West Coast Nut - November 2020 by JCS Marketing, Inc.

WEST COAST NUT NOVEMBER 2020 ISSUE SPOTLIGHT:

2021 ALMOND POLLINATION OUTLOOK SEE PAGE 12

IN THIS ISSUE:

CROWN GALL A VEXING ISSUE FOR WALNUT GROWERS SEE PAGE 36

FUNGAL CANKER DISEASES IN ALMONDS SEE PAGE 42

ROOTSTOCKS FOR A MORE PROFITABLE ALMOND ORCHARD SEE PAGE 54

NOVEMBER

See Page 86

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Publisher: Jason Scott Email: jason@jcsmarketinginc.com Editor: Marni Katz Email: marni@jcsmarketinginc.com Associate Editor: Cecilia Parsons Email: cecilia@jcsmarketinginc.com Production: design@jcsmarketinginc.com Tel: 559.352.4456 Fax: 559.472.3113 Web: www.wcngg.com

By the Industry, For the Industry

IN THIS ISSUE 4 12

Theresa Kiehn Acting President and CEO, AgSafe

Danita Cahill Contributing Writer

Rich Kreps CCA, SSp, Contributing Writer

Roger Duncan UCCE Farm Advisor, Stanislaus County

Mitch Lies Contributing Writer

Allan Fulton UCCE Irrigation and Water Resources, Emeritus Advisor

Catherine Merlo Contributing Writer Luke Milliron UCCE Orchards Systems Advisor

Brittney K. Goodrich Assistant UCCE Specialist, Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis

Crystal Nay Contributing Writer

Hazelnut Marketing Board Contributing Writer

Jerome Pier Ph.D., CCA, PCA, North Valley Division Agronomist for Nutrien Ag Solutions, Board President, Western CCA

Brent Holtz UCCE County Director and Farm Advisor, San Joaquin County

Florent P. Trouillas Assistant UCCE Specialist, Dept. of Plant Pathology, UC Davis

Roger A. Isom President/CEO, WAPA Katherine Jarvis-Shean UCCE Farm Advisor, Sacramento and Yolo Counties

UC Cooperative Extension Advisory Board Surendra K. Dara UCCE Entomology and Biologicals Advisor, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties Kevin Day County Director/UCCE Pomology Farm Advisor, Tulare/Kings Counties Elizabeth Fichtner UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County Katherine Jarvis-Shean UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Kern County

Steven Koike Tri-Cal Diagnostics

Jhalendra Rijal UCCE Integrated Pest Management Advisor, Stanislaus County Kris Tollerup UCCE Integrated Pest Management Advisor, Parlier Mohammad Yaghmour UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Kern County

View our ePublication on the web at www.wcngg.com

2021 Almond Pollination Outlook: Economic Outlook and Other Considerations

Contributing Writers & Industry Support Vicky Boyd Contributing Writer

Information Resources to Make an Irrigation Plan for Next Year

20 28 36 42 48

Nitrogen Fertilization and Whole-Orchard Recycling in Almond Almond Prices Remain Under Pressure, But is There an Upside? Crown Gall a Vexing Issue for Walnut Growers Main Fungal Canker Diseases Affecting California Almonds A Look at Supplemental Pollination with Drones and Electrostatic Sprayers

Consider Alternative Rootstocks for a More Profitable Almond Orchard

58 60 62 66 68 70 74 76

Avoid Nutrient Tie-Up and Overload New Ag Employer Legislation for COVID-19 Updating Hazelnut Nutrition Guidelines for New Varieties Why You Should Choose a Certified Crop Advisor Postharvest Steps for Hazelnuts Anthracnose Not Significant in Pistachios…Yet Farm Advisor Profile: Surendra Dara FDA Announces New Key FSMA Rule to Advance Traceability of Foods

78 82

Postharvest Vertebrate Management Pistachio Theft at Setton Pistachio

The articles, research, industry updates, company profiles, and advertisements in this publication are the professional opinions of writers and advertisers. West Coast Nut does not assume any responsibility for the opinions given in the publication.

SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE:

UCCE Assistant Specialist Brittney K. Goodrich provides her annual insights on what growers can expect for the upcoming pollination season as they begin to settle their agreements for the 2021 season. See page 12

November 2020

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INFORMATION RESOURCES TO MAKE AN IRRIGATION PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR By ALLAN FULTON | UCCE Irrigation and Water Resources, Emeritus Advisor, LUKE MILLIRON | UCCE Orchards Systems Advisor and KATHERINE JARVIS-SHEAN | UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor

s the 2020 fall harvest season ends and we turn toward the winter season, there is an opportunity to reflect upon the past irrigation season and prepare for 2021 by looking for irrigation management information. Good irrigation management involves understanding your irrigation system and utilizing available information to decide how much to irrigate and when. Many resources are available to inform your irrigation management and allow you to refine your 2021 irrigation plan.

Getting Irrigation Right

We principally think of irrigation management affecting tree and crop development as spring/summer shoot growth, fruit and nut development, bud development for next year’s crop and uniform crop maturity. While this is true, irrigation management impacts several other aspects of your orchard including disease and pest pressures, nutrient and salinity management and

costs. As an orchard becomes established, irrigation management influences disease pressure. The orchard provides the host plants for various pathogens (Phytophthora, Monilinia, Rhizopus and others,) and irrigation affects whether the orchard environment is favorable for the disease to aggressively infect the trees or not. Later-season crop development affects pest control (i.e. navel orangeworm), harvest efficiency and the vitality of next season’s fruit buds. Irrigation also affects postharvest tree condition and risk of fall frost damage and winter cold injury. Throughout the season, irrigation management impacts energy and fertilizer costs as well as salinity management where it is a concern. Irrigation management is further compounded in the early years of orchard establishment when tree size is rapidly changing. Irrigation management can affect the rate of tree growth and time for an orchard to begin to pro-

duce. Irrigation interacts with pruning, tree training, number of replants and uniformity of a young orchard.

Irrigation System Performance

Attention to irrigation system performance is an important part of irrigation management. Knowing the average hourly water application rate of a pressurized irrigation system and having a sense of how uniformly water is applied across an orchard gets at the crux of irrigation system performance. Without knowing the hourly water application rate, it is difficult to translate how the hundreds of hours of irrigation throughout a season relate to crop water use and assess how well seasonally applied water met the crop needs. It is equally as important to know whether the average hourly rate of water applied was uniform across the orchard. Irrigation uniformity is dependent upon the irrigation

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Continued from Page 4 system design, maintenance and repair practices. Some resource conservation districts in the Central Valley have a history of offering mobile irrigation lab services to support growers. These labs are available to perform on-farm evaluations of irrigation system performance. Below are two suggestions to explore. If they cannot provide an evaluation on your farm, perhaps they can suggest some alternatives. Northwest Kern Resource Conservation District. •

kerndelta.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/01/Mobile-LabFlyer-2020.pdf

Resource Conservation District of Tehama County •

tehamacountyrcd.org/services/lab2. html

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November 2020

Wondering if you might be able to do it yourself? Check out the UC-ANR publication titled “Irrigation and Nitrogen Management”. Page 5 describes how to perform a rapid evaluation of irrigation system distribution uniformity. Also, the Almond Board of California provides a short four-minute video describing a more detailed method similar to that used by the irrigation mobile labs. California Institute for Water Resources: Irrigation and Nitrogen Management •

ciwr.ucanr.edu/files/300671.pdf

Almond Board of California: Irrigation Tools •

https://www.almonds.com/ tools-and-resources/grower-tools/ irrigation-tools

Irrigation Scheduling

An irrigation system application rate

feeds into using irrigation scheduling tools. Irrigation scheduling involves deciding if irrigation is needed, and if so, when to apply it and how much water to apply. Irrigation scheduling is effective when the irrigation system applies water at a high level of uniformity. An assortment of irrigation scheduling tools is available to growers to help determine when to run their irrigation system and for how long. Generally, these tools either monitor weather conditions, soil moisture levels or tree water status. Weather is monitored to estimate daily crop evapotranspiration (ETc) rates and determine if the amount of water from irrigation, rainfall and soil storage appears in balance with crop water use. Soil moisture may be monitored at different soil depths to help maintain reasonable levels of soil moisture throughout the growing season. Tree water status may be monitored as a direct indicator of an orchard’s irrigation needs, the effective root zone and how the trees are inte-

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Self-Study Irrigation Resources

Self-study irrigation video tutorials and podcasts are available to assist learning and development of irrigation management skills and practices. Some examples with brief descriptions are listed below: •

sacvalleyorchards.com/et-reports/ et-how-to-video-series or curesworks. org/cecourses

The self-study videos provided at the above websites offer the same content with a few differences. The video series offered on both websites is sponsored by UC ANR. It offers 3.5 hours of instruction for using regional reports of real-time crop evapotranspiration and knowledge of irrigation system performance to schedule irrigations. It considers young developing and established orchards. It also discusses integrating soil moisture and tree water status monitoring to help make irrigation management decisions. The series wraps up looking to the future of orchard irrigation management technology and approaches. The Sacramento Valley Orchards blog provides the video series in shorter segments for greater viewing flexibility, but does not offer continuing education credits. The Curesworks website offers the video series in five segments (each 0.5 to 1.0 hour long) with post-testing available to acquire continuing education credits if needed.

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Again, there is some overlap and differences in the podcasts provided at these websites. Four 30-minute podcasts are offered at the Curesworks website (bottom of the page.) Post-testing is available to receive continuing education credits. Topics include irrigation and tree health, basic irrigation monitoring, irrigation management with plant stress and optimizing the irrigation system. The same irrigation management podcasts plus other orchard management

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Figure 1. Example of changing canopy size in a young, developing walnut orchard from April 15, 2017 (above) through September 15, 2018 (below). Photos courtesy A. Fulton.

Continued from Page 7

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topics are available at the “Growing the Valley Podcast” website without the post-testing and continuing education credits. •

sacvalleyorchards.com/et-reports/ et-calculators/

A series of calculators is available at this link. They help you apply the irrigation management lessons offered in the videos and podcasts summarized above to your farm. Specifically, the calculators help you find out how much water your system applies and then how long to irrigate based on ET and your system’s output.

provides discussions from “big picture” perspectives but also drills down to field level management practices. Specifically, there is a section on “Crop management practices under limited water supply: Permanent crops”. No post-testing or continuing education credits are offered with this seminar series. Even if water at your orchard is not limited at the moment, you may want to save this link for future reference.

Sample from Video Tutorials: Young Orchard Irrigation

A variety of information is discussed in the video tutorials discussed above. One focus is utilizing weekly regional ETc reports to inform water needs, and help decide when to irrigate and how long to run an irrigation system. These • ciwr.ucanr.edu/California_Drought_ reports provide estimates of water use Expertise/Insights__Water_and_ for mature orchards that are in producDrought_Online_Seminar_Series/ tion. A common question is: how to modify the information in these reports This online video seminar series dates for use in newly planted orchards with back to 2013-14 and consists of about 40 initially smaller but rapidly growing different videos. It is sponsored by UC’s canopies (Figure 1)? California Institute for Water ResourcIn these videos, a simple methodoles. Its focus is drought preparedness and drought management strategies. It Continued on Page 10

November 2020

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Example use of a digital photo to estimate canopy size or percent canopy shading. In this prune orchard, canopy size or shaded area is estimated at about 40%.

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR PERMANENT CROPS

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Fraction (percent) of Kc or ETc for mature orchards

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Figure 2. By applying the relationship between midday canopy shaded area and fraction of ETc for mature orchards, the weekly ETc for this prune orchard is estimated to be 67% of a mature orchard.

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ogy is suggested and demonstrated to modify the weekly reported rates of crop water use (ET) to reflect varying tree age and size (See Figure 2). It involves use of a midday digital photo and applying science-based relationships between canopy size (light interception) and ETc. As new research is reported, this relationship may be updated. There are plenty of sources of great information on how to optimize your irrigation management. We’ve experienced that the best management comes from integrating multiple sources of information including weather, soil and plant stress measurements. Winter is a great time to reflect on and learn from a wide variety of resources to help in that decision-making process.

Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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2021 Almond Pollination Outlook: Economic Outlook and Other Considerations Series of Natural Disasters May Impact Pollination Supplies for Coming Season

By BRITTNEY K. GOODRICH | Assistant UCCE Specialist, Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis, and JENNIE L. DURANT | USDA-NIFA Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Davis and University of Oregon

he year 2020 has certainly been interesting on many accounts. It started off well for almond growers with near-perfect pollination weather in February, promising a large almond

crop. Things changed quickly following almond bloom as the world shut down due to COVID-19. In this article, information is provided that will be useful as growers begin to settle their agreements

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November 2020

for the 2021 almond pollination season.

Almond Industry Update

Currently, almond prices are hovering around $1.50-$2.00/lb., depending on variety, which is roughly 30% below their five-year average of $2.90/ lb. Due to the increasing demand for almond pollination services over the past two decades, pollination costs now represent a substantial share of annual operating expenses for almond growers, rivaling both harvest and irrigation costs (Champetier, Lee and Sumner, 2019). Tight profit margins mean almond operations will closely scrutinize any production expenses, and will likely look closely into their pollination expenses as they establish contracts in the coming months as a consequence. There has been much interest in recent years in planting self-compatible almond varieties (Independence and Shasta) as a way to decrease pollination and other production expenses. In 2020, an estimated 7% of bearing almond acreage in California was in self-compatible varieties, but in 2019, self-compatible varieties represented 21% of new plantings. Recently, an article published in Nature found the Independence variety showed an increase in yield by 20% from allowing bee visitation (Sáez et al. 2020). This study eliminates any claims that these self-compatible varieties do not require

honey bee colonies for commercial production.

Colony Demand and Shipments

Figure 1 plots the estimated demand for colonies based on bearing almond acreage each year compared with total colony shipments into California. Estimated demand is Figure 1. Estimated demand and colony shipments, 2008-2021. calculated using 2 colonies per acre Sources: 2008-2019 Almond Acreage Reports, USDA NASS and CDFA; Apiary Shipments through California Border for traditional varieties and 1 colony Protection Stations, CDFA Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services. per acre for self-compatible varieties. There is consistently a gap between estimated demand and colony shipments remember, 2019 likely required more transferred from the Northern Great which is filled by colonies that remain colonies due to the rainy, cold weather Plains to the Pacific Northwest after in California year-round. compared with the 2020 bloom’s warm honey production is finished to be held For the 2020 almond bloom, roughand sunny weather. In February 2021, (often indoors) until almonds bloom in ly 1.2 million almond acres required an estimated 2.5 million colonies will California. So, even though Idaho looks an estimated 2.4 million honey bee be required for almond pollination. like the top shipping state according colonies for pollination. According to This amounts to approximately 88% of to CDFA border shipment data, many apiary shipment data provided by the the total colonies in the U.S. on Jan. 1, of those colonies in reality are coming California Department of Food and 2020. from elsewhere. The shipment of colAgriculture, 1.9 million honey bee coloIdaho, North Dakota and Florida onies to storage in the Pacific Northnies were shipped into California from remained the top three states shipping west is a trend that looks to continue other states for the 2020 bloom; this colonies into California (Figure 2, see 10/19/20 PM was down Antles_WCN_Ad1C_101920.pdf 3% from 2019. For those 1who page11:47 14.) Many honey bee colonies are Continued on Page 14

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Figure 2. Colonies shipped into California by state for 2020 almond pollination.

Source: Apiary Shipments through California Border Protection Stations, CDFA Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services.

Continued from Page 13 into the future. Many beekeepers have seen lower mortality rates from storing colonies indoors over the winter.

Weather Impacts on Colony Supply

The 2020 season has seen a number of weather incidents that have the potential to impact colony populations and overall colony health. By mid-Sep-

tember, over 3.4 million acres had burned due to wildfires in California while over 1.5 million acres had burned across Oregon, Washington and Idaho. During July to Sept. 2019, up to 1 million colonies were located in these states, roughly half of what is required for almond pollination. It is unclear how many of these colonies have been (or will be) impacted by the wildfires, but the wildfires have the potential to

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severely impact beekeeping operations in these areas as well as the 2021 supply of colonies for almond pollination. Most colonies in the U.S. spend their summers in the Northern Plains where abundant forage leads to large honey yields and healthy colonies. However, the Northern Plains may not have been its usual haven for honey bee colonies this year. Figure 3 (see page 16) shows the percentage of area in the Northern Plains (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota) that was abnormally dry or in worse drought conditions. At the beginning of June, 36% of the Northern Plains was at least abnormally dry. By the beginning of July, this number had increased to 62%, with 12% of the total area in a severe drought. It is possible honey flow in this area was affected, which ultimately may impact the health of colonies going into 2021. Another natural disaster, Hurricane Laura, devastated parts of Louisiana and Texas in August. These states supplied at least 6% of the colonies for almond pollination in 2020. Hurricane Sally was not as strong as Hurricane Laura, but still caused extensive damage in parts of Alabama and Florida in September. These states supplied at least 10% of colonies for almond pollination in 2020. The impact of these hurricanes on colony supplies may be minimized because they occurred at times when many colonies were likely still in the Northern Plains for honey production.

Continued on Page 16 14

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November 2020

Figure 3. Percentage of Northern Plains area in drought monitor categories.

Note: USDA Climate Hub Region of Northern Plains includes: (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota).

