A Century of Citrus
KCET Spotlights a Century of Citrus Research
Public Television Looks at UCR's Citrus and Agricultural Contributions
(March 20, 2006)
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Kris LovekinTel: (951) 827-2495
E-mail: kris.lovekin@ucr.edu
Over the years the center, which was created in 1907 at the request of local citrus growers who wanted more effective ways of protecting their crops from diseases and pests, has become an internationally recognized leader in the preservation, protection and development of citrus and other agricultural crops.
KCET reporter Anne McDermott will take viewers to the center’s Citrus Variety Collection, a citrus museum considered one of the largest in the world with trees of about 900 varieties of citrus. Viewers will also get a unique opportunity to meet some unsung heroes: the scientists and researchers developing new varieties of fruits and vegetables and biological solutions to diseases and pests that prey on California’s crops.
Also, in the same episode, they’ll meet Sam Maloof, a master woodworker who counts U.S. presidents among his clients and whose rocking chairs sell for as much as $50,000. Maloof, 90, who teaches woodworking at UCR Extension and is self-taught, shows KCET reporter Toni Guinyard his home, which is a landmark open to the public, and his exquisite furniture.
The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.
A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.