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10 CapitalPress.com August 5, 2016 Psyllid quarantine plans advance, research intensiies Idaho By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press SACRAMENTO — As industry-funded research into combating the Asian cit- rus psyllid intensifies, Cali- fornia officials are entering the final stretch in consid- ering whether to modify the quarantine against the pest. The state Department of Food and Agriculture has been reviewing comments received by a June 30 dead- line and will likely hold more discussions with citrus industry leaders about its plan to take a more regional approach with the quaran- tine, said Victoria Hornbak- er, the CDFA’s citrus pro- gram manager. Proposed changes, which could include stricter con- trols on moving fruit be- tween designated regions within the state, could be in place within six to nine months, Hornbaker said. “It’s a regular rulemak- ing process, and technically it hasn’t started the process yet,” she said. “We’ve been seeing some expansion of the Asian citrus psyllid into new areas and we’ve had in- creased finds in the Central Valley. That’s why we’re dedicated to trying to find something that will work better for the industry to help Courtesy Calif. Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program Grace Radabaugh, a researcher from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, points out an Asian citrus psyllid in a California Polytechnic University-Pomona greenhouse. The university is opening a new greenhouse to expand research into the psyllid and how to prevent it from spreading a disease that is decimating the citrus industry. them protect themselves.” The idea of setting quar- antines by region — the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, the greater San Fran- cisco Bay area and Southern California — was prompted by the ever expanding quar- antine zone for the psyllid, which can carry the deadly tree disease huanglongbing. California’s existing quarantine now covers near- ly one-third of the state’s total land mass. Portions of Merced and Monterey coun- ties were the latest to be add- ed to the zone in mid-July after psyllid discoveries in those areas. Under the existing rules, fruit moved from the zone has to be free of leaves and debris and nurseries must be USDA-certified. With the changes, those moving fruit between regions would have to take added precautions, including wet-washing the fruit. The proposed changes come as the College of Ag- riculture at California Poly- technic University-Pomona has opened a 5,040-square- foot research and insect pro- duction greenhouse that will rear a predator wasp that feeds on Asian citrus psyl- lids. The greenhouse was built through a $400,000 grant from the state Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Pro- gram, which is funded by citrus growers. Hornbaker said predator insects are al- ready used in urban areas in Southern California to avoid having to use chemical treat- ments, and they will be de- ployed in Kern County soon. Meanwhile, the citrus industry and the University of California-Riverside are teaming to build a top-notch laboratory near that campus that will enable researchers to try to neutralize huan- glongbing, which has al- ready devastated the citrus industries in Florida, Geor- gia, Louisiana, South Car- olina and Texas. Numerous other research projects are ongoing. “We’ve got some of the best researchers in the world working on the problem, and some of those research- ers reside in California,” Hornbaker said. “We’re working hard with all these researchers to improve tech- nologies, to improve traps and find new ways of sur- veying for insects and the disease.” 32-1/#04N growers reporting strong wheat harvest By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press AMERICAN FALLS, Ida- ho — Though grain prices re- main low, Idaho growers say they’ve been mostly pleased by plump kernels, decent quality and above-average yields at the start of the 2016 fall wheat harvest. With harvest starting slightly later than normal, some growers have been forced to switch ields upon encountering green patches while cutting their grain. But they’ve also report- ed strong yields, test weights above 60 pounds per bushel and fewer disease problems than expected. “We’re getting a good start on soft white winters, and we’re seeing areas from the west towards the east with excellent yields,” said Jim Rooney, with Lansing Trade Group. Protein levels have been below average — a common challenge in high-yielding seasons. Rooney said growers should expect steep discounts for low protein levels in hard wheat varieties, as well as generous premiums for high protein levels. Early this season, crop pa- thologists warned conditions were aligned to cause Idaho growers problems with sev- eral diseases and pests, in- cluding fusarium headblight, stripe rust, barley yellow dwarf virus and wireworms. Rooney believes growers generally avoided major crop damage due to favorable weather conditions and good management, such as using seed treatments and delaying fall planting until after aphid migrations, in the case of bar- ley yellow dwarf. Rooney said stripe rust caused headaches for growers who planted susceptible vari- eties this season, even some who sprayed three fungicide applications, but resistant va- rieties, such as SY Ovation, escaped damage. Roughly 15 percent through his harvest, Declo grower Mark Darrington said his yields were slightly above average and his test weights were about 61 pounds per bushel on soft white wheat. “If you planned ahead and put a disease package on when you were planting wheat vari- eties, you were less subject to rust and in good shape,” Dar- rington said. Idaho Falls grower Gary Dixon, while preparing to start harvest, was optimistic about full kernels and good yield and quality. “I think it’s going to be one of our better crops,” Dix- on said. Inkom grower Bill Mc- Nabb, who started cutting July 25, said kernels are plump in his fall grain, but he’s wor- ried the heat could stress his spring wheat. With 10 percent of his harvest complete, American Falls grower Doug Ruff said he’s been pleased by his crop, as have other growers in his area. Soda Springs dryland farmer Sid Cellan believes this year’s crop will be about average, following a “once- in-a-lifetime” crop last sea- son. He’s pleased that hot weather helped him avoid a wireworm problem, forcing the pests deep into the soil. Grower returns, however, remain in the cellar, with pric- es out of Meridian at $4.13 per bushel for hard red winter and $4.30 for soft white. According to USDA, the average price for wheat is ex- pected to inish the marketing year at $3.80 per bushel, down from $5.99 three years ago. Kansas State Universi- ty Extension economist Dan O’Brien explained major growing areas throughout the U.S. and the world have all had bumper crops, and it’s projected that for every 100 bushels of wheat raised in the U.S. this season, 49 bushels will be unused at the market- ing year’s end.
