Desert Research and Extension Center hosts international agriculture student interns

Caring for feedlot cattle, examining onion irrigation practices, and teaching preschoolers about agriculture are not part of the typical college curriculum. But for Desert Research and Extension Center's five college student interns, these activities are what fill their days.

Located on 255 acres of Southern California desert, DREC focuses on advancing irrigated desert agriculture, livestock and feedlot management, and pest management. It is also home to the Farm Smart agricultural education program, reaching approximately 7,800 participants annually.

In February, DREC welcomed the college student interns - creative thinkers working at the intersection of experimental research and agriculture education. During the internship, the students are working on-site under the mentorship of academics and staff members on applied projects. After years of COVID restrictions, the center is excited to welcome the students in person for hands-on engagement with the research and the public.

"Hosting students at DREC helps us to fulfill our mission while training the next generation of professionals," says Jairo Diaz, Director of DREC. "I am particularly motivated to provide experiential learning activities to underrepresented groups in agriculture and STEM careers."

Read on to learn about each of these budding agronomists.

Dianely Alba

Dianely Alba is majoring in agronomy at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Mexico (This university is about 20 miles south of DREC). She is working under the mentorship of Jairo Diaz-Ramirez on a project focused on improving irrigation and nutrient management practices in onion production in Imperial County.

Melina Munoz

Melina Munoz is a student at Imperial Valley College studying elementary education. She is an intern for DREC's Farm to Preschool Festival. Munoz is in charge of developing and translating activities, planning and implementing the festival, and data entry for participant registration and evaluation information.

Lester Nolasco

Lester Nolasco grew up on a farm in Honduras, so he has been involved with animals and agriculture from a young age. He is working under the mentorship of Pedro Carvalho, the Feedlot Management Specialist. Nolasco is currently working on feedlot cattle management and beef cattle nutrition. 

“Although my passion is cattle, when you work with these animals, you indirectly learn about agriculture and crops in general because that is also an important part of cattle nutrition,”says Nolasco. Alongside the other feedlot management interns, Nolasco feeds animals, cleans pens, mixes feed, weighs cattle, and does lab work. “It is such a nice experience for me because I had only worked with dairy cattle in the past and this internship is teaching me a lot. I would like to learn as much as I can about beef cattle nutrition. Hopefully, in the future, I will be a professor and share the knowledge I have learned with other professionals back in my country.”

Heitor Otávio Martins de Oliveira

Heitor Otávio Martins de Oliveira has worked with animals throughout his life, starting with his parents' farm. He attended veterinary school, where he continued to learn about agriculture. At DREC, Otávio Martins de Oliveira is working on beef cattle nutrition management. In addition to daily maintenance tasks, he weighs the cattle monthly and provides any necessary treatments. 

“I would like to get as much knowledge as I can about nutrition in the USA and then return to my home country of Brazil to work there,” says Otávio Martins de Oliveira. “Maybe I will get a master's degree related to reproduction in cattle.”

Willi Meireles

Willi Meireles was introduced to Carvalho by his professor in Brazil. He is working on evaluating the use of feed additives to increase the performance of feedlot cattle.

“My grandparents own a farm where beef cattle are raised, so since I was a child, I have worked with animals and always liked animal science,” reflects Meireles. “I intend to specialize in ruminant nutrition and, after working hard, be able to have my own beef cattle.”

UC ANR offers seminars, citrus tour at World Ag Expo

 

UC Dairy Series 

A series of dairy seminars will be offered by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists at the World Ag Expo. Presentations will cover the latest research on almond hulls as dairy feed, water management, nutrient management, manure management and much more. See the schedule below. 

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022
Seminar Trailer 2 

Session 1: Nutrient Management & Manure Treatment Technologies
Tuesday, 1:00 – 1:55 p.m.

1 p.m. – Joy Hollingsworth, UC Cooperative Extension nutrient management and soil quality advisor for Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Madera counties

Nutrient management with digester effluent 

1:15 p.m. – Anthony Fulford, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension nutrient management and soil quality advisor for Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties

Incorporating vacuumed manure into your nutrient management needs

1:30 p.m. – Nick Clark, UC Cooperative Extension agronomic cropping systems and nutrient management advisor for Kings, Fresno and Tulare counties

Nutrient management with other advanced treatment technologies 

1:45–1:55 p.m. – Q&A session

Session 2: Manure management options on your dairy
2–2:55 p.m.

