damage can be masked by the handling that occurs
during sweeping, pickup, and processing. Our trial
data has found that as much as four percent more
damage can be found in harvest samples than what
was indicated in the processor report. In other words,
when we found an estimated five percent damage/
reject level in the harvest sample, the processor
indicated a one percent rejection level. The four
percent discrepancy is most likely due to damaged
nuts lost during the harvesting process (i.e. sweeping,
pick-up, and removed during hulling and/or shelling).
This is still lost crop even though it isn't detected in
the processor reports!
Another reason for performing a harvest sample is
to identify the type of damage that occurred. For
example, ant damage often does not show up in the
final grade because the chewed kernels are often
blown out the back of the pick-up machine and are not
present in the delivery sample taken at the receiving
station. Gummy nuts due to nutrient deficiencies,
feeding damage, or other conditions are also lumped
together as rejects on grower statements. Growers
should also consider requesting a breakdown of
the causes of the reject damage in their deliveries
by contacting their huller/sheller or
Blue Diamond
Regional Manager. That information will then be
printed on the statement growers receive along with
their Delivery Advance Payment.
Collecting a harvest sample is easy. In each block
of concern, collect 500 nuts from the ground after
shaking and place them in a paper bag. Two samples
of 250, or four samples of 125 nuts from differing
areas of the block can also be collected, but try to
keep the total number of nuts per block at 500. Store
the bags in a freezer until they can be cracked out.
This may be several weeks after harvest. Check for
signs of pests and disease once the nuts are shelled.
Compare damaged nuts to pictures found at the UC
IPM website:
. A hand sheller
can be helpful in processing many samples. It can take
60 to 90 minutes for each sample depending on size.
Five hundred nuts split into four 125 nut samples should
suffice for a 40-acre block.
Understanding the types and intensity of damage to
harvested nuts allows the development of the most
cost-effective methods to manage orchard pests. If
orchard practices are changed for a season, a harvest
sample can provide information on whether the
changed practices affect marketable yields.
Dust Management
A major concern when harvesting is dust stirred up by
harvesting equipment. To reduce dust, consider oiling
or wetting roads, maintaining clean orchard floors,
using correct settings on the sweeper head, reducing
blower passes, and reducing harvester speed to allow
more time for gravity separation. Also, when working
near the edges of fields, it is important to blow
inward so canopies can naturally filter the dust. These
practices are important in all operations, but are of
greater concern when near roads, schools, homes, or
other residential areas.
Stockpile Management
While waiting to be processed, almonds can be
stockpiled. Stockpiling has a number of advantages,
including getting the almonds out of the orchard
sooner, the ability to perform postharvest practices,
reduce in-field ant infestations, and allowing greater
flexibility in scheduling transport to the processor.
When stockpiling, make sure that the moisture content
of hulls and kernels is less than 12 percent and six
percent, respectively, and choose a location which is
Dust at harvest is always a concern. Adjust equipment and
harvest equipment passes to reduce dust movement onto the
roads and other people’s property.
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