West Coast Nut - February 2022

WEST COAST NUT

FEBRUARY 2022 ISSUE

Your

Connection to the Tree Nut Industry

SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE:

ORCHARD SANITATION, PEST CONTROL ARE NEIGHBORLY ACTS SEE PAGE 64

NEW TOOL FOR PREDICTING PISTACHIO NUT GROWTH SEE PAGE 8

TOP 5 THINGS TO IMPROVE WALNUT QUALITY

APRIL 7-8, 2022

SEE PAGE 32

JUNE 8, 2022 WCNGG.COM/CWC

APRIL 6, 2022

IN THIS ISSUE:

TRUNK AND SCAFFOLD DISEASES OF ALMONDS SEE PAGE 44

WCNGG.COM/NVNC

PECAN

DAY

WCNGG.COM/PD

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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

Sprayer Maintenance More Critical Than Ever

8

A New Web-based Tool for Predicting Pistachio Nut Growth

14

The Power of P: Nutrient Management is a ‘Matching Game’ for Trees

18

An Unsettling Trend: Increased Brown Spot Rejects Worry Experts Who Point to Few Control Measures

24

Regulatory Update: Employment Laws to Know for 2022

28

From Potential to Practical: Applying What We Know About Coproducts

32

Top 5 Things You Can Do Now to Improve Walnut Quality at Harvest

36

Considering Soil Fertility for Tree Crops

44

Identifying Trunk and Scaffold Disease of Almonds

48

View from the Top: 6 questions for Aubrey Bettencourt, President and CEO of the Almond Alliance of California

Steven Koike Tri-Cal Diagnostics

52

Jhalendra Rijal UCCE Integrated Pest Management Advisor, Stanislaus County

Looming European Green New Deal Policy Could Affect Almond Exports

56

New Pistachio Yield Prediction Project Underway at UC Davis

60

Looking Ahead: 2022 American Pecan Council Activities

64

Taking Care of Your Neighborly Nuts: Orchard Sanitation, Pest Control are Neighborly Acts

68

No Mandatory Testing for Farms in New Proposed Water Requirements of the Produce Safety Rule

72

Spotted Lanternfly Risk to California Walnuts

76

Careful Rootstock Selection Can Ensure Long Term Productivity

Almond Board of California Neal Kinsey Contributing Writer Kinsey Agricultural Services American Pecan Council Contributing Writer

Rich Kreps CCA, SSp., Contributing Writer

Roland C. Bocco Assistant Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension

Mitch Lies Contributing Writer

Vicky Boyd Contributing Writer

Andy Lyons Informatics and GIS Statewide Program, UC ANR

Surendra K. Dara Entomology and Biologicals Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension

Catherine Merlo Contributing Writer Priscilla Rodriguez Director of Regulatory Affairs and Food Safety, Western Agricultural Processors Association

Theresa Kiehn President and CEO, AgSafe

UC Cooperative Extension Advisory Board Surendra K. Dara Director, North Willamette REC, Oregon State University Kevin Day County Director/UCCE Pomology Farm Advisor, Tulare/Kings Counties Elizabeth Fichtner UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County

IN THIS ISSUE 4

Contributing Writers & Industry Support

Taylor Chalstrom Digital Content Editor

By the Industry, For the Industry

Mohammad Yaghmour UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Kern County

Katherine Jarvis-Shean UCCE Area Orchard Systems Advisor, Yolo and Solano

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

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: Taking Care of Your Neighborly Nuts In a Central Valley with more and more contiguous acres of nuts, orchard sanitation and pest control are neighborly acts.

See page 64

February 2022

www.wcngg.com

3

Sprayer Maintenance More Critical Than Ever

By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer Performing maintenance, including most importantly calibration, on your airblast sprayer can be critical in efforts to optimize spray performance (all photos by F. Niederholzer.)

S

prayer maintenance is one of the most important steps a grower can take going into the season to ensure they get the most out of their crop protection inputs, according to Franz Nieder-

holzer, UCCE farm advisor for Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties. And with so many uncertainties facing nut growers these days, getting top value out of crop inputs is critical.

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February 2022

“Growers are looking at rising costs and prices being variable as well as uncertainties with global trade and supply chain issues,” Niederholzer said. “Now is the time to look carefully at costs and expenditures. And if you are going to spend the money [on a crop input], make sure it works,” he said.

Starts with Calibration

Checking screens, pressure gauges, nozzles and other sprayer parts is critical and should be done each offseason, Niederholzer said. But the most important step a grower can take this offseason to ensure a sprayer is operating efficiently is sprayer calibration.

“Take it out when you are not under the gun,” Niederholzer said. “When you’ve got a little bit of time, go out on a flat piece of ground, fill it full of clean water and calibrate it. Find out what your sprayer is putting out at the operating settings that you commonly use.

“And, while you are doing that, look for leaks, look for plugged screens or nozzles and generally see how your sprayer is working,” he said.

An improperly calibrated sprayer can lead to overapplication of crop inputs, which costs farmers money and wastes product, and what can be worse, underapplication.

“Bill Olson, retired UCCE farm advisor for Butte County, used to say

Continued on Page 6

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that growers save those dates and look the most expensive spray job is the one for registration information in UCCE that doesn’t work,” Niederholzer said. newsletters and magazine articles in “The biggest downside is not putting on coming weeks. enough material. If you are under the Before calibrating a sprayer, Niederlabel rate, that can’t be good.” holzer said growers or managers should Calibrating a sprayer can seem like a start with standard sprayer maintenance. daunting task for those unfamiliar with “Good maintenance involves lookit, Niederholzer said. But it isn’t as hard ing at a lot things, even if it just a quick as it first seems. check,” Niederholzer said. “It doesn’t “Once you get the hang of it, it is not have to be a deep dive, but it is important that complicated,” he said. “It is like so to check all the parts that work in the many things: Before you do it, you are re- system.” ally nervous about it, but once you do it, Be sure to check all screens from the it is like, ‘Okay, now I get it.’ It just takes tank to the nozzles to make sure they are getting familiar with it, getting comfortclean and working properly. And check able with it.” to see if nozzles are plugged or worn. If There are several educational tools nozzles are worn beyond a manufacavailable for people interested in learning turer’s specs, they should be replaced, how to calibrate a sprayer, Niederholzer Niederholzer said. said, including an on-demand course “It can cost you far more to continue that he and Lynn Wunderlich, UCCE using them than the replacement costs,” farm advisor in the Central Sierra, rehe said. cently developed with help from UC IPM Also, he said, don’t hesitate replacing Course Development Experts Cheryl pressure gauges. They are a relatively Reynolds and Petr Kosina. inexpensive yet critical part of a sprayer.

“We spent a lot of time and effort on that video,” he said. “That is a tool Calibrate to Canopy I would point growers, managers and One money-saving strategy that Nieoperators to.” derholzer said growers should consider Also, he said, most UC ANR crop this offseason is to separate calibrations production literature has a chapter on for different times of the year depending sprayer applications and calibration. And, on canopy. he said, UC ANR Extension Specialist in The practice, which involves increasAg Application Peter Larbi is planning an ing ground speed early in the season in-depth airblast sprayer training course when canopies are light, and slowing for May 16 to 18. Niederholzer suggested during full leaf-out, can provide signifi-

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West Coast Nut

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Checking all parts of a sprayer annually, including filters, can be key to optimizing sprayer performance. Clogged filters (pictured) can reduce pesticide flow in the sprayer and may reduce spray output.

cant savings in labor, fuel and water.

“The sprayer shouldn’t be working as hard at bloom as at full leaf-out,” Niederholzer said. “There is just not that much plant tissue to cover at bloom, and there is no resistance of the canopy because there are no leaves. So, you can drive a little bit faster. You use the same rate of material per acre, but use less water, and that means you don’t fill up as often.

“So, there are significant savings in time and labor,” he added. Driving three miles an hour during bloom versus two miles an hour in season, for example, can save one-third in labor costs, he said.

“In this day and age, especially with nut prices where they are, why waste money?” he said. “You aren’t changing your pesticide rate, but you are changing your gallonage, which makes for a more concentrated spray. And because you are driving faster, that cuts down on drift, which makes your neighbors happy.

“It requires a little extra work,” he continued. “You have to stop and establish your ground speed and your nozzle flow for two different spray volumes

(gallons per acre) for the same orchard.

But in most sprayers these days, you have flip-over nozzles, or several nozzles you can turn on or off at the same spot on the sprayer manifold. So, you can set up those two different calibrations in the offseason, and when the time comes to change over after petal fall, you just change up the nozzles and adjust gearing and RPMs to deliver the pre-determined gallons per acre.”

If employing this strategy, he advised growers to make sure sprayer operators know gearing and nozzles needed for job or calibration at hand. “That is critical,” he said. “But when that is done, you are set. You don’t have to do all that much work in season.”

One Day’s Work

The time it takes to prepare a sprayer for the season, typically about a day, is miniscule when compared to the benefits a grower can gain from a properly maintained sprayer, Niederholzer said. And it can be done any time in the offseason.

“That is the nice thing about this,”

Niederholzer said. “It is a task that isn’t time-dependent. If you aren’t planning to put on a dormant spray, you just have to make sure your sprayer is ready for your pink-bud timing.

“Think of the dollars of chemical that go through one sprayer in a season,” he said. “Forget the labor involved. Just think about the cost of chemical that goes out.

“My argument is it is worth a day of the manager’s or a grower’s time before the season starts to make sure that the equipment that delivers all that expense is working like you want it to.”

People interested in taking the sprayer calibration course Niederholzer referenced can go to campus.extension.org/ enrol/index.php?id=1787.

The course is free to the public, but costs $60 if a person wants the 2.5 hours of continuing education credits that are available with the class.

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

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7

A NEW WEB-BASED TOOL FOR PREDICTING PISTACHIO NUT GROWTH

NEW CULTIVARS, CHANGING CLIMATE CALL FOR NEW METHODS TO TIME IRRIGATION, PESTICIDES AND HARVEST.

