RSS 1.0College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (CALES) Publications
ABOUT THE COLLECTIONS
The College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences was established as the University of Arizona's first academic unit in 1885, subsequent to the Morrill Act of 1862 that offered funding to states or territories with a land grant university. The Hatch Act of 1887 required land-grant universities to share research findings through Experiment Stations; the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension was created after the Smith-Lever Act in 1914.
These collections contain historical and current publications from the University of Arizona Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension. Publications include Experiment Station reports, bulletins, and Timely Hints for Farmers; Cooperative Extension publications on Animal Systems, Consumer Education, Farm Management and Safety, Food Safety, Nutrition and Health, Gardening/Home Horticulture, Insects and Pest Management, Marketing and Retailing, Natural Resources and Environment, Plant Diseases, Plant Production/Crops, Water, and Youth and Family. Commodity based agricultural reports, known as "Production Reports", and Arid Lands research publications are also included in the collection.
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Contact CALES Publications at pubs@cals.arizona.edu, or visit the CALES Publications website.
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A Drier Atmosphere in Yuma Valley: Long-Term RH Trends and Their Implications for Irrigation Management, Crop Performance, and IPMRelative humidity (RH) is a microclimate variable that strongly shapes crop water relations, canopy wetness duration, and the comfort zone for many pests and pathogens. In leafy greens, RH influences transpiration rate, stomatal behavior, and leaf-surface wetness, which are tightly linked to crop stress and disease favorability. Annual summaries from the Yuma Valley station show that maximum, minimum, and average RH have declined over time, even though year-to-year variability remains evident. This pattern indicates a gradual increase in atmospheric drying power. For production and management in Yuma Valley, declining RH implies higher atmospheric demand for water, greater crop sensitivity to irrigation timing, faster canopy water loss during warm and dry periods, and changing pest and disease risk conditions. The overall message is that declining RH increases the importance of precise irrigation management, crop protection, and field-based IPM under a drier atmosphere. A drier atmosphere in Yuma Valley is becoming an important production and management issue. Annual maximum, minimum, and average RH have declined over time, indicating a gradual increase in atmospheric drying power. For irrigation management, this means higher atmospheric demand for water and a greater need for precision. For crop performance, this means faster canopy water loss, greater irrigation sensitivity, and greater potential for physiological stress when warm conditions coincide with low RH. For IPM, this means that disease favorability may shift, but irrigation practices, canopy conditions, and short-term weather events will continue to govern day-to-day risk. The practical implication is that improving irrigation precision, adjusting crop management, and strengthening field-based IPM will be increasingly important under a drier atmosphere in Yuma Valley.
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Long-Term Trends in Annual Maximum Temperature, Annual Minimum Temperature, and Annual Precipitation in Yuma Valley and Their Implications for Irrigation Management, Crop Performance, and IPMThe production environment in Yuma Valley is being shaped by gradual warming and highly variable rainfall rather than a strong long-term rainfall trend. Annual precipitation does not exhibit a strong linear trend, and any increase suggested by the trendline is minor relative to year-to-year variability. In contrast, annual average maximum temperature and annual average minimum temperature indicate gradual warming. Together, these changes point to higher crop water demand and tighter irrigation margins in lettuce and leafy green production systems. These trends increase sensitivity to irrigation timing, accelerate canopy water loss during warm periods, and increase the likelihood of crop water stress. At the same time, over-irrigation can increase deep percolation and nutrient losses, complicate salinity management, and create canopy and soil conditions conducive to disease. For crop productivity and management in Yuma Valley, the overall message is that precise irrigation management, responsive crop management, and field-based Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are becoming increasingly important under warming and operationally meaningful rainfall variability. The long-term climate signal in Yuma Valley is not a simple story of more or less rainfall. It is a story of gradual warming and highly variable rainfall. Annual precipitation does not exhibit a strong long-term linear trend, and any increase suggested by the trendline is minor relative to variability. By contrast, both annual average maximum and annual average minimum temperatures indicate gradual warming. Together, these trends indicate higher crop water demand and tighter irrigation margins in lettuce and leafy green production systems. The practical implication is that existing management practices may not fully account for the impacts of these changing climate variables. Improving irrigation precision, adjusting crop management to protect crop productivity, and strengthening field-based IPM tied to crop stage, canopy conditions, irrigation practices, and short-term weather will be increasingly important for sustaining lettuce and leafy green production in Yuma Valley.
