INFORMATION ON THE COMMERCIAL GROWING OF AVOCADOS
The links to other websites organized here often bypass the organizations' home page, to get you quicker access to the subject. There is much more information available if you dig a little further. Use the search options at the linked sites for more thorough searches.

PLANTING
Orchard layout and development.
Read two articles in the Horticulture Section of the Cooperative Extension Service-Ventura, Avocado Handbook:
http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/Agriculture265/Avocado_Handbook.htm

FLOWERING AND POLLINATION
Description of the avocados' unique flowering cycle with a short video.  University of California.
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu



IRRIGATION
For a good introduction to the principles of irrigation and soils, look in the Avocado Handbook from University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura. Expand the navigation pane under 'Horticulture' (click on Horticulture), and look for the article 'Soil and Water'. Also read the articles under 'Irrigation'.
http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/Agriculture265/Avocado_Handbook.htm

To understand the 'California Irrigation Management Information System', CIMIS, go to their website.
http://wwwcimis.water.ca.gov/cimis/welcome.jsp

An easy to use CIMIS calculator for avocado growers at the California Avocado Commission website.
http://www.avocado.org/static/growerres/cimiscalculator.php?sd=growers

Still more in the Irrigation Section at the University of California, Riverside.
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu

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FERTILIZATION
A good review of leaf analysis guidelines, injection systems, and nitrogen fertilization, is in the University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura Avocado Handbook.  Three articles under 'Fertilization'.
http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/Agriculture265/Avocado_Handbook.htm


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PESTS
Two great sites from the University of California. Integrated Pest Management guidelines, with great pictures and descriptions.  Recommended controls.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.avocado.html
 
Biocontrol tactics, along with pictures and descriptions of pests and predators from Mark Hoddle's projects at University of California, Riverside.
http://www.biocontrol.ucr.edu
 

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PESTICIDES
University of California Integrated Pest Management Program provides pesticide education and databases.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu
 

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DISEASE
Very complete site with pictures, descriptions, and controls, from the University of California, Integrated Pest Management Program.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.avocado.html
 

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SOILS
Look under 'Horticulture' for the 'Water and Soil' article in the Avocado Handbook, University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura.
http://ceventura.ucdavis/Agriculture265/Avocado_Handbook.htm

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FREEZE DAMAGED TREES
What to do, when to do it, and what not to do, when trees are damaged by cold temperatures, from UC Riverside.
http://ucavo.ucr.edu/AvocadoWebSite%20folder/AvocadoWebSite/General/Frost.html

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WEATHER
Current National Weather Service text forecasts for:
 
San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/display_product.php?sid=SGX&pil=ZFP
 
Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox/forecast.php
 
For the complete offering from the National Weather Service, Western Region:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov
 
Current satellite image of the entire Pacific:
https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/products/SATELLITE/US058SCOM-IMGatp.pacbasin_IR_MERC.gif
 
More satellite photos:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite
http://www.noaa.gov/satellites.html
 
All the meteorological maps and satellite imagery used by the professionals, from the Department of Defense, Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center.  A class in meteorology is needed to appreciate this one.
https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/PUBLIC

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RESEARCH
Proceedings of the annual Avocado Research Symposium for the years 2000 through 2003, on the California Avocado Commission site.
http://avocado.org/growers/growers_546.php?sd=growers
 
The Hofshi Foundation site, under the direction of prominent California avocado industry member Reuben Hofshi, has a wealth of information relating to avocados.
http://avocadosource.com

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VARIETIES
Comprehensive list of varieties, rootstocks, and their characteristics, from the University of California.  Most of the variety information was compiled by University of California South Coast Field Station volunteer Julie Frink and other volunteers.
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu
 
More information in two articles the the University of California Cooperative Extension
Service-Ventura, Avocado Handbook. In the Horticulture Section, varieties and rootstocks.
http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/Agriculture265/Avocado_Handbook.htm

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SEMINAR LECTURES

The CAS, in conjunction with CAC and the University of California Cooperative Extension Service, presents a lecture series for avocado growers.

For an overview of the lecture, click on the subject below to see the slide presentation in Powerpoint. To download Powerpoint Viewer, click here.

Farm Advisor Field Trials (1) 12/2004
Author: Patty Bender

Farm Advisor Field Trials (2) 12/2004
Author: Ben Faber

Avocado Pruning Trials 12/2004
Author: Gary Bender

ISHS Irrigation 12/2004
Author: Ben Faber

Minimizing Pest Resistance 2/2005
Author: John Menge

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OTHER LINKS
University of California Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center - Avocado Index.
http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/crops/avocado.shtml
 
Farming related information.  University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Small Farm Program, Sustainable Agriculture, and a great search engine to anything related to agriculture. The 'Vegetable Research and Information Center' has a section with links to everything agricultural.
http://www.ucanr.org/findinfo/fifr.shtml
 
University of California Library search.
http://melvyl.cdlib.org
 
International avocado information, including a great section on foreign production data, as well as much more relating to avocados, see the Hofshi Foundation site.  Compiled under the direction of prominent California avocado industry member Reuben Hofshi.
http://avocadosource.com
 
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications.
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/InOrder/Shop/Shop.asp
 
University of California Cooperative Extension Service, Ventura.
http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu
 
The California Avocado Commission, see the 'Growers' section.
http://www.avocado.org
 
University of California, Agricultural Labor Management.
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor
 
University of California, Agricultural Economics Cost Studies for various crops, including avocados.
http://www.agecon.ucdavis.edu/outreach/crop/Costlist.htm

 
University of California, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Center.
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu

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