Among the many challenges facing the agricultural community, communication is among the most important. Recent water shortages have raised the attention of the public to agriculture and specifically crop production systems in the desert Southwest. This has revealed an enormous lack of knowledge on the part of the non-agricultural public about the process of crop production and the management required to produce crops successfully and sustainably in the desert. As it is commonly stated: “Facts may be facts, but perception becomes reality.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the cornfield.” We have certainly seen these tendencies in action during the past few years with an abundance of well-intended advice and directions from the non-ag public regarding how farmers and agricultural entities should deal with the water shortage.
Part of our challenge in working with people from non-ag or urban sectors is communicating some basic facts and the truth about agriculture. This challenge is compounded by the abundance of misinformation, the tendency for people to consider these issues emotionally as opposed to rationally, and the associated lack of interest many people have in hearing about statistics and science-based information. So, the challenge in communication is often centered on some basic foundational points and trying to make it relevant to people.
Most of the time in communicating agricultural perspectives to urban or non-ag audiences we are working with people who are several generations removed from agriculture. In 1900, nearly 40% of the U.S. population worked on farms and ranches and 60% lived in rural areas. Today, those numbers are only 1% and 20% (Figure 1). Considering that, it is easy to understand the disconnect we commonly experience between agricultural realities and common perceptions in the urban sectors.
Even with less people working in agriculture, crop yields have continued to increase (Figure 2). For example, contrasting crop yields in U.S. from 1900 to 2014 shows that corn yields in 1900 were only 18 % of what they were in 2014. Similarly, 1900 wheat yields were only about 30 percent of what they were in 2014. This has been largely due to the adoption of improved mechanization, synthetic fertilizers, improved genetics, and seed quality. Also, crop yields have been better protected with integrated pest management systems for the management of insects, weeds, and diseases. Major increases in crop yields have been particularly realized since World War II. The irony is that all these factors contributing to higher yields are commonly the points of fierce criticism from the non-ag populace.
Simple things like the significance of photosynthesis and the capture of light energy from the sun with water from the soil and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and then converted into the plant dry matter that humans and other animals consume and depend on for survival is a connection not made by most people. The process of photosynthesis and how we manage it is really a fundamental piece of our agricultural foundations. It also describes the basic relationship of water to crop production. We cannot assume that people understand even these basic facts.
In production agriculture we are dependent on natural resources, such as water, climate, and the soils of this region. In the desert Southwest, our capacities to produce the highest crop yields of anywhere on the planet with premium quality products is largely a function of the dry climate, our capacity to provide sufficient water by irrigation, and the utilization of the tremendous resources of geologically young and highly fertile soils.
Another critical resource that is essential to the crop production systems of the desert Southwest is the skill and expertise provided by the people who are farming and managing these systems. In my work with the University of Arizona over the past 36 years, I have had the opportunity to work with people in crop production regions in many parts of the world, commonly in arid and semi-arid regions. I am always impressed with the skill, commitment, and capacity of farmers all over the world. But the skill levels required to survive and compete in crop production systems in the desert Southwest are unsurpassed.
Farmers and the full array of personnel including technicians, pest control advisors, agronomists, irrigators, farm operators, business managers, mechanics, etc. are essential in the production of crops. Successful crop management requires the successful integration of all these components and much more. Improvements in our systems of crop production include our constant efforts to improve efficiency in the integration of these essential components.
Crop production efficiency comes in at least three different forms: economic, agronomic, and environmental. These three aspects of crop production efficiency are all important and they can be met simultaneously, but economic survival is essential, and it becomes first and foremost in the management of a farming operation. If a farm is not profitable it does not survive.
A tremendous amount of technical knowledge and skill is required in crop production and an effective understanding and application of scientific knowledge is essential. Beyond the scientific capabilities required, there is also a high degree of skill required to manage and effectively integrate everything into a crop production operation. Thus, it is a fact that crop production is a combination of art and science.
Effectively communicating agriculture and basic facts about food production is a real challenge for those of us working in agriculture. As we have seen recently with the challenges that we have faced with the water shortages, the survival of agriculture crop production systems in the desert Southwest will be dependent at least in part upon our capacity to effectively communicate to the non-ag or urban sectors of our state, region, and nation.
The manner of this communication is one of our grand challenges for current and future sustainability of agriculture in the desert Southwest. I find this to be a challenge within the university community and even within a college of agriculture. It is not always easy but it is important for all of us in the agricultural community to understand and engage in this effort to communicate appropriately with our fellow citizens in non-ag and urban sectors when given the opportunity. We have a lot at stake and we are all in this together.
A broad separation between public perception and reality exists and it is important to understand that. Perhaps these water shortage situations can serve as a platform for improving public knowledge of agriculture and crop production.
I hope you are frolicking in the fields of wildflowers picking the prettiest bugs.