Almond Pollination Fees Continued from Page 14 This article was written early enough that the 2020 California State Beekeeper’s Association (CSBA) pollination fee survey was not yet available, so fees cannot be reported from the 2020 almond pollination market (which would have included projections for 2021.) However, what is likely the largest survey of pollination fees to date is currently available. In December 2019-February 2020, researchers at UC Davis and Duke University conducted an online survey of over 300 almond growers to better understand pollination decisions. The sample represented roughly 14% of almond acreage in 2019. Seventy-five percent of growers who rented colonies in 2019 provided the minimum colony strength requirement associated with their largest almond pollination contract. Table 1 (see page

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17) shows the average almond pollination fee by the minimum average frame count requirement for growers’ largest pollination contracts in 2015 and 2019. Pollination fees from 2015 were converted to 2019 dollars to adjust for inflation. The 2015 data come from a survey conducted at the 2015 Almond Conference (Goodrich, 2019). The 2015 survey has a smaller sample size than the more recent survey; however, paired together these surveys provide the first documentation of how fees have changed across colony strength categories over time. Across both surveys, the 8-frame minimum average frame count was the most frequently used colony strength requirement. In the 2019 survey, nearly a quarter of respondents who used colony strength requirements used a 6-frame minimum average, compared to only 7% in the 2015 survey. This shift could signal an increase in popularity of 6-frame requirement over time or may be due to the small sample size of the 2015 survey. It is clear across both surveys that pollination fees increase as the colony strength requirement increases. In 2019, the average premium associated with strong colonies (>8-frame average) compared to 8-frame colonies was 6.2%; 6-frame colonies were discounted on average by 1.7% compared to

November 2020

8-frame colonies, and weak colonies (<6-frame average) were discounted on average 3.1% compared to 8-frame colonies. Across all colony strength requirements, inflation-adjusted pollination fees increased by 5% between 2015 and 2019. This varied by category; the highest colony strength requirement of a minimum average above 8 frames increased by 9.4% on average, while the smallest colony strength requirement of less than 6 frames increased by 4.2%. The premiums associated with the highest colony strength category went from 2.3% to 6.2% above the 8-frame minimum average. This increase in premium could reflect either increased input costs associated with supplying high strength colonies, and/or an increase in the demand for high strength colonies relative to 8-frame colonies. The 2019 CSBA survey included projections for 2020 almond pollination fees. On average, the projected 2020 fee was $200 per colony. Despite the slight increase in demand for colonies, we don’t anticipate much difference between the 2020 and 2021 pollination fees, largely due to growers feeling the pressure of low almond prices. So, assuming the average fee for 8-frame colonies is $200 in 2021, based on the premiums in Table 1, larger than 8-frame colonies will rent for approximately $212 per colony, 6-frame colonies will rent for $195 per colony and less than 6-frame colonies will rent for $189 per colony. Those are rough estimates based on many assumptions, so take them with a grain

Table : Average almond pollination fees by average colony strength requirement, Seasons 2015 and 2019 2015 Survey (N=74) 2019 Survey (N=205) Percentage Change in Real Average Premium/Discount Average Colony Percentage of Premium/Discount Percentage of Pollination Fees 2015Pollination Fee compared to 8Strength Responses Average Pollination Fee compared to 8-frame Responses 2019 (2019 Dollars) frame Requirement <6-frame 5% ($ 179.73 ) -1.9% 10% ($ 187.25 ) -3.1% 4.2% 6-frame 7% ($ 177.05 ) -3.4% 24% ($ 189.96) -1.7% 7.3% 7-frame 7% ($ 178.12 ) -2.8% 8% ($ 191.41 ) -1.0% 7.5% 8-frame 61% ($ 183.27 ) 48% ($ 193.30 ) 5.5% >8-frame 20% ($ 187.57 ) 2.3% 10% ($ 205.28) 6.2% 9.4% Total ($ 183.17 ) ($ 192.78 ) 5.2% Note: 2015 fees adjusted to 2019 dollars using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis GDP Implicit Price Deflator Sources: 2015 Almond Pollination Contract Survey, B. Goodrich and R. Goodhue (2015) Survey on Bee-Friendly Practices in Almond Orchards, J. Durant and E. McNamara (2020)

Table 1. Average almond pollination fees by average colony strength requirement, Seasons 2015 and 2019. Note: 2015 fees adjusted to 2019 dollars using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis GDP Implicit Price Deflator. Sources: 2015 Almond Pollination Contract Survey, B. Goodrich and R. Goodhue (2015), Survey on Bee-Friendly Practices in Almond Orchards, J. Durant and E. McNamara (2020).

of salt. Additionally, if any of the supply issues discussed in the previous section materialize into significant colony losses, colonies could become harder to acquire and fees could increase substantially from 2020 levels. For more discussion of the survey findings, see Goodrich and Durant (2020).

Hive Density, Colony Strength and Crop Insurance

Because growers may be looking to cut pollination expenses this year due to low almond prices, the relationship between colony strength, hive density and crop insurance requirements is important. Beginning in 2013, USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) began allowing for substitution between colony strength and hives per acre in their almond crop insurance policy. The current policy document states as a guideline that a producer should have at minimum two colonies with 6 active frames, or its equivalent (USDA, 2018). Technically, that means one 12-frame colony per acre or 1.5 8-frame colonies per acre would satisfy this requirement. Almond growers can even deviate from this standard as long as they have consistently been using the same number of hives per acre and colony strength requirements and have had consecutive non-loss years. This flexibility in the policy allows growers to capitalize on benefits from self-fertile varieties that require fewer colonies per acre.

Oftentimes, growers focus on trying to lower the per-colony fee to cut pollination expenses. This may not be the best place to cut costs given the uncertainty in the supply of honey bee colonies. By trying to get the lowest fee possible, growers often end up with an unreliable beekeeper or colonies with very low strength. In past years, if you have been contracting for more than the crop insurance minimum of 12 active frames per acre, you might consider adjusting either your colony strength requirements or hive density. Your beekeeper might be open to contracting for a 6-frame average this year rather than an 8-frame average for a lower per-colony fee. Or you might adjust from using 2 colonies per acre at an 8-frame average, to the 1.5 colonies per acre required by crop insurance at that colony strength. Before substantially changing your hives per acre and/ or colony strength requirements, it is recommended that

you check with your farm advisors and crop insurance agent to make sure it won’t cause any problems with yields or crop insurance payments. There are other ways to lower pollination expenses that won’t impact the number of bees per acre. Negotiating with your beekeeper to pay a portion up front for a lower fee is one option.

November 2020

Continued on Page 18

www.wcngg.com

Continued from Page 17 Providing bee holding yards before bloom, locked gates in orchards or some other benefit to the beekeeper/ pollination broker may also get you a lower fee, though don’t count on substantial cuts.

Conclusions

In 2021, low almond prices will likely have growers wanting to cut expenses wherever possible. When

settling almond pollination agreements this fall, we encourage growers to remember that almond pollination requires most of the honey bee colonies in the U.S., so reliable pollination providers are important. If you have a good relationship with your beekeeper, don’t risk this year’s fruit set by trying to find someone who will offer you the lowest price. Communicating with your beekeeper and paying them a fair price for their colonies will likely ensure a secure supply of pollination

services in the years to come.

References

Champetier, A., H. Lee, and D.A. Sumner. 2019. “Are the Almond and Beekeeping Industries Gaining Independence?” Choices. Quarter 4. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/ theme-articles/pollination-service-markets-evolution-and-outlook/ are-the-almond-and-beekeeping-industries-gaining-independence Goodrich, B.K. 2019. “Contracting for Pollination Services: Overview and Emerging Issues.” Choices. Quarter 4. Available online: http://www. choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/pollination-service-markets-evolution-and-outlook/ contracting-for-pollination-services-overview-and-emerging-issues Goodrich, Brittney K. and Rachael E. Goodhue. “Honey Bee Colony Strength in the California Almond Pollination Market.” ARE Update 19(4) (2016): 5-8. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. https://giannini. ucop.edu/publications/are-update/ issues/2016/19/4/honey-bee-colony-strength-in-the-california-almond/ Goodrich, Brittney K. and Jennie L. Durant. “Going Nuts for More Bees: Factors Influencing California Almond Pollination Fees.” ARE Update 24(1) (2020): 5–8. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. https://giannini.ucop.edu/ publications/are-update/issues/2020/ Sáez, A., Aizen, M. A., Medici, S., Viel, M., Villalobos, E., & Negri, P. (2020). Bees increase crop yield in an alleged pollinator-independent almond variety. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-7. https://www.nature.com/articles/ s41598-020-59995-0 U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2018. Almond Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook 2019 and Succeeding Crop Years. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and Risk Management Agency, FCIC25020 (102018). Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Provides flexibility & convenience. Easily blends with most N fertilizers. Adds potassium & sulfur. Find more KTS® blends at www.cropvitality.com. ©2020 Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. All rights reserved. KTS® is a registered trademark of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc.

WHOLE-ORCHARD RECYCLING IN ALMOND EARLY NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IS IMPORTANT ON FIRST-YEAR, SECOND-GENERATION TREES

By BRENT HOLTZ | UCCE County Director and Farm Advisor, San Joaquin County, MAE CULUMBER | UCCE Farm Advisor, Fresno County, CAMERON ZUBER | UCCE Staff Research Assistant, Merced County, GREG BROWNE | USDA-ARS Research Plant Pathologist, UC Davis, MOHAMMAD YAGHMOUR | UCCE Farm Advisor, Kern County, SUDUAN GAO | USDA-ARS Soil Scientist, Parlier, AMISHA PORET-PETERSON | USDA-ARS, Research Microbiologist, UC Davis, and PHOEBE GORDON | UCCE Farm Advisor, Madera County

hole-orchard recycling (WOR) involves grinding whole trees into wood chips, spreading the wood chips evenly on the soil surface and incorporating them into the soil before replanting. This approach is a potentially sustainable method of tree removal that could enhance both air and soil quality. Before air quality restrictions, orchard removal meant pushing trees into large piles and burning them. But when air quality regulations were implemented in 2002 under the Clean Air Act, removed orchards were ground up with a tub or horizontal grinder and the woody debris was hauled to a co-generation plant to generate electricity. However, since 2015, many biomass co-generation facilities have closed throughout California because utility companies are looking for cleaner sources of energy (solar and wind) and not renewing contracts. The remaining co-generation facilities still open have reduced the amount of wood debris they will accept from orchard waste (and are required to take more forest waste) and reduced the price they pay for the debris. Thus, tree fruit and nut growers who wish to remove dead trees and unproductive old orchards need an alternative method of orchard removal that is sustainable. A growing team of researchers and growers implementing WOR are inves20

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tigating the benefits and drawbacks of this practice. Concerns expressed by growers include increased costs of orchard removal, nutrient deficiencies, disease potential A first leaf almond growing in a control row without wood chips, left, and wood debris and in a recycled row showing wood chips on the soil surface, right interfering with (all photos courtesy of Brent Holtz.) orchard practices. But a decade worth of research on WOR points to increased plant, carbon stored in the wood is lost yields, carbon storage, irrigation efficien- from the orchard system. A recycled cy and improved soil health. almond orchard returns approximateFurthermore, in 2018, the California ly 45 to 80 tons of wood chips per acre almond industry announced its Almond depending on the previous orchard’s tree Orchard 2025 Goals, which emphasize size, spacing density and the varieties the use of innovative, responsible and planted. The woody debris is approxsustainable growing practices that proimately 50% organic C, which means tect farms of the future. One of the four approximately 22 to 40 tons of organic 2025 goals focuses on finding high-value C is returned to the soil per acre during uses for almond hulls, shells and woody recycling. debris, committing to achieve zero waste There are benefits and tradeoffs assofrom orchards by putting everything ciated with returning this large volume grown to optimal use. Reaching that of C into the soil prior to replanting. New goal will require new outlets for almond research by Dr. Mae Culumber and Dr. co-products as well as the implementaSuduan Gao suggests 20 to 30% of this C tion of new practices such as WOR. can be lost as CO2 in the first year after recycling (See Figure 1, page 23). HowWOR Impacts on Soil ever, CO2 emissions drop substantially and Tree Nutrition after the first season, suggesting that the When the woody debris of ground trees are burned in a co-generation Continued on Page 22

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Continued from Page 20 majority of recycled wood chips may remain in the soil as long-term, slowly degraded sources of organic C. Organic C, which is the C stored in organic matter, promotes the physical and microbiological properties that influence improved water infiltration, retention and aeration. The enhanced soil structure promotes tree root growth. However, the higher carbon to nitrogen ratios of wood chips can decrease the availability of applied N fertilizers. Consequently, growers may need to apply nitrogen fertilizer at a greater than normal rate. Another concern is that the woody debris may be so large that it interferes with normal soil preparation and orchard management practices. If WOR can be managed so that it does not reduce the availability of nutrients, worsen replant disease or interfere with harvest, and can enhance long term soil health, nutrition, yield and water retention, then growers will embrace WOR as a viable alternative to burning woody debris in the field or a

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co-generation facility. In Dr. Brent Holtz's first orchard grinding trial, established in 2008 at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, stone fruit trees were recycled at a rate of 30 tons per acre using the Iron Wolf (a 50-ton rock crusher) and compared to field burning and incorporating the ash. Second-generation trees were replanted to almond that were observed for more than a decade. Significantly greater yields (Figure 2, see page 23), tree circumference (Figure 3, see page 23), more soil nutrients and organic matter and total carbon (Figure 4, see page 23) were observed in the grind treatment when compared to the burn. After eight harvest seasons, a cumulative 2,000-pound kernel increase per acre was observed from trees growing where the previous orchard was recycled when compared to trees growing where the previous orchard was burned. Leaf petiole analysis also revealed higher nutrient levels in trees growing in the grind treatment when compared to trees in the burn, thus

November 2020

demonstrating that WOR did not stunt replanted trees, but rather increased tree growth and yield. Later studies at this site showed that WOR increased the soil water infiltration rate and soil moisture retention while decreasing soil compaction and bulk densities. Significantly higher microbial biomass carbon was observed in the WOR treatment while microbial biomass nitrogen was decreased. A deficit irrigation trial established at Kearney provided evidence that trees growing where the previous orchard was recycled showed less water stress (Plos One paper, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0229588). Based on the positive results from this trial and the closure of co-generation plants, we estimate that more than 40,000 almond acres have been recycled in California since 2015. With the adoption of WOR, ten additional research trials were established throughout the San Joaquin Valley to further evaluate the impacts of WOR on

12000

10000

kernel lbs/acre

14000

Cumulative season CO2 loss tons/ha

100

25 0

Spring 2018

Winter 2018-2019

Summer 2019

Spring 2020

Nonpareil Cumulative Yield Grind

Burn

8000 6000 4000 2000 0

Figure 1. Carbon dioxide emissions in the recycled plots compared to controls.

Figure 2. Nonpareil Cumulative Yield, 2014-2019 1.0 0.9

7070 60 60

0.8

Circumference TreeTree Circumference Butte Grind

Butte Burn

Nonpareil Grind

Nonpareil Burn

Carmel Grind

Carmel Burn

Organic carbon (%)

Tree circumference (cm) (cm) Tree circumference

80 80

5050 40 40

3030 2020 1010 2009 2010 2011 0 2009 2010 2011 0

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019

Figure 3. Cumulative tree circumference was greater in all three varieties in the grind treatment when compared to the burn treatment. Butte circumference was greater than Nonpareil followed by Carmel.

tree health and soil quality. Initial observations in the new trials revealed that our nitrogen recommendation following WOR was too low, as reduced shoot growth in second-generation orchards was often observed in early spring of their first growing season after replanting. Consequently, nitrogen applications were often increased to address the likely imbalance between the C:N ratio resulting in the soil after WOR.

Nitrogen Trials After WOR

In a previous study conducted by David Doll (The Almond Doctor), he determined that conventionally planted first-year almond trees grew best when given between three to four ounces of actual N per tree (25 to 35 pounds N/acre) in their first growing season. This recommendation may not be enough, however, following WOR, especially if 45 to 80 tons of wood chips are incorporated back into the soil. In 2017, we tripled David’s recommendation by applying 11 ounces of N per tree through the season (ap-

0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Figure 4. Organic carbon (C) was significantly greater in the grind plots when compared to the burn.

proximately 100 pounds N per acre) after the team noticed reduced shoot growth in Louie Tallerico’s recycled almond orchard in Manteca, where 65 tons per acre was recycled. Trees that had initially showed reduced shoot growth responded nicely to the additional nitrogen. However, the team estimates that only 20% of the applied N and water reach the trees early in their first growing season when applied through a double-line drip irrigation system. As the trees mature and their roots expand, the double-line drip system will be more efficient at delivering N and water to trees. In 2018, the team put out a nitrogen trial in Jeff Warkentin’s first-year orchard in Parlier to see if we could determine more accurately the N requirements of first year almond trees after WOR. In order to more precisely apply N, triple 15 granular fertilizer (15-15-15) was hand-applied to each tree. Five treatment rates were put out with five tree replicates in a Latin Square designed experiment. After five months, each treatment

received zero, two, three, four and five ounces of additional nitrogen per tree. These applications were in addition to Warkentin’s fertigation through his double-line drip system at a rate of 1.73 ounces of N applied monthly from April to August. Again, the team expected that the grower-applied nitrogen through the double-line drip system was not immediately available because of emitter spacing and the limited range of the small tree roots. The first triple 15 application in March seemed to have an almost immediate impact on tree growth. Considerable precipitation in March effectively dissolved the granular nitrogen, and differences in shoot growth were visible between treatments in April. Leaf analysis showed that nitrogen treatments early in the season had a greater impact on nitrogen tissue levels than applications later in the season. Trunk diameter data showed that no additional benefit was

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Continued on Page 24 www.wcngg.com

Change in trunk diameter (in)

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

Control

Whole Orchard Recycling

Figure 5. Change in trunk diameters of first year almond trees fertilized at planting and given the same amount of nitrogen.

