UCNFA Spring Issue 2026
Quick Summary
- Irrigation education and management, advisor reports, research updates, & announcements
In the Spring 2026 issue of the UCNFA Newsletter, the first Featured Article highlights the irrigation education priorities for nursery employees that were identified by focus groups of California nursery managers. In our second Featured Article, a summary of California’s floriculture and foliage industry from the USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture is presented. In Science to the Grower, researchers from Cal Poly SLO describe how monitoring fungicide effectiveness can help control powdery mildew in Brassica seedling production. Our second article in Science to the Grower explains the regulations behind and managing runoff water collection from your operation. The fifth installment of Get Cultured: Soil and Water pH series describes how to adjust irrigation water pH. We have a Regional Advisor Report describing Cottonseed bug damage and management strategies for Southern California nurseries. We have a bit of different spin on Campus News and Research Updates, with introductions from two new UC Cooperative Extension Environmental Horticulture Advisors and an update from the Del Castillo lab. And lastly, please fill out a survey so we can ensure we deliver content in a format that works best for you.
- I. Featured Articles
- Focus Groups of California Nursery Managers Identified Education Priorities for Irrigators
California Floriculture and Foliage Industry Shows Strong Growth and Regional Shifts in 2022 Ag Census - II. Science to the Grower
- Evaluating Fungicide Sensitivity in Downy Mildew: A Case Study of Hyaloperonospora brassicae in California’s Central Coast Nurseries
Managing Water Quality Compliance: “No-Discharge” Reality - III. Get Cultured: Horticultural Methods, Techniques, Growing Practices, & Principles
- Soil and Water pH, Part 5: How to Adjust Irrigation Water pH
- IV. Regional Advisor Reports
- Cottonseed Bug In Southern California Nurseries
- V. Campus News and Research Updates
- Bringing the lab to the field: Developing a rapid and sensitive diagnostic assay to detect Phytophthora from water
New Hire Announcement: Carrie Brown, Environmental Horticulture & Controlled Environment Agriculture Advisor
New Hire Announcement: Lydia Tymon, Environmental Horticulture Advisor
Senior Editor: Bruno J.L. Pitton
Contributing Authors: Carrie Brown, Shunping Ding, Haramrit Gill, Hanna Hekkanen, Grant Johnson, Jenna Keller, Natalie Levy, Emily Locke-Paddon, Don Merhaut, Johanna Del Castillo Múnera, Saskia Mesquida Pesci, Bruno J.L. Pitton, Gerry Spinelli, Lydia Tymon
Article Summaries by: Dean Watson
Prepared for Publication by: Dean Watson