Fruits & Vegetables

A drone releases green lacewing eggs and predatory mites over a Salinas Valley lettuce field. Researchers say such aerial applications show promise for controlling aphids and other pests.

Photo/Addie Adams/UC Davis

Jim Correll, a University of Arkansas plant pathologist, specializes in spinach disease research, including in the Salinas Valley. While incidents of spinach downy mildew remain low, he says the disease is challenging because it continues to develop new strains.

Photo/Bob Johnson

Weed control near farms is a critical part of prevention efforts for impatiens necrotic spot virus. The disease, which can be devastating to lettuce crops, finds hosts in weeds and is spread by thrips.

Photo/Natalie Hanson

A crew in San Joaquin County harvests the region’s first melons of the season to meet retail demand for the Fourth of July holiday. Manteca-based Van Groningen and Sons, a grower, packer and shipper of seeded, seedless and miniature watermelons, expects harvest to continue through October. 

Photo/Christine Souza

Emergency declarations in several counties in the San Joaquin Valley have allowed processing tomato growers to use neonicotinoid pesticides to treat fields impacted by sugar beet leafhoppers. The insect pest transmits beet curly top virus, which leads to reduced yields. County agricultural commissioners made the declarations preemptively to contain the pest before it damaged too many crops.

Photo/Vicky Boyd

During vine seed harvest the fruit is ground as seeds are separated and preserved. Seed acreage has declined amid reduced production demand.

Photo/Vicky Boyd

In the Salinas Valley, University of California researchers are working to develop plant resistance to new evolutions of longstanding crop diseases in lettuce, including Fusarium, Verticillium and Pythium.

Photo/Marita Cantwell/Regents of the University of California

Cabbage growers in Ventura County are partnering with researchers at the University of California to control populations of diamondback moths.

Photo/Rob McCarthy

A new strain of fusarium wilt disease was discovered in Oxnard strawberry fields in 2022, prompting researchers to scramble to develop resistant strawberry varieties and short-term solutions.

Photo/Chris English/CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikimedia Commons

Research conducted by the University of California tested new insecticides for controlling lygus bugs, a top pest for strawberries. Additional research also explored whether beneficial insects, fungi and bacteria can help manage spotted wing drosophila, which has developed resistance to widely used insecticides.

Photo/Bob Johnson

The Western Cover Crops Council and the University of California established this crop demonstration at Park Farming Organics in Sutter County to showcase several varieties of cover crops.

Photo/Vicky Boyd

Guillermo Lazaro, left, and Mireya Gomez-Contreras stand near a field of produce grown as part of the Santa Cruz County-based Esperanza Community Farms, where they serve as co-leaders. The nonprofit operates the sustainable community agriculture project that leases land to new and beginning organic farmers. 

Photo/Courtesy Esperanza Community Farms

California farmers delivered one of the state’s largest tomato crops in recent years to processors last year. With bolstered inventory, processors contracted less tomato acreage from farms this year.

Photo/Vicky Boyd

Central Coast farmers are working to reduce nitrogen to meet water-quality goals. Broccoli growers participating in a study were able to cut fertilizer applications by 24% without a loss in crop yield.

Photo/Kathy Coatney

Doria Robinson is co-founder and executive director of Urban Tilth, a network of small urban farms in Richmond that serves 500 families a week.

Photo/Urban Tilth

High-tech developers and investors say they hope robotics will assist or replace labor-intensive tasks such as clipping strawberry runners and harvesting.

Photo/Bob Johnson

At this lettuce field in Imperial County, University of California Cooperative Extension Irrigation and Water Management Advisor Ali Montazar tests the use of high-tech soil moisture sensors and shallow drip irrigation to conserve water and time irrigation applications in iceberg and romaine fields.

Photo/Vicky Boyd

After parting ways with its longtime jalapeño supplier, Sriracha Sauce maker Huy Fong Foods struggled to find a steady supply of fresh peppers. Recently, following two years of shortages, the popular condiment began reappearing in stores.

U.S. organic produce sales reached $22 billion in 2022. In 2023, sales of organic berries, prepackaged salads, lettuce, onions and tomatoes saw gains compared to the previous year.

Lettuce field in the Salinas Valley that was impacted by the impatiens necrotic spot virus.

Photo/Caleb Hampton