Continued from Page 23 received for applying more than four ounces of actual N per season per tree, in addition to what the grower applied. Timing of nitrogen may be more critical early in the growing season after whole orchard recycling. In Dr. Greg Browne’s studies, where he applied nitrogen with whole orchard recycling and anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), he too observed an increase in shoot growth early in the spring with early nitrogen applications. The team hypothesized that less nitrogen might be able to be used more efficiently if applied earlier in the growing season or at planting time. In the 2019 WOR trial at Kearney, 75 tons of wood chips per acre was recycled. One-quarter ounce of N was applied in the form of triple 15 at planting time, and again every two weeks with each irrigation, from April through June. The team then fertigated with one ounce of actual N per tree per month from July to September with UAN32. Button emitters were used, rather than drip irrigation, so that only water and fertilizer was applied at each tree site. The team ended up applying five total ounces of N per tree or 46.6 pounds N per acre. For the first time in the 24

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research trials, a significant increase in trunk diameters from trees growing after orchard recycling when compared to control trees was observed, growing where the previous orchard was not recycled, and given the same amount of nitrogen and phosphorous their first season (Figure 5). There is also evidence from Dr. Greg Browne and Dr. Phoebe Gordon’s trials that phosphorous could be important in first-year tree nutrition after WOR. They found that extra applications of phosphorous and nitrogen, as separate treatments, each improved tree growth, alone and in combintation.

Early Nitrogen Recommendations

The team is continuing to study early nitrogen and irrigation efficiency in more detail in a new trial at Kearney, but at this point in the studies, it is recommended to growers that they apply at least 5 to 8 ounces of actual N per tree (45 to 75 pounds N/acre) in the first year of tree growth following WOR. Early applications, starting at planting time, are more important than applications later in the season. Remember that nitrogen applications should be spread out so that no more than 1 ounce of actual nitrogen is applied per tree per application in the first year of tree growth in order to prevent

November 2020

nitrogen burn. Another advantage of using granular fertilizer applications early in the season is that some growers have applied too much water too early in the season in order to deliver the desired amount of nitrogen and have experienced Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot infections. In the WOR trials, additional nitrogen did not have to be applied above the normal recommendation in the second or following years of the studies to achieve the desired tree growth expected. The team hypothesizes that in the first season after WOR, the wood chips, and the microorganisms decomposing them, compete for available nitrogen while the C:N ratio has been dramatically increased. The wood chips and soil microorganisms, while competing for the nitrogen, may also prove beneficial by binding and immobilizing excess nitrogen that may have otherwise leached through the soil profile. As the wood chips decompose, nitrogen should be released slowly and become available for uptake by the trees. Increased nitrogen efficiency may be observed as the wood chips decompose and release bound nitrogen. Samples of wood chips were analyzed for their nutrient contents, which averaged 0.31% nitrogen, 0.20% potassium, 0.60% calcium, and 50% carbon. Thus, in the Manteca trial, where 64 tons of wood chips per acre was recycled, the team added 396 pounds of nitrogen, 768 pounds of calcium, 256 pounds of potassium and 64,000 pounds of carbon per acre. These nutrients will not be immediately available to the next-generation orchard, but as the woody material decomposes and soil organic matter increases, the stored nutrients will be released gradually and naturally.

How to Implement WOR

The first step of the WOR process is to excavate the trees from the ground with as much tree roots and crown as possible. The trees are then carried to a stationary horizontal grinder (or tub grinder) with a front-in loader and ground into wood chips using either two- or four-inch screen sizes that will limit chip size. When practicing WOR, it

is recommended that growers request the 2-inch screen, for the team believes the smaller wood chips will be less likely to interfere with orchard floor management activities or harbor potential pathogens. It may take longer to grind the orchard using a 2-inch screen, but the smaller wood chips will be easier to spread and incorporate. The wood chips are then loaded into modified manure spreaders and spread on the orchard floor. Care should be taken to spread the wood chips evenly over the entire orchard, for wood chips can often be 1-foot thick near the piles and only 1-inch thick in the far corners of the orchard. If the wood chips are not spread evenly, and left too deep in places, they can be difficult to incorporate and pull critical nutrients away from replanted trees. When the wood chips are spread evenly, they are usually only one to two inches thick over the entire soil surface and can be incorporated much more easily. After spreading the wood chips, most growers will have their orchard deep ripped (5 to 6 feet deep) to break up soil compaction layers, hard pans or to pull up large roots. Deep ripping is usually done while the wood chips are on the soil surface. After ripping, growers will typically stubble disk their fields in order to smooth out ruts created by the ripper and to incorporate the wood chips. Plowing or roto-tilling has also worked successfully to incorporate wood chips after ripping, and the equipment used typically depends on grower access. After wood chip incorporation, most growers will fumigate if they have plant parasitic nematodes or suspect replant disease. WOR has not interfered with fumigation efficacy in the initial trials, for the wood chips are usually incorporated in the top six inches of soil while the fumigates are injected at depths between 18 and 24 inches. After fumigation, the orchard floor is typically prepared for re-planting by disking, leveling and berm building while the new irrigation system is installed. The team strongly suggests that growers take a year off between taking out an orchard and replanting as trying to do all this in a few short months is

very difficult and stressful. Fortunately, with potted trees, growers have more flexibility and can replant in the late summer or fall if desired. Remember that all the wood chips don’t need to be completely incorporated or decomposed in the first year—you have three years before your first harvest of your next generation orchard. Several growers have successfully used a Northwest Tiller (or other forms of cultivation) to further incorporate wood chips and smooth the orchard floor for harvest. Nut harvest samples collected from bank out wagons found very few wood chips when growers used a Northwest Tiller to incorporate wood chips and smooth the orchard floor before their first harvest.

Caveats

There is some evidence that pathogens such as Ganoderma, a wood decay pathogen, or Armillaria, the Oak Root Rot pathogen, do not survive well after being wood chipped. The 2-inch screen is recommended if these pathogens are present and you recycle, for the pathogens don’t

survive as well in smaller pieces of wood. Wood-decomposing mushrooms are often observed in recycled orchards, and it is speculated that they could be inhibitory to pathogens, but this is one of many projects that has yet to be studied. To date, a disease problem in recycled orchards has not been observed, but there is no guarantee that WOR will control pathogens, and the process could very likely spread contaminated wood chips throughout the orchard. If the Oak Root Rot pathogen is present, fumigating at both deep and shallow depths with chloropicrin before replanting is recommended (Tri-Cal recommendation working with Dr. Adaskaveg.) The team’s research has focused on recycling wood from Prunus species, primarily stone fruit and almond, and the team does not have long-term experience with recycling wood from other tree species such as walnut, pistachio or citrus, and can’t assume that WOR will always give

Continued on Page 26

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Continued from Page 25 the same positive results under different scenarios.

will reward growers with funding from from growers. $300 to $600 per acre, up to $60,000 per year to implement WOR. For more Continuing WOR Studies Incentive Opportunities information on these incentive programs, The team of researchers studying WOR has been an expensive undervisit their website at valleyair.org or WOR has increased in the last couple taking for growers who used to get their email sjvapcd@valleyair.org. In 2019, the of years to find alternatives to field and orchards removed for practically nothing CDFA added WOR to their Healthy Soils co-generation burning. ABC, which when co-generation facilities were paying Initiative, and in 2020 gave 15 growers emphasizes stewardship of resources, nicely for wood waste. Now, growers can approximately $60,000 each to recycle sustainability and production efficienexpect to pay from $600 to $700 per acre their orchards (ttps://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ cy, has funded the team’s WOR project to have their orchard ground up, whether healthysoils/). to quantify the physical, chemical and they are keeping the wood chips or not. USDA Natural Resource Conservabiological soil properties on soil health If growers decide to keep their wood tion Service is in the process of develand the effects on tree growth, yield and chips and recycle their orchard, they oping a practice standard for WOR, so water use efficiency. In 2016, Dr. Amécan expect to pay an additional $200 to check with your local USDA NRCS for lie Gaudin was funded by the CDFA to $400 per acre to spread their wood chips incentives for growers to recycle through study the “Potential of Whole Orchard evenly back onto the soil surface. their Environmental Quality Incentives Recycling to Build Sustainability and Incentive opportunities from the San Program and Conservation Stewardship Resilience of Almond Production.” In Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Program. In addition, the Almond Board 2018, Dr. Mae Culumber was funded District (SJVAPCD) and the California of California is working on developing by the CDFA and ABC to study the Department of Food and Agriculture’s protocols for private company funding, “Influence of Whole Orchard Recycling (CDFA) Healthy Soil Initiative have for many food producing companies on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) made the cost of WOR more affordable. have set greenhouse gas reduction goals and Soil Health in a Newly Established SJVAPCD has approved a program that that they cannot achieve without help Almond Orchard.” In 2019, Dr. Amisha T. Poret-Peterson was funded by the CDFA to study “Optimizing fertilization and irrigation recommendations in a newly planted almond orchard after recycling.” In 2020, Dr. Mae Culumber was again funded by the CDFA to study the “Regional orchard soil health and greenhouse gas emissions after whole orchard recycling.” We are hoping that Dr. Suduan Gao will receive funding in 2021 from CDFA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant FOR to study “Water and nutrient use efficiency of almonds replanted after whole orchard recycling.” It is hoped that this TO team effort will demonstrate the success of whole-orchard recycling as a sustainable method of orchard removal and provide the scientific evidence needed to support legislation that allows growers to receive carbon credits for recycling their orchards. Carbon credits would encourage sustainable orchard removal practices, that can sequester significant amounts of carbon and help compensate growers for the huge expenses incurred when orchard recycling.

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Almond Prices Remain Under Pressure, But is There an Upside? Although 2020 Brought a Record Crop and COVID-19, Global Demand is Still There By CATHERINE MERLO | Contributing Writer

hen Buttonwillow farm manager Greg Actis planted 200 acres of almonds in 2019, prices for the nut crop had been on a downward slope for four years. By the time he put the young trees in the black soil of the ranch he oversees, his almond prices had flattened to about $2.50 a pound, well below the $5 peak the industry saw briefly in 2015.

West Coast Nut

Today, driving past that second-leaf orchard 25 miles west of Bakersfield, Actis has seen California almond prices continue to fall. Earlier this year, prices stood at about $1.40 a pound. That’s below the cost of production for many growers, although prices had improved to around $1.70 a pound by mid-September. “We knew the potential ups and

November 2020

downs associated with the almond crop and price when we planted those 200 acres,” said Actis, director of farming operations for Elk Grove Farming Co. The diversified company grows 1,200 acres of almonds and 2,000 acres of pistachios, plus cotton, alfalfa, onions and processing tomatoes. For Actis and the rest of California’s almond industry, 2020 has been a watershed year, bringing a record crop of 3 billion pounds and historically low prices. Rabobank estimates the ongoing 2020-21 crop is 18% higher than 2019-20’s production, “a milestone that was expected to be reached by 2022 or 2023,” the bank said in its August 2020 Agribusiness Review. Moreover, the overall almond supply, boosted by a hefty carryover from last season, is up nearly 40%, according to the August 2020 industry position report from the Almond Board of California. All of this comes as no surprise to the industry. California’s almond acreage has been expanding nonstop for more than a decade. Some 300,000 acres of new plantings took place between 2010 and 2019. In July, USDA-NASS estimated the state’s 2020 almond bearing acreage at 1.260 million. Others believe it’s slightly lower at about 1.251 million. The result of all that acreage along with “existing market conditions,” Rabobank said, is that “prices are likely to remain under pressure during the next few crop cycles.”

Almond prices stood at about $1.40 a pound earlier this year, improving to around $1.70 a pound by mid-September (all photos courtesy C. Merlo.)

And Then There Was COVID-19

What also has set 2020 apart, of course, is the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Supply chain disruptions slowed export sales for almonds during the pandemic’s early months, pressuring prices lower. That was no small impact, since overseas markets account for more than half of U.S. almond shipments. During 2019-20, Rabobank said,

USDA-NASS estimated the state’s 2020 almond bearing acreage at 1.260 million in July.

67% of U.S. almond shipments headed abroad. The slowdown was especially notable in India, the industry’s largest export customer. “COVID-19 closed India’s ports for a while,” said Lee Ann Pearce, manager of Wells Fargo’s Food and Agribusiness advisory group as well as its tree nut sector. “But its ports are opening. The

August shipments report showed good sales commitments with India.” Sluggish demand from the trade war with China and its accompanying high tariffs has also improved. “The Chinese came in strong to the market in August, helping lift pricing for almonds,” added Pearce. “We’re

Continued on Page 30

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Crop Value + Yield per Bearing Acre crop years 2009/10-2018/19

$7,944

2,540

$7,255

2,300

2,130

Value per Acre Yield per Acre in Pounds

2,280

2,210 2,010

1,880

2,200

2,000

2,090

$6,178 $5,010

$5,874 $5,209

$5,441 $5,017

$3,771

$3,058

9/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 Source: USDA, NASS 2019 California Almond Objective Forecast

Almond crop value per acre has dropped significantly since the 2014-15 growing season.

Continued from Page 29 also seeing increased interest in the EU and Middle East for new-crop commitments in the export market.”

Demand’s Uptick

In fact, “commitments have already crested 1 billion pounds, up 88% over last year,” noted Blue Diamond’s Bill Morecraft in the September 2020 edition of his monthly Almond Market Update. Morecraft is senior vice president at the well-known almond cooperative. By August of this year, India had increased its in-shell shipments by a whopping 105% over August 2019 levels. “Shipments to India for September and October are also anticipated to be very strong,” wrote Morecraft. As general manager of JSS Almonds, LLC, a Bakersfield-based processor and global marketer, Kim Kennedy follows the market carefully. He’s also seen sales and shipments increase. “From August to present [mid-Sep-

Continued on Page 32 30

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November 2020

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the short term” due to 2020’s higher production. “We can expect the rate of new plantings to decrease and older orchard removals to increase in the short term as a result,” he noted. But he also sees an upside to this year’s lower prices. “International and domestic shipments have increased over the previous year and will continue to strengthen as cheaper prices stimulate demand

Ampersand

Spock

Luigi

Robin

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tember], prices have firmed for both kernels and in-shell due to burgeoning demand from most major markets,” Kennedy said. “This demand is stimulated by both natural consumptive growth and attractive pricing.” Kennedy believes downward pressure on almond prices “will prevail in

around the globe,” said Kennedy. As global consumption expands and new almond production slows, “supply and demand will be more in balance in the coming years,” he added. “The long-term outlook for almonds remains bright.”

Continued on Page 34

“INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC SHIPMENTS HAVE INCREASED OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AS CHEAPER PRICES STIMULATE DEMAND AROUND THE GLOBE.”

- KIM KENNEDY, GENERAL MANAGER, JSS ALMONDS, LLC

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West Coast Nut

www.attuneag.com November 2020

Buttonwillow farm manager Greg Actis planted 200 acres of almonds in 2019.

California Almond Acreage

2010-2019

TBD*

7.3%

330,000

Bearing Acreage 240,000

1,170,000

170,000 120,000

75,000 800,000

7.3%

300,000

Non-Bearing Acreage Bearing Acreage Change from Previous Year

85,000 770,000

300,000

110,000

880,000

820,000

930,000 5.7%

950,000

970,000

2.2%

2.1%

2015

2016

1,030,000 6.2%

1,090,000 5.8% 5.8%

3.9%

2.7% 2010

2.5% 2011

2012

2013

2014

2017

2018

2019*

Source: USDA, NASS/PRO 2018 Acreage Report. *Estimate; non-bearing acreage for 2019 available in April 2020.

Bearing almond acreage in California has seen significant differences since 2016.

Continued from Page 32 Well Fargo’s Pearce agrees. “The market will absorb the large crop over time,” she said. “The almond industry is very innovative and will find products to meet demand.”

At Ground Level

Walking through his thriving

young almond orchard, Actis remains confident his company’s decision to plant additional almond acreage in 2019 was the right one. “Farming’s a gamble, but we’re optimistic in our investment in almonds,” he said. “We have total trust in our processors and marketers getting us, the customer, the top price.”

Further, he’s still making money on his mature almond trees. They grow in Kern County, the state’s top almond producer, where almonds have finally surpassed grapes as the top-grossing crop. The general cost of production for Actis’ almond operation is about $3,300 to $3,600 an acre, or $1.05 to $1.20 per pound. Per-acre yields on his mature trees range from 3,000 to 4,000 pounds, well above the industry average. Further, overall turnouts from his 2020 harvest are down from last year. Actis believes it will take 18 to 24 months for prices to return to the $2.50 per-pound range. Until then, he said, “we’ll look to control our production costs as well as we can and strive for yield and quality. “We believe in the long-term fundamentals of almonds,” he added, “and we’re happy with where we’re positioned.” Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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November 2020

Pistachio Prices Expected to Remain Stable

Pistachio prices per pound are projected to stay stable over the next five growing seasons.

By CATHERINE MERLO | Contributing Writer California’s pistachio crop will likely exceed 1 billion pounds for the first time ever.

istachio prices are expected to hold steady, even as California producers shake a record crop from their trees this year. The state’s pistachio crop will likely exceed 1 billion pounds for the first time, but favorable long-term demand should help support prices despite the global economic downturn amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to both Rabobank and American Pistachio Growers. “We expect average returns to the U.S. grower to remain relatively stable through 2025-26, but potential volatility is always looming, particularly during these unprecedented times,” said Rabobank authors David Magaña and Roland Fumasi in their July 2020 pistachio market outlook. They estimate an average return to growers of about $2.50 per in-shell pound between 2020-21 and 2025-26. The prices include average premiums and bonuses. Future pricing will depend on overall U.S. production, foreign competition, COVID-19 issues, trade barriers in various countries, tariffs in key markets and, ultimately, demand by consumers for pistachios, said APG President Richard Matoian. “We believe that, for the immediate and probably long-term future, pricing will remain stable and slightly increase for producers,” Matoian added. “However, any one of these issues could cause a more immediate spike upward or drop downward in prices, affecting grower returns.” November 2020

www.wcngg.com

Crown Gall a Vexing Issue for Walnut Growers Resulting Rootstock Damage Can Subject Trees to Future Damage By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer

rown gall can predispose a tree to future damage from pest and disease, reduce its longevity and lower yields throughout its life. And, according to USDA Agricultural Research Service plant pathologist Daniel Kluepfel, outside of labor-intensive, surgical control measures, once established,

there are no remedies for it beyond direct replacement of the affected tree. Crown gall, according to Kluepfel and Tulare County UCCE Farm Advisor Elizabeth Fichtner, is a huge problem for California’s walnut producers. “It is a very big problem on seedling Paradox walnut rootstocks, which is

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November 2020

Crown gall, pictured here on Paradox walnut rootstock, is a significant issue in the cultivar, at times infecting as much as 30 percent of trees in an orchard. Here soil was removed with an air spade to expose the gall and facilitate its removal (all photos courtesy E. Fichtner.)

