Dr. Bruno Jl Pitton

Environmental Horticulture Advisor

Cooperative Extension Placer County
11477 E Avenue
Auburn, CA 95603
bjpitton@ucanr.edu

http://ceplacer.ucanr.edu

Biography

Bruno Pitton is the University of California Cooperative Extension Environmental Horticulture Advisor for Placer and Nevada Counties.

Previously, he worked in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California in Davis, administering a grant-funded research and extension program for California’s nursery and greenhouse industry. Bruno has over twenty years of experience in Environmental Horticulture, beginning with his undergraduate education at UC Davis.

While an undergraduate student, he worked at the UC Davis Student Farm and the Arboretum Teaching Nursery. After graduation, he was employed in operations at the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ research greenhouses and teaching gardens. In the greenhouses, he oversaw integrated pest management, irrigation, and fertilizer programs for plant science research. He managed the teaching gardens and educated students in all aspects of landscape maintenance from urban forestry to perennial propagation and planting.

While working in the CA&ES greenhouses and teaching gardens, he conducted research on residential irrigation runoff with UCCE Environmental Horticulture Specialist Dr. Loren Oki and received an MS in Horticulture and Agronomy. In 2015, he began working full-time with Dr. Oki on a nationwide research project to develop online decision support tools for helping nursery and greenhouse growers reuse their irrigation runoff water. He collaborated with two California nurseries to understand irrigation application and runoff patterns and with academics to develop cleanwater3.org. He secured over $600,000 in funding for his PhD research on nitrogen management in nursery production to help growers meet state regulations, increase nitrogen use efficiency, and reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen loss.

After completion of his PhD, he conducted research to optimize nutrient application rates in the vegetable transplant industry and developed irrigation best management practice training for California’s underserved greenhouse and nursery staff to improve water-use efficiency and plant health.

Bruno is excited to be the UCCE Environmental Horticulture Advisor for Placer and Nevada Counties and wants to help improve the sustainability of the landscape and nursery industry while providing home gardeners with science-based solutions.