I was scheduled to interview for plant pathologist position at Yuma on October 18, 2019. Few weeks before that date, I emailed Dr. Palumbo asking about the agriculture system in Yuma and what will be expected of me. He sent me every information that one can think of, which at the time I thought oh how nice!
When I started the position here and saw how much he does and how much busy he stays, I was eternally grateful of the time he took to provide me all the information, especially to someone he did not know at all.
Fast forward to first month at my job someone told me that the community wants me to be the Palumbo of Plant Pathology and I remember thinking what a big thing to ask..
He was my next-door mentor, and I would stop by with questions all the time especially after passing of my predecessor Dr. Matheron. Dr. Palumbo was always there to answer any question, gave me that little boost I needed, a little courage to write that email I needed to write, a rigid answer to stand my ground if needed. And not to mention the plant diagnosis. When the submitted samples did not look like a pathogen, taking samples to his office where he would look for insects with his little handheld lenses was one of my favorite times.
I also got to work with him in couple of projects, and he would tell me “call me John”. Uhh no, that was never going to happen.. until my last interaction with him, I would fluster when I talked to him, I would get nervous to have one of my idols listening to ME? Most times, I would forget what I was going to ask but at the same time be incredibly flabbergasted by the fact that I get to work next to this legend of a man, and get his opinions about pest management. Though I really did not like giving talks after him, as honestly, I would have nothing to offer after he has talked. Every time he waved at me in a meeting, I would blush and keep smiling for minutes, and I always knew I will forever be a fangirl..
Until we meet again.
Keeping up to date with the latest developments in automated weeding machines is challenging. It’s a very fast-moving space with significant private and public investment. At the 2023 Southwest Ag Summit “Innovations in Weed Control Technologies” breakout session, university experts and cutting-edge innovators will provide updates on the latest advances in high precision smart spot sprayers, towed automated weeders and autonomous weed pulling robots (agenda below). The session will be held TOMMOROW Thursday, February 23rd from 9:30-11:30 pm at Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ.
As I mentioned in the last newsletter, we’ll also be demoing our band-steam applicator for controlling soilborne diseases and weeds at the Southwest Ag Summit Field Demo Day (Fig. 2). It is simpler in design and has a higher capacity steam generator as compared to our first prototype. This will increase travel speed and thereby work rate. The event is scheduled for TODAY, Wednesday, February 22nd from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.
For more information about the Southwest Ag Summit, visit https://yumafreshveg.com/southwest-ag-summit/.
Hope to see you there!
Fig. 1. “Innovations in Weed Control Technologies” breakout session agenda at
the 2023 Southwest Ag Summit. Session will be held Thursday, February 23rd at
Arizona Western College, Yuma, AZ.
Fig. 2. Band-steaming demo plots prior to planting in preparation for the 2023
Southwest Ag Summit Field Demo Day, February
22nd (https://yumafreshveg.com/southwest-ag-summit/).
Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a very widespread weed in desert southwest and a problem for vegetable production. At the same time, it is one of the most nutritious leafy vegetables. It has been reported that Common Purslane contains five times higher omega-3 fatty acids than spinach which are important for human growth, development, also prevent of numerous cardiovascular diseases, and maintain a healthy immune system. It also contains vitamins A, B and C and dietary minerals. Common Purslane is consumed in Mexico (Verdolaga), Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean Region.
Portulaca oleracea can be confused with Horse Purslane but they belong to different families. Common Purslane is in the Portulacaceae family and Horse Purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum) is in the Aizoaceae or Ice plant family1.
One of the IPM strategies for Purslane control in lettuce production is germinating it during ground preparation then kill it with chemicals or tillage. Timing is important because Purslane grows fast and it’s a very prolific seed producer. These seeds can germinate in 12 hours after receiving moisture in August and September. They can also germinate in January and February but will take 3-7 days to germinate at that time. The stems are very succulent and unless they are completely killed and desiccated, they can reroot at the nodes. Tillage that does not completely desiccate the plants can spread rather than eliminate this weed3.
Some herbicides that will kill this weed during ground preparation are Gramoxone, Aim, and ET and systemic (glyphosate) herbicides. Results can range from depending upon weed size, rate and adjuvant used at the time of application. The contact herbicides can produce almost 100% control when the Purslane is less than 2 inches in diameter and less than 50% control when larger than this. Recently we conducted an evaluation in which 2oz of ET with a silicone spreader controlled 100% of the population. According to some researchers control with some contact herbicides can drop from excellent to poor in 3 - 5 days3.
We are evaluating application methods and incorporation timings of Prefar (bensulide) at Yuma Ag Center the and the product continues showing a good performance in controlling Purslane as can be seen in the images below.
Figure 1. Evaluation of bensulide herbicide applications incorporated with sprinkler irrigation.