Crown gall predisposes trees to other diseases. This English walnut scion also is infected with thousand cankers disease.

the dominant rootstock in the southern San Joaquin Valley,” Fichtner said. “It is not unusual for 30% of the trees in an orchard to be affected by the pathogen.” As the disease’s name implies, crown gall appears as abnormal tumors, or galls, on the crown or trunk of trees. But the name is a misnomer of sorts, Fichtner said, because it induces aerial galls on stems as well as galls on roots. Young trees that are infected become stunted, according to the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines, while older trees often develop secondary wood rots. The disease is most damaging to trees that are between one and eight years old, according to the site. The first management guideline listed on the UC IPM website is to plant noninfected trees. According to Kluepfel, this step starts in nurseries. “When nurseries collect seeds, the seeds should never be allowed to contact the soil,” Kluepfel said, as the crown gall pathogen, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, survives in soil. Placing a tarp below trees when collecting hybrid seed can be an effective way to accomplish this, Fichtner said. Even when taking extra steps to ensure trees are disease free at planting, however, a grower can’t be sure trees will get off to a disease-free start. “You could still plant them in pathogen infested soil,” Fichtner said. “In that situation, or if you use infested tools when you graft it, you could still get the disease. “The pathogen is in nature,” she said. Trees infected with the disease pathogen can live for years, Fichtner said, but it can benefit growers to take out infected trees and replant with uninfected trees, particularly if they spot the disease early in the life of a tree. At times, disease symptoms can be hard to spot, however. “Sometimes you can’t tell whether the disease is there. It can be below the soil surface,” Fichtner said.

A Compounding Problem

The disease also is a “compounding problem,” according to Fichtner, because the stunted trees that are infected by crown gall receive more water per biomass than noninfected trees,

leading to overwatering, exacerbating the stunting and creating additional problems. “It will trigger other problems as well, making those trees harder to manage,” Fichtner said. The most commonly asked question Fichtner fields about crown gall is where it came from. Unfortunately, she said, pinpointing its origins can be tricky given that the pathogen may have entered through infected nursery stock or through a wound created when pruning, grafting or conducting other cultural practices. According to the IPM website, the most prominent method of pathogen introduction is from infected tools used for pruning or sucker removal. Tools can become infected through a variety of means, Fichtner said, including from coming in contact with infested soil or crown gall tumors. One of the best control measures growers can employ, according to Fichtner, is to sanitize pruning tools, grafting knives and other tools between each tree. Sodium hypochlorite solution, or bleach, is an inexpensive yet effective disinfectant. She also noted that it is important to replenish a container with fresh solution to avoid the buildup of solids in a disinfectant. Before planting, the IPM site advises growers to keep trees moist to prevent roots from drying out and to carefully handle trees to avoid injury, both at planting and during the life of the tree in the orchard. Ian Hunter with Cure Soil Consulting believes correcting key deficiencies in the soil can have positive impacts on crown gall. “Our work in grower trials has shown that improving soil biology succeeds in reducing crown gall pressure,” Hunter said. “By increasing the energetic state of the farm ecosystem through the addition of beneficial microorganisms within the soil, coupled with appropriate mineral balancing, we can mitigate disease in crops riddled with pathogens such as agrobacterium tumefaciens and return the tree to a state of elevated vigor.”

Continued on Page 38

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Continued from Page 37 Preplant preventive dips are commercially available, but their effectiveness can vary, researchers said. And research has shown that the biocontrol agent, Agrobacterium radiobacter strain K-84, can effectively prevent crown gall, but again, Fichtner said, its efficacy can vary depending on pathogen population and environmental conditions. Also, the strain is only effective as a preventive treatment and does not eradicate galls. If using the product, use it as a spray before heeling in or planting, the IPM site notes. Also, Kluepfel said, growers should avoid using dip tanks as the method of K-84 inoculation. Dr. John Bahme with AgBioChem, which markets K-84 under the Galltrol-A brand name, said timely applica-

tion is important. “The crown gall pathogen infects only through fresh wounds. To prevent infection, apply Galltrol-A the same day of each wounding event in the nursery and on the farm,” Bahme said.

Gall Removal

Growers considering removing crown galls from infected trees should consider the extent of galling and the age of a tree before deciding whether to remove its tumors or rogue it, Fichtner said. If deciding to remove the gall, it should be surgically removed and surrounding tissue should be disinfected with a product such as Gallex. In cases where galls have colonized a high percentage of a tree’s perimeter, heat treatment has been required to kill the pathogen. Unfortunately, Fichtner noted, excess heat can damage a tree and inhibit recovery, and the

“It is a very big problem on seedling Paradox walnut rootstocks… It is not unusual for 30% of the trees in an orchard to be affected by the pathogen.” -Elizabeth Fichtner, UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County

Continued on Page 40

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Tree surgery to remove galls at crowns, which occurred on the walnut tree pictured here, is labor intensive, but provides an option for managing crown gall in walnuts.

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exact amount of heat required to kill the pathogen while still preserving the cambium tissue is not known. According to the IPM website, if treating infected trees, growers should make sure that galls are completely exposed by removing soil from the crown and roots. If flaming the gall, use a propane cylinder or bottle and slowly move the torch tip around the margin of the gall creating a red-hot zone that is about one inch wide. Galls also can be treated with Gallex, according to the site, but treatment success is dependent upon complete removal of the gall. Treated areas of a tree should remain uncovered for the remainder of the summer and growers should retreat if a gall begins to regrow. The site pinned treatment success rate at about 80%. Growers should look for and manage crown gall during the growing season when the orchard is dry because moisture favors the bacterium, according to the site. The best time to treat is in the spring or early summer when trees grow rapidly and new, callous tissue is formed relatively quickly. Further, the site notes, management is most effective for small galls on young trees, and that it is more economical to replace a tree if it is less than four years old and severely infected with galls. When replanting a previously affected site, the website advises growers to remove as many of the old tree roots as possible, grow a grass rotation crop to help degrade leftover host material, and fumigate the site. Also, the site advises growers to consider rootstock resistance. The clonal rootstock ParadoxRX1 has moderate resistance to crown gall, while Vlach and VX211 have low resistance. Also, offset the new trees from the previous tree spacing to minimize contact of healthy new roots with any remaining infested roots and soil. Finally, the site advises growers to keep the crown area dry to help reduce disease severity. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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A WORD FROM THE BOARD: THE ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA

Main Fungal Canker Diseases Affecting California Almonds By FLORENT P. TROUILLAS | Associate UCCE Specialist, Dept. of Plant Pathology, UC Davis

ungal canker diseases have long been known to affect almond trees in California. However, they have become an increasing concern to growers in recent years as they are affecting young trees to a greater extent, eventually resulting in significant tree losses. Canker diseases can also become prevalent in mature orchards, impacting yield, lifespan of trees, production costs and overall profitability of almond orchards. Ultimately, trunk and scaffold canker diseases are a major cause of tree death and branch dieback in California almond orchards.

Questions that farm advisors, almond growers and PCAs frequently receive are in relation to canker diseases, asking how it can be diagnosed, and how can it be treated. Symptoms on affected trees are very conspicuous and often alarming to growers. Moreover, field diagnosis of canker diseases is difficult as symptom delineation among the various canker diseases is not clear. Hence, laboratory tests are usually required to obtain accurate disease diagnosis, which is essential to the implementation of appropriate management strategies. With support from the Almond Board of California (ABC) and with the help of farm advisors, statewide surveys

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were conducted to characterize canker diseases in almond orchards and to get a thorough understanding of the main diseases and pathogens present. This work has provided molecular tools and a database for the accurate identification of fungi commonly isolated from almond cankers. In this article, an overview of the main canker diseases that impact almond trees and how they can be recognized will be provided. But first, let’s review some general concepts about canker diseases.

What is a Canker?

A canker in woody plants generally refers to a lesion produced in the bark of a plant’s stem, twig or branch, often resulting in a dead area that can block water and nutrient transport to portions of the tree, thus causing parts of the plant to die back. Most cankers are caused by fungi which invade bark tissue and the current season’s wood. However, some fungi colonize in both bark and internal wood tissue, causing canker rot or wood cankers that persist for years. Wood cankers typically consist of brown to dark brown discoloration of xylem tissues and may vary in shape from wedge-shaped to round, or irregular. In orchard systems, cankers usually originate around wounds such as pruning wounds, mechanical injuries, sunscald and sunburn lesions as well as wounds caused by insect borers. In almonds, canker pathogens infect trees mainly through pruning wounds made for primary and secondary scaffold selection to provide the general structure of trees. Cracks in the tree crotch or on the trunk as well as shaker injuries provide other entry points for canker-causing pathogens in almonds. Canker diseases may go unnoticed during the early stages of infection, though symptoms become more visible as the trees age.

Botryosphaeriaceae canker with profuse gumming developing at a pruning wound (all photos by F. Trouillas.)

Band canker caused by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi and developing on the trunk of a young almond tree.

Dead wood in a trunk following a severe attack by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi.

Most fungal canker pathogens produce fruiting bodies on dead wood of infected host plants. The spores produced by these fruiting bodies serve as inoculum for new infections, mostly during wet weather. The vegetation present in the vicinity of orchards, particularly trees in riparian areas or neighboring orchards of susceptible crops, may serve as inoculum sources for fungal canker pathogens affecting almonds. Once a canker disease has been established in an orchard, infected almond trees can provide additional inoculum for further infection. Recent outbreaks of canker diseases in perennial crops have been attributed in part to drastic changes in production practices, climate change, increased plant stress, the continuing adaptation of pathogens to new environments, and, most importantly, the global movement of plant material. Ultimately, though, trees suffering environmental stresses are more susceptible to canker diseases. Microorganisms that usually do not cause disease in non-stressed hosts may become opportunistic pathogens of stressed plants. Increases in canker diseases are common during extended periods of drought or following sudden temperature fluctuations. Drought stress can also impair the plant’s ability to defend against fungal invasion. Conversely, excessive watering can kill roots and predispose plants to canker pathogens.

Main Diseases and Symptoms

Ceratocystis canker Ceratocystis canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis destruc-

Continued on Page 44 November 2020

www.wcngg.com

Ceratocystis canker developing at a pruning wound near the trunk.

Symptoms of Ceratocystis canker associated with shaker injury (left) and pruning (right).

Continued from Page 43 tans (formerly known as Ceratocystis fimbriata,) is one of the most prevalent canker diseases in California almonds; it occurs statewide in all almond-producing counties. While this disease is generally associated with shaker damage and bark injuries on trunks during harvest, C. destructans is also capable of infecting branches from fresh pruning wounds and, if left untreated, can kill branches, scaffolds and entire trees.

Ceratocystis is spread by several species of sap-feeding beetles and fruit flies. Ceratocystis canker starts as water-soaked injuries that are darker than the surrounding healthy tissue. Symptoms of established infections include amber-colored gumballs that are produced around the margin of the canker where the fungus is most active. The cankers are perennial, persist over several years and are most active during

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the growing season. Young trees infected with Ceratocystis canker may die rapidly while infections in older trees usually progress slowly. Band canker and Bot cankers Although band canker was first reported years ago as a disease in almonds, its appearance had been very sporadic up until the last decade when this disease was suddenly being reported in large numbers of commercial orchards and causing severe damage. Band canker produces unique symptoms that include oozing amber sap that forms in a ring around the circumference of the tree. Young, vigorous varieties that grow quickly from aggressive nitrogen and water inputs are especially prone to band canker. Solid sprinkler irrigation or microsprinklers that wet the tree trunk can create conditions favorable for infection. Band canker is often an annual disease that occurs when trees are in their second to fifth leaf, and usually does not reappear the following year. However, an increasing number of cases have been reported lately where cankers are being reactivated in the following year. Tree death due to band canker has become more common as multiple bands can develop as the canker continues to grow from one growing season to the next. Botryosphaeriaceae cankers are characterized also by gumming around pruning wounds made near the trunk or in main scaffold branches. Band canker and Botryosphaeriaceae cankers are particularly common in young almond orchards in the northern San Joaquin Valley as well as in the Sacramento Valley.

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Symptoms of Cytospora canker and elongated wood discoloration initiating at a pruning wound with moderate gumming.

Canker of Eutypa developing at a large pruning cut.

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Infections by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi are usually associated with growth cracks or pruning wounds on the trunk and main scaffold branches. Studies have revealed there are at least 12 different Botryosphaeriaceae species in almonds, each with various levels of virulence. Among them, Neofusicoccum species, including N. parvum and N. mediterraneum, are the most common in California. Neoscytalidium dimidiatum also occurs frequently in cankers developing around pruning wounds on the trunk. This pathogen also can cause shoot blight and fruit rot in almonds. Eutypa dieback Eutypa dieback in almonds occurs sporadically in the Sacramento Valley and in the northern San Joaquin Valley. Eutypa dieback is caused by the fungus Eutypa lata and is a common disease in apricots, sweet cherries and grapevines. Eutypa dieback in almonds is usually found in young trees. Cankers mostly originate from pruning wounds on limbs or trunks as well as from cracks formed at the junction of scaffold branches and the trunk, extending downward toward the graft union or upwards into one or more scaffold branches. Amber-colored gum turning dark brown to reddish brown normally exudes around the cracks. Irregularly shaped to wedge-shaped, brown-colored cankers are observed from cross sections of limbs and trunks. Limb dieback may occur several months or years after infection. The fungal fruiting bodies, i.e. the perithecia of E. lata., are rare in almond orchards, suggesting sources of inoculum for this disease most likely originate from surrounding susceptible hosts including apricot and grapevine as well as natural host plants in riparian areas such as willows. Cytospora cankers Cytospora species have been isolated sporadically in almond orchards in California, and Cytospora canker is generally associated with pruning wounds in the branches of third-leaf trees or older. At least five species of Cytospora have been associated with cankers in California almonds. Symptoms of Cytospora canker include longitudinal cankers in branches and scaffolds often associated with pruning wounds, vascular discoloration of the wood and moderate gumming. Cytospora species have been traditionally thought to be secondary to sunburn and other stresses or injury in stone fruits. However, their prevalence in cankers together with pathogenicity studies suggest that this group of fungi constitutes virulent pathogens. Overall, Cytospora pathogens are of increasing concern in recent years in many fruit and nut crops in California.

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Velum One applied at 6.5 oz./A, spring 2017, via drip irrigation. Trees planted in January 2017. Increase in green canopy pixels based on an average of two rows of untreated trees compared to an average of two rows of Velum One-treated trees. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Not all products are approved and registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local product dealer or representative or U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency for the product registration status in your state. Bayer, Bayer Cross, and Velum ® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us. Bayer CropScience LP, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63167. ©2020 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

SUPPLEMENTAL POLLINATION

ALMOND TRIALS CONTINUE TO EXPLORE SUPPLEMENTAL POLLEN APPLICATIONS BY DRONES AND ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYERS By VICKY BOYD | Contributing Writer A drone from Dropcopter takes off at daybreak to apply supplemental pollen to a Williams-area almond orchard (all photos by J.F. Cook, Colusa County Farm Supply.)

arge-scale almond trials are looking at different forms of mechanical application to supplement bee pollination in almond orchards. Given the excellent natural pollination season during the first year of trials using drones or electrostatic sprayer to apply supplemental pollen, those trials produced no yield differences among treatments, according to preliminary results. But researchers and participants say those practices warrant further study to see how they improve yields in an off year.

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A LectroBlast electrostatic sprayer enters an almond orchard to apply supplemental pollen.

Jim F. Cook of Colusa County Farm Supply Research said he’d like to continue the work to see whether mechanical supplementation might improve yields during poor pollination conditions. “I’m not surprised that we didn’t see any differences under this year’s excellent bloom,” he said. “What we have done this year is determine how to do this. My recommendation is, let’s rerun it on the same sites on the same rows again. If you’re under a poor pollination year where it’s cold and the bees aren’t flying very far, it could be different.” At the same time, the trials raised a number of additional questions, said Cook, who led the project. Among those are cost, the tight application window, Federal Aviation Administration drone flight regulations and unforgiving weather.