By ANDY LYONS | Informatics and GIS Statewide Program, UC ANR LU ZHANG, CARA ALLAN, EMILIO LACA, NARGES MAHVELATI, LEIGH ARCHER, FANGYI WANG, GIULIA MARINO, EDEN LANGE, LIYU YING, RUOYI GAO, ABDOLLATIF SHEIKHI, AHMAD TAJABADIPOUR POUR, EMRE BILEN, MATEEN SAJID, MUHAMMAD HAMMAD RAZA AND LOUISE FERGUSON | Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis

T

hus far, deciding when to deficit irrigate, spray pesticides and harvest pistachios has been based on the current season’s weather, historical calendar dates and direct observation of when the growing pistachio nut begins and ends with the three seasonal growth stages: Stage I - shell enlargement; Stage II - shell hardening and thickening; and Stage III - kernel growth and split. Based on the work of Goldhamer and Beede in the 1980s, 25% to 50% deficit irrigation should not begin until the nutshell has fully grown in Stage I, should continue through Stage II, and should stop when the kernel begins growing in Stage III. This irrigation strategy, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), ensures optimal nut size, which is determined by shell growth, and optimal nut fill and split, which are functions of kernel growth. Timing of pesticides for small plant bugs has also been based on nut growth stage, specifically late in Stage II when the shell is too hard for small bug mouthparts to pierce. Time of harvest late in Stage III, when the kernel is fully grown and the shell split, is the most difficult to time as the percentage split, hull breakdown or navel orangeworm (NOW) infestation can significantly affect price per pound.

Creating a New Model

The combined use of current-season

8

West Coast Nut

February 2022

Figure 1. The map on the left shows monitored heat unit accumulation as GDD above 45 degrees F starting on day 100 of the year, April 10. The graph on the right demonstrates that by day 210, August 1, there was a 30-day difference among some sites in accumulating 1500 GDD.

weather, historical calendar dates and direct observation have been sufficiently reliable until two things changed: cultivar and weather. As long as the industry was the female ‘Kerman’ and male ‘Peters’, and growers knew the historical dates and could monitor current weather patterns and nut development, these techniques worked. However, now, with Parfitt and Kallsen’s earlier-maturing ‘Golden Hills’, Lost Hills’ and their male pollinizers as well as California’s changing climate, these methods of timing irrigation, pesticides

and harvest are less reliable.

The map and temperature accumulation graph in Figure 1 show why. For three years, temperatures were monitored in eight Central Valley locations over 300 miles north to south; the locations are shown on the map. In the accompanying graph is the temperature as heat unit accumulation above 45 degrees F (7.5 degrees C) starting on day 100 of the year (roughly April 10.)

Note that by day 210 (roughly mid-July),

Continued on Page 10

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Continued from Page 8 there is an approximate 30-day difference in when 1500 growing degree days (GDD) above 45 degrees C has been accumulated. Differences in heat accumulation of this mag-

nitude can have a significant effect on pistachio nut growth.

All plant growth, including final tree or nut size, is a function of genetically determined accumulated heat units, GDD. This is true of the three stages of pistachio nut growth.

The shell growth in Stage I, the shell thickening and hardening in Stage II and the kernel growth in Stage III that causes shell split all have specific, genetically determined heat unit Table 1.

Geographical Information

Locations Sam- Plant Information

Huron

Was co

pling Year

Cultivar

Roots tock

Year P lan ted

Latitu de

Longitu de

2014

Kerman

P. integerrim a

200 6

36.13 ºN

-120.1 0ºW

115.2 6

P anoche s andy loam

Golden Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 8

Pete1

P. integerrim a

200 6

Kerman

Clonal UCB1

200 5

35.60 ºN

-119.5 6ºW

81.99

Golden Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 5

Kimberlin a s andy loam

Los t Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 5

Kalehgho uchi

Clonal UCB1

200 5

Pete1

Clonal UCB1

200 5

Los t Hills

S eedling UCB1

200 5

36.63 ºN

-120.3 9ºW

61.28

Fres no clay

Pete1

S eedling UCB1

200 6

Kerman

Clonal UCB1

200 5

36.69 ºN

-120.4 7ºW

79.93

P anoche loam

Pete1

Clonal UCB1

200 6

Kerman

Clonal UCB1

200 6

36.71 ºN

-120.4 8ºW

79.80

P anoche loam

Golden Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 6

35.94 ºN

-119.1 21 º W

127.0 8

Centervill e clay

Los t Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 6

Kerman

Clonal UCB1

200 6

Golden Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 7

37.05 ºN

-120.1 59 º W

76.88

Clay hardpan

Los t Hills

Clonal UCB1

200 7

Kerman

P. integerrim a

200 5

39.01 ºN

-122.0 3ºW

43.00

MillholmContra Cos ta complex

Kerman

S eedling UCB1

200 8

36.60 ºN

-119.5 1ºW

104.8 5

Golden Hills

S eedling UCB1

200 8

Hanford s andy loam

Los t Hills

S eedling UCB1

200 8

Kalehgho uchi

S eedling UCB1

200 8

Pete1

S eedling UCB1

200 8

Arial

S eedling UCB1

200 8

2014 2016 2017

Figure 3: The relationship between nut growth and degree days. On the horizontal axis at the bottom, this graph gives the growing degree days, or GDD, above 45 degrees F (75 degrees C) past 50% full bloom required to complete Stage I, Stage II and Stage III. The vertical axis gives the percentage of growth stage completed, not the shell or kernel volume in mm3 or shell hardness in mg/mm2.

Tranquility

2014

Mendota

2014

(Coit Ranch)

2016

Mendota (Mitch Ranch)

2016

Terra Bella

2014

2017

2017

2016 2017 Madera

Arbuckle

2014

2016 2017

P arlier

2016 2017

Eleva tion

S oil Type

(m)

Table 1. Description of collection sites and cultivars, including sampling year, locations, elevation, soil type and rootstocks of pistachio orchards used in this study.

10

West Coast Nut

February 2022

Heat Accumulation

Nut Volume (mm3) Shell Hardness (lbs./3mm2) Embryo Length (mm)

Figure 2. How the shell growth, shell hardness and kernel growth were measured weekly.

accumulations. If the specific GDD accumulations required to complete these three growth stages are known, we could use historical temperature records and current weather monitoring to predict when these three growth stages will occur and more accurately implement the production practices based on these growth stages. In other words, instead of using the calendar for RDI, pesticide applications and harvest timing, we can predict the time to start these operations based on GDD accu-

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000

2250

2500

1202

2770

3009

3033

3036

3036

3036

3036

3036

3036

0.9

3.9

8.8

13.8

17.8

20.4

22.1

23.0

23.6

23.9

0.0

0.0

0.7

4.3

9.8

14.3

16.9

18.3

18.9

19.2

Table 2.Nutshell volume, kernel length and shell hardness of ‘Kerman’ cultivar as function of heat accumulation above 45 degrees F since 50% bloom.

mulation. This is a common practice for insect pests in multiple crops.

There are few models of tree fruit and nut development that have been converted into grower-friendly computer-aided systems. For an effective, web-based decision support tool, the model is used as the fundamental decision-making tool, and the real-time temperatures are required for management. This is the first time it is being tried for California pistachios.

Before discussing how to use the model, a general summary of how the information supporting the model was generated is given. Table 1 (see page 10) shows the experimental collection and monitoring sites, Figure 2 demonstrates how the weekly three days of laboratory measurements were done, and Table 2 (see page 11) gives the average values obtained for the ‘Ker-

Continued on Page 12

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11

Continued from Page 11 man’ female cultivar.

This combination of intensive nut measuring and sampling generated growth curves for all six cultivars like the ones provided for ‘Kerman’, Figure 3 (see page 10). The horizontal axis gives the accumulated GDD above 45 degrees F (7.5 degrees C) past 50% full bloom required to complete Stage I, Stage II and Stage III. The vertical axis gives the percentage of growth stage completed, not the shell or kernel volume in mm3 or shell hardness in mg/ mm2. This graph demonstrates that regulated deficit irrigation should begin at about 500 GDD and be halted at about 800 GDD. Note that shell hardening continues past the beginning of Stage III and is not the discrete stage it was previously thought to be. Therefore, at this time, the graph cannot be used to predict when the nuts are no longer susceptible to small bug damage as the shell hardness in mg/mm2 must be determined. When the kernel volume approaches 90%, monitoring for shell split to predict harvest timing should be started. Generally, as all three curves approach 90%, monitoring the nuts visually should begin.

Using the Prediction Site

In practice, using accumulated GDD to predict nut growth stages is done through an interactive website (ucanr.edu/pistachio-nut-growth) which requires the following inputs: location, cultivar, a bloom date range, desired percentage of the maximum values and preferred weather data source. The website will then generate predicted calendar dates for a specific growth stage, using weather data from the selected location.

The website uses a simple interface 12

West Coast Nut

February 2022

designed to work well on phones and includes instructions. The four sections are as follows: Select location. The first step is to select your location by clicking on the map or typing longitude-latitude coordinates. The current version supports all of California, Nevada and portions of neighboring states.

Pistachio options. In this section, select your cultivar, date range for your analysis and the percentage of the maximum theoretical values to highlight in the results. The default maximum value is 90%, meaning the results will tell you when nut volume, shell hardness and embryo length are predicted to reach 90% of their theoretical modeled maximum value.

Weather data. Click the wheel icon to open the weather data options. Here, you can select a weather data provider for the historic period, the present season and the 10-day forecast. Additional weather data sources may be added in the future.

The historic averages will be used in two places in the report: 1) as a comparison

The growing degree day accumulation graph shows how heat accumulation in the current season compares to historical averages.

