Reuters article on Citrus Greening Disease Huanglongbing (HLB)

Article suggests that the only solution may be to develop genetically modified varieties that are resistant to the bacteria.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B24ZE20101203?pageNumber=1

The Campaign to Save Russia's Pavlovsk Seed Bank.

An incredible reservoir of genetic diversity - almost 1000 kinds of strawberries, for example - is threatened by real estate developers who need land for vacation homes.

Read about it here.

Hey, we're famous!

Click here for an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about this year's Festival of Fruit.

Frida Kahlo

Robot pruner may cut labor costs

We are certainly living in the science fiction future of our teenage years. I can see the marketing campaign now in my minds eye, Gov. Arnold doing the voice-over pitching the Terminal Bud Terminator. Looks like this is only viable for spur pruning, the cane method still requires human judgment and touch . . .

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/business/ci_14807175

How did the moth get to the Napa Valley?

Click here for speculation.

Another moth, another quarantine

There's an article in today's Chronicle about the appearance of the European grapevine moth in Napa County, including quarantine info and a surprising list of restricted plants.

Fighting the War in Afghanistan with Fruit

Joining a growing movement toward resuscitating Afghanistan from the ground up, the Italian Provincial Reconstruction donated 240,000 cherry, almond, apricot and pear trees to Herat Province's department of agriculture.

Italy's gift echoes the sentiments of other groups who are pinning hopes for the Afghan economy's growth on fruit....

Philanthropists such as Britain's James Brett...who launched his drink "Pomegreat" in the U.K. six years ago, (are) hoping fruit will boost Afghan agriculture. Pomegranates are a traditional Afghan fruit. Brett founded the POM354 foundation in 2007 to encourage pomegranate production and export. So far his organization has planted more than 400,0000 trees.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has also been involved with pomegranates, funding sapling nurseries and a factory that produces pomegranate juice grown by 50,000 Afghan farmers.

...read more here.

Rare Stone Fruits here

There's an article in today's Chronicle about Arboreum, the rare fruit nursery created by CRFG stars Patrick Schafer and C. Todd Kennedy. Lots of good information, including where to buy their trees.