2 p.m. – Betsy Karle, UC Cooperative Extension dairy advisor for Glenn, Butte, Tehama,
Shasta, Sutter and Yuba counties

CDFA's Alternative Manure Management Program - where to start

2:15 p.m. – Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension specialist in livestock systems and air quality, UC Davis Department of Animal Science

Manure technologies & pre/post greenhouse gas emissions

2:30 p.m. – Ruihong Zhang, Ph.D., UC Davis professor in the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering

Novel technologies for manure management on dairies 

2:45–2:55 p.m. – Q&A session

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022
Seminar Trailer 2

Session 3: Feeding the California Dairy Herd
1–1:55 p.m.

1 p.m. – Jennifer Heguy, UC Cooperative Extension dairy advisor for Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties

Almond hull usage on California dairies

1:15 p.m. – Ed DePeters, Ph.D., UC Davis professor in the Department of Animal Science

Almond hulls - the story continues

1:30 p.m. – Dan Putnam, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences

Low lignin alfalfa considerations for yield & feed quality

1:45–1:55 p.m. – Q&A session

Session 4: Water-wise dairying
2–2:55 p.m.

2 p.m. – Nick Clark, UC Cooperative Extension agronomic cropping systems and nutrient management advisor for Kings, Fresno and Tulare counties

Sugar beet and safflower – yield, water use and nutrient management considerations

2:15 p.m. – Mark Lundy, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences

Maximizing water productivity from winter small grains in California

2:30 p.m. – Khaled Bali, Ph.D., UC Cooperative Extension irrigation water management specialist at Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Deficit irrigation and winter groundwater recharge in alfalfa

2:45–2:55 p.m. – Q&A session 

Need continuing education unit credits? 

American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS): 1 CEU/session; 4 total available

Certified Crop Adviser: 2 CEU available

      Nutrient Management: 1 CEU (Sessions 1 & 2)

      Soil & Water Management: 1 CEU (Session 4)

California Department of Food and Agriculture's Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Program: 2 CEU available

      Nitrogen Management: 1 CEU (Sessions 1 & 2)

      Irrigation Management: 1 CEU (Session 4)

Feb. 10 citrus tour (9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.)

The citrus tour will visit two locations: University of California Lindcove Research & Extension Center and McKellar Family Farms. 

Established in 1959, the UC Lindcove REC has more than 100 acres of citrus in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. At the center, researchers conduct studies on citrus varieties, horticultural techniques and pest management. The UC Lindcove REC portion of the tour will include a display and tasting of citrus varieties.

Lunch is provided at McKellar Family Farms, where visitors will tour the citrus orchards, view equipment and get a better understanding of the process from tree to table. By the end of the tour, visitors will have an understanding of how much care and forethought goes into producing top-quality fruit, in addition to the research conducted to improve growing conditions.

Tour tickets cost $45 and include choice of lunch. For more information, visit https://www.worldagexpo.com/attendees/agriculture-tours.

 

 

New research fills gap on best practices for California carrot production

One doesn't need to be a seasoned farmer to know that growing conditions in Canada are completely different than those found in the low desert of California.

And yet, for many years, studies conducted in Canada were used to generate nitrogen uptake data for the California carrot production system, so growers managed their fields based on their own experiences – and that research conducted thousands of miles to the north.

Carrots had been among the crops grown in California that did not have site-specific data to suggest the best source, rate, timing and placement of nitrogen, in the highly variable cropping seasons and locations throughout the state. That's why new information – based on local research and published in August – is invaluable to farmers in Imperial and Kern counties, where the majority of the carrots in California are grown.

Two years of data from two experimental trials at UC Agriculture and Natural Resource's Desert Research and Extension Center – as well as from 10 commercial fields – produced key recommendations for farmers to make the most of their irrigation and nitrogen applications.

