The California Department of Food and Agriculture Integrated Pest Control Branch Friday announced two vacancies on an advisory board that makes recommendations on matters related to a program to reduce the incidence of beet curly top virus, a plant virus affecting several hundred varieties of ornamental and commercial crops in the state, including Southern California.
The term of office for a Beet Curly Top Virus Control Board member is unlimited. The members receive no compensation, but are entitled to payment of necessary traveling expenses. Members are considered public officials and must be willing to comply with necessary disclosure requirements.
One vacancy is for a Southern California District Member, District I; representing beans, peppers, spinach, sugar beets, and/or tomatoes. The second vacancy is for a San Joaquin Valley District Member, District II; representing melons.
The only known vector of the virus is the sugar beet leafhopper, an introduced pest and migratory by nature. Populations develop in selected habitats within the state’s San Joaquin, Imperial, Sacramento and coastal valleys, as well as moving into California from contiguous states and Mexico.
According to the CDFA, the program utilizes intensive surveys to locate and monitor BLH populations throughout the year. As much as 100,000 acres of rangeland and idle agricultural lands are treated annually to control breeding BLH populations on a variety of host plants prior to the migration of adult leafhoppers into susceptible crops.
Individuals interested in being considered for a board appointment should send a brief resume by Jan. 1 to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Integrated Pest Control Branch, 3294 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, California 95832; Attention: Tiffany Nissen.
For additional information, visit the branch’s web page at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ipc/curlytopvirus/ctv_hp.htm; or contact: Victoria Hornbaker, chief of the Integrated Pest Control Branch, at (916) 654-0317, by fax (916) 262-2020, or email Victoria.hornbaker@cdfa.ca.gov.