Growers, processors and researchers of garlic and onions throughout the West will meet in Tulare, Calif., Feb. 11, the day before the World Ag Expo opens there.

The meeting, called the California Garlic and Onion Symposium, will be held at the Cooperative Extension auditorium, across the street from World Ag Expo’s main entrance from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It will be followed by a meeting of the board of directors of the California Garlic and Onion Research Advisory Board (CGORAB).

Coordinator of the meeting is Michelle Le Strange, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Tulare County. She said speakers will include key researchers for the Allium crops from Oregon State University, Washington State University, the University of California, Davis, the New Zealand Crop and Food Research Institute, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture, as well as farm advisors from several garlic and onion producing counties in California.

Among them will be Hanu R. Pappu, professor, Plant Pathology Department, Washington State University; Fred Crowe, plant pathology Extension specialist emeritus, Oregon State University; Mike Davis, plant pathology Extension specialist, University of California, Davis; and Colin Eady from New Zealand.

Farm advisors and Allium crop specialists from other California counties will include Don May, Fresno; Eric Natwick, Imperial; Joe Nunez, Kern; Harry Carlson, Modoc; and Richard Smith, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture speaker will be James Ayars, a water management specialist, who will be followed by Rick Snyder, a biometeorology specialist from the University of California, Davis. Bob Ehn, technical manager of CGORAB will provide a report on current fungicides registered for the Allium crops, discuss grower demonstration projects and the spread of white rot disease in California’s Central Valley.

Lunch will be provided by CGORAB. Admission and registration are free. Those planning to attend are encouraged to notify either CGORAB or farm advisor Le Strange promptly and to make room reservations right away because of heavy demand on accommodations in connection with World Ag Expo.