Education

Ph.D. Horticulture and Agronomy, University of California, Davis. 2021

M.S. Horticulture and Agronomy, University of California, Davis. 2012

B.S. Environmental Horticulture, University of California, Davis. 2004

Bibliography

Peer Reviewed

• Yang, Z.; Oki, L.R., et al.; Sisneroz, J.A.; Haver, D.L.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2023). Effect of landscape irrigation regulations on runoff volume from low-density residential catchments during two California droughts. Heliyon. 10:23602.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Wikramanayake, A.M., et al.; Johnson, G.E. (2023). Mechanically-incorporated controlled-release fertilizer results in greater nitrogen and salt leaching losses from soilless substrate in containers. Horticulturae. 9:42.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Oki, L.R., et al.; Sisneroz, J.A.; Evans, R.Y. (2022). A system nitrogen balance for production of a containerized woody ornamental plant. Scientia Horticulturae. 291:110569.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Johnson, G.E., et al.; Haver, D.L.; Oki, L.R. (2022). Water use and estimated evapotranspiration at a California container plant nursery. Acta Horticulturae. 1335:651.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Zhu Barker, X., et al.; Horwath, W.R.; Evans, R.Y.; Oki, L.R. (2021). Gas flux from a fir-bark substrate at an ornamental nursery. Acta Horticulturae. 1305:537.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Evans, R.Y., et al.; Zhu-Barker, X.; Oki, L.R. (2021). Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential from a woody ornamental production system using a soilless growing substrate. ACS Agricultural Science and Technology. 1:35.
• Redekar, N.; Bourret, T., et al.; Eberhart, J.; Johnson, G.E.; Pitton, B.J.L.; Haver, D.L.; Oki, L.R.; Parke, J. (2020). Assessment of oomycete pathogens in a recycled irrigation water system at a horticultural nursery in southern California. Water Research. 183:116050.
• Nackley, L.L.; Fernandes de Sousa, E., et al.; Pitton, B.J.L.; Sisneroz, J.A.; Oki, L.R. (2020). Developing a water-stress index for potted poinsettia production. HortScience. 55:1295.
• Gorgoglione, A.; Bombardelli, F.A., et al.; Pitton, B.J.L.; Oki, L.R.; Haver, D.L.; Young, T.M. (2019). Uncertainty in the parameterization of sediment build-up and wash-off processes in the simulation of sediment transport in urban areas. Environmental Modeling and Software. 111:170.
• Pitton, B.J.L.; Hall, C.R., et al.; Haver, D.L.; White, S.A.; Oki, L.R. (2018). A cost analysis for using recycled irrigation water in container nursery production: a Southern California nursery case study. Irrigation Science. 36:217.
• Gorgoglione, A.; Bombardelli, F.A., et al.; Pitton, B..J.L.; Oki, L.R.; Haver, D.L.; Young, T.M. (2018). Role of sediments in insecticide runoff from urban surfaces: analysis and modeling. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 15:7.
• Oki, L.R.; Bodaghi, S., et al.; Lee, E.; Haver, D.L.; Pitton, B.J.L.; Nackley, L.L.; Mathews, D. (2017). Elimination of Tobacco mosaic virus from irrigation runoff using slow sand filtration. Scientia Horticulturae. 217:107.
• Bale, A.E.; Greco, S.E., et al.; Pitton, B.J.L.; Haver, D.L.; Oki, L.R. (2017). Pollutant loading from low-density residential neighborhoods in California. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 189:386.
• Pitton, B.J.L; Dodge, L.L., et al.; Gan, J.; Greco, S.E.; Haver, D.L.; Lee, E.; Majcherek, T.J.; Oki, L.R. (2016). Comparison of pollutant concentrations from weekly discrete versus daily composite samples for residential dry-weather runoff. Journal of Environmental Management. 180:10.
• Oki, L.R.; Nackley, L.L., et al.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2016). Slow Sand Filters. A Biological Treatment Method to Remove Plant Pathogens from Nursery Runoff. Acta Horticulturae. 1140:139.

Non-Peer Reviewed

• Arrington, D.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). California goldenrod - Solidago veluntina ssp. californica. https://www.pcwa.net/smart-water-use/summer-strong
• Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Increased grasshopper activity in areas of Placer County. June 6, 2024. . https://www.placer.ca.gov/9777/Increased-grasshopper-activity-in-areas-
• Arrington, D.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Manzanita hybrids - Arctostaphylos spp. https://www.pcwa.net/smart-water-use/summer-strong
• Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Nitrogen management in nursery production. Western Region International Plant Propagator's Society 2024 Meeting Proceedings.R. Stewart.
• Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Recycling nursery irrigation water could save you a lot of money. UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance Newsletter. Nov. 21, 2024. https://ucnfa.ucdavis.edu/news/recycling-nursery-irrigation-water-could-save-you-lot-money
• Arrington, D.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Red-flowered buckwheat - Erigonum grande var. rubescens. https://www.pcwa.net/smart-water-use/summer-strong
• Johnson, G.E.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Rethinking your fertilizer. GrowerTalks. Oct. 1, 2024. https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=27007
• Del Castillo Múnera, J.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). UCNFA’s Commitment to Supporting California’s Greenhouse and Nursery Industry. UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance Newsletter. July 8, 2024. https://ucnfa.ucdavis.edu/news/ucnfas-commitment-supporting-californias-greenhouse-and-nursery-industry
• Arrington, D.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Valley Violet California lilac - Ceanothus maritimus. https://www.pcwa.net/smart-water-use/summer-strong
• Arrington, D.; Pitton, B.J.L. (2024). Western Redbud. Cercis occidentalis. https://www.pcwa.net/smart-water-use/summer-strong

ANR Workgroup Associations

• Floriculture and Nursery - Member
• Irrigation Management - Member
• Landscape and Urban Horticulture - Member

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