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Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1)An outbreak of EHV-1 that originated at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event Nov 5-9 in Waco, TX is being monitored. Arizona has confirmed three EHV-1 positive horses in Maricopa county and one in Pinal county (as of Dec 3, 2025). Cases associated with the Nov 2025 outbreak continue to appear in multiple states.
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Preparing Livestock Producers for New World Screwworm Reemergence in the United StatesNew World Screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a fly larva, or maggot, that can burrow into the flesh of a living animal, unlike other fly larvae that only feed on dead flesh. New World Screwworm (NWS) can affect any livestock species, as well as pets, wildlife, birds, humans, and essentially any warm-blooded animal. In the 1950’s and early 1960’s, NWS infestations resulted in devastating losses to cattle and wildlife in the southern United States. Economic impacts reached $50-100 million (USDA, 2025). In the 1960’s NWS was eradicated in the United States (US). Since then, the US and Panama have collaborated through the Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of New World Screwworm Infestation in Livestock (COPEG) to prevent NWS from spreading north of the Darién Gap by releasing sterile male flies. Since NWS female flies tend to breed once in a lifetime, this process decreases the NWS population. In 2023, NWS was able to break this barrier and spread northward. As of late September 2025, NWS was detected as far north as Nuevo León, Mexico (Figure 1). COPEG continues to release sterile flies in Central America and Mexico, however sterile fly production is at maximum capacity at the current facilities. US livestock producers should be prepared to implement proactive management and husbandry practices in the near term as well as preventative measures to limit the potential impact an infestation will have on the livestock industry if and when a regional detection happens.
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A Soil Health Survey of Agricultural Lands in the Southern Intermountain WestUnderstanding the soil health status of agricultural lands is crucial when adopting effective strategies to boost crop productivity. Local growers have shown a desire to understand more about the health status of the soils they work with, though access to assessment resources is limited. In the southwestern U.S., soil health reports are scant, and data are scarce. The National Science Foundation has funded a project to support communities in the U.S. Intermountain West region, and a soil health study was designed to provide the knowledge desired by communities in the region, as well as contribute to the accumulation of soil health data that can support local stakeholders. A total of 64 samples were collected from home gardens and community farms and were tested for a suite of physical, chemical, and biological soil properties. Data suggest that on average, soil health status in and on these gardens and farms are similar to or better than the baselines previously established for Yuma, Arizona, and some of the farmland may benefit from cover cropping or applications of amendments like biochar or compost.
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Serving with Purpose: A Nonprofit Board Orientation GuideThis guide is designed to provide new and prospective board members with a clear, practical foundation for effective nonprofit governance. It outlines the essential roles, responsibilities, and expectations of board service, helping individuals understand both the strategic importance and the legal obligations of serving on a board of directors.
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Introduction to Mindfulness: A Gentle StartMindfulness is the practice of intentionally focusing on the present moment with an attitude of openness, curiosity, and non-judgment. While it may seem like a modern concept in Western psychology, mindfulness has been a core element of Eastern traditions for thousands of years, in a variety of philosophical and religious applications (Jankowski et al., 2014). In 1982, Jon Kabat-Zinn brought mindfulness into mainstream Western healthcare, defining it as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” The American Psychological Association similarly describes mindfulness as “awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings…to help people avoid destructive or automatic habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them.” (APA, 2019.).
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Controlling Palmer Amaranth in Cotton with Post-emergence HerbicidesCentral Arizona’s hot, dry growing conditions make weed management especially challenging and costly for cotton growers, who are already dealing with high irrigation and input expenses. When weeds are not effectively controlled early in the season, they can significantly reduce yields, increase production costs, and accelerate the development of herbicide resistance. Since the dicamba ban, growers have fewer herbicide options, making it even more important to use the remaining tools wisely. Approaches that combine herbicide performance testing, proper application timing, rotation, and mixing of different modes of action, along with improved spray technologies, are key to protecting yields and profitability. However, growers and Pest Control Advisors (PCA) still need clearer, locally tested information on how current herbicide programs perform under Central Arizona conditions, such as extreme summer heat, variable soil moisture, and long growing seasons. To address these needs, this study conducted a systematic evaluation of post-emergence herbicides in commercial cotton systems. The information from this study could provide science-based, region-specific recommendations to help growers manage Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) more effectively, safeguard crop yields, and extend the useful lifespan of available chemistries, thereby supporting the long-term sustainability of cotton farming in Central Arizona. The objective of this field study was to evaluate the performance of selected commercially available post-emergence herbicides for controlling Palmer amaranth in cotton production systems.
