Citrus growers and anyone concerned with groundwater issues
will be interested in a new publication, "Protecting Groundwater
Quality in Citrus Production." The 38-page book was published by
University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources
Publications. The author is Chuck Ingels of the UC Sustainable
Agriculture Research & Education Program (SAREP), housed at UC Davis.
Preventing groundwater contamination from pesticides and
nitrate has become one of the most pressing environmental
problems in agriculture. The three main herbicides used in
citrus production have been found in hundreds of wells in the San
Joaquin Valley. As a result, the use of these herbicides is
restricted in many areas. Fertilizers used in citrus production
can lead to nitrate leaching, especially on the sandy soils where
many citrus orchards are located. This book offers practical and
economical methods for reducing the movement of agricultural
chemicals to groundwater.
The book details the seriousness of the groundwater
contamination problem in California, how chemicals move from
farms to groundwater, and the history of nitrogen and weed
management in the California citrus industry. It presents
diverse management strategies for both protecting groundwater and
maintaining yields and fruit quality. Practices discussed
include wellhead protection and creative techniques for managing
nitrogen, weeds, and irrigation. The book also provides the most
thorough coverage available about cover cropping in citrus. It
examines the limitations of cover cropping and suggests
strategies that can be used to overcome these drawbacks.
"Protecting Groundwater in Citrus Production" can be ordered
from ANR Publications, University of California, 6701 San Pablo
Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608-1239 (510) 642-2431. The price is
$5.00. For information about the book, contact Chuck Ingels by
phone at (916) 757-3276 or by e-mail: caingels@ucdavis.edu.
Lyra Halprin
Senior Writer
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program
Davis, CA 95616
(916) 752-8664
lhalprin@ucdavis.edu