The California Melon Research Board is pleased to announce their list of guest speakers for the 2019 Melon Research Symposium, to be held on Thursday, January 10, 2019 in San Diego California at the Gaslamp Marriott Quarter Hotel.
Headlining the Symposium is special guest speaker, Victor Davis Hanson, renowned professor, author, editorialist and Central Valley farmer. Dr. Hanson, is the “…author of hundreds of articles, book reviews, scholarly papers and newspaper editorials on matters ranging from ancient Greek, agrarian and military history to foreign affairs, domestic politics and contemporary culture”. The Melon Research Board is very excited to have Dr. Hanson return, once again to the Symposium, to give his unique perspective and insights on “California and the Trump Agenda”.
Dr. Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in Residence in Classics and Military History at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, a professor of Classics Emeritus at California State University, Fresno, and a nationally syndicated columnist for Tribune Media Services. He is also the Wayne & Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale College, where he teaches fall semester courses in military history and classical culture.
Other guest speakers during the day include: Michael Miller, Field Sales Agronomy Manager for Heliae, who will be speaking on the topic “Phycoterra Microalgae: Improving Soils, Crop Quality and Yields While Promoting Grater Sustainability”; Jim Farrar, Project Director for the Western IPM Center, presenting his talk, “Integrated Pest Management Improvements in California Melons from 2003-2016”; and Dave Dickson, Director of Agronomy for Aqua-Yield, speaking for his company on the topic of “Nanogronomy – Why is Nano Better?”.
Additionally, each of the “Board-funded” researchers will be addressing the gathering of the western melon industry and giving reports on their 2018 projects, conducted on behalf of the Board over the last year as follows:
Kerry Mauck, University of California, Riverside
“Identifying Genetic Sources of Virus and Vector Resistance in Cucumis Melo for New Cultivar Development”, and… “Combining a Plant Immune Activator with Newer Insecticides to Disrupt Vector Feeding and Virus Infection”
Bob Gilbertson, University of California, Davis
“Survey, Characterization and Biological Properties of a California Isolate of Squash Vein Yellowing Virus (SqVYV) and Associated Cucurbit-Infecting Viruses”
Tom Turini, University of California Cooperative Extension – Fresno County
“Evaluation of Plant Growth Regulator Application to Concentrate Fruit Set and Reduce the Period of Melon Harvest”
Christian Nansen, University of California, Davis
Amber Vinchesi, University of California Cooperative Extension – Colusa, Sutter & Yuba Counties
“Repeatable, Rapid and Cost-Effective Screening of Insecticide Performance”
Scott Stoddard, University of California Cooperative Extension – Merced County
“Evaluating Pre Plant and Post Plant Herbicide Programs for Weed Management in Transplanted LSL Melons”
John Palumbo, University of Arizona – Yuma Agricultural Center
“New Insecticide Alternatives for Whiteflies and CYSDV in Melons”
Bill Wintermantel, USDA-ARS Salinas
“Evaluations of RNAi Strategies for Reducing Whitefly Populations on Melons”
The Symposium will begin at 8:50 am, and end around 4:00 pm. Please contact the Board office if you are interested in attending.
For more information:
JD Allen
Email: jdallen@tabcomp.com
Tel: +1 559-591-0435.