“The point is we developed information in your field, based on your practices, your climate, your production system – and this is what is really happening,” said Ali Montazar, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial County. Montazar conducted the study alongside Daniel Geisseler, UCCE nutrient management specialist at UC Davis, and Michael Cahn, UCCE irrigation and water resources advisor for Monterey County.

With reliable data gathered under real-world conditions, Montazar said growers now have solid reference points for when – and at what rate – to irrigate and apply fertilizers in the low desert environment. One of the key findings, for example, was that the carrots' nitrogen uptake is generally low in the first 40 to 50 days, so growers are advised to limit their fertilizer application during that period.

Then, by tailoring those basic guidelines to their own site-specific situation and optimizing their practices, growers can maximize the amount of nitrogen taken up by the carrots – and minimize the amount that is leached out.

“Improving irrigation and nutrient management in the desert production system is what local growers are themselves trying to achieve. With improving efficiency and reducing nutrient leaching, we can improve the quality of water in the Salton Sea,” said Montazar, noting the longstanding challenges of reducing contaminants from irrigated lands to protect its unique ecosystem and wildlife.

While contamination of groundwater is not a critical issue in the desert, the best practices in this study can also help carrot growers in parts of California where nitrogen leaching into groundwater and drinking water supplies is a greater concern.

Montazar is currently leading a team in studying carrot-growing management practices under slightly different conditions in Kern County, with the hopes of publishing findings in late summer 2022.

The Imperial County study, “Spatial Variability of Nitrogen Uptake and Net Removal and Actual Evapotranspiration in the California Desert Carrot Production System,” is published in the journal Agriculture, and can be found at https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080752. Findings and recommendations also appear in Progressive Crop Consultant: https://progressivecrop.com/2021/09/new-knowledge-based-information-developed-to-enhance-water-and-nitrogen-use-efficiency-in-desert-fresh-market-carrots/.

Funding for this study was provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Fertilizer Research and Education Program, as well as the California Fresh Carrots Advisory Board.

To grow vegetables locally, Second Harvest partners with UC South Coast REC

Partnering for California

A.G. Kawamura to grow produce at UC South Coast Research and Extension Center for Orange County food bank

Driven to provide consistent access to nutritious food for residents in Orange County, Second Harvest Food Bank is exploring new fields of possibility – fields amounting to 45 acres at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources' South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine.

With grower A.G. Kawamura, Solutions for Urban Ag chairman and former California secretary of Food and Agriculture, the food bank recently planted its first cabbage transplants to generate a steady flow of fresh, locally grown produce for its pantry network.

Harvest Solutions Farm is expected to produce 40,000 pounds of cabbage per week as of Nov. 18 when the first harvest is expected to take place. When all 45 acres are fully planted, they are anticipated to yield 160,000 pounds of produce per month.

“Fresh produce is so important to the health of a community,” said Darren Haver, director of the agricultural research facility. “Through this unique public-private partnership, UC South Coast Research and Extension Center is able to provide land and volunteers to assist in planting and harvesting to supply nutritious food to people in our community in need.”

On Aug. 31, Second Harvest Board Chairman Dave Coffaro, Kawamura and Haver were joined at UC South Coast REC by Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, Representative Katie Porter of Irvine and Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner for the ceremonial planting of the first crop. Volunteers transplanted approximately 26,000 cabbage seedlings.

“This is a historic day for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County,” said Coffaro. “Few food banks, if any, have attempted to grow their own food on this large a scale. Our unique good fortune to have access to 45 acres in the heart of an urban center like Irvine, where we are able to cultivate an array of crops and supply our food pantry partners with fresh, nutritious produce brings us a huge step closer to making nutritional security a reality for our entire community.”

Produce key component of Second Harvest's nutritional strategy

Harvest Solutions Farm is the latest component in Second Harvest's strategy to attain nutrition security for all. The food bank has begun focusing on planned nutrition based on consistent access to fresh protein, produce and dairy – rather than relying on situational nutrition driven solely by donations. 

Second Harvest is prioritizing the weekly purchase and donation of nutritious food to provide children and families with consistent access to the nutrient-dense food that can set them up for success in school and at work. Fresh produce is a key component of a nutritious diet.

