Some major events and developments have taken place recently in the Colorado river water shortage arena. As a result, we are entering into a series of substantial and complicated legal aspects associated with the Colorado River situation.
As part of the SW Ag Summit that is taking place in Yuma this week, we are conducting a breakout session on Thursday, 23 February 2023 titled “Colorado River Water Shortage: Agricultural Perspectives”.
This session will provide a brief review of the background and current situation on the Colorado River and very importantly it will include perspectives from members of the lower Colorado River agricultural community including the Palo Verde Valley, the Imperial Valley, and the Yuma area irrigation districts.
The program outline is as follows:
2023 Southwest Ag Summit
Educational Program
Thursday – February 23, 2023
Morning Breakout Session
9:30 am – 11:30 am
Hi, I’m Chris, and I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of extension associate for plant pathology through The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yuma County. I recently earned my Ph.D. in plant pathology from Purdue University in Indiana where my research focused on soybean seedling disease caused by Fusarium and Pythium. There, I discovered and characterized some of the first genetic resources available for improving innate host resistance and genetic control to two major pathogens causing this disease in soybean across the Midwest.
I was originally born and raised in Phoenix, so coming back to Arizona and getting the chance to apply my education while helping the community I was shaped by is a dream come true. I have a passion for plant disease research, especially when it comes to exploring how plant-pathogen interactions and genetics can be used to develop practical, empirically based disease control strategies. Let’s face it, fungicide resistance continues to emerge, yesterday’s resistant varieties grow more vulnerable every season, and the battle against plant pathogens in our fields is ongoing. But I firmly believe that when the enemy evolves, so can we.
To that end I am proud to be establishing my research program in Yuma where I will remain dedicated to improving the agricultural community’s disease management options and tackling crop health challenges. I am based out of the Yuma Agricultural Center and will continue to run the plant health diagnostic clinic located there.
Please drop off or send disease samples for diagnosis to:
Yuma Plant Health Clinic
6425 W 8th Street
Yuma, AZ 85364
If you are shipping samples, please remember to include the USDA APHIS permit for moving plant samples.
You can contact me at:
Email: cdetranaltes@arizona.edu
Cell: 602-689-7328
Office: 928-782-5879
Interested in the latest ag technologies? There are a couple of events coming up next month that are worth reminding everyone about. The first is FIRA USA which is a 3-day event being held October 18-20th in Fresno, CA. The focus is on autonomous farming and agricultural robotics solutions. The event includes top-level keynote speakers, breakout sessions, a trade show and in-field demos of automated/robotic harvesting, weeding and planting equipment. The emphasis is on specialty crops, many related to vegetable crop production so it looks to be an informative program. For more information, click here or on the image below.
If you are unable to attend FIRA USA, another option is the University of Arizona’s 3rd AgTech Field Day. The event will be held Tuesday, October 25th at the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agricultural Center. The program will feature many of the technologies presented at FIRA being demoed in the field.
As mentioned in the previous issue, we’d like to showcase as many innovative ag technologies as possible at our UA Field Day. There is still room on the program, so please contact me if you are interested in demoing your equipment or know someone that is. It’s an open invitation - private companies, and university and government researchers are all welcome!
Fig. 1. FIRA-USA conference held October 17-20th in Fresno, CA.
(Photo credits: FIRA-USA).
Fig. 2. The University of Arizona’s 3rd AgTech Field Day will be held Oct. 25th,
2022, at the Yuma Agricultural Center, Yuma, AZ. (Photo from UA’s 2nd AgTech
Field Day held in 2021).
One of our local PCAs (Pest Control Advisors) in Yuma, Arizona found Buffalobur nightshade last week in an artichoke field in the area.
Buffalobur is a summer annual that belongs to the Solanaceae family. Another weed from this family commonly seen is Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum eleagnifolium). Unlike Silverleaf that has a purple flower, Buffalobur has a yellow flower. Leaves are deeply lobed from half to all the way to the midrib resembling small watermelon leaves. Sometimes toothed, the leaves are alternate on the stems with star-shaped hairs and are TOXIC TO HUMANS AND LIVESTOCK.
Animals would have to consume 0.1-0.3 % of their bodyweight to have toxic effects. Goats and sheep are more resistant than cattle to the weed's glycoalkaloid solanine, which is the toxic agent [3].
Its named Buffalobur for the prickly burs that got entangled to the fur of the bisons. Plants can reach up to 60 cm tall [2].
This weed is a natural host of the Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). It is also an alterative host of some mosaic virus affecting potato, tomatoes, and alfalfa. Additionally, it can harbor nematodes that are damaging to tomatoes [1].
According to the National Noxious Weed Control Board 2,4-D and Banvel are herbicides that provide complete control of this weed [3].
If infestations are small, it is also recommended to remove plants wearing sturdy gloves. The objective is to prevent the mature burs from releasing seeds when dehiscence occurs increasing the infestation.
Thank you for sharing your findings with the University of Arizona Vegetable IPM Team.
Image Courtesy of Jim Daily
References:
This time of year, John would often highlight Lepidopteran pests in the field and remind us of the importance of rotating insecticide modes of action. With worm pressure present in local crops, it’s a good time to revisit resistance management practices and ensure we’re protecting the effectiveness of these tools for seasons to come. For detailed guidelines, see Insecticide Resistance Management for Beet Armyworm, Cabbage Looper, and Diamondback Moth in Desert Produce Crops .
VegIPM Update Vol. 16, Num. 20
Oct. 1, 2025
Results of pheromone and sticky trap catches below!!
Corn earworm: CEW moth counts declined across all traps from last collection; average for this time of year.
Beet armyworm: BAW moth increased over the last two weeks; below average for this early produce season.
Cabbage looper: Cabbage looper counts increased in the last two collections; below average for mid-late September.
Diamondback moth: a few DBM moths were caught in the traps; consistent with previous years.
Whitefly: Adult movement decreased in most locations over the last two weeks, about average for this time of year.
Thrips: Thrips adult activity increased over the last two collections, typical for late September.
Aphids: Aphid movement absent so far; anticipate activity to pick up when winds begin blowing from N-NW.
Leafminers: Adult activity increased over the last two weeks, about average for this time of year.
