Recent News
New Center program leader Mohammad A. Aghaee introduces himself
Feb 6, 2024
Explore our most recent blog article! Our new Cal Poly Strawberry Center Entomology Program Leader MOHAMMAD AMIR AGHAEE tells us a bit about himself.
The Bug Man Cometh
Two months have flown by faster than I realized. Leaving the South and coming back to the West Coast after almost a decade is a bit jarring. Gone are the slow dusty beats of the corn, cotton, and soy tractors traversing the field filled with Ford F-250s and secondhand RAM 2500s. Now I stand on sandy soils producing some of the juiciest fruit lined with the workers’ Toyotas and Hondas. In some ways the processes are the same and in other ways they are different.
Read full post @ https://strawberrycenterblog.com/2024/02/06/the-bug-man-cometh/
Cal Poly Strawberry Field Day set for Thursday, August 8, 2024
Jan 31, 2024
SAVE THE DATE!
Thursday, August 8, 2023
7:30 am – 1:30 pm
Join us this summer at Cal Poly for our annual Strawberry Field Day!
Hundreds of strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives from all over California (and beyond) gather annually for Strawberry Center Field Day. Participants rotate through Automation, Entomology and Plant Pathology stations, hearing from Cal Poly students and staff about the latest research taking place at the Strawberry Center. Topics range from the newest automation technology to predatory mites to soil-borne pathogens of strawberry, and much more. Lunch will be provided. See video produced by CA Strawberry Commission for scenes from last year's Field Day event: https://www.facebook.com/CAStrawberries/videos/670674565109049
Lygus bug vacuum featured in Vegetable Growers News
Jan 23, 2024
Vegetable Growers News' managing editor Chris Koger talks with Center Automation program leader John Lin about how an ongoing collaboration between the California Strawberry Commission, Cal Poly Strawberry Center, C&N Tractors and growers has greatly improved the efficiency of the Lygus bug vacuum. The vacuums operate without use of any chemicals, assisting both organic and conventional growers in reducing Lygus bug populations, estimated to cause $200 million in lost sales throughout the state each year.
http://tinyurl.com/lygus-bug-vac
Stop by our table at the Centers and Institutes Fair
Jan 16, 2024
Stop by our table at the Centers and Institutes Fair tomorrow (Wednesday)!
All faculty, staff and students are invited to the Cal Poly Centers and Institutes Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 17, from noon to 2 p.m., being held on Mustang Way (the pedestrian walkway between Mott Athletics Center and the Univ Union. Come learn what our Center and many other Cal Poly centers and institutes do and how you can get involved. We look forward to seeing you there!
MS student Samantha Simard participates in SCRI Exchange Intern program
Jan 9, 2024
Listen in as our Center Research Associate and Masters Student Samantha Simard describes her experience as an Academia-Industry Student Exchange Intern with Driscoll's in Watsonville, CA. This is part of the USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative grant that funded Sam's project. She particularly enjoyed her experiences and interactions with raspberry industry leaders and growers as this was a new area for her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWMYcXgdUh4
Cal Poly Mustang News features Strawberry Center
Jan 4, 2024
The Strawberry Center was recently featured in Cal Poly’s Mustang News. The article was written by Cal Poly journalism student, Caitlin Garcia, as part of her course project. The piece details our Center’s research and activities, and includes interviews with some of our team members.
Check it out now!
Plants Get Sick: A Look into Strawberry Pathology at Cal Poly
by Caitlin Garcia
https://mustangnews.net/a-look-into-strawberry-pathology-at-cal-poly/
A warm welcome to our new Entomology Program Leader
Jan 2, 2024
We are pleased and excited to announce that Dr. Mohammad Amir Aghaee joined our team on Dec 4, 2023.
Mohammad grew up in East Bay around Berkeley and Oakland, CA. He completed his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley before going to UC Davis for his doctorate in entomology working on rice water weevil and brown marmorated stink bug. He did his postdoc at NC State working on cotton bollworm and lygus near the outer banks. He then took a position with Bayer at their insectary in Tennessee working on plant insect protectant trials in corn, cotton, and soy across a whole series of pests.
Mohammad believes the best lessons are learned through action and just a dash of adversity. He learned video production and editing during the pandemic for Bayer and he will bring his entire creative and scientific skill set to bear for the Center and the strawberry industry.
Please join us in welcoming Mohammad!
Happy Holidays from the Strawberry Center!
Dec 21, 2023
Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season and a cheerful New Year!
From the team at the Cal Poly Strawberry Center!
The Strawberry Center is growing!
Dec 7, 2023
We're excited to welcome to our team new field technician Lawson Orradre! Lawson grew up in Morgan Hill California, CA, which sits at the north end of the Salinas Valley, where he was surrounded by agriculture his entire life. He recently graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Lawson's favorite thing about the Strawberry Center and Cal Poly as a whole is that "it is an extremely hands-on experience where all staff members and students are able to collaborate and create great products and learning experiences. I have already gained so much knowledge and experience from the Center and I am excited to continue the 'Learn By Doing' work".
Welcome Lawson!
Welcome to our new research associate Samantha Simard
Dec 6, 2023
Welcome to our new research associate Samantha Simard!
Originally from San Luis Obispo, Sam earned a BS in Agriculture Science and minor in Biology from Southern Utah University (where she also ran track and cross country). She then returned to California's central coast to began graduate school at Cal Poly. She is working towards a Master's in Agriculture with specialization in Plant Protection Science.
Sam really "enjoys having the opportunity to work with students, and there is nothing I find more rewarding than sharing knowledge and seeing students get excited about learning." In her new role, Sam is able to assist with lab management, facilitate student projects, run diagnostics, and manage her own field experiments. She is finding that having these diverse responsibilities continues to build her skills as a well-rounded researcher.
Welcome Sam!
