CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION
PRODUCTION RESEARCH COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
July 17, 2013
A meeting of the Production Research Committee (PRC) of the California Avocado
Commission (CAC) was held on Wednesday, July, 17 2013 in the CAC board room in
Irvine, California, with the following people present:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Shane Tucker, Chair
John Lamb
Derek Knobel
Jim Davis
John Burr
GUESTS PRESENT:
Doug O’Hara
Reuben Hofshi
Charley Wolk
Ed McFadden
Steve Wede
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Louis Santiago
OFFICIALLY PRESENTING:
Akif Eskalen, UC Riverside
Mary Lu Arpaia, UC Riverside
Peggy Mauk, UC Riverside
Carol Lovatt, UC Riverside
CAC STAFF PRESENT:
Dr. Jonathan Dixon
Dr. Tim Spann
Ken Melban
April Aymami
Tom Bellamore
ITEM #1 CALL TO ORDER
Shane Tucker, Production Research Committee (PRC) Chairman, called the meeting to
order at 9:08 a.m. with a quorum present.
ITEM #2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION
To approve the minutes of the March 23, 2013 Production Research Committee.
(Lamb/Knobel) MSC
ITEM #3 ACTION ITEMS
A. Review and Consider Proposals Received in Response to CAC’s April Request
for Proposals
California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
Before beginning the presentations Tucker thanked the group for the productive
teleconference meeting on July 11, 2013.
Presentations were given by the proposers invited to the meeting as described in the
July 11, 2013 minutes. Summaries of the presentations and discussions are presented
below:
1. Peggy Mauk and Mary Lu Arpaia: Meeting the challenge of salinity: Evaluation of
selected rootstocks for response to salinity – Phase 2
Dr Mary Lu Arpaia initially presented this proposal as Dr Mauk was held up in traffic.
Dr Arpaia explained that there is a need to find rootstocks that are saline and root rot
resistant. This project will compare Hass on various Phytophthora root rot tolerant
rootstocks from UCR, Israel and South Africa; implement greenhouse, field and industry
screening programs to compare rootstocks; compare yield performance of new
rootstocks at different salinity levels for 8 years; and refine current models for total
water demand needed to produce high yields.
After Dr Arpaia’s presentation, discussion centered on whether sodium, chloride, or
both are causing issues with avocado trees, and the amount of sodium and chloride
that will be used in the project trials. The budget for this project was also discussed as
an eight year project but with costs only presented for four years. There were concerns
about the rising costs of salaries and trees and that additional costs may be added in
future years such as a greenhouse charge.
2. Carol Lovatt: Maximizing yield of commercially valuable size fruit of ‘Hass’ avocado
based on leaf nutrient analyses and climate
Dr. Carol Lovatt presented this proposal.
Dr. Lovatt explained that the goal of this project is to increase the yield of commercially
valuable size fruit of the ‘Hass’ avocado (packing carton sizes 60, 48 and 40) per acre
to increase grower net income by optimizing tree nutrient status. Dr Lovatt described
how the project would use meta-analysis of data from a wide range of research projects
with the objective to identify predictors for yield of commercially valuable size fruit of the
‘Hass’ avocado from the variables of leaf nutrient concentrations and climate that are
effective across soil types, irrigation water qualities, rootstocks, and cultural practices.
The result would be to provide growers with a tool to optimize tree nutrient levels to
increase the yield of commercially valuable size fruit and income. This would be through
a web tool where a user could use location and weather data to predict yield from leaf
nutrient concentrations.
After Dr. Lovatt’s presentation discussion centered on the data needed for this project
and how there is no water quality data included. The similarity with Professor Crowley’s
project and how the two projects could complement each other was debated.
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California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
3. Carol Lovatt: Floral bud viability for bearing vs. nonbearing shoots of on-crop ‘Hass’
avocado trees
Dr. Carol Lovatt presented this proposal.
