Growers, pest control advisers, and other industry representatives can learn about the latest technology available for low desert crop production in California and Arizona during the 2013 Fall Desert Crops Workshop Dec. 5 in El Centro, Calif.

Speakers at the 24^thannual workshop will discuss insect management in winter vegetables, the latest in leafy greens food safety research, the future of weed control in vegetables, neonicotinoid use in melons, the Asian citrus psyllid insect and Huanglongbing disease in citrus, and other issues.

Eric Natwick, Khaled Bali, Oli Bachie, and Sam Wang of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Imperial County are organizing the workshop.

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Western Farm Press is the workshop sponsor.

Tentative agenda

7:00 - Registration

7:10 - Welcome from Western Farm Press – Cary Blake, Western Farm Press, Gilbert, Ariz.

7:15 - Update on invasive pest species in Imperial County - Laura Arellano, Imperial

           County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, El Centro, Calif.

7:35 - New insecticides for desert vegetables – John Palumbo, University of Arizona

          Yuma Agricultural Center, Yuma, Ariz.

7:55 - Trouble shooting vegetable production and pest problems– Jose Aguiar,

          UCCE Riverside County, Indio, Calif.

8:15 - New management tools against plant parasitic nematodes- Ole Becker, UCCE

           Specialist, Riverside, Calif.

8:35 - Use of an insect growth regulator applied at the 2nd week of squaring for

           lygus bug management- Vonny Barlow, UCCE Riverside County, Blythe, Calif.

8:55 - Nematode management- Antoon Ploeg, UCCE Specialist, Riverside

9:15 – Break

9:30 - Updates on crop protection chemicals – commercial sponsors

9:50 - Asian citrus psyllid sampling and treatment options - Joseph Morse, UC

          Riverside, Riverside

10:10 - Overview of Asian citrus psyllid, Huanglongbing, and bio-control efforts in

            Southern California - Mark Hoddle, UC Riverside, Riverside

10:30 - Lettuce mechanical thinning: principle and advantages - Sam Wang, UC

            Desert Research and Extension Center, El Centro

10:50 - Lettuce mechanical thinning: principle and advantages - Jon Magin, Vision

            Robotics, San Diego, Calif.

11:10 - An evaluation of chemical bird repellents for desert-area producers - Kurt Nolte,

            UA Yuma County Cooperative Extension, Yuma, Ariz.

11:30 – TBA

11:50 - TBA

12:10 - Lunch - provided at no charge for those who RSVP – courtesy of Western Farm

            Press and commercial suppliers.

All times are California standard time (Arizona time is one hour later).

The workshop will be held at the House of Steaks and Antipasto, 201 N. Imperial Ave., El Centro 92243. Park in the back of the building and enter through the rear entrance.

CEU’s pending – 5.0 each for California, Arizona, and CAA.

There is no cost to attend. Advanced registration is recommended. Attendees can register at the door.

For more information and to pre-register, contact UCCE’s Annette Tietz at (760) 325-9474 or [email protected].

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