This website’s output must be accompanied by ground truthing observations when the values approach 90% for each stage. This model was developed by a large group of researchers at all levels, including professors, postdocs, visiting scientists, graduate and undergraduate students, student assistants and computer scientists that sampled, measured and analyzed data from six different cultivars over eight Central Valley locations on 700-mile trips weekly during the season for three years. However, it is only a predictive model to support decision making.

The work was generously supported by California Pistachio Research Board. The work would not have been possible without the cooperation of the growers and managers for each experimental site. We thank Alan Scroggs, Bill Seaman, Charlie Rose, Chris Couture, Dave Peterson, Gary Robinson, Gary Weinberger, Ali and Hamid Orandi, Jeff Gibbons, Jeff Schmeidrer, Jonathan Battig, Mitchell Coit, Setton Farms and Vahid Salehi. We also thank Craig Kallsen and Dr. Themis Michailides for providing plant materials from experimental orchards.

This work is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Ali Orandi, a pioneer in California’s pistachio industry and dear friend with whom we spent many hours learning in his orchards and enjoying lunches in “Ali’s Kitchen”.

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

The combined nut development graph shows when the desired percent maximum of the different growth measures is predicted to be reached.

Are you ready for “P”LOOM?

The milestones table shows the date when the three measures of growth will be reached.

for the present season, and 2) as a substitute for daily temperatures beyond the 10-day forecast.

Report. Click the ‘Run’ button to generate the report.

Once the report is finished, scroll down to see it. The report includes several graphs that show modelled nut growth and a table of dates for the key milestones. The graphs are all interactive, so if you hover over them with the mouse, you can zoom in and out, show the values, download it as a PNG file, etc.

In conclusion, models are decision support tools, not calculators of definite outcomes like an irrigation calculator.

The right “P” makes a difference for your trees during bloom.

Call Ultra Gro to speak to a Crop Advisor today.

559.661.0977 WWW.ULTRAGRO.COM

February 2022

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13

The Power of P

Nutrient Management is a ‘Matching Game’ for Trees

By RICH KREPS | CCA, SSp., Contributing Writer

All trees seem to need a big slug of either applied and assimilated or stored phosphorus early to generate bloom. The P gets things moving and the carbohydrates and oils (carbon sources) take over the steady burn of energy (photo courtesy Blue Diamond Growers.)

L

ooking back over the last couple years of articles, I seem to talk a lot about matches. I always try to get my growers that I consult for to match the amount of a specific nutrient to a calculated level of the other nutrients they are applying in a season. I make every attempt to get them to match the nutrients they are applying to the nutrient demand curves of their specific crop.

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West Coast Nut

Why apply a nutrient if the trees aren’t taking it up at that time? I even try to get them to match their irrigation schedule to nutrient applications to keep that liquid gold in the root zone as long as possible (often at the detriment to their sleep and livelihood!) We even try to match each application to the amount of a nutrient that a crop can take up in the time that irrigation set hydrates the root zone. If more water gets applied before a heavy fertigation can be absorbed, we often lose nutrients.

So, let’s dissect an actual match.

Blake Wilbur 559.420.6450 Bwilbur@koppert.com

February 2022

I’m always harping on the power of P. Phosphate is the P in ATP, adenosine tri-phosphate. That’s the energy plants and animals make to produce energy. A matchstick is coated with red phosphorus. When friction heats up the matchhead coated with red phosphorus, it reacts with an oxidizing agent, potassium chlorate, sulfur and more oxygen to burn and release that energy. It changes to white phosphorus and it burns, baby, burns!

But it would be burnt out before we could light anything if the system weren’t complete. The stick (wood) is the carbon source that maintains the fuel for that burn. Now, let’s match that to our trees. If you look at a nutrient demand curve for almonds, they start at their highest point in tissue levels in the spring and taper down. That tells us we need the majority of our N and P early in the season. The nutrient demand curves for pistachios, and to some extent, walnuts, favor nut fill for their N demand. However, all trees seem to need a big slug of either applied and assimilated or stored P early to generate bloom. The P gets things moving and the carbohydrates and oils (carbon sources) take over the steady burn of energy.

The problem we run into with P is its reactivity with calcium. We tend to try to amend soil with lots of calcium in the fall and notice our berms are still white in the spring.

Continued on Page 16

Maximizing Nut Set & Size Under Dry Conditions

The Record-breaking drought and heat seen across California in 2021 is forecasted to continue into 2022. With drier springs comes reduced disease pressure to almond blooms and nutlets. This often means that fungicide applications at pink bud and bloom can be decreased or eliminated. While it can be tempting to leave the sprayer in the barn, almond growers’ nut set, size and yield depend on earlyseason foliar nutrition.

Growers that want to achieve maximum economic yield, however, would be wise to reallocate their fungicide dollars to where they can get the best return. The value of a good nutritional program cannot be overstated. In fact, well designed nutrient programs are even more essential in a dry year. Without moisture from rain, pollen and flowers desiccate rapidly. Desiccation reduces pollen’s viability shortening the bloom receptivity window which reduces nut set and yield. Starving the developing flowers and nutlets of essential nutrients intensifies the reduction.

The right nutrients applied during the pink bud and bloom window can make all the difference. Vigor-Cal-Bor-Moly, a sugar complexed calcium foliar combined with boron and molybdenum, is an excellent fit for pink bud and bloom time sprays to improve nut set and quality.

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Molybdenum, a key component of nitrogen metabolizing enzymes and others, facilitates stress responses, vascular development, and growth. Symspray, Agro-K’s seaweed product, when applied during pink bud and bloom can reduce the effects of environmental stress on the flowers, extending bloom and increasing pollen receptivity even when it is dry.

By adding AgroBest 9-24-3 to the tank with Vigor-Cal-Bor-Moly during cell division, calcium and phosphate work together to promote larger and heavier nuts. AgroBest 9-24-3 is a high phosphate/low potassium blend that delivers the phosphate energy the tree needs to maximize nut cell division, nut size and nut retention. AgroBest 9-24-3 is the most cost-effective liquid phosphate available. It delivers more phosphate per dollar at peak demand timing and is specifically designed with minimal potassium content for early season foliar applications that won’t waste dollars or antagonize calcium during nut and leaf cell division.

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While foliar nutrition is essential during the pink bud and bloom window to maximize economic yield, it is very important throughout the season. A dry year requires almond growers to think critically about the key nutrients they apply at each growth stage to produce more nuts with less water. Implementing a Science-Driven™ nutrient approach this year will deliver more pounds of nuts per unit of water resulting in higher economic returns per acre for you.

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15

Continued from Page 14

Trees need energy for bloom. Give it to them in the proper form and amount (photo

by Marni Katz.)

That doesn’t bode well for getting phosphorus past the calcium, unreacted, and into our roots. And if it was a warm or sunny winter, higher ground temps won’t allow the roots to shut down properly and rest. That’s part of the need for chill. Imagine a root ball (for ease of understanding, the size of a baseball.) If the roots don’t shut down and forage all winter and that same root ball is the size of a softball, that’s a big difference. A 10% increase in the radius of that root ball would be a 30% increase in the volume of the root ball. That new size of root ball is bigger and hungrier, and it just used up any available P in its immediate vicinity over winter. Now you’re trying to add more P to the system when it’s cold and wet and having to fight through a layer of reactionary calcium.

Take it another step. Try doing it adding a poly- form of Phosphorus that won’t be the plant-available ortho- form for another 50 days! You just missed a critical time to match P demand as it was tied up. Let’s take that a step further. In 50 days when that poly-P may now be plant-ready, calcium demand is steadily climbing, and you just tied that up with the P a plant didn’t use and isn’t looking to use as much anymore.

Vicious cycle. Nothing matches.

Give Trees Their Energy

Now, match it all up. Typically, phosphorus usage is about 10% to 15% of nitrogen usage. In my humble opinion, we have to use too much N because we apply it in typically long irrigation sets and it passes the roots before it all can be absorbed. And if a tree can only absorb 10 units of N in a week, why would we ever apply more than 15 units (assuming about 70% nitrogen use efficiency) in any irrigation set? And if the demand is high, early in the season for almonds, we can probably get enough applied by the end of May. By my math, 12 units a week for 12 weeks would be less than 150 units.

Let’s say we try to apply 15% of the N value in our phosphorus applications.

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February 2022

That would be 22 units of P. I love to get a good chunk of that immediately after harvest in the ground and as a foliar as the nutrients and carbohydrates are heading for the roots. Since this is February and we may not have applied enough postharvest, or the sun was shining a lot on our blocks (using it up), I start early and often. I hit the roots with several small shots of an orthoform of P. Trees need energy for bloom.

Give it to them in the proper form and amount. In my experience, we have found that when the other nutrients are

balanced and timed properly, nitrogen use efficiency becomes more ‘efficient’.

And nitrogen just got very expensive.

I often say it’s not what we put on our crops, but what we get into our crops that matters. Make it count. Especially this year with massive nutrient expense increases, we have to be more diligent.

Nothing is ever easy and rarely similar in farming. With the new challenges we are facing with input expenses, we need to be more focused on proper nutrient applications. Balancing nutrition to demand and making our

nitrogen inputs more efficient can save us a dramatic amount of money. Don’t go about this blindly. Make sure you are matching your inputs to tissue samples. You may have to take more samples this year to ensure adequate levels for optimal yield; however, that extra effort may just be the spark you need to match your expectations for profitability.

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17

An Unsettling Trend Increased Brown Spot Rejects Worry Experts Who Point to Few Control Measures

By VICKY BOYD | Contributing Writer

Feeding by ‘true bugs’ is thought to be responsible for brown spot, a defect that includes a depression of 1/8-inch diameter or greater. It may or may not be accompanied by staining of the skin (photo by V. Boyd.)

A

Signs of stink bug feeding and, to a lesser extent, plant bug feeding mid- to late-season include gumming. A clear or sometimes white droplet will ooze from the hull (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)

s Mel Machado, Blue Diamond Growers’ vice president of member relations, clicks through the data comparing reject levels from 2021 to previous years, he doesn’t like what he sees in the brown spot column.