A Little Mechanical Help

Growers typically place between 2 and 2.5 beehives per acre around the exterior of almond orchards because of ease and accessibility. The trial was designed to see whether mechanical application of pollen could supplement bee pollination, particularly in the centers of orchards that are farther from the hives. It was not designed to see whether growers could eliminate bee pollination, Cook said. “There are a lot of nuts on the outside (of the orchard) because that’s where the bees are working,” he said. “We have to go after the yield in the center of the orchard because that’s where the problems are.” Ryan Finnen, an almond grower near Williams, Calif., said he volunteered two almond orchards for the trials to see if supplemental pollen applied with an electrostatic sprayer might help a past issue with Nonpareils. “If we could spray on pollen, that would help with any negative circumstance we could face,” he said. “And when you start to factor in the rising cost of bees, they are just getting more and more expensive every year.” Although the preliminary results were inconclusive, Finnen said he would like to continue to participate to see how the supplemental pollen would perform under poorer conditions. “It’s kind of like an additional insurance policy where it’s only going to come into play when the weather is subpar and you really need it,” he said. Ryan Reisbick, general manager of Firman Pollen Co. Inc. based in Yakima, Wash., said he was interested in Cook’s tri-

A jar of pure almond pollen.

als as part of ongoing work in almonds. The company, which has been providing pollen since 1933, has conducted trials with Washington State University for eight years. During the past five years, the electrostatic application has become a commonly accepted practice in Washington fruit orchards. Firman Pollen has been conducting trials in almonds for the past four to five seasons. The company also has collaborated with Washington State University researchers to develop adjuvants to improve electrostatic pollen applications. “From our perspective, electrostatic applications probably are the most efficient since we’re uniformly coating the tree with our pollen,” Reisbick said. “WSU research has shown an increase of three to four times in pollen deposition on the stigmatic surface. “Certainly, there are some limitations with electrostatic applications without question. That’s where some of our other application methods, like hive inserts or dusting, can be of benefit.” Although Dropcopter had conducted research looking at drone-applied supplemental pollen applications to apples for the past three years, 2020 was the first year the company was involved with trials with almonds, said company co-founder Matt Koball. “This independent research validation is something we were planning to do every year for all of the crops we work with,” Koball said. “So, we were actually looking for partners to do this with. There hasn’t been a lot of research done on any supplemental or augmented pollination, so we have to step up to the plate and do it ourselves.”

Almond blooms are typically receptive to pollen for only 12 to 48 hours.

For the past three to four years, Mark Ryckman of Progressive Ag has worked with Firman Pollen and a handful of Stanislaus County almond growers to apply supplemental pollen using LectroBlast electrostatic sprayers. One grower saw a 900-pound-peracre improvement during poor bloom conditions. “I know off the bat that this year wasn’t going to show us any type of exceptional data because the bloom was so strong,” Ryckman said. “Some

Modesto growers ran pollen through our sprayers and you could visually see the differences. I’m waiting to get their numbers back because Modesto is a little different than Williams.” Even with the current low price of almonds, he said a yield increase of 300 pounds per acre would more than pay for a pollen application. The trials came about at the request of Colusa County Farm Supply Research growers.

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Continued from Page 49 “We do projects like this for our growers all the time,” Cook said. “It gives us a chance to learn about it. We get outstanding cooperation from the growers because that’s what they want to see. These guys are motivated. That makes the mechanics of the study much better.”

Trial Specifics

A worker mixes pollen with an adjuvant before it is loaded into a sprayer.

The trial involved three Williams-area almond orchards with Nonpareils and pollinizers. In two of the trials, applications were only made to the Nonpareils. In one, applications also were made to Montereys and Winters. In one trial, the drone applied 35 grams

of pollen per acre, while in the other two it applied 70 grams of regular pollen per acre. Regular pollen also contains other flower parts such as stigmas, while pure pollen is just that. In all three trials, the electrostatic sprayer applied 15 grams of pure pollen per acre as well as a surfactant to improve adherence to flower stigmas in 15 gallons of water per acre. The application timings ranged between 50% and 80% bloom. In addition, one treatment involved an electrostatic pollen application at 80% bloom one day, followed a day later with a full-bloom fungicide to determine whether a subsequent fungicide spray affected

Continued on Page 52

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Continued from Page 50 pollen viability. Cook has been pushing for a fungicide-pollen tank mix trial to reduce costs and cut in half the passes through the orchard. Even under the best of years, weather typically only allows one pass during the full-bloom period. Having to make two applications is dicey. “Weather won’t allow it; it just won’t happen,” he said. Given a choice of only making one application, Cook said most growers would favor the full-bloom fungicide application over supplemental pollen. He doesn’t believe the tank mix would reduce pollen efficacy because growers currently apply fungicide sprays when almond flowers are open and pollen is exposed without any apparent negative effects. Although Reisbick said they are concerned that chemicals in the tank mix could reduce pollen viability, he remains open to Cook’s suggestion. He said they may conduct trials this winter that involve putting pollen in a fungicide solution to test whether it remains viable.

Many Questions Remain

Preliminary results showed supplemental pollen applications did not raise yields significantly, but they also did not decrease yields, Cook said. The trials, however, did demonstrate how challenging a mechanical application of pollen

WA L N U TS & A L M O N DS WALNUT AND ALMOND PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

A worker pours the pollen and adjuvant mixture into an electrostatic sprayer.

can be. Depending on the year, almond blooms may only be receptive to pollen for a day or two. And an orchard may go from 20% bloom to 80% bloom in a day, complicating pollen application timing. Currently, the FAA requires drones be kept in line of sight. In a mature orchard, that means having a spotter in a tower if the pilot cannot maintain line of sight. The agency also has regulations that restrict flights near busy roadways and highways, airport flight paths and many other locations. In addition, drone operators applying pollen must have a FAA Part 137 certificate, the same as ag pilots who apply crop materials using fixed-wing planes or helicopters. Although this year’s extended bloom offered researchers the luxury of time, Cook said that may not always be the case. “If it gets really hot or the weather turns nasty, they aren’t going to be able to do this,” he said. “They’re going to have to set up a canopy or trailer and live there until it flowers.” The same nasty wet weather and muddy conditions may prevent an electrostatic sprayer from entering an orchard. Faced with those challenges in the past, many almond growers turned to aerial applications for bloom-time fungicides.

Previous Trials

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This is not the first time that researchers have looked at supplemental pollen applications, either. Robbin Thorp of UC Davis saw benefits in using supplemental pollen in four solid rows of Nonpareil in a 1987 trial. But that orchard configuration is no longer used. A trial conducted by UCCE Farm Advisor Elizabeth Fichtner and UCCE Staff Research Associate Katherine Wilson in 2014 in Tulare County found no significant benefits of mechanical pollination to supplement bee activity. The study involved Fritz, Nonpareil and Monterey, and compared pollen applied at three different rates using an electrostatic sprayer. The check was natural bee pollination. The results backed up previous research findings.

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A Proactive Approach to Orchard Planting California’s orchards are a vital part of the local economy, providing over half of the fruits and nuts we consume daily. The caretakers of these orchards work tirelessly to provide us with healthy, nutritious foods. Tree nut growers play a dual role in the health and safety of the communities in which they live and work – providing food and promoting safety. By planting new orchard trees that are compatible with power lines, growers can help ensure safe and reliable power for the 16 million Northern and Central California residents who depend on it. Planting a new orchard is an important investment – one that growers consider carefully, after thorough thought and planning. Sometimes, planning new plantings around power lines is a missed step in the orchard planning process. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) works with growers to plan before they plant, identifying power line-friendly planting locations early in the orchard planning process to help growers maximize their investment. Together, tree nut growers and PG&E can reach safe solutions that help meet growers’ needs while protecting electric system reliability and making sure California communities remain safe. In addition to keeping communities safe, a proactive approach to orchard planning helps growers avoid spending needlessly on land in incompatible areas. Irrigation systems and trees that lie in right of way areas will ultimately require removal. Plan Before You Plant resources are available for growers to learn more about the importance of maintaining safe distances from transmission lines. Reach out early in your orchard planning process to schedule an orchard visit with an expert who can identify power line-friendly locations near transmission lines.

For more information, visit www.pge.com/planbeforeplanting or call 1-800-743-5000.

Consider Alternative Rootstocks for a More Profitable Almond Orchard

By ROGER DUNCAN | UCCE Farm Advisor, Stanislaus County, JOE CONNELL | UCCE Farm Advisor, Butte County and KATHERINE JARVIS-SHEAN | UCCE Farm Advisor, Sacramento and Yolo Counties Third leaf Nonpareil in Hanford sandy loam soil on Nemaguard rootstock (tree at right) and Rootpac R (trees at left). (Photos courtesy R. Duncan.)

t may be true for many almond growers that your next orchard could live longer and be more productive while reducing input costs for fertilizers, soil amendments and nematicides. The secret is in choosing the correct rootstock to meet the physical, chemical and biological challenges inherent to your soil. If your roots are healthier, your orchard will require fewer corrective actions to maximize the performance of your trees. Some rootstocks are better at extracting nutrients from the soil or excluding salts like sodium or chloride. Even if you have no significant soil or disease issues,

PR E C IS E , ON -T IM E A F L A T O XI N & O CH R A T OXI N D ET E CT I ON F O R T H E NU T I ND US T R Y

you might consider adding just a little more vigor or hope for better anchorage. Beginning many years ago, stone fruit industries (including almond) relied heavily on peach rootstocks, partially because the seedlings are generally easy to grow at the nursery and are uniform and vigorous. Seeds from Lovell canning peach orchards were often used, but with the elimination of Lovell as a commercial variety, some nurseries turned to the use of Halford peach as a rootstock. In 1959, the USDA released a peach seedling called Nemaguard, which was preferable to Lovell in most cases because of its resistance to root knot nematode, increased vigor and reduced susceptibility to crown gall. Nemaguard quickly grew to be the most widely planted rootstock for almond and other stone fruit growers in the San Joaquin Valley. Many Sacramento Valley growers continued to use Lovell because of its perceived better tolerance of “heavy” soil where root knot nematode was not a problem. Today, most nurseries offer several rootstock choices to better meet the unique challenges of each new orchard. These include peach rootstocks like Nemaguard, Lovell, Guardian, Empyrean 1 and Cadaman; hybrids of peach and almond like Hansen 536, Nickels, Brights 5, Cornerstone and various selections of Titan hybrid; plum hybrids like Krymsk 86 (peach x plum) and Rootpac R (almond x plum) and complex hybrids like Viking and Atlas, which are part peach, almond, plum and apricot. So how does a grower know which rootstock may be best for their new orchard? UCCE has conducted multiple field trials in commercial orchards throughout the Central Valley, comparing most commercially available rootstocks under various soil and climatic conditions. Clearly, there are better options than Nemaguard for many orchards throughout California.

Rootstock Options for Almond

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Peach Nemaguard performs best in sandy loam soils with good drainage. Trees are moderately vigorous, resistant to most root knot nematode species and generally don’t show much crown gall. However, Nemaguard has several flaws. Nema-

guard is susceptible to high sodium, chloride and boron. It is also inefficient at extracting zinc from the soil. It is susceptible to chlorosis (yellowing) and stunting in soils with even moderate levels of lime or a pH much over 7.0. Despite its name, Nemaguard is susceptible to ring nematodes which can reduce vigor and are associated with bacterial canker of young trees. Some growers may choose Lovell peach rootstock over Nemaguard in heavier soil. However, the difference in wet soil tolerance between Lovell and Nemaguard is relatively small. Lovell is perhaps even more salt-sensitive than Nemaguard and is susceptible to root knot nematode and crown gall. If you like all the good things about Nemaguard but will be planting a second-generation orchard in sandy loam soils with the potential for ring nematode, you may consider Guardian peach rootstock. It was developed by Clemson University in South Carolina and

is used by stone fruit growers in the Southeast U.S. to help with peach tree short life, a disease similar to bacterial canker. It has vigor and root knot nematode resistance similar to Nemaguard, but it has better tolerance to ring nematode, and thus also bacterial canker. Guardian is susceptible to the same salt, soil chemistry and disease challenges as Nemaguard. Think of Guardian as being very similar to Nemaguard but with better ring nematode tolerance. Plum Hybrid Krymsk 86, a cross of plum and peach, has replaced Lovell as the most commonly planted rootstock in the Sacramento Valley. This is due to its superior anchorage and better tolerance of heavy soil. Although it is half plum, it doesn’t have the root suckering problem of Marianna 26-24 and is compatible with Nonpareil. Krymsk 86 is susceptible to root knot, ring and root lesion nematodes as well as high

sodium, chloride and boron. Krymsk 86 may not be the best choice for sandier soils on the floor of the San Joaquin Valley or in the saltier, higher pH soils along some areas of the San Joaquin Valley westside or Delta region. Krymsk 86 may be a good choice for Sierra foothill orchards where drainage problems exist, and nematodes and salt are not an issue. The Monterey variety can sometimes develop yellow, cupped leaves on Krymsk 86, but this is largely attributed to temporary, saturated soil conditions. Complex Hybrid Viking, a complex hybrid of peach, almond, apricot and plum from the Zaiger Genetics breeding program, does all the things expected from Nemaguard and much more. It is immune to root knot nematode just like Nemaguard, but is resistant to ring

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soilborne diseases like Phytophthora or Armillaria (oak root fungus) than Nemaguard.

Small chlorotic Carmel almond on Nemaguard rootstock in alkaline soil.

Continued from Page 55 nematodes, and therefore bacterial canker, similar to Guardian. It is generally just a little more vigorous than Nemaguard and is more tolerant to sodium, chloride and moderately high soil pH and lime. Viking has excellent anchorage and has almost always outperformed Nemaguard in UC trials. Viking might be considered one of the all-around best suited rootstocks for sandy loam soils in the San Joaquin Valley and should strongly be considered as a replacement for Nemaguard. Although data is limited, Viking does not appear to offer better tolerance to

Peach/Almond Hybrid Rootstocks that are hybrids of peach and almond are gaining popularity in the San Joaquin Valley, especially in areas with alkaline soils. One of the better-known options is Hansen, a product of the UC Davis breeding program. Many nurseries also sell their own proprietary peach/almond hybrid rootstocks. There are subtle differences among peach/almond hybrids, but as a group they are very vigorous, resistant to root knot nematodes and tend to be the most tolerant rootstocks to alkaline and saline soils. They also exclude or sequester boron better than most other rootstocks. On the negative side, they tend to be fairly susceptible to wet soil and root diseases, including Phytophthora, crown gall and Armillaria. Most are also highly susceptible to ring nematode and therefore bacterial canker. Because of the increased vigor, hull split and harvest can be delayed by at least 10 days compared to Nemaguard in some soils, although this can be mitigated somewhat with pre hull split deficit irrigation. This should be considered if late-harvested varieties like Monterey or Fritz will be planted, especially in high rainfall areas.

Additional Niche Options

ICE HIL N E

There are other less widely planted rootstocks that may work well under some conditions. Rootpac R is from Spain and is a cross of almond and plum. The niche for Rootpac R seems to be in heavy soil where chloride is a problem, such as the San Joaquin Valley westside. Rootpac R has not performed well in lighter-texServing South Valley Growers since 1980 tured soil where it tends to produce a small tree that is also sensitive to sodium and ring nematodes.

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November 2020

Atlas is another rootstock of interest. It is a complex hybrid with genetics similar to Viking, but the horticultural characteristics are very different. Atlas is more susceptible to ring nematode, sodium and high pH soils than Viking, but it is a little more tolerant of chloride than Nemaguard with better yield efficiency. Empyrean 1, a hybrid of two peach species, has high vigor similar to peach/ almond hybrid rootstocks but without many of the disease problems. It also appears to be somewhat tolerant of salt, alkaline soils and ring nematode. This rootstock should be considered by growers in ring nematode sites who want high vigor. Anchorage may be of concern in high wind areas.

Do the Homework First

Before choosing your rootstock, it is important to sample the soil profile in the new orchard site. Soil should be sampled at 12- or 18-inch increments to a minimum of three feet deep, preferably deeper. Test for nematodes and do a complete soil chemistry analysis, paying particular attention to total salts, sodium, chloride, boron, lime and pH. Take a look on Google Earth to identify potential problem areas where previous trees underperformed and sample them separately. Once you know the challenges your new orchard will face, make an informed decision on the best rootstock for a more profitable orchard. It can feel like a big commitment to plant a whole orchard on an alternative rootstock. If growers are unsure about making a change, they might consider planting a bundle of one or two alternative rootstocks within the new orchard to see how they compare to the other trees side by side. In a few years, you may be kicking yourself that you did not plant the whole orchard on the alternative rootstock. Or you might congratulate yourself that you stayed with your old, comfortable pair of shoes. For questions on this article, contact Roger Duncan at raduncan@ucdavis. edu. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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NOVEMBER

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Nutrient Tie-Up and Overload

Overapplying Nutrients and Soil Amendments is a Common Grower Mistake By RICH KREPS | CCA, SSp, Contributing Writer Make a plan to balance nutrients throughout the season to keep a steady supply of nutrients to match tree demand.

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have some food for thought. It actually has to do with food for trees…eventually. I’ve mentioned many times in my articles to make sure you are trying to balance your nutrition. That becomes abundantly harder when we overapply specific nutrients. I was trying to help my wife bake a loaf of banana nut bread and it wouldn’t rise. I’m a mad scientist in the kitchen as well as in the field. But in the kitchen, I try to emulate Emeril Lagasse. “A pinch of this, dash of that, splash of those and BAM! Kick it up a notch!” But in baking, much like in soils, recipes should be followed. Our banana nut bread still didn’t rise. After sleuthing to find what I’m sure I botched in the recipe, we realized I had added the two cups of sugar… after she had already added the same two cups of sugar. Not only did it not rise, it caramelized nicely into a delicious albeit not very nutritious molten batter. Unfortunately, it is my humble opinion we do the same with overapplying nutrients and amendments in our soils.

