Growing the Valley

are rapidly becoming a valuable tool on farms of all sizes. These unmanned aerial vehicles ( ) can scout fields in a fraction of the time it takes on foot, giving growers a bird’s-eye view of their crops. Equipped with cameras and sensors, drones can quickly help you identify underperforming areas of your field. To read about some of the benefits and regulations to know before you fly consider checking this article https://www.sjvtandv.com/blog/drones-in-agriculture-benefits-and-regulations-to-know-before-you-fly by Justin Tanner.

If you’re interested in incorporating drones into your farm operations, you don’t have to navigate the process alone. Justin is available as a local resource for San Joaquin County growers, consultants, and pest control advisors who have questions about drone technology, the Part 107 certification process, or FAA compliance. Whether you’re selecting your first drone, preparing for the exam, or planning safe flight operations, feel free to reach out. Justin's email is [email protected]. With the right knowledge and guidance, drones can become a cornerstone of your precision agriculture toolkit—helping you farm smarter, save time, and stay compliant with FAA rules.

UCANR

Images can be assumed credit to author unless otherwise stated.

After one season of field research, the Trouillas Lab at the UC Davis developed knowledge of the disease epidemiology and biology and provided disease management guidelines for red leaf blotch in . Of importance, fungicidal products that can prevent effectively the and the best timings for fungicide applications were identified.

Article can be found at https://www.sjvtandv.com/blog/research-updates-on-almond-red-leaf-blotch by Renaud Travadon, Florent Trouillas, Alejandro Hernandez on the San Joaquin Valley Trees and Vines website.



Disclaimer: Mentioning of any active ingredients or products is not an endorsement or recommendation. All chemicals must be applied according to the chemical label, local and federal regulations. Please check with your pest control adviser to confirm rates and site-specific restrictions. The authors are not liable for any damage from use or misuse.

management has always been an intricate balance of selecting the right tools to harmonize with the environment. Among these tools, and scion selection play pivotal roles in shaping grapevine performance and fruit quality. Understanding how these elements interact with site-specific conditions and climate is more critical than ever in the context of evolving climatic challenges such as increased seasonal variability and extremes of precipitation and drought. To read about some insights check the article https://www.sjvtandv.com/blog/building-sustainable-vineyards-the-role-of-rootstocks-scions-on-site-adaptation from Justin Tanner on the San Joaquin Valley Trees and Vines website.

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources

Photos used in post assumed credit to author unless otherwise stated.

Red leaf blotch which was first detected in in the spring of 2024 has found its way to the Sacramento Valley in 2025. This summer the disease was confirmed in Yolo, Sutter, and Butte counties. To read an update on current understanding check the article https://www.sacvalleyorchards.com/almonds/red-leaf-blotch-finds-its-way-to-the-sacramento-valley-2025/ from Luke Milliron and Florent Trouillas on the Sacremento Valley Orchard Source.

Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

Photos used in post assumed credit to authors of article unless otherwise stated. Mention of a fungicide is not a pesticide recommendation. Merely the sharing of research results. Consult your PCA and the pesticide label. The label is law.

The International Microirrigation School for Crop Production will take place in California on October 13-17, 2025. This one-time educational will include 3 days of practical class instruction (October 13-15, 2025) at the UC Davis Conference Center and 2 days of field visits in the San Joaquin Valley (October 16) and in the Central Coast of California (October 17).

The School was designed for a broad professional audience, including CCAs, growers and ranch managers, consultants and practitioners, UC scientists and researchers, University students, UCCE Specialists and Advisors, as well as recent hires such as new advisors and community educators. The School is co-organized by the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES),
UC Agriculture & Natural Resources, , the Chilean Water Technology Consortium (CoT2O), and the California Irrigation Institute (CII).

There will be 26 expert instructors providing lectures and presentations during the School, most of which are UC Davis and UC ANR experts.

There is an early-bird registration until August 8, 2025. After that date, the registration fees will increase by 15%. Registration at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/7VDsHBR

If there are question, please contact Daniele Zaccaria ([email protected]) and Mary Ann Dickinson ([email protected])

Weather variability has significantly impacted production in the San Joaquin Valley. The 2024 growing season brought a prolonged , prompting concerns about its effects on grape yield and physiology. To read about the short- and long-term impacts of heat waves on grape physiology and yield performance, alongside management practices to mitigate these effects check this article https://www.sjvtandv.com/blog/effect-effects-of-heat-stress-on-grape-production-in-the-san-joaquin-valley from George Zhuang.

Article originally posted to Vit Tips Newsletter at https://ucanr.edu/site/fresno-county-viticulture/collection/vit-tips-previously-newsletter-vinelines. Reposted to San Joaquin Valley Trees and Vines website with author's permission. Photos used in post credited to author unless otherwise stated in article.

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources

Johnsongrass can be a tough w**d to control. Ryan Hill (UCCE Tehama, Shasta, Glenn) comes on the Growing the Valley to update us on the integrated year-round management of this perennial w**d in orchards (https://www.growingthevalleypodcast.com/podcastfeed/johnsongrass25).

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources has great resources on distinguishing Johnsongrass and other young summer grass w**ds (https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8570.pdf) and has a great guide to Johnsongrass biology and management (https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8569.pdf).

Photo credits at bottom on photo used in post.

Please consider attending the Regenerative Agriculture: The Way Forward workshop on July 1st at University of California, Merced for knowledge and a dialogue session on agriculture. Workshop will include talks from researchers and people from industry, as well as a farmer panel to discuss their perspectives and thoughts on regenerative agriculture. More information in the included flyer. To register scan QR code on flyer or go to https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=46418. Registration is free with lunch and refreshments included; however, parking may cost around $10 to attend.

If questions please reach out to Srabani Das or Sara Rosenberg (UCCE Regenerative Agriculture . Contact information on the flyer.

Leaffooted bug is a sporadic pest in , but damage can be significant in years when pest pressure is high. The pest may evade early detection by growers and PCAs because it overwinters as adults in vegetation outside of the orchard and tends to colonize the upper tree canopy, rendering it generally out of sight. As a result, pest pressure is often realized after damage has occurred. To read about how variety and neighboring crops are predictors of leaffooted bug risk in almond check the article at https://my.ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=61992 from Elizabeth J Fichtner and David Haviland on the Nut, Olive and Prune Programmatic News blog.

Photos of leaffooted bug and leafooted bugs on pomegranate and rose credited to W. Bentley. All other photos used in post assume credit to authors unless otherwise stated in article.

UC ANR Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program