“What’s got me spooked is not just the total amount of [brown spot] damage, but it’s the trend,” Machado said. “It’s growing as a percentage of damage, and we don’t have a lot of good ways of controlling it. There are no treatment thresholds; it’s just a judgment call.

“At this point, what do I know? Not much. We have limited tools to control it, and the trend makes me nervous. The classic tools we use to treat navel orangeworm don’t work in

this case. They’re not living in the mummies to overwinter.

They’re living somewhere else.”

He was quick to point out that the information was only from a minority of Blue Diamond growers who had requested a reject breakdown of their deliveries. They don’t necessarily mirror the co-op’s overall tonnage, but Machado is not taking the data lightly.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and California Department of Food and Agriculture score brown spot, a sunken area or dimple in the almond kernel greater than 1/8 inch and possibly accompanied by skin stain, as a reject.

What’s Behind Brown Spot?

Machado and other industry experts say they suspect leaf-footed plant bugs (LFB) and/or large stink bugs feeding on the kernel from mid-season until harvest are responsible for the reject.

LFB and stink bugs are known as "true bugs" and belong to the insect order Hemiptera. They insert their stylet into the host (in this case, almonds) to feed. As they do, they inject one or more enzymes with their saliva that liquefy the plant tissue. Then they suck up the liquid.

Early season feeding by LFB and brown marmorated stink bug may result in kernel shriveling, abortion or nut drop, said Jhalendra Rijal, a UCCE integrated pest management expert conducting research in Hemipteran pests in almonds.

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West Coast Nut

February 2022

Gumming also may be accompanied by nut shrivel (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)

Feeding by stink bugs can cause a broad array of damage, with severity frequently tied to the kernel growth stage when it occurred (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)

From mid-season on, feeding on the nuts may result in gummy kernel, kernels with brown spots or combinations.

In some cases, kernel dimpling occurs.

Feeding spots may also provide entryways for yeast or other non-pathogenic fungi, which can colonize the kernel and possibly also cause staining of the kernel skins.

The extent of damage depends on several factors, including the species, population, kernel stage when feeding occurred and host crop, he said.

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Leaf-Footed Plant Bugs

California is home to three common leaf-footed plant bugs species, but all cause similar damage. They are large, slender insects (up to one inch long) with long stylets.

Adult LFB overwinter outside of orchards and migrate into them in March or early April, seeking food before they mate. And it’s the feeding on young almonds that can cause significant nut drop, Rijal said.

Females then lay eggs. Depending on the temperature, it takes about 60 days for one generation to be completed.

Signs of stink bug feeding and, to a lesser extent, plant bug feeding mid- to late-season include gumming. A clear or sometimes white droplet will ooze from the hull. Other insect as well as physiological problems also may cause gumming, so the symptom isn’t a sure sign of stink bug presence.

Continued on Page 20

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19

BrownContinued marmoratedfrom stink bug feeding Page 19 sites are visible when the almond hull is sliced (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)

Continued from Page 19 Machado said he’s seen nuts with gumming on the hulls, but he finds no kernel damage when he cuts into the nut. The opposite also is true. He’s found kernels with no gumming on the hull exterior but kernel damage.

Multi-generations of LFB live in the orchard until fall when aggregation pheromones cause them to gather in large groups. Although LFB may be

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West Coast Nut

February 2022

Native green stink bugs may enter orchards midway to later in the season. In many cases, they move into orchards after nearby field crops are harvested (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)

present in the orchard, their numbers seem to be low, Rijal said. They do not cause significant nut damage, especially after shell-hardening compared to when the overwintered adults first migrate into the orchard. Pomegranates are one of their favorite crops on which to congregate before they move to overwintering sites elsewhere.

With no pheromone traps available, growers and PCAs are left trying to visually scout orchards for the elusive

plant bug, which tends to camouflage well. It also runs to the other side of kernels or branches when spotted.

Frequently, PCAs will instead look for feeding signs, although the symptoms are after the fact.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a relative newcomer to the

Continued on Page 22

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Continued from Page 20 state, having first been confirmed in urban areas in 2006. Since then, it has expanded to rural areas and has begun to cause damage to almond orchards in the northern and central San Joaquin Valley, Rijal said.

Compared to the native half-inch green stink bug, BMSB is slightly larger at up to 0.75 inches. What sets it apart is aggressive feeding and a host range that spans more than 170 plant species, including numerous crops. Among its preferred host is the ornamental treeof-heaven.

BMSB overwinter under plant litter, in wood piles and other protected areas.

As temperatures warm, they become active and migrate into orchards.

Unlike plant bugs that tend to have one migration in the spring, BMSB will

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continuously move in and out of host crops, Rijal said. Like plant bugs, BMSB also feed throughout the season on almonds. In fact, he said, he has seen the new pest probing nuts with hardened shells in September.

In the fall, BMSB also emit an aggregation pheromone, and they’ll move in masse to protected areas, including houses, to overwinter.

Of the almond-feeding Hemipterans, BMSB is the only one for which traps and lures are available commercially for monitoring. They are effective in detecting BMSB adults and lesser-extent nymphs as well. In many cases, Rijal said, growers and PCAs don’t put them out until they have a problem.

Otherwise, they scout for the stink bug itself, egg masses and feeding signs.

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The invasive brown marmorated stink bug is slightly larger than the native green stink bug.

The newcomer can be differentiated from other brown stink bugs by the alternating dark and light bands on the antennae and abdomen (photo by Kristie Graham, USDA-ARS.)

Native Stink Bugs

In mid-season beginning about June, a complex of native plant-feeding stink bugs, including green, consperse, Uhler and redshouldered, may join the other Hemiptera in the orchard. In addition, the predatory rough and spine-shouldered stink bugs may be found. Based on orchard surveys conducted in 2021, Rijal said the green stink bug is the most common of the native stink bugs.

“I’ve noticed they’re common in the mid- to late season in almonds in the valley, and higher pest pressure and damage occur in the southern part of the valley where there are other field crops nearby,” he said. “Once the crops are harvested, they move into the orchard. Not all the feeding at that time by these native stink bugs translates into kernel damage, but if there’s enough, it will.”

All the destructive stink bugs may feed on almonds, potentially causing gumming and kernel damage. Trying to figure out what species is responsible is nearly impossible.

“When they feed, they leave some kind of sign in the kernel which is generally expressed as brown spot,” he said.

Stink Bug Control

Winter orchard sanitation, which has long been the foundation of navel orangeworm control, is ineffective against stink bugs because they typically don’t overwinter within orchards.

But that doesn’t mean growers should let up on winter sanitation, Machado said.

When growers and PCAs begin to see suspected stink bug-caused nut damage or stink bugs themselves, they’re left in a quandary because there have not been any treatment thresholds developed for these pests, Rijal said.

In addition, only a handful of insecticides, including a few pyrethroids and one to two neonicotinoids, are considered effective for stink bugs, he said.

Although pyrethroids may be economical, they’re also broad spectrum and will knock out beneficials like flaring

mites. And use of neonicotinoids is discouraged because of its potential toxicity to bees and pollinators.

BMSB also pose control challenges because of their continuous migration patterns, so an insecticide application will only affect those in the orchard at the time.

Shedding Light on Stink Bugs

Rijal hopes to shed more light on true bugs and the associated damage with ongoing orchard surveys and research funded by the Almond Board of California.

“We’re trying to figure out what Hemiptera species are present and what part of the season one insect is more common than the others,” he said.

During 2021, Rijal and other collaborators visually sampled 21 different orchards in San Joaquin Valley as well as used beat trays to determine true bug species composition at different times of the season. BMSB traps were also deployed, and they caught the pest in almond orchards in Fresno County, which is new. They have been finding BMSB and damage in several almond orchards since 2017 in northern San Joaquin Valley counties, and the range has been expanding.

In 2018 and 2019, Rijal conducted caged feeding trials with BMSB that looked at how feeding at specific kernel growth stages correlated to different types of damage.

“We’re trying to see what time of year is more critical, what time of year we can see damage and what are the differences,” Rijal said. “What we found was it was pretty obvious in the early part of the season through the first week of May that they caused significant nut drop. After that into July, when the shell is already hard, they’re still able to feed on it and cause brown spot damage to the kernel.”

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23

REGULATORY UPDATE: EMPLOYMENT LAWS TO KNOW FOR 2022

By THERESA KIEHN | President and CEO, AgSafe

T

he start of a new year marks the launch of new goals and resolutions for many, but it also means new regulations have begun to take effect. Beginning in 2022, there are several new laws agricultural employers need to pay close attention to and implement into their businesses.

California Wage Increase

In 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation that would gradually increase minimum wage rates over the period of seven years in California, with the intent that by 2023, all California employees would earn at least $15 per hour. January 1, 2022 marks the sixth year of this increase.

California’s minimum wage reached the $15-per-hour threshold for large employers (those who employ 26 or more SB 275 will take effect in January 2023 and requires employers to have an employees) and $14 per hour for small employers (those inventory of PPEs to last at least 45 days in the event a state of emergenwith less than 25 or less employees). Small employers will cy is declared (photo courtesy AgSafe.) reach $15 per hour minimum in 2023. However, this is not the end of the increase. Beginning in 2023, large employers and, in 2024, small employers, will need to add a 3% cost of per hour for large employers, and as an employer in those living increase to the minimum wage annually. In 2023, the communities, you would be required to pay those higher minimum wage for large employers will be $15.45 per hour. rates.

Additionally, pay close attention to your local ordinances as In addition to increasing minimum wage, this legislation some have imposed minimum wage rates higher than the also created a parallel wage increase for overtime-exempt state. For example, the cities of Sonoma, Santa Rosa and Pet- employees. The law requires exempt employees to earn aluma have minimum wage rates currently higher than $15 twice the minimum wage rate. For instance, in 2022. large employers are required to compensate exempt employees at no less than $30 per hour with a 40-hour workweek with an Complete Walnut and Pecan annual salary of $62,400. And just like the minimum wage requirement, a 3% yearly increase will need to be enacted after reaching the $30-an-hour rate. For additional questions on these wage increases, please visit the State of California’s Department of Industrial Relations FAQ’s at dir.ca.gov/dlse/ sb3_faq.htm.

