labtofarm.org

Drs. Pagliaccia & Mitra hitting the CDFA grant goals! KCl extractions on agri-waste samples are underway for downstream nitrates/nitrites/ammonia analysis.

Essential work for sustainable ag. ♻️
#UCRiverside #CDFA #Sustainability

🌱 PLPA240 day-5 at Lindcove REC: Scientific careers unpacked! 🍊🔬 Elizabeth Fichtner's extension expertise, Sandeepa Gautam's citrus IPM and Melinda Klein's industry insights. Communicate boldly, network strategically, and see science as a problem-solving adventure. Your PhD is just the beginning! 🚀

🥑 PLPA 240's day-5 highlights with Mary Lu Arpaia at Kearney Ag Center! Learned cutting-edge avocado research, sensory techniques, and inspiring stories of perseverance through a career in research. A perfect wrap to our plant pathology adventure. 🌱🔬 #AgriculturalScience #UCRiverside

🌱🔬 PLPA 240 Field Plant Pathology Course finale at Kearney Ag REC! Learned from graduate student Alejandro Hernandez about red leaf blotch in almonds, slime mold mysteries, and disease management. Plant pathology = agricultural detective work! 🍂🔍 #FieldPlantPathology #UCANR 🚜

🌿🐞 PLPA 240 Field Trip: Agricultural Innovation Unveiled!
Explored Wilson Entomology Lab with Dr. Nathalie Baena at Kearney Ag Center. Battling crop pests like Navel Orange Worm & Carpophilus Beetle using smart traps, sterile techniques & cutting-edge tech! 🔬🥜
#UCRFieldPathology

🍊 PLPA 240's Epic Citrus Nursery Finale! 🌱
Day 5 with Chelsea King, Nursery Manager at Wonderful Nursery: Diving into plant science magic! Explored robotic seed tech, learned how 600K seedlings are born, and uncovered rootstock insights! 🌿🤖
#UCRFieldPathology #AgTech #ScienceRocks 🍋

Last stop on Day 4 of UCR’s PLPA240 Field Plant Pathology course: we visited Syngenta’s Visalia facility 🏭🔬. Dr. Joseph Carrillo shared R&D work; we toured fields/labs and met nematology & entomology teams. Seen: pistachio Alternaria, tomato black mold, table grape powdery mildew. Grateful! 🙏🌱 #UCR

🌱 Day 4: #UCR #PLPA240 visited APCD lab with Dr. Subhas Hajeri! 🧬🔬 Hands-on plant
diagnostics, pest screening, and real-world ag science in action. Huge thanks to Dr. Hajeri for sharing his expertise! 🍊🙌 #PlantPath #FieldTrip

🌱 Day 4: #UCR #PLPA240 visited APCD with Dr. Subhas Hajeri! 🍊🦠 Learned how growers fight citrus pests & diseases, from gophers to viruses. Thanks Dr. Hajeri for sharing your expertise! 🙌
#PlantPath #FieldTrip #Citrus

Day 4 🌱 UCR PLPA240 at Wonderful Citrus 🍊 — from Eliza Tibbets’ navel intro to today’s $5B seed-to-shelf giant. 🚜 145K acres, 10K+ staff, Halos brand, new seedless 🍋 + red
navels, water 💧 & labor challenges, plus Wonderful Scholars 🎓. #PlantPathology #Citrus

🥑🌱 Day 3 of #UCR #PLPA240: Field Plant Pathology at UC ANR Ventura County! Learned
about avocado farming, pest control, and research with Farm Advisor Ben Faber. Science in
action! 🚜🔬 #Avocado #PlantPath #FieldTrip

🍓 Day 3 #UCR #PLPA240: Field Plant Pathology at UC ANR Ventura Co. with Dr. Oleg
Daugovish! Learned about strawberry stress trials, organic soil fumigation, and using food
waste for soil health. Science meets sustainability! 🌱🔬 #AgInnovation #Strawberries

🌱 Day 3 of #UCR PLPA 240 at UC ANR Ventura County with Andre Biscaro! Learned how
weather stations & irrigation apps help growers save water & boost crops. Hands-on ag tech
in action! 🚜💧🌾 #FieldPlantPathology #AgInnovation

🌱 At the end of day-2, UCR PLPA 240 explored regenerative ag at Wilson Creek Winery with Greg Pennyroyal!
🐑🍇 Learned about plant sap analysis, sheep grazing, and eco-friendly vineyard practices.
Cheers to science & sustainability! 🥂 #UCR #FieldTrip #WineScience

Exploring vineyard health 🍇🌱 with UCR PLPA 240 at Wilson Creek Winery at the end of day-2! Thanks to Matt
Daugherty 🦟 for insights on Pierce’s Disease, sharpshooters, and sustainable solutions.
Science in action! 💚 #PlantPathology #UCR #VineyardScience