“After this initial planting of cabbage, which is a hearty, versatile vegetable that's easy to grow and a nutritional mainstay in a variety of cultures, the second planting in May 2022 will include zucchini, squash and mini bell peppers,” saidKawamura. “When the 45 acres are fully planted with these vegetables, with regular crop rotations, I expect it to yield 600,000 pounds per month, which is comparable to two 53-foot semi-truck trailers full of locally grown produce going into the community.” 

Creating supply chain resiliency and environmental benefits

The farm also allows Second Harvest to mitigate challenges like pandemic-induced inflated food prices and supply chain disruptions.

“We previously bought vegetables from the Central Valley. Last year, we had to work around lags in the supply chain, which means healthy food was less plentiful for Orange County families in need,” Coffaro said. “This farm will create an end-to-end produce supply chain for us and those we serve.”

Further, by growing produce locally, Second Harvest will drastically cut its “time to the dinner plate,” delivering greater health benefits because the produce will be fresher when it reaches families.

The farm will be maintained primarily by 40 volunteers during three-hour shifts, starting with one to two scheduled opportunities per week. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, but opportunities for children to participate will be available in the near future.

Thanksgiving persimmons are autumn joy

When the weather cools in the fall and the holidays draw near, orange orbs ripen on persimmon trees in California to offer a fresh autumn sweetness in time for Thanksgiving recipes and holiday décor.

At the UC South Coast Research and Extension Center (SCREC) in Irvine, a collection of 53 persimmon varieties are at their peak in November when the public is invited for tasting and harvesting at the annual persimmon field day.

“We want to raise awareness about persimmons,” said Tammy Majcherek, SCREC community educator. “It's a beautiful tree and a great addition to any landscape. Persimmon trees provide shade in the summer, healthy fruit in the fall, then drop their leaves and allow the sun's warmth to come through in the winter. It's a win-win situation as far as landscape trees go.”

The persimmon collection came to the research center in the 1960s, when the late UCLA subtropical horticulture professor Art Schroeder arranged to move his collection of persimmon varieties to another venue because the pressure of urban development at the Westwood campus became too great.

Persimmons are native in two parts of the world, China and the United States. The Chinese persimmon made its way to Japan, where its popularity soared. The American persimmon comes from the Southeastern United States, however, most California persimmons trace their lineage to Asia.

California leads the nation in persimmon production, according to the California Department of Agriculture Crop Report, but with a value of about $21 million in 2012, it represents just a small fraction of the state's $19 billion 2012 tree fruit and nut value.

Nevertheless, to the visitors who came out to tour UC's collection at SCREC, persimmon is a choice fruit. Participants on the early-morning VIP tour received a large shopping bag to fill with various varieties of fuyu and hachiya persimmons. Fuyu are flat, yellow-orange fruit that can be eaten right off the tree like apples or allowed to mature to a super-sweet soft pulp. Hachiya are redder, heart-shaped and astringent when not fully ripened. “If you bite it, it will bite your mouth right back,” said one participant.

However, after ripening to a jelly soft pulp or dried, the hachiya is equally delicious.

Shirley Salado, the UC Cooperative Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program supervisor in San Diego County, attended the persimmon tasting to gather fruit and information for her education program.

“The fuyu is great to eat,” Salado said. “When they ripen and become very soft, you can put the pulp in a blender and then freeze in zipper bags to add to healthy smoothies.”

Salado collected two large bags of persimmons to share with her nutrition education staff.

“Not everybody knows about these,” Salado said. “This gives them a chance to look at the fruit. This is what we promote.”

Following the tour, coordinator of the UC Master Food Preserver program at SCREC Cinda Webb demonstrated safe consumption by making cinnamon persimmon jam, dried persimmon chips, and a gourmet persimmon, basil, beet and rice salad.

Wild or brown rice persimmon salad

4 cups wild or brown rice, cooked
2 Fuyu persimmons, chopped
1 cup cooked, chopped beets
1 cup basic, chopped
8 oz feta cheese
½ cup orange cumin vinaigrette

Vinaigrette (makes about 1 cup)

½ cup orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1½ tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Whisk together vinaigrette dressing ingredients
2. Stir basil, beets, persimmons and feta into rice and toss with ½ cup vinaigrette.
3. Top with persimmon slices and extra chopped basil for presentation.

 

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