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West Coast Nut

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In 2016, the California legislature also passed Assembly Bill 1066, which created a gradual timetable for agricultural workers as defined by Wage Order 14, to receive overtime pay like those in other industries. In January 2022, large employers (those with more than 26 employees), and in Janu-

ary 2025, small employers (those with 25 or less employee), will be required to pay overtime to workers once they work more than an eight-hour day or more than 40 hours in a work week. AB 1066, now in its fourth year of implementation, requires large employers to pay overtime at 1.5 times the regular

rate of pay if an employee works more than eight hours in a day or more than 40 hours in a work week. Beginning this year, small employers will need to begin complying with this regulation and pay overtime wages once a worker reaches more than 9.5 hours in a day or 55 hours in a workweek.

’

‘

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO YOUR LOCAL ORDINANCES AS SOME HAVE IMPOSED MINIMUM WAGE RATES HIGHER THAN THE STATE.

Please note that overtime requirements on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek have not changed. Employers are mandated to pay overtime at time and one-half time for the first eight hours of work and

February 2022

Continued on Page 27

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Effective Date for employers Overtime (1.5x regular pay) required after the with 25 or fewer employees following hours per day / hours per workweek:

Jan. 1, 2019

Jan. 1, 2022

9.5 / 55

Jan. 1, 2020

Jan. 1, 2023

9 / 50

Jan. 1, 2021

Jan. 1, 2024

8.5 / 45

Jan. 1, 2022*

Jan. 1, 2025*

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*Double the regular rate of pay required after 12 hours in a workday.

For pre-existing overtime requirements for agricultural workers, including on the 7th day in a workweek, please see Wage Order 14.

This chart from the State of California Department of Industrial Relations provides an annual breakdown of regular pay per day and workweek.

Continued from Page 25 double-time for all hours worked after 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek. Please see the chart for an annual adjustment of regular pay for a workday and work week.

Employee Record Retention

SB 807, which falls under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Fair Employment Housing, requires employers to retain personnel records for four years. Personnel records include employment applications, hiring documentation, policy acknowledgements, disciplinary write-ups and end-of-employment paperwork.

Additionally, if a claim is filed, including an administrative claim, lawsuit or arbitration, these personnel records need to be kept indefinitely.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Essential Workers

California Family Rights Act: Parent-In-Law & Designated Persons

AB 1033 modifies the California Family Rights Act to add additional individuals an eligible employee may take time off to care for. This amendment allows for employees to care for a parent-in-law as well as a designed person of their choosing (does not need to be a relative) at the time the employee requests leave. However, there is a parameter on a designated individual as an employee can only chose one non-family member in a 12-month period.

As you are gearing up for your 2022 season and find yourself in need of assistance implementing these new wage hour regulations or need to update your employee handbook, please feel free to contact the AgSafe team.

For more information about worker safety, human resources, labor relations and pesticide safety, please visit www. agsafe.org, call (209) 526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org. Information for this article was sourced through Charley M. Stoll, a Professional Corporation, Employment Bulletin, New Laws for 2022, January 2022.

SB 275 will take effect in January 2023; however, it is important that employers begin establishing a plan in 2022. This law requires employers to have an inventory of PPEs to last at least 45 days in the event a state of emergency is declared. This would include items such as eye protection, face coverings and respirators. However, please note some PPEs have expiration dates, such as N95 respirators. As a Comments about this article? We want result, be strategic when purchasing to hear from you. Feel free to email us at inventory and rotate out any expired article@jcsmarketinginc.com PPEs.

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February 2022

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27

A WORD FROM THE BOARD: THE ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA

From Potential to Practical: Applying What We Know About Coproducts

By ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA | Contributing Writer

Achieving positive potential for the industry is the rationale for the $2 million ABC has invested over the last five years in biomass research projects (all photos courtesy Almond Board of California.)

A

lmond hulls and shells represent approximately 70% of the almond fruit weight that comes out of an orchard each year, but they account for only 3% of revenues gained from harvest. Guided by years of strategic research and investment, the Almond Board of California (ABC) seeks to narrow that gap by developing higher-value uses for hulls and shells, once simply thought of as byproducts of the almond growing process. For growers, that could mean lower costs for hulling and shelling and a better return for hullers, too.

“We’re at a pivotal point of shifting from thinking about biomass as just a research program,” said Josette Lewis, ABC’s chief scientific officer. “We know lots of things are possible, so the next step is promoting the development of commercial markets for new products that research shows are technically feasible with hulls, shells and woody biomass.”

With projected coproduct biomass estimated to be as much as 2.2 million tons of hulls, 900 million tons of shells and 1.3 million tons of wood per year by 2025, that large volume either offers potential new revenue opportunities, along with market differentiation for

28

West Coast Nut

February 2022

almonds as a zero-waste industry, or simply a waste challenge.

New Markets for Coproducts

With mountains of hulls and shells to move, raising the value of these coproducts for the industry will require developing multiple new markets.

The economics are simple; as supply of almond coproducts has increased steadily, the price has decreased. The development of new outlets for coproducts can create healthy competition in the marketplace with the prospect for

higher returns.

Achieving positive potential for the industry is the rationale for the $2 million ABC has invested over the last five years in biomass research projects.

The research is guided by industry volunteers who serve on the Biomass Workgroup, now under the Strategic Ag Innovation Committee. The Working Group and the Board of Directors are now in the process of reviewing results of a commercial biomass market assess-

Continued on Page 30

The purest form of almond hulls with the least amount of foreign material will demand the greatest value in feed applications.

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Continued from Page 28 ment to prioritize the opportunities to start with and then define tactics for development of those markets.

“We commissioned this assessment of the market opportunities for almond biomass to look at a full range of factors; what makes almond biomass unique that might make it a preferential feedstock when compared to products that already exist, or have a better cost of goods,” Lewis said.

Almonds Hulls as Feed

For decades, dairy producers have used almond hulls as a source of fiber and digestible carbohydrates in their cows’ feed rations. According to Guangwei Huang, ABC’s associate director of Food Research and Technology, recent studies confirm the potential value of almond hulls in feed applications.

“Our recent research shows dairy cows can consume as many as 12 pounds per day, more than the three to five pounds used today, with no adverse effect on milk production,” Huang said. “With more than 1.7 million dairy cows in the state, part of our strategy includes communicating this to dairy producers.”

There is no question that almond hulls have a beneficial feeding value, but they are often treated as an inferior feed alternative, and priced as such, due to inconsistent quality. Shells, sticks and other debris can discourage dairy farmers from using a higher hull content in their daily rations. Therefore, the purest form of almond hulls with the least amount of foreign material will demand the greatest value.

Huang noted the Workgroup is exploring several tactics to expand hull use in dairy feed that will also return more value.

“First, we have to demonstrate the economic value to the huller/sheller for providing more consistent hull quality for the feed industry,” he said. “This might include the use of conditioners at harvest to deliver cleaner materials to the huller/sheller and the establishment of practical hull grades as an industry best practice for consistent delivery to return more value.”

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February 2022

A growing body of ABC-funded research suggests additional comprehensive benefits of feeding broilers (poultry raised for meat) and layers (poultry raised for egg production) a diet that includes ground almond hulls.

“We already know that almond hulls can replace 9% to 15% of a bird’s energy ration,” Huang explained. “In addition, we have found unexpected benefits from the high fiber and phytochemicals found in almond hulls.”

University of Georgia found that the high fiber content of hulls can reduce salmonella infection and localization, while the phytochemicals improved the antioxidative activity in the liver, making broilers less susceptible to a common internal parasitic infection called coccidiosis.

“There is also additional functionality that we are starting to understand in broilers and layers,” Huang said. “In the layer study, we learned that a diet that includes almond hulls improves the composition of the egg yolk.”

Researchers observed an improvement in the lipid profile of the egg yolk, including an increase in polyunsaturated fats. For consumers, polyunsaturated fats are considered “healthy” fats that include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for brain function. According to Huang, the almond industry is just starting to understand the comprehensive benefits to the poultry industry.

“Expanding use of hulls in more livestock industries is one of the priority areas for market development,” Lewis said.

Food Grade Uses Offer ROI Potential

Emerging technologies are opening the door for the use of whole hulls and hull-extracted ingredients derived for a variety of food products.

has created several ingredients from almond hulls for a variety of functional foods, foods designed to have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition. These food trials include functional dietary fibers, emulsifiers, functional syrup, antioxidants and a functional beverage drink powder.

“The products made from hull-derived ingredients have shown greater processing functionality and antioxidant capacity than popular commercial products,” Huang explained.

The market assessment identifies a nutritional bar containing multiple hull-derived components as an opportunity which takes advantage of the unique combination of fiber, sugars and antioxidants together. The Biomass Workgroup is considering various tactics to further develop the market for hull-derived foods, including building the food safety dossier, taste pairings and outreach to the food industry.

Whole almond hulls are unlikely to Almond-enhanced Plastic gain popularity as the next health food Almond-enhanced plastic can procraze, but emerging technologies are vide a new market for producers and opening the door for the use of whole address some challenges facing plastic hulls and hull-extracted ingredients manufacturers. derived for a variety of food products.

“Plastic that includes torrefied Almond hulls contain 36% dietary almond shells is beneficial to manufacfibers, including 6.5% soluble fiber, and turers; they can make stiffer, stronger, hulls are reported to contain up to 42% and more heat-resistant composites extractable sugars on a dry matter basis, than traditional plastics,” Huang said. including about 9% non-fermentable The idea of torrefaction, which insugars. volves roasting shells to remove moisA research team funded by ABC ture and low energy volatiles to create

Consistent quality may be produced through cleaner coproduct streams, including post-hulling sorting or modifications of hulling and shelling lines.

a new product that can be used in plastics manufacturing, is not an entirely new concept for the almond industry; however, the path toward expansion is becoming clearer.

