported foods and other consumer goods, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the October-December 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. The full article is posted online at http://californiaagriculture.uco... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=16 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=16 Historic weather data can be used to develop accurate yield predictions for a number of important California crops, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the October-December 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. The full article is posted online at http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu. Currently, the California Agricultural Statistics Service (CASS) develops estimates of coming harvests for major California crops, which are then used b... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=18 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=18 A cost-benefit analysis published in the October-December 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal has determined that every dollar spent on nutrition education in California saves between $3.67 and $8.34 in future medical costs. The full article is posted online at http://californiaagriculture.ucop.edu. In the peer-reviewed study, University of California researchers measured the economic impact of nutrition education provided by the Expanded Food an... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=17 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=17 Just like their traditionally bred counterparts, transgenic crops have definitively been shown to crossbreed with crops or native plants growing nearby. In the July-September issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture magazine, a peer-reviewed review article documents widespread evidence that crop transgenes do, in fact, wander in the environment. But is this is cause for worry? “The products of traditional plant improvement are not absolutely safe, and we c... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=19 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=19 As fuel prices rise and agricultural profit margins narrow, California farmers may find some relief with conservation tillage, in which growers reduce the number of times that they drive tractors across their fields. Common in the Midwest, conservation tillage is relatively new to California, and UC researchers are working to adapt it to local crops and conditions. The July- September 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal includes two peer-reviewed... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=20 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=20 Food choices of black women: A unique study finds that eating habits ­— both positive and negative — are not passed along between grandmothers, mothers and daughters in the same families. The study evaluated the diet and nutritional status of 58 triads of related California black women and found no correlation between generations. “Any influence that one generation might have on the food habits and food choices of subsequent generations appears to be nullified by a... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=21 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=21 Although scientists know that Bay Area and Sacramento emissions contribute to Central Valley smog, the same plumes of pollution rarely reach Lake Tahoe. A review of air-quality research in the UC peer-reviewed journal California Agriculture concludes, “Pollutants most closely connected to the decline in Lake Tahoe’s water quality originated largely from within the [Tahoe] basin.” Lake Tahoe has suffered a 30 percent decline in its famed clarity since the first ”Secchi... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=22 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=22 Yellow starthistle has invaded more than 14.3 million of California’s 101 million acres, making it by far the fastest-spreading and most-invasive nonnative plant the state has ever seen, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the April-June 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. Now commonly found in rangelands and along roadsides statewide, yellow starthistle —native to southern Europe and northern Africa — grows in bush... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=23 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=23 Bat houses: An 8-year study evaluated the occupancy rates of 186 bat houses installed in rural areas around California’s Central Valley. Colonies of bats preferred houses mounted on structures such as buildings, with shade or morning sun only, within one-quarter mile of water. Contact: Rachael Long, (530) 666-8734, rflong@ucdavis.edu. Tomato water use: Processing tomato yields have increased 53 percent during the past 35 years, but critical data concerning crop w... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=24 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=24 At a time when obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases are epidemic, the U.S. government should retool subsidy programs to encourage healthy diets, says policy expert Josh Miner in the January-March 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture research journal. In a peer-reviewed research perspective, Miner proposes policy changes for two agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture — the Food Stamp Program and the Farm Services Agency. The ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=25 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=25 Back injuries and related musculoskeletal disorders are the most common and costly work-related injuries in agriculture. The risk is especially high among workers who hand-harvest grapes; they are constantly turning, twisting and leaning forward to remove grapes from the vine, while routinely carrying loads of up to 80 pounds and lifting to dump the grapes into gondolas. In a peer-reviewed study published in the January-March 2006 issue of the University of California’s California Agri... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=26 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=26 Food ethics. A survey finds that Central Coast consumers want more information about “ethical” aspects of food production, such as environmental impacts, the humane treatment of animals, and social justice for farmworkers. Evaluating nutrition education. A new food-behavior checklist is making it easier for UC Cooperative Extension nutrition educators to evaluate the impact of their programs on fruit and vegetable consumption among recipients of government food s... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=27 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=27 While only two cases of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE) have been confirmed in the United States since late 2003, they set off a national debate over how and to what degree American cattle should be tested for BSE. The current issue of the University of California’s peer-reviewed California Agriculture journal focuses on the policy implications of the U.S. cases of the fatal bovine disease. “Critical questions facing the U.S. policy establishment includ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=28 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=28 Without any natural enemies to keep them in check, nonnative pest insects often have a field day feeding on California crops and plants. In California, populations of two such pests — the glassy-winged sharpshooter, which threatens the state’s valuable grape industry, and the red gum lerp psyllid, which attacks eucalyptus trees — are in retreat after UC researchers identified, tested, bred and released natural parasites of the pest insects. In two peer-reviewed studies publ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=29 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=29 For at least a century, scientists have been concerned that some of California’s 20 native oak species are not regenerating adequately, especially in the state’s 10 million acres of oak habitat that are grazed by cattle. In the October-December 2005 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture research journal, scientists with the UC Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program review two decades of research concerning the regeneration of oaks in Californi... