Technology

Almond growers conduct environmental show and tell for regulators

Bill and Don Jackson, who farm about 4,000 acres of permanent crops east of Oakdale, Calif., opened their operation up to more than two dozen state and federal regulators recently.

The family farming operation wasn’t in trouble by any means. Instead, the Jacksons and farm manager Mike Burden, of Lent-Burden Farming Inc., wanted to educate the regulators about the science and technology they use to make decisions.

Pepper yields may be made in the shade

Georgia peppers growers are finding out yields are made in the shade, thanks to research from the University of Georgia.

Horticulturist Juan Carlos Diaz-Perez has been studying pepper production on black plastic mulch under black shade cloth since 2007, according to a news release.

Micrografting speeds cherry tree propagation

Micrografting, which relies on tissue culture to grow clean rootstock and scion, could cut the time it takes to propagate cherry trees by one-third to one-half compared with open-field nursery production

New production method lengthens Ohio strawberry season

Ohio strawberry growers are borrowing a growing method from California and Florida to extend their season from May into late October.

Cellphone attachment helps detect E. coli in food, water

University of California, Los Angeles, engineers have developed a cost-effective cellphone attachment that allows users to detect E. coli in food and water samples.

Mobile website helps schedule irrigation

If you farm in Washington state, you now have access to irrigation recommendations just about anywhere in the state and at anytime, thanks to the new Irrigation Scheduler Mobile.

App helps you pick the right spray nozzle

Want to select the right spray nozzle for the job?

There's now an app for that courtesy of TeeJet Technologies of Wheaton, Ill., according to a news release.

GPS-guided assisted steering system introduced

TeeJet Technologies of Springfield, Ill., has introduced the UniPilot assisted steering system, which can be mounted on a wide variety of vehicles.

California grower puts recyclable boxes to the test

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Two corrugated box manufacturers recently saw first-hand how their recyclable products stand up to the ordeals of field packing, vacuum cooling and transportation at a trial run with Lakeside Organic Gardens.

Technology turns pecans into high-grade oil, defatted flour

The technology may be there to turn pecans into high-grade oil and defatted gluten-free flower.

But the in-shell price for pecans is so high right now that few, if any growers, may want to divert their crop into the processing sector.