Three years ago, the ABC Biomass Workgroup, working with the USDA Albany research team, made significant strides in developing torrefied almond shell (TAS) plastic composites and provided them to plastic pallet and slipsheet companies to make prototype products. Though pallet manufacturing was successful, coarse particle size of TAS became a significant roadblock in the slipsheet manufacturing process. ABC has contracted Idaho National Laboratory to make a large batch of TAS-plastic composite and shell-plastic composite at a pilot scale to better mimic industrial processes, refine the economic models and provide demonstration materials to interest manufacturers.

The other torrefaction product identified by the ABC-commissioned market assessment is activated carbon used in water filtration at household, industrial and urban scales. Studies conducted by USDA-ARS researchers in Parlier, Calif. demonstrated that torrefied almond shells provided a good substrate for filtering out harmful chemical pollutants. As both California and USDA climate strategies identify the opportunity for agricultural and woody biomass utilization, torrefaction may be an area that receives public investment to further develop and attract commercial investment that will benefit the Central Valley.

Consistent Quality is Key

To take advantage of new revenue opportunities for almond coproducts, quality is key.

“Most high-value applications will demand a cleaner coproduct to start with. Contaminants have the potential to interfere with processing. Pursuing new markets will require some changes in harvesting or processing practices,” Huang said.

Use of conditioners and, eventually, off-ground harvesting will make improvements in what goes to the huller and sheller. Additionally, consistent quality may be produced through cleaner coproduct streams, including post-hulling

sorting or modifications of hulling and shelling lines.

“Of course, new biomass markets will have to show increased return to growers and huller/shellers to warrant making these investments,” Huang said. “This is a central focus of the Biomass Workgroup.”

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Top 5 Things You Can Do Now to Improve Walnut Quality at Harvest

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

Replacing the nutrients that have been removed at harvest helps avoid deficiencies in the next crop (photo by C. Parsons.)

D

epending on the California growing region, walnut harvest 2022 is at least seven to eight months down the road. Does that mean it is too early in the year for growers to start thinking about practices that can promote quality in their next walnut crop?

Growers and UC farm advisors say no. Standard orchard practices in the winter not only promote tree health, but they can play a role in maximizing crop quality and value. High

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yields are always welcome, but crop quality, including kernel size, weight and color, can be influenced by orchard sanitation, soil health, removal of dead wood from the orchard, meeting tree water demand and weed control.

“It’s pretty clear the farmer’s job doesn’t end at harvest,” said Ryan Fillmore, Sacramento Valley walnut grower. “It just enters a different phase.”

“Quality of nuts is more about tree susceptibility and stress,” said Jhalendra Rijal, UCCE area integrated pest management specialist in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

“Tree health affects nut quality.”

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If insect pressure in the orchard has dramatically affected crop quality, winter sanitation is paramount, Fillmore said.

Navel orangeworm winter survival can be high in walnut orchards. Nuts on the ground and on the trees provide overwintering sites for NOW, a pest that can quickly build populations early in the year. Infestations at harvest can cause physical and cosmetic damage to walnut kernels.

Rijal noted that the spread of NOW in nut crops began with walnuts.

Mummy nut removal from the orchard in the winter months is critical to keeping NOW levels low early in the season. Shaking or poling trees to remove all mummy nuts can be done any time after harvest. Wet and muddy conditions can keep growers from completing this practice later in the year, but the effort will pay off in less NOW damage at harvest, Rijal said. Orchard sanitation is not a one-year deal, he stressed. That part of the NOW management plan needs to occur every year.

“Keeping the orchard clean is always an important part of a strategy to keep NOW levels low,” Rijal said.

Dormant season is also time for monitoring for different species of scale to determine population levels as well as predator levels.

Continued on Page 34

Continued from Page 32

Winter Pruning, Removing Infected Wood

This winter orchard practice comes with a strong warning: ”Don’t prune when rain is forecast.” Luke Milliron, UCCE orchard systems advisor in Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties, said studies have shown a much higher Botryosphaeria infection rate in walnut trees pruned prior to a rain event.

Walnut Botryosphaeria is a fungal disease that leads to dieback in shoots and fruiting buds and an overall decline in tree health. Walnut tree pruning wounds, Milliron said, remain vulnerable to infection for weeks compared to pruning wounds in other tree nuts that heal at a faster rate and are susceptible to infection for a shorter time. Warmer spring temperatures are also conducive to fungal infections in trees.

Pruning is a timing issue, Fillmore said, and it depends on what a grower is trying to accomplish in the orchard.

Removing dead branches and dead or dying trees removes infection sources, but pruning or hedging operations can open up wounds, leaving them vulnerable to infections.

Fungicide applications may be necessary, but Milliron noted that growers should use efficacy tables to determine the best product and also to rotate chemistries to avoid resistance.

Fillmore also noted that orchard activity during wet conditions can increase soil compaction.

Shaking or poling trees to remove all mummy nuts can be done any time after harvest (photo courtesy UC IPM.)

Applying Soil Amendments

ICE HIL N E

L

V

Winter can be an optimum time to apply soil amendments, trace minerals and even compost as rain can move these down through the soil into the root zone where they can be taken up. Replacing the nutrients that have been removed at harvest helps avoid deficiencies in the next crop.

Fillmore said if kernel fill, color or taste are issues in this year’s crop, making sure the correct minerals and micronutrients are present may be important to next year’s crop quality.

Soil tests may be appropriate, but calculation on soil needs can be done based on crop removal. The UCCE publication Sac Valley Orchards reports that growers should consider applying either potassium sulfate or potassium chloride

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February 2022

Removing dead branches and dead or dying trees during winter removes infection sources, but pruning or hedging operations can open up wounds, leaving them vulnerable to infections (photo by R. Fillmore.)

(KCl) if a leaf sample analysis indicates potassium deficiency.

If using KCl, the chloride must be able to leach out of the root zone before spring leaf out. It should be avoided in heavy clay soils with less than 8 inches of winter rainfall.

Postharvest or Pre-Bloom Irrigation

This activity is dependent on winter rainfall and the growing region.

Sac Valley Orchards reports that a reasonable strategy is to substitute irrigation for the shortage in rainfall on roughly a monthly basis beginning in December until enough rainfall has been received in combination with irrigation to refill the soil profile five feet deep. Full winter soil moisture helps to warm soil, promoting root growth and aeration to avoid root diseases. Rainfall should be tracked along with irrigation water applied, with an eye on rain in the forecast.

“Walnut trees need water to stay healthy,” Fillmore said.

“It is like running a marathon when you are dehydrated.” A filled soil profile also helps mitigate freezing temperatures.

Preemergent Herbicide Applications

Weed control is another cultural practice that enhances orchard health. Healthy orchards, Fillmore said, maximize

Full winter soil moisture helps to warm soil, promoting root growth and aeration to avoid root diseases (photo by Vicky Boyd.)

production per acre. Weeds can rob trees of nutrients and water, factors that influence crop quality.

Preemergent herbicides control weed seedlings as they germinate, halting the development of seedling shoots and roots, ultimately preventing emergence. These herbicides can provide

Identification of weed species and knowing their pattern of germination and seed production can assist with control decisions (photo by L. Milliron.)

residual control throughout the year if properly timed and applied. Applications can be made once in the winter or early spring.

Applications of preemergent herbicides are most effective if orchard debris is blown off the berms to allow for better soil contact and if soil is moist.

Identification of weed species and knowing their pattern of germination and seed production can assist with control decisions.

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Considering Soil Fertility for Tree Crops

By NEAL KINSEY | Kinsey Agricultural Services

W

herever trees are being grown, no matter what kind they may be, there are specific considerations that can make great differences in terms of growth and production.

The first consideration about fertility for aptly growing trees of any type should be that you can correctly manage only those needs you can correctly measure. Needed measurements for growing trees can involve several different aspects for the best growth and production, including climate and other environmental factors as well as fertility to help determine growth and yield potential.

Trees will all grow the best in an ideal environment. That will vary depending on the circumstances required, the first requirement being whether they can withstand the climatic conditions (tropical, temperate or frigid areas) as well as conditions of moisture or drought, extreme heat or cold, or somewhere in between.

Apples provide an example as a tree crop considered to need a colder climate because they must shed their leaves after producing each crop in order to set another crop. Yet, once it was determined that the requirement was not cooler temperatures but shedding the old leaves once the crop was made in order to grow new leaves to set and adequately 36

West Coast Nut

February 2022

supply nutrients for a new crop, with that information and proper fertility, excellent crops of apples are now being grown in climates where frost is not sufficient to kill the leaves after the crop is harvested.

Measure First

Certain points to consider may seem like such simple and obvious statements to “veteran” growers, but without the ability to measure temperature and water needs, how can growing trees be managed properly?

The same is true concerning the fertility requirements for growing tree crops. There is a baseline of needed fertility that can be defined and measured for all tree crops. Once the baseline requirements have been met, the specifics that provide the fine-tuning for optimal conditions for growth and production can be adequately and most economically met.

For example, do pistachios that will grow and produce under dry conditions on less fertile soils truly require those conditions, or under more ideal conditions, do they possess an even greater yield potential?

Building and maintaining the basic requirements of soil fertility provides the optimal keys for growth and production of all types of tree crops. The true baseline of required nutrients can

Bill Brush of B&B Ag Consulting pulls soil samples in advance of making the proper tree crop fertility recommendation (all photos courtesy B&B Ag Consulting.)

be measured by soil tests. Even when correctly taken, the numbers reported on soil tests can vary significantly from one lab to another. But for growers having good field experience, a detailed soil analysis in-hand will show how to determine what is best. How to obtain the most profitable results can only come by determining the measured needs of each soil to correctly supply what makes the most difference for the growth and production of each specific tree crop.

