ALERT - Save Our Citrus!
Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)
is an invasive insect pest that can transmit a bacterial disease to citrus
trees. Known as the Huanglongbing (HLB), the disease renders citrus fruit
unmarketable and eventually kills infected trees. There is no treatment,
and all commercially valuable varies of citrus are vulnerable. If ACP and
HLB reach Ventura County, and cannot be eradicated or contained, it is likely
that the county would cease to be a significant producer of citrus crops within
a decade.
To learn more visit the following websites:
Farm Bureau
Hungry Pests Coalition
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Citrus Research Board
To report a suspect psyllid infestation, contact the state's toll-free hotline at 1-800-491-1899.
California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) Data
CIMIS
is an integrated network of nearly 200 computerized weather stations located in
various geographical areas throughout the State. Weather data is collected
daily from each weather station and automatically transmitted to a central
computer located in
Sacramento
. The
weather data is analyzed for accuracy and then stored in the CIMIS database to
provide local weather information on demand - 24 hours a day.
Although
CIMIS weather data can be used for a wide range of agricultural and municipal
purposes, its primary use is to provide information to irrigators to improve
water management through efficient irrigation practices. Based on the
weather data, the amount of water evaporated from the soil and the amount used
by irrigated grass at each weather station site is estimated. This
combined value for grass at each site is called "reference evapotranspiration"
or "ETo".
Changes in ETo can be used as a guide to changes in crop, golf course or
landscape water needs. Using conversion factors called "crop coefficients" ("Kc")
and ETo, water needed by a given crop or landscape can be estimated. Using Kc
and ETo together, irrigation planners can accurately monitor crop water use and
schedule water applications according to when the plant needs it
and how much is required for optimum growth.
Useful Agriculture Resources
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