Lovatt explained that the goal of this project is to determine if buds on bearing shoots of
on-crop trees are viable floral buds that are only inhibited from undergoing spring bud
break or become irreversibly inhibited and nonviable at some point between floral
induction and bloom, and to identify this time. This knowledge will allow the further
development of tools to manipulate trees for higher yields, particularly in the offflowering.
Dr. Lovatt discussed how floral bud viability is critical for achieving consistent annual
yields, and how she will deliver a set of data documenting the viability of buds in relation
to dormancy, or do buds become viable at some point from floral induction through
bloom; and data that identifies when irreversible inhibition of floral development occurs.
After Lovatt’s presentation discussion centered on the budget for this project and how it
is inexpensive in that all of the budwood has already been collected.
4. Akif Eskalen: Assessment of fungicides and biocontrol agents to control pathogenic
fungal species transmitted by the polyphagous shot hole borer
Dr. Akif Eskalen presented this proposal.
Dr. Eskalen began by describing the recent findings relating to the Polyphagous Shot
Hole Borer/Fusarium Dieback. These include: The symbiotic relationship of the beetle
and the fungi. Dr. Eskalen also showed a map outlining the infestation of the beetle
and discussed how there are no control strategies at the moment beyond chipping and
covering infested wood. He talked about how Professor Tim Paine has been looking at
different insecticides that may be useful and the work that was done in a USDA field
trial regarding the spraying of infested trees with different fungi.
Dr. Eskalen then discussed the objectives of his project: To evaluate the efficacy of five
fungicides, found to be most effective in vitro, at controlling fungal growth on avocado
trees, and other hosts in the field in California; to screen potential biocontrol agents and
their efficacy at inhibiting the growth of the fungi Fusarium euwallaceae, Graphium sp.,
and Sarocladium sp. in vitro; and to determine which bacterial and fungal species are
present in both the galleries and the insect gut and head.
After Dr. Eskalen’s presentation questions centered around how there has not been as
much damage to avocado groves in California as in Israel, and how the avocado tree is
not the first preferred host of the beetle.
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California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
There was also discussion surrounding how much data has been gathered in such a
short amount of time, and how the cost of finding a solution to the beetle should be
shared by others in the agricultural community.
Budget Discussion
After the presentations concluded the Committee discussed the PRC budget situation.
Tim Spann began this discussion by showing a spreadsheet with the existing projects
and commitments for those projects going forward. Spann discussed how there is
$600,000.00 already committed for projects next year, not including plant breeding, and
$310,000.00 available for new projects, and how a figure of around $1.1 million would
be a good recommendation to the board for next year’s budget.
Discussion of Proposals
The Committee then discussed each project individually.
1. Christina Walters: Documenting seed and pollen physiology of avocado and crop
wild relatives in preparation for genebanking genetic resources
Discussion by the Committee centered around the importance of this project and the
likelihood of success, and how this project appears valuable for a minimal amount of
money.
The consensus of the Committee was to make this project part of plant breeding and
germplasm preservation projects.
2. Mary Lu Arpaia: Understanding sugar (carbohydrate) metabolism to enhance
avocado productivity
The Committee discussed how the payoff for growers is low for the next few years and
how this project will not help growers in the way that other projects will.
There was no motion to move this project forward.
3. Carol Lovatt: Maximizing yield of commercially valuable size fruit of ‘Hass’ avocado
based on leaf nutrient analyses and climate
Discussion by the Committee centered around how this project would tie in with David
Crowley’s work and if there is Lovatt has enough data and time for this project.
There was consensus from the Committee that the data is helpful. The Committee
discussed the need for clarification about what Lovatt is going to do with the money,
and how there is a need for not losing the data and her input into the data before she
retires.
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California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
There was consensus of the Committee to put this proposal into the “maybe” group.
4. Carol Lovatt: Floral bud viability for bearing vs. nonbearing shoots of on-crop ‘Hass’
avocado trees
Committee discussion centered around the potential of this project through Lovatt’s
management, and how alternate bearing has a big impact on the California avocado
industry.