Uptake and Applications

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November 2020

Let’s look at Nitrogen. Many of my new clients have nutrient budgets that have stayed the same for years. Two hundred units of N. Two hundred and fifty units of N. Three hundred units of N. Often times, it seems it is more in relation to the hopeful yield and not the expected yield based on what Mother Nature and the trees show us early on. In correlation, there needs to be a balance with the other nutrients. It would be great if we could get 10% of our N levels in our P uptake, 80% of our N levels in K uptake, 100% of our N levels in Ca uptake, etc. Of course, those numbers can be

we are usually trying to leach out in the winter? Putting most of it out when it doesn’t match the nutrient uptake of the tree doesn’t make much sense to me. And at a time when we are going to lose a bunch of it below the active feeder root zone is again confusing.

tweaked a bit based on soil types, yields and tissue levels, but a plan should be in place. It is not what you put “on” your trees that’s as important as what you get “into” your trees. Let’s break this down further. Suppose you are a 200 unit of N farmer. At 10%, you need 20 units of P. Now if you apply 10 gal 10-34-0 at 11 pounds per gallon, that would seem like a little more that 37 pounds of P. But remember, that’s measured as P2O5, so multiply that number by .44. That gives you 16.4 units of P. Not enough. And if you apply that in the spring when it takes 60 days for the polyphosphate form in that fertilizer (70% polyphosphate) to break down at those temperatures, it is too late to get it into those springtime energy-deficient trees when they need it. When we realize this in May and shoot on 12 gallons 0-200, we add another 11-plus units of P all at once. A tree can’t take in 50% of the P it needs in one fertigation event. As the soil dries down and rewets, that extra P combines with extra calcium in the ground and forms plaster. We just lost two nutrients we need throughout the season and wonder why our soils seal up in summer. Now, just for giggles, change your N inputs to 250 or 300. How much extra would you need to apply to make it balanced? Then calculate the efficiency factors of inferior or less clean nutrition products. Let’s take another nutrient: Calcium. In a very insoluble form such as gypsum (2g per liter at 72 degrees F), we can over-apply that very quickly. And that solubility is in the lab and not on your soil with your well water. At 23% Ca, a 2-ton application is 920 pounds of Ca. If you need 100% of your N demand in Ca, that’s 200 pounds. You just applied an extra 720 pounds, and not in a soluble form. Take this a step further. Let’s say you have 2000 ppm Ca in your soil based on your test. That’s 4000 pounds per 6 inches of soil or 16,000 pounds in 2 feet. And that’s not the absolute number, that’s just what came off in the current acetate extraction test. I postulate, Ca is not the issue; rather, its soluble Ca that matters. It has to be soluble to both get into a tree and kick sodium off the soil colloid. Now add that extra Polyphosphate in the wet, cold spring and tie more of it up. Now look at sulfate of potash (SOP). SOP is only 7% soluble. A good form of it will be as high as 50% K, so a 400-pound application will be 200 pounds of K. Again, it is measured by two K ions as K 2O, so multiply your fertilizer number by .83. That comes out to 166 pounds. That’s pretty close to the 80% of the 200-unit N applications and would fit. But if only 7% is soluble, that’s 11.6 soluble pounds. We usually apply it in the fall. If that’s when mother nature starts to bring the rain, how much of that soluble K gets leached out of the ground before we actually need it? K is almost the same size and charge as sodium. Isn’t that what

Next Steps

Now what? Make a plan. Plan to balance your nutrients. Have your CCA do your calculations and devise your formulations. Plan on spoon-feeding your crop when it matches the nutrient demand curves: early N and P after root stores are used up. Follow it with a little Ca. Flow into late spring with N and Ca, and add your K as nutrient demand increases. Add a little more P so the tree can make energy. Plan to go upstairs as well as down. Many micronutrients absorb well foliarly. You can also add a soil application of one nutrient that may be antagonistic to another nutrient that you are applying in a spray. Keep a constant supply of nutrients in the water in ratios that match demand. Have a recipe and follow it. Test and retest. Verify with tissues. Keep those trees happy. If you have any questions or feel the need to debate this, I’d love to hear the comments. Email me at rkrepsCCA@gmail.com. Remember, a little sugar goes a long way! A good recipe will make those yields very sweet. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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New Ag Employer Legislation for COVID-19

Policies and practices will be required to comply with new laws. By THERESA KIEHN | Acting President and CEO, AgSafe

rior to the end of the 2020 legislative year, Governor Newsom signed a flurry of new bills in an effort to provide additional COVID-19 safeguards. These new laws dictate the way in which businesses navigate COVID-19 protections for their employees. Two bills in particular, SB 1159 and AB 685, will have the biggest impact on California agricultural employers. These statutes have a number of elements which will require an investment of time and resources to develop policies and practices in an effort to be compliant. Senate Bill 1159, Workers’ Compensation Presumption, is essentially an extension of Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-62-20, which provided Coronavirus related workers’ compensation benefits to first responders, farmworkers, grocery store workers, warehouse workers and others. The executive order was effective between March 19 through July 5, 2020. This new legislation, which is now a part of the labor code and will be enforced by the California Department of Industrial Relations, retroactively took effect on July 6, 2020 and will expire on January 1, 2023. In addition to providing coverage to firefighters, peace officers and health care workers, this bill also applies to California businesses with five or more employees. Employees would qualify for coverage if the following criteria are meet: Employee worked outside of their home and are under the direction of their employer. Within 30 days, the employee has a 60

West Coast Nut

Ensuring proper communication of changing laws to employees is key to creating a safe work environment (photo courtesy AgSafe.)

positive COVID-19 test or diagnosis. The test is within a 14-day window of when the employee last worked. A compensability decision must be made within 30 days. As such, timely reporting of a worker’s compensation claim is crucial, and if not done within three business days, employers could face substantial civil penalties. Please note, employers must report the claim even if it may not be work related. However, employers are not required to report negative COVID-19 tests. SB 1159 is fairly complex, and we highly recommend discussing this with your insurance provider or workers’ compensation carrier to get additional information and resources to be prepared when the time arrives to report a claim. The other bill worthy of notation is AB 685. The intent of this legislation was to increase transparency in regards to COVID-19 reporting. This new law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021 through Jan. 1, 2023. AB 685 has expanded the scope of Cal/OSHA’s ability to enforce COVID-related safety requirements. As a result of this new law, Cal/OSHA inspectors are in full force issuing a number of citations throughout the state under the banner of COVID-19 compliance. Numerous citations have already been issued, and fines in the food and farming industry are ranging from $5,000 to $51,000. The details of company-specific COVID-related citations and fines are also now being featured in Department of Industrial Relations news releases. This law also gives Cal/OSHA the ability to issue Orders Prohibiting Use, effectively

November 2020

shutting down operations where exposure is prevalent. Additionally, they have been given the authority to issue serious violations without providing the standard 15-day notice. The second section of this law creates new requirements for employers to notify their employees and any relevant union about exposure risk to COVID-19 in the workplace as well as to report a COVID-19 outbreak to their local health departments. Failure to comply with the new reporting requirements might result in being issued administrative citations and civil liabilities. In order to meet these new requirements, employers will need to implement additional policies and procedures as well as provide additional training to their employees. Here are a few key elements to consider when developing your plan.

Employee Training

It will be critical to identify an individual within your company to take the lead on receiving exposure information from employees and also reporting to appropriate local agencies. Frequent and consistent employee training will be the key to a successful reporting program. Educating your employees on the essential elements of COVID-19 signs and symptoms, paid sick leave resources and knowing who to report to if they begin to experience any of those symptoms is critical. Make this the part of your daily meetings and be sure to emphasize your COVID-19 IIPP safety practices and procedures.

Notice Reporting Requirement

Notice to employees is required under AB 685 when qualifying individuals being exposed include the following: a) A laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19; b) A positive COVID-19 diagnosis; c) A COVID-19 related order to isolate provided by a public health official; or d) Somebody who has died due to COVID-19 (as determined by a county public health department.) If an individual has met the criteria listed above, the employer must provide a written notice within one day to all employees who were within the same worksite as the qualifying individual during the infectious period. Please keep in mind to protect the qualifying individuals’ identity and rights to medical privacy under HIPPA laws. This written notification shall be provided in English and the language understood by a majority of the employees. This notification should be made in the manner normally used to communicate with your employees, such as hand-delivered letter, email or

text message, and this documentation should be kept for at least three years. Notification also needs to be made to those who you have contracted with (growers and farm labor contractors) and union representatives if applicable.

Agency Reporting

Finally, if your company has an outbreak, which is defined as three or more laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 among workers who live in different households within a two-week period, you must notify the local department of public health in the jurisdiction of the worksite. Keep in mind this legislation speaks to reporting cases to your local department of public health, however you also have reporting responsibility for Cal/OSHA as well. To determine when to report COVID-19 cases to Cal/OSHA and/or when to record them on your Log 300, please visit dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Reporting-Requirements-COVID-19 for detailed information. These new regulations will require

you and your team to think through your processes and procedures. As always, your success will stem from consistent and regular communication with your employees on the changes to the laws and how you are working to create a work environment that ensures they are safe, healthy and whole. For more information about worker safety, human resources, labor relations, pesticide safety or food safety issues, please visit www.agsafe.org, call (209) 5264400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org. AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing training, education, outreach and tools in the areas of safety, labor relations, food safety and human resources for the food and farming industries. AB 685 legislation guidance was provided by Patrick Moody, Barsamian and Moody. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Updating Hazelnut Nutrition Guidelines for New Varieties

Tending Non-structural Carbohydrates in Hazelnut Trees for Maximum Growth and Yield By DANITA CAHILL | Contributing Writer

uidelines for hazelnut nutrition are currently being updated at Oregon State University (OSU). The original nutritional guidelines were largely created for dryland Barcelona – an old classic variety that is now being phased out of orchards because of its high susceptibility to Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB). With all the newer hazelnut varieties introduced by OSU, new research is underway to determine the optimal levels

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of fertilizer for these trees. “We’ve been preparing for a revision of that document for a number of years now, because the information in the old hazelnut fertility guide is based on the old orchard system,” said OSU Orchard Specialist Nik Wiman. For the past three years, OSU researchers have collected hazelnut leaf tissue samples year-round and recorded the results. They are currently studying all the data.

November 2020

little bit. After the study is finished, “We may have to revise the critical values for the tissue tests,” Wiman said.

A Look at Non-structural Carbohydrates

One area of current study is the link between non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) to tree health and yield and nutrient content of tissues. This work is supported by the Oregon Hazelnut Commission and involves the CarboTissue Test Study hydrate Observatory Laboratory at UC Researchers are Davis. looking at critical valThe NSC in plants are a product of ues for tissue testing. photosynthesis and can be stored by Wiman is reluctant to the tree. NSC are mainly water-soluble talk much about it yet. sugars such as glucose, and the stored “We have a ways to go,” forms of NSC are starches. They play an he said. “We want to important role in how a tree responds be able to link the tis- to the environment. High levels of NSC sue test with producallow a tree to better tolerate severe tion level in as many drought. orchards as possible.” Since hazelnut flowering happens The university has 20 during the winter when the trees’ leaves test plots in Oregon’s have dropped, bloom, nut set and yield mid-Willamette Valare likely dependent on NSC levels ley: south to Monroe stored within the tree. and north to Aurora So, if NSC are so important to the “for a pretty good growth and yield of nut trees, how does representation of the a grower boost these carbohydrates in valley,” Wiman said. their orchard? Actually, it’s not simply a The current pamatter of boosting the NSC, but also of rameters are for tissue retaining them. tests done in August, “Carbohydrates are a form of carbut, Wiman said, “We bon,” Wiman said. “Through photothink that if you can synthesis the plants are fixing carbon, do it in June, you have so anything you can do to enhance more opportunity to the growth of the tree is going to boost change the course a the NSC. You want to maximize the

After harvest and leaf drop, hazelnut trees may benefit from a band of potash (photos by Aaron Heinrich, OSU Orchards Program.)

photosynthesis.” Things you don’t want to put your trees through are, of course, drought stress or nutritional deficit. But there are other issues that will also likely reduce the amount of NSC in your trees. “Pests could probably have some effects on NSC as well,” Wiman said. One of those pests is aphids, which pierce and suck the leaves of hazelnut trees and directly consume carbohydrates. “Aphids contribute to poor fill of nuts.” Disease also affects the tree and its ability to boost the NSC available when it’s needed. Different factors can invite disease, including flatheaded borer damage, girdling from mice and heavy pruning cuts. The tree will divert energy (carbohydrates) to make metabolites needed for the wound response. “Trunk damage also cuts into the vascular system of the tree and affects its ability to regulate water, which affects photosynthesis,” Wiman said. Competition is another issue that can affect NSC and the vigor of growth and production. When trees are planted

Healthy 0.17% S 15:1 N:S

S deficient 0.06% S 37:1 N:S

too close together and shading each other, it sets up a battle among them to reach sunlight. Hazelnuts flower during the winter. “If you think of the timing of the bloom, the tree has to rely completely on stored energy reserves because there is no active photosynthesis during winter,” Wiman said. “It’s pulling from the reserves.”

Assisting NSC Production with Nutrition

Growers sometimes overfertilize hazelnuts. Too much of a good thing is no longer a positive. Besides causing nitrates to leach into the groundwater, excessive fertilizer applications don’t help improve growth and yield, so it becomes a wasted cost. Studies show that trees take up nutrients more efficiently with lower rates of fertilizer (Figure 1). OSU studies have found that trees which received a fertilizer blend of nitrogen (urea), phosphorus, potassium and magnesium had a little faster growth rate with better uptake of nutrients compared to trees that received only nitrogen. Feeding hazelnut trees with only urea caused excessive nitrogen to sulfur ratios, which leads to poorer growth and symptoms of a sulfur deficiency. If new leaves are yellowing, growers can apply a foliar application of elemental sulfur. Or, if it meets other orchard fertilizer needs, with ammonium sulfate or potassium sulfate applied to the soil.

More Fertilizer Advice from OSU

Figure 1. Feeding hazelnut trees with only urea causes excessive N:S ratios, which leads to poorer growth and symptoms of a sulfur deficiency.

For young trees: Take a soil sample before new plantings to access pH and evaluate the need for lime and incorporating pre-plant nutrients such as K and Mg. Don’t add fertilizer to the planting hole, especially urea, which can burn young trees. Even slow-release fertilizers can burn if they are highly concentrated around the roots. Apply a fertilizer blend to young trees. Add a top dressing of sawdust. Better yet, apply a dressing of compost.

November 2020

Continued on Page 64 www.wcngg.com

Nitrogen is sort of like a bank account. You’d better

understand how the budget works. Nik Wiman, OSU Orchard Specialist

Continued from Page 63 “In that case, you don’t need to use fertilizer,” Wiman said. “We’ve found that clean and finished compost works really well. It has bigger chunks that don’t break down as fast, but the main body of the compost breaks down pretty fast and nurtures young trees.” Tissue tests are still a reliable measure of fertilizer needs. When you do apply fertilizer, “We like to see the sulfur go on with that nitrogen – a slow-release blend,” Wiman

said. Too much nitrogen causes weak and lanky growth. Excess nitrogen is also an invitation to aphids, Wiman said. Nitrogen is a building block for protein. Aphids need that in their diet, so they thrive on leaves that are high in nitrogen. Dryland trees don’t take up much nitrogen past June. For older trees: Apply nitrogen carefully in the spring after active tree growth begins.“Not overdone to maximize uptake

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efficiency,” Wiman cautions. Deciduous trees suck nutrients out of the leaves and back into the woody parts of the plant before leaf drop in fall. If needed, apply a band of potash after harvest. Shred pruned branches to add carbon back into the soil.

Looking Even Closer at Nitrogen

OSU is currently tracking a stable isotope of nitrogen in a few select trees under different irrigation regimes in an Oregon Department of Agriculture Fertilizer Program supported grant that includes UC Davis based cooperator Sat Darshan Khalsa. Most N on earth is the form of N14 (7 protons + 7 neutrons = mass number 14). Researchers generally use Nitrogen-15 (7 protons + 8 neutrons = mass number 15) as a tracer, Wiman explained. “By applying urea fertilizer in the rare isotopic N15 form, you can follow it up through the tree after uptake by the roots and see how long it takes to move into different structures in the tree. It also gives an idea of the partitioning of how it’s moving. We already know that a lot of ground-applied nitrogen goes to the main framework of the tree before it makes it to peripheral tissues, such as leaves and nuts in successive seasons,” he said. “Part of our goal is to see how irrigation affects the uptake and partitioning.” To trace the nitrogen, researchers cut off parts of the tree during different times of the season and send the samples to an isotope lab at UC Davis. “Nitrogen is sort of like a bank account,” Wiman said. “If you’re not providing enough for the tree, you’ll be at a deficit at some point in the future. At harvest, how much is it taking nitrogen away from the tree? You’d better understand how the budget works.”

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Why You Should Choose a Certified Crop Advisor By JEROME PIER | Ph.D. CCA, PCA, North Valley Division Agronomist for Nutrien Ag Solutions Board President, Western Region Certified Crop Advisers Association

veryone wants to know how farmers make decisions. Public and private organizations with an interest in farming have distributed numerous surveys to the farming community to learn why farmers do what they do. The world relies on the western states for a steady supply of safe, high-quality agricultural products. It is understandable people outside of farming would want to know what farmers are up to. It is also not surprising they have to ask. A tiny fraction of the U.S. population is currently involved in farming and the number is shrinking. From developing policy to selling products, everyone wants a peek inside the barn.

Pest Control Advisors

The results of the surveys have been consistent. Farmers rank their dealer representatives and consultants as among the strongest influential groups (Figure 1). A Purdue University survey of farmers in Indiana indicates, “dealers and consultants are by far the most influential group in helping farmers make decisions about agricultural practices.” In the West, another survey focused on conservation or Best Management Practices determined “Crop Advisors are the most consulted source of technical assistance in helping farmers change nutrient management and irrigation practices.” (Figure 2) It seems clear that having boots on the farmer’s ground brings a level of trust and credibility to recommendations. California and Arizona require salespeople to maintain a Pest Control Advisor (PCA) license in order to sell, recommend or act “as authority on” restricted use pesticides. These hard-working men and women spend 66

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Figure 1 1. Results of Purdue University survey on influential groups in farming. Figure

CROP CONSULTANT UNIVERSITY/UCCE TECH/INPUT VENDOR OTHER GROWERS USDA NRCS GOV’T ORG. RCD OTHER GROWER/COMMODITY ORG. NON-PROFIT ORG. 0

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Figure 2. Results of survey of California farmers ranking most influential groups helping with Best Management Practice decisions.

many hours as a farmer’s extra set of trusted eyes and feet in their fields, helping farmers tackle some of the most challenging problems facing agriculture with a shrinking number of options and

more people staring over their shoulder every day. Farmers count on their PCAs to know their fields, crops, the pesticide laws and the products that are the most cost-effective solutions to their problems.

