Education Blog Posts

Branched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) poses a significant challenge to processing tomato production in California. Unlike many other weeds growers manage, broomrape spends nearly 70% of its entire life cycle underground attached directly to tomato roots, before ever becoming visible. By the time shoots emerge above the soil surface, the plant has already been established belowground for weeks. Once it emerges, it can flower and produce seed within a couple of weeks.

Branched broomrape is a parasitic weed that continues to challenge processing tomato production in California. Nearly 70% of its lifecycle is completed underground; once it emerges, it can flower and set seed within just a few weeks. Current best management practice recommendations for broomrape management in conventional processing tomatoes includes a herbicide treatment regime to control early-stage broomrape at the time of root attachment and removal of emerged plants before they set seed.

Some of my weed science extension colleagues in the midwest have a podcast called War Against Weeds  supported with funding from the North Central IPM Center.  I was interviewed on the podcast a few years ago about herbicide resistant weeds in orchards.  Earlier this week, they invited me back as the first interviewee of their 11th season where we talked about branched broomrape in California processing tomato.  

Weed Science School is less than two weeks away! Join the UC Davis Weed Research and Information Center for this 2.5 day course. Learn through lectures and laboratory demonstrations at the Bowley Plant Science Teaching Facility at 1200 Extension Center Drive in Davis, CA on September 16-18, 2025.

It’s that time of the year to start preparing for license and certificate renewal season for pesticide applicators with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Applicators should have received their renewal notice in the mail (and if not, then please contact DPR at [email protected]).

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