Jhalendra Rijal started working July 2015 as our new IPM advisor focusing on the North San Joaquin Valley. His primary job responsibility is to provide leadership for promoting IPM activities through applied research, training and educational activities in the region. His program addresses need-based issues to find pragmatic solutions for growers and other clientele. Particularly, Rijal’s program deals with insect pest related problems of major commodities growing in the area including nut crops, tree fruits, and other specialty crops. His office is located at UCCE Stanislaus county office in Modesto.
In less than 3-months at this job, Rijal has witnessed several insect pest management related issues. He is committed to working on these key issues in collaboration with growers, pest control advisers, local UCCE advisors, University faculty and specialists, allied industries and other stakeholders. Rijal has earned his BS and MS Degrees from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and PhD from Virginia Tech. Before he was an IPM advisor, Rijal was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis working on peppermint IPM in northern California and vegetable crop IPM in the Salinas Valley.