It takes extensive knowledge, experience and qualifications to be a PCA. They are essential. Pest management recommendations are strict and the guidelines are narrow. Restricted pesticides can only be used on registered crops at recommended rates according to the pesticide label, a legal document. Nutrient management on the other hand does not have the narrow guidelines of pest control. Writing a good fertility program is more nuanced. Labels for common bulk agricultural fertilizers do not contain any use recommendations. A balanced, sustainable fertilizer program that accounts for interactions of soil, tissue and irrigation water takes an even higher level of agronomic understanding. It takes a Certified Crop Advisor.

not uncommon to retake the exam more than once. Those that do pass are part of an elite team. CCAs do much more for their farmer customers than sign nitrogen management plans, however. Hiring a PCA with the CCA means you are working with the best in the agricultural industry. Pest management is critical for maintaining yield and quality potential, but fertility management is all about return on investment. Time and time again, a dollar wisely spent on well-timed fertil-

izer applications to meet plant demand returns many dollars. The high value of agricultural products grown in the West means the farmer’s budget for nutrients needs to be fine-tuned to get the most performance possible. The CCA is the qualified professional to give the farmer the appropriate options for many profitable seasons to come. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

Certified Crop Advisers

Regulatory pressures to reduce the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on ground and surface waters are increasing. In California, nitrogen management plans are now required for most farmers. The plans are a “checkbook” accounting of nitrogen inputs and outputs to gather data on how farming practices are influencing nitrate in ground and surface water in farming regions of California. The complexity of solving the nitrate groundwater contamination puzzle is imposing. Without data, it is impossible to understand if farming practices are improving over time. When the California State Water Resources Control Board was deciding who best to verify nitrogen management plans, it was soon apparent that the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program was the logical choice. CCAs are field professionals who are certified in the fields of crop, soil, water and nutrient management as well as pest management. In order to be certified, a candidate must meet academic standards, have field experience with references and pass two exams, one international and the other regional, that cover a wide range of agronomic topics. Certification exams are unlike academic tests that have both easy and hard questions. Certification exam questions focus on a more than basic level of understanding for all agronomic subjects. The CCA exam is dreaded by most candidates, and it is

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A WORD FROM THE BOARD: THE HAZELNUT MARKETING BOARD

Postharvest Steps for Hazelnuts Follow-Up Maintenance is Crucial for Another Record Crop in 2021 By HAZELNUT MARKETING BOARD | Contributing Writer

he humming of sweepers through the orchards across the Willamette Valley is slowing to a whisper. Hazelnut harvest has neared its end; estimated to be the largest in history, the 2020 harvest was defined by both challenges and opportunities, and in the minds of hazelnut farmers, marked the beginning of a new era. Their weeks, months and years of dedication are expected to yield upwards of 65,000 to 70,000 tons, a total that would shatter the previous record of 52,000 tons. Before too much celebrating can begin, more work has to be done to ensure 2021 is even more successful than 2020. Post-harvest maintenance may not be as glamorous or rewarding as harvest prep, but it is integral in bolstering the longevity of equipment and the quality of soil and trees.

Make Pruning a Priority

Pruning is a never-ending job in a hazelnut orchard. Healthy, enduring trees receive fastidious maintenance throughout their entire lives. Pruning after harvest can help jump start progress, as it may take until spring to

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November 2020

complete the job. There is also the added benefit of growers and employees having just spent weeks traversing the orchard and seeing every angle of the trees. This in-depth knowledge helps better identify problematic branches, and tough spots become easier to see. Many experienced growers recommend mechanized hedging and skirting during this timeframe.

Plant and Remove Trees

Post-harvest is also the optimum window to plant new trees, whether it is an entire orchard or spot-replacing blighted trees. Trees that have been decimated by blight or other diseases should be removed in late autumn and replaced with young trees from an approved nursery.

Replenish Key Nutrients

Replenishing essential nutrients is vital shortly after harvest. The energy required by trees to get them through harvest is immense, and nourishing the soil is a must. Lime will help balance the soil pH and make soil nutrients more readily available for the trees; spreading lime right before the

rainy season is best as the rain helps breakdown lime and incorporate it into the soil. Potassium plays essential roles in nearly every facet of hazelnut tree health; deficiency will likely lead to yield and longevity issues. Several options are available for potassium application, and it is recommended to work with local extension agents or agronomists before beginning any fertilizer application regimen.

Grind Brush and Leaves

The more organic material that can be put back into the soil, the better. After a robust harvest, there is likely plenty of detritus on orchard floors. These shells, husks, leaves and branches should all be ground up and left to decompose back into the soil, thus bolstering the soil health for future harvests.

Copper for Bacterial Blight

Consulting with an agronomist will also help inform whether to apply copper to combat bacterial blight. Bacterial blight has not become an industry-wide problem, but can be very

Minimize Filbert Worm Damage

A practice growing in popularity is post-harvest flailing to combat filbert worm. By flailing and turning over more leaves on the orchard floor, filbert worm pupae are exposed and susceptible to predators. Chiefly among these predators are birds who will flock to the orchard and feast on the worms without doing damage to the trees.

Service Equipment

From pruning saws all the way up to spraying equipment, there is no time to delay when getting tools and equipment serviced. For example, as Christmas tree growers approach their peak season, competing for attention at a blade sharpening shop becomes tougher; getting in the door ahead of the rush could be the difference in days or weeks of productivity lost. Similarly, the wait time for repairs on large equipment like tank sprayers or tractors can be weeks, if not months. Knowing this timeline and being proactive will limit downtime and delays. There is never a problem with calling ahead for lead times and estimation. It is a steadfast rule in farming to not put to tomorrow what you can get done today. When cleaning harvest tools, pressure wash all dirt and grease. Take special care not to wash any electrical components or seals. This list is lengthy but necessary: sprockets, idlers, tensioners, rollers, belts, chains, bearings, tine fingers, hoses, fasteners, fan blades and drive lines. Additionally, any rubber belting should be inspected for tears or brittleness that will indicate more severe damage is ahead. Wheel bolt torque should be checked as well as the tightness of hose clamps on the radiator and air filter. The basics should never be overlooked, too; lubricate all bearings and joints, change the engine oil, clean or

IT IS A STEADFAST RULE IN FARMING TO NOT PUT OFF TO TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE TODAY.

“

replace air filters, replace fuel filters, refill coolant, inflate tires and replace hydraulic oil and filters.

Tend to the Tedious Tasks

They may not be the most glamorous jobs on the farm, but the period between harvest and the end of the year is a great time to complete those tedious little tasks every farm needs done. Cleaning and arranging tools, organizing paperwork or building mainte-

“

damaging in the areas it has affected. All young orchards should receive an autumn application of copper prior to the heavy rainy season.

nance may not feel as exhilarating as a bountiful harvest, but they are crucial pieces to the puzzle for farm longevity. Once late January and February arrive, orchard maintenance begins ramping up, and finding time for these checklist tasks becomes increasingly difficult. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

November 2020

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Newer cultivars of pistachios have shown susceptibility to anthracnose in lab studies, but so far, outside of the Red Aleppo variety, shown here, the disease hasn't been an issue in commercial orchards (all photos courtesy Paulo Lichtemberg, UCCE.)

Anthracnose Not Significant in Pistachios…Yet

Right Conditions Could Lead to Yield Loss in Newer Cultivars

By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer

he good news for pistachio growers when it comes to anthracnose is the widely grown variety Kerman doesn’t appear susceptible to the disease. The bad news is the increasingly popular varieties Golden Hills and Lost Hills apparently are. Still, with no anthracnose showing up in commercial orchards planted to the two varieties in recent years, chances are the disease may fade into obscurity before ever becoming a threat. Only one cultivar grown in California appears highly susceptible to the disease, Red Aleppo, according to researchers who are studying the disease, and only a handful of growers produce it. Common in almonds, anthracnose 70

West Coast Nut

has a spotty history in the state’s pistachio industry dating to 1998 when it was found following a wet spring in mid-July in a Glenn County orchard and then in early September in a Tulare County orchard planted to Kerman. Occasional sightings of anthracnose in pistachios occurred over the next 18 years until in 2016 a Glenn County orchard planted to Red Aleppo showed severe symptoms.

Cultivar Susceptibility

The 2016 discovery raised red flags among researchers who were familiar with the damage the disease had inflicted on pistachios elsewhere. In 2010 in Australia, for example, the disease caused yield losses in excess of 50% to a

November 2020

cousin of the Red Aleppo cultivar after a rainy spring and summer, according to UC Davis plant pathologists Themis Michailides and Paulo Lichtemberg. The disease also has caused significant yield losses in China’s pistachio crop, the two said. In a 2017 article in Progressive Crop Consultant, four researchers, including Michailides and Lichtemberg, wrote that the disease didn’t appear to be an immediate threat to pistachios but it was worth keeping an eye on. At one point, they noted, Botryosphaeria also wasn’t considered a threat. “Botryosphaeria panicle and shoot blight started in a pistachio orchard in northern California, and in about 12

years, the disease became a devastating epidemic in pistachio throughout the state,” the researchers wrote. After the 2016 discovery, the researchers launched fungicide trials in a commercial orchard planted to Red Aleppo and at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center in Parlier to research control measures. And they began surveying pistachio orchards in different regions of the state for the presence of the disease. Four years later, with anthracnose still not causing significant damage outside of the Red Aleppo cultivar, the researchers may be nearing the end of their work on the disease, or at least approaching a moratorium on it. California’s dry climate, Michailides said, and the fact that so much of the state’s acreage is planted to Kerman appears to be playing in the state’s favor. And the fact that the disease hasn’t spread into commercial plantings of Golden Hills and Lost Hills, both of which have suffered yield loss when inoculated with the anthracnose fungus in trials, is significant. Still, Michailides and Lichtemberg aren’t ready to declare the disease a nonthreat to the California pistachio industry. “It could be a problem in the future under the right conditions, now that so many Golden Hills and Lost Hills are going in,” Michailides said.

Sunken Lesions

Anthracnose symptoms are similar to Botryosphaeria symptoms, the main difference being anthracnose doesn’t cause shoot blight and, unlike Botryosphaeria, its lesion on fruit is sunken and usually covered with pinkish sporulation. In addition, Lichtemberg said, at high infection rates, nuts blighted from anthracnose will detach from shoots after high winds and can be found on orchard floors. On leaves, anthracnose appears as circular lesions. In surveys of pistachio orchards in California, the only incidences researchers have found of the disease is in the northern production regions. Lichtemberg postulated several reasons for why the disease has yet to become a problem in the thousands of acres now planted to Golden Hills and Lost Hills, including that spray pro-

grams used to control Botryosphaeria panicle and shoot blight and Alternaria late blight are suppressing the anthracnose fungus, Colletotrichum fioriniae. Also, he said, it could be that the disease’s inoculum is so sparse, it hasn’t yet taken a foothold in orchards planted to Lost Hills and Golden Hills. “It is a new disease and fortunately its inoculum is not widespread,” Lichtemberg said. Researchers are confident in Ker-

man’s tolerance to the disease, given that in several cases, Kerman nuts were unharmed despite growing adjacent to Red Aleppo orchards that suffered heavy yield losses to anthracnose. Also, when Kerman is inoculated in the fungicide trials at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, it shows only mild symptoms and no apparent yield loss. “So far, we have demonstrated that

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Continued from Page 71 Kerman is safe,” Lichtemberg said. Researchers are equally certain that Red Aleppo is highly susceptible to the disease. “Some Red Aleppo orchards we visited last season (in 2019) had 100% incidence,” Lichtemberg said. “There was one grower who destroyed the whole crop because he could not commercialize it.”

Fungicides Ineffective

If the disease ever does become a problem in Golden Hills and Lost Hills, further research will be needed to devise control strategies, given that in four years of trials, Michailides and Lichtemberg have yet to find a product that can control the disease. “We tried several products last year, for example,” Lichtemberg said, “and 100% of our clusters were infected. We could not control it.” In the research center trials, beginning in mid-April, researchers applied four treatments at monthly intervals of a variety of fungicides registered in pistachios, including SDHI, DMI and QoI fungicides, and none controlled the disease. Fungicide trials conducted in a commercial orchard planted to Red Aleppo in Glenn County also provided no positive results. The researchers are unsure why the fungicides have failed. It could be the result of resistant strains, improper spray timing or a combination of factors, they said. Michailides said further studies into the disease’s life cycle could provide information that will help pinpoint better control strategies. “We need to define the life cycle of this, how it develops, how it overwinters, and then we can design more appropriate management approaches,” Michailides said. “For instance, if we find that it overwinters in the bud, perhaps a dormant spray will help.” Any further research into the disease, however, is in danger of being discontinued. With the disease not appearing to be an issue in commercial plantings outside of the Red Aleppo cultivar, incentives to study it are minimal, Michailides said. And the owner of the Glenn County orchard that the researchers are using for their fungicide trials has told Michailides and

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Pistachio affected by anthracnose. Symptoms are similar to those of Botryosphaeria.

Lichtemberg that he plans to pull out his orchard unless they can devise a means to control the disease, a development that will severely hamper the researchers’ ability to study it. “That will make it difficult to study the disease in a commercial setting, and our orchards (at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center) aren’t large enough to do a good-sized trial,” Lichtemberg said. At this point, if the grower decides to pull out his orchard, research may devolve into studying isolates in a lab that researchers have collected from the orchard to try and uncover why fungicides aren’t working, Lichtemberg said. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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UCCE ADVISOR PROFILE

SURENDRA DARA

By CRYSTAL NAY | Contributing Writer

UCCE Advisor Surendra Dara brings multiple disciplines to his job as a UCCE Advisor for Entomology and Biologicals (all photos courtesy S. Dara.)

urendra Dara, UC Cooperative even though he was one of the two top Extension Advisor for Entomology candidates in entomology. Instead of and Biologicals, had a different plan waiting another year to apply, Dara for his career. But, as luck or fate would applied to schools in the U.S. and have it, there was a different advenreceived a scholarship to study microture in store for him. Dara went from bial control of the green peach aphid at originally wanting to study medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State to finding himself studying agriculturUniversity (Virginia Tech). al sciences, to zeroing in on entomology. But even his entomology studies led to something much grander than he could have anticipated. While Dara studied agricultural sciences at Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University in Dara speaking at the annual Strawberry Field Day in Santa Maria. India, there was a heavy emphasis on insect and mite arthropod pests This was just the start of Dara’s in the region. With their potential to international career. significantly damage the area’s agriculture, Dara focused on how to protect Long Road to California the crops from those pests. After earning his Ph.D., Dara spent “Entomology seemed to be one of three years working as an entomopathose disciplines playing a critical role,” thologist—someone who studies dissaid Dara. eases of arthropods— at the InternaAfter earning his master’s degree, he tional Institute of Tropical Agriculture decided to further his education and located in Republic of Benin in West research, but found himself bureaucrat- Africa, where he researched microbial ically edged out of two coveted spots control of the cassava green mite, an in the Ph.D. program at his university, exotic pest that damages cassava. Cas74

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November 2020

sava is a staple carbohydrate source for millions of Africans, and its tuberous roots are the source of tapioca. After his time in Africa, Dara emigrated to Canada, earned a postgraduate degree in information technology, then found himself back in the U.S. at the University of Houston for one year before making his way to California. Though his journey to his current UCCE position sounds adventurous, it wasn’t without its complications. “Life is interesting,” said Dara. “It teaches you so many lessons, both in success and in failure. While I had several professional successes, there were many challenges in achieving them, and being unable to find a stable job during the early part of my career taught me a lot.” Dara built an extensive base of professional experience while navigating the tangled world of obtaining the proper work visas. Just as other life events out of his control steered him towards a certain path, Dara’s career specialties happened the same way. His formal Ph.D. training was in entomology and microbial control, and he eventually

found himself in IPM, but happenstance led to other roads of expertise. Dara’s initial goal was to be the quintessential college professor who taught and advised students and did research. Once he joined extension, he realized the value and the satisfaction of that outreach and research work. “It is really rewarding. My job is to work with farmers and develop science-based practical solutions. We in extension work on things that can be implemented right away. If it is good work, the impact is immediate, and you can see it very quickly. I think this is the best job I could have, and I really appreciate being able to work in research and extension,” said Dara.

Multiple Disciplines

pollinators. There’s also a focus on fertilizers and nutrient management. “Previous nutrient management was all about growing crops efficiently and improving productivity, but now the focus is on reducing groundwater contamination and negative environmental impact from excessive use of nutrients,” said Dara. Among these several changes are the disappearance of older broad-spectrum chemicals in favor of more selective pest management products. Dara hopes to see sustainable agriculture become mainstream and anticipates continued movement toward a more IPM-based production system. Today’s organic and conventional systems may merge into a single, sustainable system that encompasses the benefits of both methods. “It’s not that easy for growers to produce organically. And some organic practices aren’t necessarily good for the environment,” said Dara. “If we have a system that takes all our options and balances them out, and uses what is good for the grower, good for the consumer and good for the environment, then that is an ideal system.”

