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The productivity of pruning labor in the vineyard can be greatly improved by methods reported here for eliminating non-productive tasks, reducing pruner decision time, increasing the work rate and reducing pruner fatigue.

Surface infections of Fusarium oxysporum f. gladioli and other fungi which infect gladiolus corms (bulbs) can be controlled effectively by dipping them just prior to planting. Six field trials conducted over a two-year period in the coastal area of San Diego County showed that fungicidal corm dips are an important phase of gladiolus disease control.

Planting cut sweet potato roots at the rate of 12 pieces per sq ft resulted in best yields of transplants in San Bernardino County tests.

In years of heavy thrips populations, the choice of proper materials, including the more effective organic phosphates, and timing of applications are extremely important to avoid damage in nectarines. In a year of low thrips populations, and especially when the one-thrips-nymph-per-blossom level does not occur until late in the bloom period, choice of material and timing of applications are not as critical; and treatment may be unnecessary or of little economic value. This report summarizes four years of research in Kern County.

Recent increases in foreign cotton acreage—occurring along with the accumulation of American surpluses, declining U. S. raw cotton exports and reduced consumption by domestic mills—cannot be attributed simply to U. S. cotton price policies, according to this study. Acreage increases since World War II by the three largest foreign free-world cotton exporters (Mexico, Brazil and Egypt) were not associated with U. S. export price changes, although acreage increases in some of the other important cotton-producing countries could be related to these changes. Increasing acreage and production trends for cotton in several of the newly developing countries probably reflect strong efforts by their governments to increase agricultural output and export earnings, regardless of world market conditions.

Concentrate spray trials in 1962 using low volume application rates substantiated the previous year's encouraging results with this new pest and disease control technique. In field trials for control of several major pests in deciduous fruit and nut crops, concentrate spraying with chemicals applied at 60 gallons per acre offered control equal to that obtained with conventional “dilute” spray rigs applying the same chemical concentration in a total of 400 gollons of spray per acre.

Weekly spraying for aphid control reduced natural infection by yellows viruses from 50% to 14% in sugar beets planted April 10 and increased sugar yield 30% by mid-October. While spraying this often is not an economical means of control for virus yellows, the experiment showed that a considerable reduction in yields can be caused by naturally occurring strains of yellows viruses. However, sugar beets planted May 7 remained essentially virus free and by October 22 yielded 10% more sugar than beets planted in April, half of which became diseased.

DD fumigation for nematode control in “marginal” light sandy soils increased alfalfa hay yields by 3.25 tons per acre in Fresno County tests—and was considered profitable (on proven nematode infested soils) when hay prices average $20 or more per ton.