The consensus of the Committee was that they were generally in favor of this project.
5. Akif Eskalen: Assessment of fungicides and biocontrol agents to control pathogenic
fungal species transmitted by the polyphagous shot hole borer
Committee discussion centered around the need for other industries to help with
funding for the control of the beetle, that the beetle has the potential to spread further
and into avocado groves, and that there is a need to be prepared for the damage that
the beetle could do.
The consensus of the Committee was to recommend approving this proposal.
6. Richard Stouthamer: Identification of shot hole borers and determination of the
species of Euwallacea affecting avocado in California
Committee discussion of this proposal centered around the need to find the exact
location of the beetle to find out if it is being biologically controlled there, how it would
be beneficial to know the origin of the beetle to determine fungal associations it may
have there.
There was consensus of the Committee to put this proposal into the “maybe” group.
The Committee then discussed the PRC budget with regard to the proposals that were
most favorable.
The projects that the Committee felt were most favorable were:
1. Carol Lovatt: Maximizing yield of commercially valuable size fruit of ‘Hass’
avocado based on leaf nutrient analyses and climate
2. Carol Lovatt: Floral bud viability for bearing vs. nonbearing shoots of on-crop
‘Hass’ avocado trees
3. Akif Eskalen: Assessment of fungicides and biocontrol agents to control
pathogenic fungal species transmitted by the polyphagous shot hole borer
4. Richard Stouthamer: Identification of shot hole borers and determination of the
species of Euwallacea affecting avocado in California
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California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
The Committee discussed the funding for the plant breeding program and the viability of
spending $350,000.00 in the next fiscal year for the transition to the plant breeding
program and for the plant breeding projects. The Committee voted on the following
motion:
MOTION
Motion to recommend the ongoing research projects and the new proposals,
Maximizing yield of commercially valuable size fruit of ‘Hass’ avocado based on
leaf nutrient analyses and climate; Floral bud viability for bearing vs. nonbearing
shoots of on-crop ‘Hass’ avocado trees; Assessment of fungicides and
biocontrol agents to control pathogenic fungal species transmitted by the
polyphagous shot hole borer; and Identification of shot hole borers and
determination of the species of Euwallacea affecting avocado in California,
predicated upon transition and implementation of the new plant breeding
program being rationalized to $350,000.00 for the 2013-14 budget. (Burr/Lamb)
MSC
B. Review implications of CAC Board strategic discussion on PRC priorities
Before beginning this discussion Dr. Tim Spann notified the Committee that there is a
request from GeoSpatial Partners for the purchase of a different data set for Alassane
Toure’s project to locate pests and diseases in groves. Dr. Spann discussed that this
new imagery would be compared to the NAIP imagery, and that the NAIP imagery is
done at a different time and that no imagery for NAIP is going to be done for the next
two years. The cost of this new imagery would be $3,600.00.
The Committee discussed offering this data back to growers to help them analyze their
own groves or to help head off new problems down the road, and that there is money in
the budget to fund this as a result of the holdback from research not going ahead.
MOTION
Motion to provide the additional money for the satellite scene. (Burr/Knobel)
MSC
Planning for the plant breeding transition
Dr. Dixon and Dr. Spann began this discussion.
Dr. Dixon and Dr. Spann discussed that the first step is to start drafting a Request for
Proposals (RFP) to make plant breeding a single integrated program.
The Committee discussed how the plant breeding program will be a team effort and the
need for a good “captain.” The Committee also discussed that it may be good to take
some time and see what other groups are doing regarding plant breeding.
PUBLIC COMMENT
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California Avocado Commission
Production Research Committee Minutes
July 17, 2013
Reuben Hofshi commented that there is a lot of literature available regarding the issue
of salinity, including USDA Handbook 60.
ADJOURN MEETING
Committee Chairman Tucker adjourned the meeting at 4:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________________
Timothy Spann, Research Project Manager
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