Initial Considerations

What is it about fertility that most helps trees perform at their best? In other words, what should be the first consideration in terms of soil fertility and fertilization that would be best for growing trees?

A good place to start is by asking what the basic needs of all life are, including trees. All life needs a source of nutrients, and in the case of trees, those should come principally and most economically through the roots. And the basic needs for life itself are also the basic needs for the roots of the trees.

What are the basic needs for life?

Shelter, food, water and air. The same is true for the roots of trees. But of these four, which matters most in order to stay alive? Whether for life in gen-

Continued on Page 38

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Continued from Page 36 eral or for trees, shelter is something that would normally be least required.

In other words, life could likely continue the longest without it. The need for food (nutrients) would likely be more limiting in most circumstances. But life can certainly last longer without food than water. And air is the most critical of these four for all life.

The soil where the trees are growing must sufficiently provide all four of these needs for the benefit of the roots to then provide sufficient nutriment for each tree. How does that happen? The soil with the best physical structure provides the most ideal environment for the life in the soil which serves to support the trees via its root system.

The ideal soil contains measured proportions of minerals in specified amounts, equal amounts of air space and water and a reasonable amount of organic matter or, more specifically, humus (Figure 1, see page 39.)

These conditions are not constant as soils will get wet from moisture, dry out during drought, pack down from heavy traffic, etc. But these are the ideal levels that can help make the most difference when all variable conditions are most favorable. This should be the physical condition the soil has the best ability to revert to when all needs that are most substantial for growth are being correctly measured and supplied.

And the key that most often fails to be met that negatively affects the ideal conditions is correcting the required baseline nutrient levels in each soil.

Only then will the soil contain the nutrients which provide the best ability for restoring what is recognized as the ideal soil for growing trees and any other

Understanding what is in the soil is a good place to start when considering soil fertility needs in tree nut orchards.

types of crops or plants.

Secondary Elements Crucial

The keys to growing the best crop on poor soils are the primary elements: nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, plus the needed sulfur for plant growth.

But the keys to building the best soil conditions are the use of the so-called secondary elements, principally calcium and magnesium, along with sulfur if severe excesses must be dealt with in the soil. This is most often the part that is sorely neglected.

Any workable nutrient program must be based on the direction each grower The keys to building the best soil condidetermines helps to best accomplish the tions are the use of the so-called secondary desired goals. That direction usually is elements, principally calcium and magneone of two possible choices: What does sium, along with sulfur if severe excesses the land need in terms of soil nutrients must be dealt with in the soil. to produce at its best, or what does the crop require to provide enough production to be most profitable using the ferexpectations are satisfied with results tilizer budget at-hand based on nutrient long before that point can be achieved. needs shown by testing the soil?

And only those growers that possess or The first possibility will always build such soils, which can be shown make the most difference, especially if when properly analyzed, will ever come employed soon enough on land that will to realize the maximum capabilities of go to newly planted trees. Still, most supplying not just minimal but excellent fertility programs focus on the latter levels of even the most critical trace eleand thus never reach the optimum ments as soil nutrients to optimize both point where each soil will fully produce growth and production. at its best potential level. That can only An important point to remember happen when all excesses and deficienhere is that trace elements, or micronucies have been eliminated. Most growers’ trients, only give the best results when

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the primary and secondary elements have been adequately supplied to each soil. In many groves and orchards, money is being spent on providing or building up micronutrients that will give no additional response until other more limiting factors are eliminated. Growers should only concentrate on the required minimal amounts of each micronutrient until both the primary and secondary needs of the soil are adequately met.

Even then, all tree crops do not respond equally to added amounts of micronutrients. For example, English walnuts require over twice as much manganese as black walnuts and almost ten times more than California walnuts.

Those growers who learn to understand the baseline of soil nutrient needs, that is, the amounts needed to provide the bare minimum of each nutrient to accomplish good growth and production, have the foundation on which to build and meet the requirements for soils to grow more leaf, the strongest wood and the highest production capabilities. Such information is what determines top potential for growing the best trees. And only those who monitor their soils to be sure that content of nutrients is maintained are destined to build and assure consistently high yields and quality.

Test and Maintain Soils Figure 1. 45% minerals, 5% humus, 25% water and 25% air are considered ideal properties of the most productive soils.

Once accomplished, due to the higher quantities being

Continued on Page 40

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Continued from Page 39 taken off, unless soils that provide excellent yields are then continually maintained to meet the standards for those high production levels, they will soon lose that top potential, which results in a decline of both excellent quality and production levels.

This approach to fertility is designed to help define those foundational concepts that are needed to grow the best trees of any type. Furthermore, building and maintaining those foundational levels provides the basic key to more successful improvements and helps avoid the “guesswork” that is so often used for tree crop production.

Test this for yourself. Check areas of poor, good and best production and compare nutrient levels. A proper soil analysis should not just provide a set of numbers and fertilizer recommendations; it should also provide growers with the correct nutrient guidelines, and the best producing areas should be closest to those guidelines and the worst the furthest away. As those not doing as

well are brought closer into line with the ideal, that should be when better results are becoming more and more evident.

Growers need to know what works, not what they hear will or will not work.

How can that be accomplished? Set up some simple testing to see for yourself.

In the middle 1990s, the two top managers for a large almond producer attended one of our five-day soil quality presentations. They became convinced that they needed to do more testing and started to implement those plans immediately after getting back on the job.

Recommendations were made for all the areas. During the next visit, it was pointed out that because of all the expense involved, new plantings were not being fertilized until just prior to the year they were expected to start profitably producing nuts. But from the points that were made at the soil quality course, they were able to convince the administration this was not the proper approach.

While visiting their operations the next year and looking at various blocks of young trees, a comment was made

that even though fertilizer was applied, due to budget constraints, the prescribed amount of sulfur had not been used.

After explaining why sulfur was needed in that minimum specified amount to promote not only more leaf, but by caliper measurement (even 25% more trunk growth per year as compared to young trees that did not receive the prescribed amount), they set up trials on several blocks that year. The very next year, the first places we visited were those blocks. Not only did they get the measured trunk growth, but the treated trees had an estimated 30% more leaves as well.

There is a cause for every effect. The question is, can the true cause be determined, and if so, can it be economically fixed? Generally, nutrient levels from the less productive areas should be quite different from those with higher production. If they are not, there is something wrong somewhere. Many times, it has to do with the methods used for taking the soil samples. Most samples are taken too deep to properly evaluate what can be done for immediate treatments to economically make a difference in production levels, soil health and wood strength.

Due to space limitations, that must be a topic for another time, but if you want to consider soil sampling more closely, you can download the information and instructions for soil sampling from our website, www.kinseyag.com, or call our office at 573-683-3880 to obtain that information by mail.

Neal Kinsey is president and senior consultant for Kinsey Agricultural Services. His experience concerning soil fertility for tree crops includes more than 25 years in working with some of the largest tree crop growers here on the West Coast, with clients in Mexico and Central America as well as other parts of the U.S., Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Principal tree crops include almonds, walnuts, apples, citrus of all types, pecans, avocadoes, coffee, plums, peaches, olives, macadamias, mangos and pistachios.

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February 2022

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IDENTIFYING TRUNK AND SCAFFOLD DISEASE OF ALMONDS IDENTIFICATION OF PATHOGEN IN CANKERS IS FIRST STEP TOWARD MAXIMIZING TREE HEALTH

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

W

ith 26 fungal species associated with canker disease, it is important for growers and farm managers to determine which pathogen is attacking their almond trees. Field diagnosis plus a laboratory test can reveal the responsible pathogen or point to an abiotic reason for canker formation.

Florent Trouillas, UCCE plant pathology specialist at the Kearney Agriculture Research and Education Center, noted during a presentation at The Almond Conference that in order to use the most effective control options, it is critical to understand which diseases can affect the trunks and scaffolds of almond trees. UCCE Plant Pathologist Themis Michailides and USDA researcher Greg Browne also provided information on control and prevention of canker diseases.

Causes and Diagnoses

Most infections of fungal canker diseases occur at pruning wounds made for primary and secondary scaffold selection. Fungal pathogens that cause gumming and dieback in almond trees are the leading cause of death in young Botryosphaeria is associated with band cankers that infect cracks in the orchards, Trouillas noted. These pathogens include Botryos- bark and pruning wounds. Two- to five-year-old trees with vigorous phaeria, Ceratocystis, Diaporthe, Eutypa and Phytophthora. cultivars are most affected by this disease (all photos by F. Trouillas.)

Botryosphaeria is associated with band cankers that infect cracks in the bark and pruning wounds. These cankers often present in a row around the trunk. Two- to five-yearold trees with vigorous cultivars are most affected by this disease.

Phytophthora and Ceratocystis infections also cause gumming on the tree trunk and scaffold branches. Ceratocystis cankers are more elongated and are common in prune and cherry trees. The pathogen is transmitted by insects and affects both young and old trees. Phytophthora infections COMPLETE PLANTS Built to Fit Your Needs

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February 2022

Infections of fungal canker diseases occur at pruning wounds made for primary and secondary scaffold selection. Fungal pathogens that cause gumming and dieback in almond trees are the leading cause of death in young orchards.

are notable for their quick development as well as gumming of the trunk and scaffolds.

Eutypa infections begin in pruning wounds or in cracks near the tree crotch.

There are also abiotic reasons for trees to develop cankers. Those include herbicide injury, acid burn and boron toxicity. Foamy canker, marked by copious amounts of reddish gum that flows from the cankers, can be caused by a number of abiotic stressors.

Location on the tree and infection sites can help with a field diagnosis, but Trouillas said a molecular diagnosis is a tool that can now be made in 24 hours using a species-specific primer that targets all canker pathogens.

