Almond Facts, May-June 2021

IN YOUR ORCHARD Pest Control Delivering high quality nuts improves grower returns by increasing good meat weights and increasing price/kernel pound (processor incentive). Some practices intended to improve nut quality can be effective but are also relatively expensive, so identifying practices offering the best return on investment are critical to delivering the best net return to grower. Here’s a list of summer pest management practices ranked from lowest to highest cost, so hopefully, the best return on investment (ROI). The point of this ranking is to draw attention to the high ROI practices, NOT to reduce the importance of the lower potential ROI practices that are critical parts of a successful pest management program. All pest management practices need to be considered in an IPM program as hull split approaches. 1. Timely harvest is, basically free (no added cost) NOW management. It should mean reduced NOW damage compared to later harvests. Timely harvest doesn’t mean shaking before all the nuts have split. Once 100% hull split is reached (all nuts in the tree are at least at 2C stage — when the nuts split open with gentle pressure from each end of the nut) the crop should shake clean. The goal is to get nuts, especially Non-pareil, on the ground before or early in the 3rd generation egg-laying. Female moths cannot readily find nuts on the orchard floor to lay eggs. • Talk with your Blue Diamond rep about balancing potential crop damage and inshell production to maximize quality incentives and your income. Harvest isn’t here, but it is time to prepare and plan for it. 2. Ant management: The longer nuts are on the orchard floor, the greater the risk of ant damage. In 2020, ant damage was up over previous years, based on conversations with PCAs and industry reps. This damage increase may have been linked to extended drying time on the orchard floor due to smoky skies. The fire risk is high this year. • Ant bait materials deliver inexpensive and effective ant control. Timing and use practices are critical to successful ant control. • Only protein feeding ants (pavement or fire ants) feed on almonds. Check orchards ahead of application timing to make sure that protein feeding ants are present. See monitoring details at: www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/almond/Ants. • Bait active ingredients differs and so does timing of different products for best results. Clinch or Esteem Ant Ant damage. Photo credit: Franz Niederholzer Fire ants on an almond. Photo credit: UC Regents 5 0 A L M O N D F A C T S