🌱 UCR PLPA 240 visited Mellano & Co. in Oceanside today! Learned from plant pathologists Mike Mellano Sr. & Jr. about data-driven farming, crop science, and innovation in the field.
Inspiring day! 🌾🔬 #PlantPathology #UCR #AgInnovation

🌱🌸 On Day-2, the UCR PLPA 240 class explored Mellano & Co. in Oceanside with plant pathologists Mike
Mellano Sr. & Jr.! Learned about flower farming, Ranunculus blooms, and family legacy.
Inspiring day in the fields! ‍🌷 #PlantPathology #UCR #FieldTrip

🌱 Visited UC ANR South Coast REC with UCR PLPA 240 for Day-2! Learned from Natalie Levy about
compost, soil health, and reducing pesticides for a greener future. Inspiring day in Irvine!
🌾♻️ #SoilHealth #Sustainability #UCR #PlantPathology

🌱 Field Plant Pathology Day-2 at UC ANR South Coast REC! Learned about avocados 🥑,
nematode threats 🪱, and hydroponics 💧 with Grant Johnson & Natalie Levy. Science,
sustainability, and hands-on ag in SoCal! #UCR #PlantPath #UrbanAg

PLPA240 Day-1: Dr. Georgios Vidalakis on shoot-tip grafting for pathogen-free citrus. Budwood sent to CCPP for culture; seedlings used as rootstocks; apical meristem grafted on; grafts raised in greenhouse; PCR and indexing confirm clean plants. 👨‍🏫🔬🍊 #FieldPlantPathology #UCR #Citrus #TissueCulture

PLPA240 Day-1: USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository conserves crop genetics - citrus & date palms. Since 2012, cryopreservation protects material; 32 citrus accessions released. Facing funding and infrastructure pressures. 🌱🍊🌴🧬 #FieldPlantPathology #UCR #USDA #Germplasm #DatePalms #Citrus

PLPA240 Day-1: Met Professors Antoon Ploeg and Ole Becker, from UC Riverside. Field trials on nematode control: biological nematicides, carrot marketability, anaerobic soil disinfestation with rice hulls; virus risks in potatoes and grapes.
#FieldPlantPathology #UCR #ExtensionAg

UCR PLPA240 has begun! Day 1 at the Coachella Valley Agricultural Research Station (CVARS). Matt Fatino (UCCE) on grower support-especially weed management in dates, avocados, citrus-plus trials on novel herbicides and cultural tactics. 🏜️🌴🥑
#FieldPlantPathology #UCR #CooperativeExtension

Wrapped up #PlantHealth2025 in Honolulu! 🌺 🏝️ 🌊 We presented our research, joined energizing sessions, and built new connections across academia, industry, and extension. We're inspired and eager to move forward with our work.

Mahalo nui loa #AmericanPhytopathologicalSociety #SustainableAg

🌾🌐 this morning I witnessed Dr. Van Schepler-Luu's powerful #APSPlantHealth2025 keynote! Inspiring talk on international collaboration to tackle rice diseases across 20+ countries. Science breaking barriers! 🔬🌍 #PlantPathology #GlobalHealth

🌱🏆 Exciting day at #APSPlantHealth2025! APS President Karen Garrett kicks off the opening ceremony, celebrating our incredible plant pathology heroes! 🔬 Nine new Fellows being honored, showcasing groundbreaking research and innovation in agriculture. 🌍🧬 #PlantPathology

Waimea Valley’s

🌺 Field trip highlights from #APSPlantHealth2025!
✨ Waimea Valley’s 52 gardens 🌿 native & global plants
🌱 Waiahole Botanicals – local, family-owned 💚
Mahalo to the organizers for a beautiful day of plants & purpose!
#WaimeaValley #WaiaholeBotanicals #PlantPathology

The LabToFarm team is Hawaii bound! Catch us at #PlantHealth2025 (Aug 2‑5, Honolulu) where we will be presenting TWO research posters highlighting our recent updates on soil amendments and microbiome transplants. Don't forget to stop by and say Aloha! 🌺🏝️✨
#PlantPathology #SustainableAgriculture

Thrilled that our abstract “From Waste to Worth: Waste-Derived Biochar and Bokashi Digestates with Microbiome Transplants as Circular Economy Fertilisers for Indoor Citrus Production” was accepted at #RETASTE2025 for a virtual oral talk! Stay tuned! 🌱♻️ #CircularEconomy #Biochar #Bokashi

🎓💚 Cheers to Lab-to-Farm grads Madison Amador (B.S. EnvSci) & Celine Dam (B.S. Bio)! Madison spent years steering our compost & greenhouse trials; Celine jumped in last year tackling citrus germination & soil mixes. We're so proud of you both!! 🌱🍊✨ #UCR #CNAS #ClassOf2025 #LabToFarm #WomenInSTEM