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Diseño de bolas de semillas para optimizar la germinaciónEl éxito en la restauración de tierras áridas a partir de semillas es difícil de lograr. Múltiples desafíos, incluyendo la precipitación infrecuente, la sequía a largo plazo, los animales que comen semillas y las condiciones del suelo pobres, limitan la germinación efectiva de las semillas y el establecimiento de las plantas deseadas. Las bolas de semillas (también llamadas pellets de semillas y bombas de semillas) están emergiendo como una herramienta que aborda directamente las limitaciones para el éxito de la restauración en sistemas áridos (Madsen et al. 2016). Se espera que las bolas de semillas, que son estructuras generalmente compuestas de suelo, semillas, arcilla y agua (Fig 1), protejan las semillas del estrés por desecación, del movimiento por parte de los granívoros o del viento y, en última instancia, proporcionen un pequeño paquete de recursos para las plántulas en crecimiento. Aunque se han publicado algunos artículos que describen la utilidad del uso de bolas de semillas para la restauración ecológica (Gornish et al. 2019), la mayoría de los estudios formales no exploran las mejores técnicas de diseño para optimizar el éxito de las bolas de semillas (Bleak y Hull 1958). Esto está cambiando lentamente a medida que las bolas de semillas (y sus derivados, incluidos los discos, monedas y pellets de semillas) se utilizan más comúnmente. Por ejemplo, se ha investigado el efecto del tipo de ingrediente de las bolas de semillas (Davies 2017), del tipo de suelo (Madsen et al. 2021) y de la preparación del suelo (Jordan 1967) en los resultados de la restauración. Las estrategias básicas de diseño que optimizan el éxito de las bolas de semillas son críticas para su uso generalizado en proyectos de restauración de tierras áridas. Llevamos a cabo dos experimentos en un invernadero para explorar el efecto de los componentes fundamentales del diseño de las bolas de semillas en la germinación, un cuello de botella importante para el éxito de la restauración de tierras áridas (James et al 2011). En el primer estudio, investigamos varios tipos de nutrientes que se emplean comúnmente en la creación de bolas de semillas. En el segundo estudio, examinamos los efectos singulares e interactivos del número de semillas, el tamaño de las semillas y el tamaño de las bolas de semillas.
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Building Blocks to Teach Children Money HabitsThese easy-to-use Parent Tip Sheets aim to improve caregiver confidence and prepare children with essential knowledge and skills to understand important financial concepts. The Building Blocks to Teaching Children Money Habits features selected children's books and complementary activity sheets that emphasize developmentally appropriate financial literacy building blocks with a focus on executive function, math, and social-emotional concepts, including counting, sorting, opposites, sharing, trueness to self, choices and consequences.
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Computer Models and Decision-Support Platforms for Precision Irrigation ManagementThe irrigation management tools reviewed in this publication serve different but interrelated purposes. The WINDS model functions as a field-scale model for evaluating soil water, salinity, and related processes, while the pyfao56 model is a FAO-56 evapotranspiration and soil-water-balance analysis model designed for customized integration within other software platforms and user interfaces. The OpenET platform provides satellite-derived evapotranspiration data rather than direct management recommendations, and CropManage focuses on crop-specific irrigation and nitrogen management. SWAN Systems is designed as a farm-scale platform that integrates irrigation and nutrient management Because these tools are intended for different applications, selection should be guided by the required management level and objectives. Platforms such as SWAN Systems and CropManage are better suited for operational irrigation scheduling, particularly when sensor data or crop-specific recommendations are desired. The current version of WINDS is more appropriate for scenario analysis and salinity management, while OpenET is useful for accessing regional or field-scale ET information. In practice, using more than one tool may provide the most effective support, especially when irrigation scheduling, evapotranspiration estimation, salinity management, and automation are all part of the management strategy.
