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Productivity, measured in terms of tonnage of grapes picked in a given amount of time, can be increased by use of equipment that will transport the picker, improve picking visibility, and move the fruit into containers. These tests with a mobile platform for transporting grape harvest workers along the row indicated that the degree of improved efficiency possible depends largely on the quality of the labor and crew size.

Previous field studies of soil fertility effects on the processing quality of tomatoes have been inconclusive. To adequately assess the relationship of various nutrients to fruit quality, it is necessary to more closely control the nutrition of the plant. Therefore, techniques were developed and a series of experiments were initiated in the greenhouse to study the effect of individual nutrients on pH, soluble solids, and color, as well as on yield. This article analyzes the effect of one nutrient–nitrogen–on tomato processing quality.

When land is made weed-free by chemical control methods, particularly with contact herbicides, the weed-free condition is best maintained by not disturbing the soil. Such disturbance can lead to germination of a new crop of weed seeds that otherwise would remain dormant.

HORNFLIES (Haematobia irritans) are an economic problem in pasture cattle production in the central San Joaquin Valley during the summer and fall months. Although thousands of flies may be present on individual range cattle, each taking a blood meal several times daily, it is difficult to evaluate the exact economic loss. Infested cattle spend a great deal of time and energy ineffectually warding off hornflies, with resulting stress and weight loss.

QUALITY OF LEMONS and of Other citrus fruits is affected by the concentrations of acids in the fruit juice. For this reason information concerning the synthesis and accumulation of the acids is important and has been the subject of intensive studies. Until recently organic acids were thought to be synthesized in leaves and then later translocated to the fruit. Sufficient biochemical systems have now been isolated from fruits to warrant the conclusion that lemon and other citrus fruits are quite capable of the acid synthesis.

CITRUS BLAST, resulting from infection by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, can cause severe damage to citrus orchards in northern California. Sprays applied to experimental plots in Butte and Glenn counties have not shown clearly delineated differences between treatments because the blast is not very damaging in many seasons.

This study indicates that the feeding of nitrogen-enriched low protein cottonseed meal had no apparent detrimental effects upon nitrogen retention or nitrogen and energy digestibility, as determined with growing lambs. On the other hand, the normal cottonseed meal and the nitrogen-enriched low protein cottonseed meal did not increase the nitrogen retention significantly beyond that resulting from feeding the low protein cottonseed meal.

The imperial valley includes approximately 430,000 cultivated acres of fertile land located adjacent to the U. S.-Mexican border. Its climate is characterized by high summer temperatures and relatively mild, sunny winters. About 55,000 acres of this land is in sugar beet production and, because of the unique climate and processing requirements, seed must be planted between August and October. During this period when dry soil temperatures at ½-inch depth may reach 70°C, growers have difficulties establishing a satisfactory stand of sugar beets, especially in the late-August to early-September period. The problem decreases in plantings made during the period from mid-September through October–leading to the theory that high temperature might be the cause of the problem.