Low Desert Weed Science Advisor

Imperial and Riverside Counties

Position Description:Thisposition would focus on biology and control of agricultural weeds in low desert cropping areas. Preferred educational background would be in weed science, horticulture or agronomy. Supporting units would be Imperial and Riverside Counties.

Justification: Weeds cost farmers in two ways; they reduce yield or crop quality and their control is one of the necessary cost inputs for crop production. These costs can make or break a farm, especially for organic farms because they cannot use herbicides for weed control. The weed/crop/control matrix is in constant flux, particularly with the introduction of herbicide resistance crops in recent years. The low desert farming areas in southeastern CA are dynamic, diverse, challenging and include some of the most productive farmland in the state. They provide much of the winter produce in the US. Crop planting and harvesting cycles are very different from the rest of the state, yet they thrive in one of the hottest sub-tropical deserts in the world. Information relevant to the agricultural industry has to be developed locally; imported extension materials or programs are seldom appropriate. In particular, weeds are very different than the rest of CA in terms of seasonality, species, and impacts. A Weed Science Advisor can address these issues; issues that cannot be addressed from outside the low desert.

A quick example; in the early 1980’s the weed science advisor in the low desert worked with CE Specialists and AES faculty to develop soil solarization as an alternative weed control practice in the area. Although successful results were communicated to clientele, adoption was minimal. But now there are about 25,000 acres of the low desert that are solarized each year because of the increased demand for organic produce. Today the most exciting and potentially productive area within UC for weed management research is in robotic weed removal systems. The current continuum of UC scientists working on robotic systems stretches from UCD to the farming areas of the San Joaquin Valley and the Salinas Valley. Fresh market vegetable production in CA dominates national markets because farmers can harvest every day of the year by utilizing three major agricultural areas; the coastal valleys, the Central valleys, and the low desert valleys. Commercial vegetable production in CA, including its growing organic component, has its own continuum based upon the ability to move growing, harvesting, and distribution operations to each of these growing areas to take advantage of seasonal differences. The UC part of the continuum in the low desert is missing on this topic, as it is on all other current weed science research and extension, which diminishes our relevance to the produce industry not just locally, but statewide.

Interest in having a low desert weed science advisor has been expressed by Farm Bureau, local chapters of the California Association of Pest Control Advisors, commodity boards, the Imperial Irrigation District, and the Sugarbeet Growers Association.

Initiatives to be addressed: This position will directly support two initiatives; Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases and Competitive Sustainable Food Systems. In addition, a low desert weed science position will support the health of Californian’s and California’s Agricultural Economy and the Safe and Secure Food Supplies initiatives by making farming in the low desert more viable and by providing extension education on appropriate weed control methods, especially with regard to herbicides. It assists the goals of the Water Quality, Quantity, and Security initiative because weed control practices affect soil erosion for good or bad. This is particularly important in the Imperial Valley where there is a soil surface runoff TMDL in place that farmers must comply with.

Extension:The clientele that will be served in this position are commercial farms, some of very large scale, and a very professional group of Pest Control Advisors. In addition, this position will serve the special needs of small scale and organic agriculture, many of who are farms run by Hispanic and other underserved clientele groups.

Research:The three desert farming valleys of Imperial, Coachella, and Palo Verde produce at least 50 different crops year round. These include a diverse mix of field, vegetable, and orchard crops. Each crop, each cropping system, and each valley presents its own challenges with regard to production and weed problems. Locally based applied research is absolutely required; there are few outside answers that are useful. Applied research problems mostly will focus on weed control techniques, particularly in context with a dwindling labor pool for hand weeding, continuing diminishment of available herbicides, and the special needs of a growing organic production sector.

Publication outlets would include Weed Science, Weed Technology. Internally there is a need for UC ANR bulletins, web-based fact sheets, and California Agriculture. The widely used IPM Guidelines and pest notes are only relevant to the low desert valleys when that perspective is provided by someone on the ground in the area. Professional societies include Weed Science Society of America, Western Society of Weed Science, California Weed Science Society; all have journals and technical publications.

ANR Continuum: Collaborators would include:

  • AES faculty – Jodie Holt, UCR Botany and Plant Sciences, Marie Jasieniuk, UC Davis
  • UCCE Specialists – Joe DiTomaso, Tom Lanini, Steve Fennimore, and Brad Hanson, UCD; Milt McGiffen, UCR
  • Advisors – Several in other agricultural counties in CA, such as Richard Smith, Steve Wright, and Steve Orloff.
  • Carl Bell, Regional Advisor – Invasive Plants; this would be a key collaborator and mentor for this position. Bellspent 20 years in Imperial Co and worked on just about all of the crops, knows all three valleys, and still has contact with many of the key clientele and cooperators in the desert.
  • The individual in this position would also partner with the UC IPM program and its strategic plan. The benefits that this partnership can includeare improved networking between UC IPM and county-based programs, improve mentoring of new advisors in statewide pest management matters, increase expertise to UC IPM, improve research and outreach through the interaction of experienced IPM advisors and young advisors, and improve contact with local county programs and issue assessments. In addition, developing affiliation between local farm advisors and the UC IPM program can help leverage county-based resources for travel and research/outreach opportunities.

Support:Support: Imperial County will provide office space, County travel, administrative support, office supplies, computing, Internet, telephone, and other services available to other advisors in the office.

Other Support:The Imperial County CE office is located on the Desert Research and Extension Center, which provides a site to do applied and collaborative research.

Location:Imperial and Riverside Counties.