CDFA TO HOLD ANNUAL FERTILIZER RESEARCH CONFERENCE

SACRAMENTO, Monday, November 6, 2006 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will present its fourteenth annual Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) conference on November 29, 2006, at the Best Western Beach Resort, Monterey, 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 soil solution partitioning of trace elements in California, detecting and correcting soil calcium limitations, updates on nitrogen mineralization, groundwater quality issues related to using dairy manure as fertilizer, nitrogen fertigation in furrow and border-check irrigated crops, and a presentation on wireless networks for site-specific fertilizing applications.

Two afternoon sessions will be offered. The crop and nutrient management session will include presentations on nutrient uptake and partitioning in ‘Hass’ avocados and nutrient sampling in stone fruits. The ornamental management session will contain presentations on nutrient management in container-grown ornamental crops and mitigating nutrient run-off from ornamental production facilities. 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 Lacey van Exel at (916) 445-0444 or Kent Kitade at (916) 445-0444 or send an email to frep@cdfa.ca.gov.

The conference program and online conference registration is available at www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/frep