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A Guide to Maintaining and Calibrating Field-Installed Soil and Plant Moisture SensorsSoil moisture and sap-flow sensors can be valuable tools for improving irrigation management and crop water use efficiency, but their effectiveness depends on proper installation, calibration, and ongoing maintenance. Field conditions such as soil variability, extreme temperatures, salinity, physical damage, and power or connectivity issues can significantly affect sensor accuracy and reliability, especially in environments like the arid climate of Arizona. Without routine inspection and calibration, sensor drift and localized measurement errors can lead to misleading data and poor irrigation decisions. This guide highlights that no single sensor or method can fully capture the complexity of soil-plant-water interactions. Using multiple sensors at representative locations and depths, validating readings with manual or gravimetric measurements, and applying site- and crop-specific calibration are essential steps for obtaining reliable information. Similarly, sap-flow sensors are best suited for tracking relative changes in plant water use and stress rather than absolute irrigation requirements, especially under variable environmental conditions.
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Executive Summary: Roundtable on an Arizona North–South Local Foods PipelineThe development of local food systems across Arizona has progressed unevenly, leaving rural communities and small farmers with significant gaps in market access, wholesale opportunities, and affordable processing infrastructure. While these disparities are well-documented, a lack of coordinated effort and recent reductions in federal and technical support have created a persistent barrier to progress. To address these structural realities, a statewide roundtable was convened on July 22, 2025, to establish a foundation for a "North-South" food pipeline that supports small farmers and improves institutional procurement. The resulting findings emphasize that a mid-supply-chain gap restricts the ability of producers to scale and limits community access to Arizona-grown foods. To overcome these challenges, the report concludes that stakeholders must prioritize three key areas: investment in physical cold-chain infrastructure, the reform of complex institutional procurement policies to include local producers, and the strengthening of stakeholder education and relational transparency.
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Arizona Native Plant Seedling Identification Pocket GuideThis guide is meant to assist in the identification of a few of Arizona’s most common native grasses and forbs. Identifying plants can be hard, identifying seedlings can be outrageously difficult. Here, we attempt to provide general guidelines for seedling identification in the field, in the garden, or in the greenhouse. The species in this guide are just a small fraction of all of the native plants in Arizona. They were chosen for inclusion due to their general common distribution across the state and their high frequency of use in ecological restoration projects. To confirm your identification, take a picture of your plant and ask a Master Gardener for assistance, or wait until the plant grows. Never pick a native (or unknown) plant from the ground. Measurements for this guide were taken inside of a greenhouse and environmental conditions can modify aspects of growth, so all values are provided as a suggested guide.
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Using OpenET Platform and LI-710 Sensor for Irrigation Management in ArizonaWhile freshwater is renewable, water resource depletion is occurring considerably more quickly than expected. With population growth and socioeconomic development, global water consumption has increased nearly sevenfold in the last century (Gleick, 2000), impacting the long-term sustainability of agriculture. The agriculture sector, the largest water user, accounts for over two-thirds of withdrawals. Therefore, precise irrigation is vital in arid regions where agriculture uses a significant share of water resources. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) accounts for most of irrigation water use, especially in dry climates. Thus, accurate ETc estimation is important. Different methods are used to estimate ETc, such as lysimeters, Bowen ratio, surface renewal, and eddy covariance (EC), but they are costly and require expertise (Elsadek et al., 2025). Remote sensing models can also be used to estimate ETc, but their applications are limited by cost, expertise, and computational requirements (Volk et al., 2024). Recently, the OpenET platform has been developed to offer free, high-resolution ET data suitable for US irrigation management. The LI-710 sensor (LI-COR Inc., Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) was also presented as a lower-cost, user-friendly alternative to EC systems, providing continuous ETc measurements with less maintenance. Limited studies evaluated OpenET for irrigated alfalfa in Arizona; however, no cited studies evaluated OpenET or LI-710 for late-planted cotton in Arizona (Attalah et al., 2025, 2024). The following guide leverages a field study that cross-validates cotton ET from OpenET and LI-710 against soil water balance (SWB) estimates in Gila Bend, Arizona, aiming to identify the best technique for estimating cotton ET for irrigation management under arid conditions.
