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My name is Mandeep Singh, and I’m honored to serve as the Agronomy Advisor for Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo counties, based at the UCCE Capitol Corridor office in Woodland. From an early age, I was involved in managing row crops like alfalfa, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, and oats, as well as caring for livestock on my family's farm. I did my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy from Punjab Agricultural University.

Branched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) is an invasive parasitic plant that poses a significant threat to California’s processing tomato industry. Known for its ability to attach to and draw nutrients from host roots, this pest can cause yield losses and trigger strict quarantine measures in California commercial fields. Building on Israel’s PICKIT approach for Egyptian broomrape (P. aegyptiaca), California researchers are working to adapt and refine chemigation-based herbicide strategies that target this challenging weed without harming tomato crops.

Branched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) continues to challenge California’s processing tomato industry, particularly in the Sacramento Valley. As a parasitic plant that attaches to tomato roots, its presence threatens both yield and export market access. In a recently published study in Weed Technology, we evaluated the efficacy of chemigated rimsulfuron—a recently registered approach with potential to offer targeted, soil-based suppression of this invasive pest.

Calibration might sound intimidating, but it’s critical for safe and effective herbicide application. Proper calibration ensures that the correct amount of pesticide is applied to an area while achieving the desired level of pest control. To support land managers and pesticide applicators, the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, in collaboration with the California Invasive Plant Council, has released a new online course: Herbicide Application Calibration for Non-Agricultural Sites.

This year in Southern California the rainy season got off to a late start. Southern California has received about one half of the average precipitation total as of this writing (and that's not an April fool's joke). Last year we had over 50% more rainfall than the historic average, it was a wet year. Most of inland Southern California receives about 12 inches of rainfall in an average year, this year we've had less than 6 inches and last year we had about 16 inches.

Sharing a recent post from the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) about a new page on the WeedCUT online decision support tool.

-Brad

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New WeedCUT Feature: BMPs for Herbicide Application Techniques

Confused about what a “drizzle” application is and when to use it? Deciding on the best way to estimate your application rate when using a backpack sprayer? Wondering what your hole spacing should be when using “drill-and-fill”?

A quick post to share a link to a recent January 14, 2025 webinar on Electric Weed Control in Organic Perennial Crops.

Reposted from the "Weeders of the West" blog with author's permission.

Marcelo Moretti summary of research on glufosinate best practices in hops (direct link to article).

-Brad

Posted by jenna.osiensky | January 9, 2025
Marcelo L. Moretti, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture

A recommendation bulletin has been released for florpyrauxifen-benzyl (Loyant® CA, Corteva Agriscience LLC, Indianapolis, IN, USA) to control cattail plants in California rice fields and permitted under FIFRA Section 2(ee). Cattail (Typha latifolia L.) also known as common cattail or broadleaf cattail is a perennial wetland weed that naturally occurs widely in nearly all North America and are often considered undesirable, weedy, or invasive. Common cattail is cosmopolitan weed that can grow up to 10-ft tall under favorable conditions.