Dara has been a farm advisor with UCCE for 12 years. He was initially hired on as a strawberry and vegetable advisor, not an entomologist. Because of his education in microbial control, he also had experience and exposure to plant pathology and pathogens. He also trained strawberry and vegetable growers in regions all over the world, including Africa, Caribbean, Central America, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. Even though he didn’t plan to specialize in strawberries Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel and vegetables, this experience opened up even more doors free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com for him, such as in biostimulants, irrigation and nutrient management. Dara eventually moved further into IPM and sustainable agriculture, developing holistic approaches in his new role as Entomology and Biologicals Advisor. “Biologicals are in multiple disciPLANT GROWTH REGULATOR plines. They are both for controlling pests and diseases, and to promote With increasing guidance from almond processors to limit plant growth and health as soil amenddouble kernels, trust the nut retaining AND yield increasing ments, so I continue to do both the power of MOCKSI™ PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR! agronomic and plant protection work,” said Dara. “I trained to be an entomologist, but now I am doing a lot more than entomology, so my job has given me the opportunity to learn other aspects and work in multiple disciplines.”

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The ebbs and flows of Dara’s career over the years made him ready and adaptable to whatever came next, which is a skill in itself in an industry that is rapidly changing. Compared to what it was several years ago, Dara noted, there is an increased interest in sustainable— and a significant increase in organic— agriculture. This shift is the sum of many parts focusing on specific areas of agriculture. For one, there is a spotlight on efforts needed to maintain healthy

Rather than increasing the length of bloom, which increases the probability of double kernel nuts; MOCKSI® acts on the tree to promote increased auxin production which leads to improved attachment of the hull to the stem, thereby lessening drop leading to increased yields at a MUCH lower cost than the alternative. Begin your planning for 2021’s almond bloom now, understand the benefits of a MOCKSI® application and be ready for a strong 2021! Kim-C1, LLC Contact Ben Letizia at 559-284-1392 or ben@letiziaag.com for more information ©2020 Kim-C1, LLC. All rights reserved. MOCKSI and Kim-C1, LLC logo are registered trademarks of Kim-C1, LLC. Always read and follow label directions. 559-228-3311

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FDA ANNOUNCES NEW KEY FSMA RULE TO ADVANCE TRACEABILITY OF FOODS

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By ROGER A. ISOM | President/CEO and PRISCILLA RODRIGUEZ | Director of Regulatory Affairs and Food Safety, Western Agricultural Processors Association

his past month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a new proposed regulation to bring about farm-to-table traceability in our food supply. This new proposed rule is beyond what is already required in existing regulations. The proposed new rule lays the foundation for the end-to-end food traceability across the food industry with the ability to track a food at every step of the supply chain. While limited to certain foods, this proposed rule would create a firstof-its-kind standardized approach to traceability recordkeeping. In the proposed rulemaking, the FDA released a draft Food Traceability List that identifies foods to which the additional recordkeeping requirements would apply. Nut butters, including all the tree nut butters, are on the list. However, it would not apply to products that are considered “rarely consumed raw” such as almonds, and those that receive commercial processing that adequately reduce the presence of microorganisms of public health significance.

Primary Requirements

The proposed rule identifies growing, receiving, transforming, creating and shipping as the Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) for which records containing Key Data Elements (KDEs) would be

required. The KDEs required would vary depending on the CTE that is being performed. The records required at each CTE would need to contain and link the traceability lot code of the food to the relevant KDEs. The CTEs are as follows: Growing: For products such as fruits and vegetables, growing is generally the first step in the supply chain. Receiving: Receiving is an event in a food’s supply chain in which a food is received by a customer (other than a consumer) at a defined location after being transported (e.g. by truck or ship) from another defined location. In addition to the general KDEs for receiving, “first receivers” would need to establish and maintain additional KDEs. First Receiver: A first receiver is the first person (other than a farm) who purchases and takes physical possession of a listed food. Only foods that are originated (i.e. grown, raised, caught or, in the case of a non-produce commodity such as eggs, harvested) can have a first receiver. Creating: Creating is the making or producing of a food on the Food Traceability List.

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Transformation: Transformation is an event in a food’s supply chain that involves changing a food on the Food Traceability List, its package and/or its label (regarding the traceability lot code or traceability product identifier), such as by combining ingredients or processing a food (e.g. by cutting, cooking, commingling, repacking or

repackaging.) Transformation does not include the initial packing of a single-ingredient food or creating a food. Shipping: Shipping is an event in a food’s supply chain in which a food is arranged for transport (e.g. by truck or ship) from a defined location to another defined location at a different farm, a first receiver or a subsequent receiver.

Traceability Program Records

In addition to requiring records of KDEs, as discussed above, the proposed rule would require persons who manufacture, process, pack or hold foods on the FTL to establish and maintain traceability program records. These records include:

A description of relevant reference records: A firm’s KDEs might be kept on various types of reference records, such as bills of lading, purchase orders or production logs. A firm’s traceability program records would need to include a description of the reference records on which the firm maintains the required KDEs. This description would explain where on the reference record the traceability information appears, and if applicable, a description of how reference records for different tracing events for a food are linked. A list of foods on the FTL that are shipped: The proposed rule would require anyone who ships food on the FTL to keep a list of which listed foods they ship, including the traceability product identifier and traceability product description for each food. This list would be part of a firm’s traceability program records. A description of how traceability lot

codes are assigned: The proposed rule would require traceability lot codes to be established when a food on the FTL is originated, transformed or created. The traceability lot code allows a food to be uniquely identified throughout the supply chain. As part of a firm’s traceability program records, firms would be required to describe how they establish and assign traceability lot codes.

be legible and stored to prevent deterioration or loss. • Traceability records be provided to FDA as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after a request is made.

• An electronic sortable spreadsheet containing relevant traceability information be provided to FDA Other information needed to understand within 24 hours of a request when data provided within the required records: necessary to assist FDA during an The proposed rule would require a firm’s outbreak, recall or other threat to traceability program records to include public health. any other information needed to understand the data within their traceability FDA is hoping this approach will records, such as internal or external allow for linkages to be established coding systems or classification schemes, throughout the supply chain during a glossaries and abbreviations. foodborne illness outbreak investigation and more quickly identify potential Additional Requirements sources of contamination and prevent The proposed rule would also require additional illness and death. The availthat: ability of the traceability records that are set out in the proposed rule would also • Records be maintained as either help limit the scope of recalls and, in original paper records, electronic some instances, allow the FDA to better records or true copies; they all must target consumer advice, avoiding blanket

alerts on whole commodity sectors. The FDA is proposing that any final rule on additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for foods on the FTL would become effective 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Because an effective traceability system requires all entities in a supply chain to maintain traceability records, FDA believes all persons subject to the rule should come into compliance by the same date. FDA is proposing that the compliance date for all persons subject to the recordkeeping requirements would be two years after the effective date of the final regulation. The proposed rule and draft Food Traceability List are available for public comment for 120 days from the date of publication of September 23, 2020. The FDA will also be holding three public meetings during the public comment period. Information about the public meetings will be forthcoming. Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Postharvest is a Good Time to Knock Back Vertebrate Pests in Nut Orchards By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

arvesting nut crops followed by good orchard sanitation will deprive rodents of a preferred food source and drive them to poison baits far more easily in the fall, said Roger Baldwin, UC Davis wildlife specialist.

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and vegetation, removed, squirrels are more likely to eat toxic baits. Multiple dose anticoagulants can be applied in bait stations or spot treatments near burrows or broadcast where squirrel activity is present. The UC Pest Management Guidelines note that for multiple dose baits to be effective in vertebrate pest control, they must be consumed over a period of days. If spot or broadcast treatments are used, multiple applications may be necessary. California ground squirrels generally hibernate, although in warmer areas they may be active year around. Those that do hibernate emerge in mid-winter as temperatures warm. They live in underground burrows 2 to 3 feet below the surface. The burrows can have several openings marked by scattered soils. Burrows are often dug beneath trees, but they will travel 100 yards or more to feed. Severe infestations of ground squirrels can not only affect production, but can result in girdled tree trunks and scaffold branches. Squirrels can also damage tree roots and irrigation lines. Extensive burrowing can divert irrigation water. Large and numerous burrow openings pose safety issues for orchard equipment and workers. Monitoring squirrel numbers and recognizing their feeding habits will help with control decisions. Baldwin said rodenticides are a good choice for fall control of vertebrate pests as there are fewer restrictions on use following harvest. Reading the label is always important, he added. Use of first-generation products which are multiple feed materials may take longer to have an impact on pest populations. These anticoagulants can be applied by broadcast or spot treatments placed near burrows. Bait stations can also be used to protect the materials, ensuring they will be viable for longer periods. Zinc phosphide is an acute toxicant that can kill after a single feeding and can reduce numbers quicker than an anticoagulant. Baldwin noted that this chemical does have a distinctive odor and taste. They may only eat a small dose and become sick then develop an aversion to the product.

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Once rains return, it’s a great time to reduce gopher numbers, Baldwin said. Moist soil makes probing the tunnels easier

and increases the frequency of mounding. An effective fall knockdown campaign prior to gopher winter reproduction can control numbers. When possible, destruction of burrows will slow down re-infestation. New orchard sites, where there is extensive evidence of burrows, should be ripped to destroy existing burrows. Like squirrels, pocket gophers will gnaw on tree roots and trunks when green vegetation is not available. A fall knockdown campaign should be centered around poison bait and trapping. Fresh mounds of dirt in an orchard are a sign of gopher activity. Determining active tunnels will help with bait placement. First-generation anticoagulants, zinc phosphide and strychnine are the primary toxic bait materials, although strychnine

Continued on Page 80

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Continued from Page 79 has generally proven most effective. All pocket gopher bait is applied below ground. There are three primary methods for baiting: 1) Hand baiting via the funnel and spoon method, 2) An allin-one probe and bait dispenser, and 3) A mechanical burrow builder. The hand baiting system is not practical for large acreages. The probe and bait dispenser can work well, but the person doing the work needs proper training to know if the tunnels where the bait is being deposited are active tunnels. The mechanical burrow builder is an implement that creates tunnels through the soil and automatically drops a measured amount of poison bait in the tunnel. The tunnels intercept existing gopher tunnels and they enter to eat the bait. Success with burrow builders, Baldwin said, depends on the right amount of soil moisture and getting the depth of the tunnel right. If the tunnel is too deep or too shallow, it will not be used. Tunnels will also need to be checked

to make sure the bait is deposited. Burrow builders work best where gopher tunnels are extensive. This method is less time consuming and can achieve a quick knockdown, but efficacy is not always consistently high. Monitoring and use of other control tools, including trapping, may be necessary.

Additional Vertebrate Management

Voles, roof rats and deer mice are other vertebrate pests that can damage trees by girdling, particularly young trees. Vole populations can increase rapidly and they prefer sites with cover crops. Their burrow openings are much smaller than those of gophers and their runs through vegetation can be observed. These rodents spend more time above ground but have underground burrows. Broadcast rodenticides are the primary control method and should be applied prior to leaf out as they are generally not labeled for use during the growing season.

If zinc phosphide is used, the key is to avoid moisture as that will start off-gassing and voles will avoid the bait. As for biological control, Baldwin said that while barn owls are adept at killing vertebrate pests, there is no way of knowing if the barn owls observed on site are hunting there or elsewhere. They likely won’t eliminate huge pest populations. Prey composition varies across sites based on rodent availability, but is largely composed of gophers, voles and mice. Resources for control of vertebrate pest species can be found at the UCCE Vertebrate Pest Control Education web site. For pocket gophers go to the UC IPM Pocket gopher Pest Note at http:// ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/ pn7433.html. Ground squirrel management can be found at groundsquirrelBMP.com Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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PISTACHIO THEFT AT SETTON PISTACHIO

EVEN IF PROPER PROTOCOL IS FOLLOWED, THEFT IS STILL A POSSIBILITY By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

s shocking as the theft of two tractor trailer loads of packaged pistachio nuts was, it was also frustrating to detectives in the Tulare County Ag Crimes Unit when the courts released the two suspects in the case. In August, detectives arrested a 23-year-old Fresno resident for theft of the packaged pistachio nuts that were destined for an East Coast grocery chain. Less than three weeks after the arrest, detectives in the Ag Crimes Unit served search warrants at two homes in Fresno County as well as a business. During the course of the investigation, they made a second arrest in connection with the crime. He was charged with grand theft, looting, identity theft and conspiracy. Evidence found with the search warrant also linked the two men to an earlier theft of another load of pistachio nuts valued at $127,000.

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Raw pistachios being delivered to the Setton Pistachio plant in Terra Bella (all photos by C. Parsons.)

the crime is considered non-violent. Release of the suspects slows the judicial process, Clower said. “Releasing the suspects in this case is extremely frustrating as the crimes affected so many people. Value of the nuts in those two cases was a half-million dollars,” Clower said. Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, in a statement, applauded the diligent work of Ag Crimes Unit detectives. He noted that the massive bust is just one example of the dedication the men and women of the department have for the agriculture community. “The men involved in this crime were cheating people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and they could have gone on for years if not for the hard work of the ag detectives,” Boudreaux said. Clower emphasized that Setton Pistachio in Terra Bella, victim in the August theft, followed all the protocols that were established to prevent product theft. “They had all the necessary documents and they appeared to be legitimate. They were wise to the system,” Clower said. In August, detectives called to Setton Pistachio learned that the identity of a legitimate trucking company was stolen and used to secure contracts for the delivery of Setton’s two tractor trailer loads of packaged pistachio nuts valued at $294,000.

The two suspects, who operated a legitimate trucking business, knew the vulnerabilities of the contract hauling system, Clower said. The suspects developed an elaborate scheme to gain possession of the pistachio nuts including theft of the tractors and trailers to haul the nuts from a Fresno business. A hitch in the plan came when the owners of the trailers told detectives that the trailers were equipped with real time GPS. That allowed detectives to track down the suspects and recover the trailers and the pistachios. Clower said, the suspects had a crew in place to repackage the stolen nuts when they arrived with the trailers at an abandoned property in Selma.

Need for Proper Protocol

Setton Pistachio manager Jeff Gibbons said the company has been committed to following a recommended set of protocols for all product pickup. Those protocols include 24-hour advance notice for pickup. Drivers’ name and license is verified, along with all paperwork. Photographs are taken of the driver, truck and trailer as well as the license plates and vehicle VIN. Warnings are placed at truck entrance and surveillance cameras are in operation. GPS tracking devices are in use. Setton has also implemented some additional protocols to prevent future thefts, Gibbons said. Although the stolen nuts were returned to Setton, Gibbons said the cost of additional processing and re-packaging amounted to a substantial cost to the company. He expressed gratitude to Sheriff Boudreaux for placing priority on solving agricultural crime. “Fictitious pick-up” of high value agriculture commodities is becoming common, reports Roger Isom, president of Western Agricultural Processors Association. The lag time between full trailers leaving the processor and a report of theft makes it difficult to investigate the crime. Thieves also know there is low risk of apprehension. Isom explained that much of the information thieves need to pick up a load is available online. Using a stolen identity, they can arrange for a hauling contract and

Continued on Page 84

Raw pistachio nuts move up a conveyor belt at the Setton Pistachio plant.

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In August, Setton was a victim of processed nut theft by a truck driver who appeared to have legitimate documents for picking up a load of one-pound packages of pistachio nuts. Tulare County sheriff’s deputies have made two arrests in the case and recovered the stolen nuts.

Continued from Page 83 even hire a legitimate sub-hauler to make the initial pickup. Once on the road, the sub-hauler can be redirected to drop the load elsewhere. People that are caught will not spend any time in a state prison, and most likely will be released early because it is a non-violent crime. Richard Matoian, president of American Pistachio Growers, said it is unfortunate that these thefts are occurring. “With so much business being conducted on the internet, the opportunity exists for unscrupulous, tech-savvy individuals to obtain such detailed information and to use it for their own personal benefit,” he said. “The laws have to severely punish such individuals to set an example that no one else follows. These are not just crimes of opportunity; these individuals are hacking into computer systems and plotting an elaborate scheme to defraud business of hundreds of thousands of dollars of product.” Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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est Coast Nut magazine will “Tree Nut Industry Overview: Where be bringing the nut indusare we Heading” discussion and also try together for the first ever pose questions during the live Q&A “United We Stand” California Tree Nut presentation following the keynote Conference on November 20 from 8 panel. a.m. to 12 p.m. The keynote panel for Other panels schedule for the this live virtual conference will feamorning conference will include ture the top executives from each tree industry leaders discussing big technut commodity, who will discuss the nologies changing pest control in nut technology, markets and production orchards, the future of navel orangepractices important to the tree nut worm mating disruption and winning orchard of the future. the battle against nematodes. “The California Nut Conference The opening panel at 8 a.m. will provides us a rare opportunity to have include industry thought leaders from all the executives of the top nut commajor NOW mating disruption supplimodities in the Western United States ers who will discuss “Integrating Maton one panel to share their vision for ing Disruption into an IPM Program the future of the nut industry,” said for NOW in Nut Crops.” These experts West Coast Nut Magazine Publisher will share the latest tools and technoloJason Scott. “We are grateful to have gies for successfully integrating mating their participation and are sure this disruption in commercial nut orchards. will be an interesting and lively discusThe second part of the session sion.” will feature nut industry precision Growers will have the opportunity ag leaders discussing “Big Technolto hear from almond, walnut, pistaogies changing Pest Control in Nut chio and pecan executives during the Orchards.” Learn more about how 86

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integrating orchard metrics and crop and weather data monitoring can help control pests and diseases in the orchard and learn where this technology will take us into the future. Finally, experts with TriCal Diagnostics will share their knowledge on “Tending to Your Soils: Winning the Battle Against Nematodes.” Learn what every growers needs to know about sampling, preventing and managing nematodes in new and existing nut orchards. The California Nut Conference will offer growers three hours of DPR and CCA continuing education credits (pending.) “Our goal with this live virtual event is to bring the western tree nut industry together in a unified, dynamic environment to look at ways we can move our industry forward together into the future,” Scott said. “We look forward to seeing our readers on Nov. 20.”

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