SJC and Delta Field Crops

From 2019-2021, we conducted trials to evaluate the efficacy of a new herbicide product called Loyant (florpyrauxifen-benzyl; group 4 herbicide; Corteva Agriscience) in Delta drill-seeded rice. Loyant is registered in rice growing states in the southern US but would be a new chemistry in California.

In 2021, rice acreage in the Delta, south of the Yolo Bypass, was roughly 6,600 acres. Most of the Delta acreage is in San Joaquin County, with a few hundred acres in Sacramento County. Delta rice acreage has been steadily increasing over the last several years (Table 1).

In a previous blog post, I introduced a project about using nitrogen (N) rich reference zones in wheat. The goal of the project is to show how N-rich reference zones can be used to guide N fertilization in small grains, to increase crop productivity and N use efficiency.

UC Cooperative Extension and UC Davis will host a Healthy Soils Program Workshop on compost. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 3rd from 9:00am to 12:30pm. The meeting will take place at Rominger Brothers Farm (28800 Co Rd 29, Winters, CA).

Results for the 2021 UCCE Delta field corn variety trial are now available. This annual trial takes place on Tyler Island. The trial was planted on April 20th and included sixteen varieties submitted by seed companies and the cooperating grower.