CDFA TO HOLD ANNUAL FERTILIZER RESEARCH CONFERENCE

SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will present its Twelfth Annual Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) conference on November 9, 2004, at the Edison AGTAC facility in Tulare, California.

The all-day conference will focus on current and recently completed research projects for many California cropping systems. Attendees will learn about the latest efforts to improve nutrient management, protect water sources, and improve growers’ economic viability. The morning session will include presentations on nutrient management for optimum tomato yields, evaluation of nutrient management on groundwater impacts, fertilization rates for new potato varieties, and improving capabilities of detecting molybdenum deficiency in alfalfa.

The afternoon session will feature nitrate availability and leaching under different fertigation strategies, nutrient deficiencies and stone fruit quality, environmental impacts of landscaping, improving nitrogen use efficiency in containerized woody ornamentals, and evaluation of polyacrylamide (PAM) for reducing sediment and nutrient concentration in tailwater.

Representatives from agricultural supply and service organizations, Certified Crop Advisers (CCA), Pest Control Advisers (PCA), growers, farm advisers, researchers, and public officials are encouraged to attend the conference.

CDFA, Western Plant Health Association, and the California Certified Crop Adviser Program sponsor the conference. For additional information or to request a copy of the program, contact FREP staff member Katherine Gray at (916) 445-0444 or kgray@cdfa.ca.gov or JoAnn Jaschke at (916) 445-0444 or jjaschke@cdfa.ca.gov.

The conference program is also available on FREP’s website at www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/frep.

FREP strives to provide growers and industry with cost-effective ways to improve fertilizer use efficiency and minimize environmental impacts.

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