All Issues

As the world's fossil fuel reserves decline, the oil-bearing seeds of the California native, jojoba, are gaining new attention, and major efforts to domesticate it are underway.

Bacterial rot has become a major problem in sugarbeets with widespread use of the new virus yellows-resistant varieties, US H9, and US H10. Now, researchers have come up with a new line that is not only yellows-resistant but also resistant to the bacterium,

Reduced performance in wintering cattle can be caused by cold stress. Windbreaks can prevent such stress and are inexpensive to construct.

Growth of HFCS' use has had important economic implications to beet and cane sugar growers and processors since its commercial introduction in 1967.

Foreign wines are gaining a larger share of the table wine market in the U.S., causing some decline in consumption of domestic wines and demands by American growers and vintners for import restrictions and other trade policy changes.

Use of reflective mulches (aluminum-coated paper and white polyethylene plastic) has been successful in deceiving aphids that would transmit watermelon mosaic virus to summer squash. Mineral oil sprays applied to foliage also prevent aphids from inoculating plants with virus.

Canary Island palms in southern California have been destroyed in recent years by two fungi, operating singly and in combination:

Fertilization with nitrogen at different rates had a variety of effects on the growth and yield of two durum and two bread wheats studied in the Tulelake Basin. For example, Leeds durum responded to rates at 80 pounds or less per acre, while yield actually decreased at rates above 160 pounds.