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=30 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=30 New low-chill varieties support the successful cultivation of blueberries in the Central Valley. A cultivation method developed at Kearney allows raisins to be dried and harvested on the vine, for significant labor savings and reduced air-quality impacts. The “Kearney-V” high-density orchard system — now the industry standard — reduces labor costs without affecting yield. Reflective plastic mulches reduce aphids and diseases of... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=34 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=34 Ten species of California salmon are currently listed as threatened or endangered, and the culprit is often increased stream temperatures linked to logging, agricultural discharges, irrigated pastures and other land uses. While regulators and watershed groups have collected reams of stream-temperature data, "in our experience the sheer volume of data collected can be overwhelming, and the data is often not analyzed," says Kenneth Tate, UC Davis rangeland watershed specialist. Tate ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=31 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=31 Methyl bromide replacements for replanted orchards: A study of pre- and postplant soil treatments in a replanted peach-tree orchard found that soil solarization (with black plastic mulch) and organic-carbon amendments improved tree vigor as effectively as a chemical fumigant, while commercial microbial soil inoculants provided no measurable benefits. Weed mapping to reduce herbicide spraying: UC scientists demonstrated that weed maps developed at the time of the previous yea... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=32 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=32 On May 26, the University of California’s Kearney Research and Extension Center (KREC) near Parlier (east of Fresno) marks the 40th anniversary of its dedication. On that date in 1965, several hundred farmers, farm advisors, specialists and UC administrators gathered to usher in a new era in Central California agricultural research. “I think we can say without quibble that this capital investment will be repaid many times over,” said UC Dean of Agriculture Maurice L. Peters... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=33 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=33 Since World War II, organophosphate chemicals have provided an inexpensive, easy-to-use and effective method for controlling insect pests on the farm, in the home and garden, and even on household pets. But these insecticides are also toxic to many nontarget species, including humans and wildlife, and their uses are being severely curtailed as the result of a major overhaul of federal pesticide regulations triggered by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. As of 2002, 42 of 49 organophos... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=35 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=35 Each year starting in mid-November, fishermen launch from ports along the Pacific Coast in a furious race for a precious marine resource: Dungeness crab. By December’s end, they will have trapped up to 80% of the entire 7-month season’s crab harvest. The result is fishing in dangerous conditions, excess traps crowding the fishing grounds and glutted markets early in the season. California Sea Grant–funded researchers with UC Davis and Humboldt State University have been wor... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=36 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=36 Farm-to-school connections work: An evaluation of a comprehensive program incorporating school gardens, cafeterias and local farms in Davis, Calif., elementary schools provides evidence to support its positive impact on student nutrition and education. Contact: Heather Graham, hegraham@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-2666. Food stamp education gets results: Food stamp clients receiving FSNEP training showed significant improvements in several measures of dietary quality, and money saved on food p... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=37 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=37 Well-managed cattle grazing can reduce sediment in streams Virtually all of California’s surface water passes through the state’s 57 million acres of rangeland, raising concerns about the impact of cattle on water quality. But well-managed cattle grazing need not increase sedimentation in California rivers and streams, scientists report in peer-reviewed studies published in the July-September 2004 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. The ... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=38 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=38 News articles in the July-September 2004 issue of California Agriculture highlight the UC Cooperative Extension’s Rangeland Watershed Program, which has been working with ranchers since the early 1990s to identify rangeland water-quality problems and develop research-based solutions. Since 1997, hundreds of ranchers have taken a Ranch Water-Quality Planning Shortcourse offered by UC Cooperative Extension. As a result, nearly 400 voluntary water-quality plans have been developed, c... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=39 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=39 The first genetically engineered crop to be sold in supermarkets was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994. But a decade later no biotech tomatoes are for sale in the United States, nor are virtually any other biotech horticultural crops. Why have genetically engineered field crops — such as soybeans, corn, canola and cotton — been wildly successful, each capturing large market shares, while biotech horticultural crops have all but disappeared? Peer-reviewed articles published in the Apr... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=2 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=2 More than three-quarters of low-income Latino women studied (n = 561) in California were overweight or obese, while 22% of their young children were overweight, according to a study published in the January-March 2004 issue of the University of California’s California Agriculture journal. About 60% of these same households (n = 212) were food-insecure, meaning that the families lacked access, at varying degrees, to nutritious foods at some time during each month. "Overweight has r... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:27:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=1 Janet Byron http://ucanr.edu/repository/cao/pressroom.cfm?news=1