Prevention and Control Measures

Trouillas said there are no cures for fungal canker diseases, but preventative measures can be taken to reduce chances of infection. Preventing disease establishment during the first few years after planting can be done by protecting pruning wounds following scaffold selection.

Recent pruning wound treatment trials tested efficacy of fungicides, pastes, sealants, paint and biocontrol agents.

Trouillas said the biocontrol agent Trichoderma, marketed as Vintec, had some of the lowest fungal recovery rates in the trial. These antagonistic fungi product is now registered for use in California. Topsin fungicide had similar efficacy. He noted that after pruning, there is a two-week window where protective treatments have optimal effect.

Michailides noted that band canker in almonds has been on the rise since 2005 and has the potential to kill trees.

Bands of cankers develop in a circular pattern around the tree trunk. In severe cases, two to three bands may be present.

Preventative measures in young orchards involve obtaining clean trees from nurseries. Once planted, the fungicide Topsin-M should be applied to the trunks at label rates during the first-, second- and third-leaf years.

Avoiding wetting tree trunks during irrigation and protecting pruning

wounds with Topsin at label rates is advised.

When band canker is present in young orchards, it is recommended to keep tree trunks dry, apply Topsin-M to trunks and scaffolds and to also protect pruning wounds. Killed trees and stumps should be removed from the orchard and wood piles should not be located near orchard sites to lower inoculum levels.

Best management of perennial Phytophthora Canker (PCC) and Phytophthora crown and root rots (PCRR) involves integrated cultural, genetic and chemical control.

Phytophthora, a ‘water mold,’ is adapted to being spread by surface water and reaching plant roots, persisting in adverse conditions.

Disease Trends

Browne said that PCC, which mostly results from scion infections, is most prevalent in mature orchards, while PCRR results mostly from rootstock infections and is most prevalent in young orchards.

Continued on Page 46

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• A shift from Nemaguard to Hansen 536 rootstock in much of the San Joaquin Valley •

Continuing infestation of some nursery stock with Phytopthora

•

Shifts and movement of California populations of Phytopthora

•

Suboptimal placement of drip and microsprinkler emitters

• Tree training that results in vulnerable trunk and scaffold junctures • Introduction of Phytopthora to orchard soils via surface water or other sources

Eutypa infections begin in pruning wounds or in cracks near the tree crotch.

•

Continued from Page 45 He noted trends and factors that are contributing to these diseases in California almonds.

Storm systems conducive to scion infection by Phytophthora

Browne said PCC can be spread to trees via dust generated by harvest activity. The pathogen can also move via Phytophthora-infested debris that

accumulates in tree crotches and bark cracks during water saturation with conducive temperatures. Different species are prevalent at different infection sites. P. citricola is prevalent in cankers that originate above ground while P. cactorum is prevalent in cankers that originate below the soil line.

Cultural controls for PCC include avoiding susceptible rootstocks, not burying the graft union and avoiding ‘water pockets’ by training trees for vertical spread between points of scaffold attachment on trunks.

Chemical approaches include a summer-fall phosphite foliar spray as they are more effective than chemigation. There are phosphite residue limits, Browne warned. New chemistries are in the testing phase, but registrations will initially be for soil applications.

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View from the Top 6 questions for Aubrey Bettencourt, President and CEO of the Almond Alliance of California ‘I Will Do Everything I Can to Position Us as Part of the Solution’

By CATHERINE MERLO | Contributing Writer

A

ubrey Bettencourt has spent her career tackling some of agriculture’s thorniest issues.

As the director of sustainability for Western United Dairymen, she focused on watershed health and other natural-resource issues for California’s highest-valued ag sector.

Before that, Bettencourt served as deputy assistant secretary in the Water and Science Division of the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. From 2017-19, she fought to keep “farmers farming” as the California state director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

She also spent almost nine years, from 2009 to 2017, as the executive director of the California Water Alliance.

And underpinning all that is Bettencourt’s first-hand involvement with Bettencourt Family Farm, a fourth-generation operation in Hanford, Calif., in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley.

When she took on the position of president and CEO of the Almond Alliance of California on December 1, 2021, Bettencourt was ready to tackle the growing challenges facing the state’s No. 2 agricultural commodity. She spoke to West Coast Nut in mid-December about her priorities, concerns and excitement in helping shape the future of California’s almond industry.

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Aubrey Bettencourt joined the Almond Alliance of California as CEO in December (photo courtesy Almond Alliance of California.)

Q: How does your background in the dairy industry inform your leadership role in the almond industry?

I’ve had the privilege now of being involved in the future and leadership of the two largest commodities in the largest agricultural economy in the world. That experience, that networking, that perspective definitely gives me fresh eyes coming into this position at the Almond Alliance.

Having the experience both on the dairy side, which has been extremely progressive in going through an immense amount of challenges, and now coming over to almonds, which has its own suite of unique challenges, I just come into it with a lot of energy. It gives me a different and opportunistic mindset.

Q. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing California’s almond industry?

I’m a water girl from way back, so I’m always going to start there. The reason is because I’m also a farmer. I know the first questions farmers ask before they put anything in the dirt are, ‘How much water do I have? What quality is it?

Continued on Page 50

Continued from Page 48

Bettencourt is generally optimistic about the almond industry and believes in its personality, resilience and sophistication (photo by Taylor Chalstrom.)

Water supply solutions will be among Bettencourt’s top priorities in 2022 (photo by C. Merlo.)

What’s the sustainability of it? And where is it?’ All things water are quantity, quality, timing and distribution.

Over 80% of the world’s almond production comes out of California. It is a massive market that we proudly have created in partnership with the Almond Board of California. My job and my concern are to protect the resources necessary to grow almonds, process them and get them to market.

My second concern right now is ports and the supply chain. Getting the product to the consumer is a huge concern, especially with the dysfunction at almost every step of the way in the supply chain right now. It is a massive concern. That’s something that we’re working on actively, constantly.

Q: What agency or agencies play the biggest role in determining the future of California’s almond industry?

You can always talk about USDA and CDFA. They’re the big ones, the traditional ones. But I actually think it’s your regulators, not your ag entities.

To complain about regulation and the level and scale of regulation we have in California is like complaining that the sky is blue. It’s just the cost of doing business in the state. It is what has made us a superior and sophisticated community and economy in the ag sector of the world.

But it does have its challenges. I look at our regulatory agencies like the State Water Resources Control Board or the Department of Pesticide Regulation. They have an incredible amount of influence and impact. I want to have relationships with our regulators because it is so important for us as an industry, as experts in our space, to be working with them to create better, more informed, best available science as they develop their rulemaking.

Q. What will you be pushing hardest for in 2022?

Water. I’m going to come back to it every time. It’s challenging every aspect of not only our infrastructure but

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February 2022

our management philosophy. I would rather us be in the position of deciding not only how we want to survive the drought for our producers and our industry but also be a part of shaping a future that gets us prepared for getting out of this drought, when the rain and snow comes, and then for longer-term climate resilience and the future we want with regards to the modern pressures on our water supply in the state.

At the same time, we have all our groundwater sustainability plans going up for review. This is actually a great opportunity, in my mind, for us to get ahead in SGMA compliance and implementing and pouring resources out onto the landscape to invest in our own sustainability long term. I will do everything I can to position us as part of the solution.

voice and expertise in critical decisions, whether that’s at the federal or state level, even in some cases at the international level when we’re talking about supply chain issues.

We are here as a resource and an asset. Our job is to be responsive and responsible to our industry and community and represent it well in those decision-making places. That’s my commitment coming into this position.

My email address is Aubrey@almondal-

liance.org. Reach out anytime. I want to make sure we’re right where we need to be, if not ahead of it, and leading in solutions on behalf of our community.

That’s exactly who the Alliance is and we’re going to continue to do that.

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

Q: Where do you see California’s almond industry three to five years from now?

Someone said, “You get paid to be optimistic,” and I said, “No, I’m genuinely optimistic.” Because I know the personality, the resilience and the sophistication of our industry. Out of challenges, you’re going to see a lot of new solutions and adaptations that may change the way we look at things, maybe change where things are being grown or how they’re being grown. But we will still be a dominant industry. I don’t expect to knock dairy off its perch. But in the next three to five years, we will still be in the top two spots as the largest commodities in the state.

Q. What should people know about the Alliance?

We are a voluntary, membership-based organization with an elite, svelte team whose job it is to look at all these challenges and be that fierce representative for the industry. It’s distinct and different from the Almond Board, which is our partner and sister in the industry. They have amazing expertise in technical as well as market development. We are on the other side in the room, with expertise in policy and politics, lending our community’s

February 2022

www.wcngg.com

51

Looming European Green New Deal Policy Could Affect Almond Exports

By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer

The Almond Board will be watching EU Green New Deal proposals as they develop.

T

he Almond Board of California is closely following the development of European climate and sustainability proposals, which, according to sources monitoring the situation, will likely affect agricultural imports. And the industry may need to take some steps to ensure almond imports continue to flow freely into Europe.

“Almond growing here in California is incredibly efficient,” said Julie Adams, vice president of Global and Regulatory Affairs for the Almond Board of California. “Growers are looking at their resource use. They are looking at efficiencies in terms of alternate energy.

It is really a matter of how do we communicate what is already being done in orchards here in California, and how do we ensure that those practices are recognized so we are getting credit for them.”

Policy proposals around sustainable production practices have been under discussion in the European Union since early 2020 under the banner of the EU Green Deal. The proposals are expected to affect both European

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As the EU encourages pollinator-friendly practices, they are going to want to ensure that growers in other countries are also promoting pollinator welfare, according to Prospero and Partners’ Kristen Sukalac.

agricultural production practices and imports.

Several ambitious targets have emerged in the proposals, including a 50% reduction in use of chemical pesticides, a 50% reduction of soil nutrient losses (while ensuring no loss of soil fertility), a reversal in the decline of pollinators and a goal that at least 25% of EU’s agricultural land be under organic production, a proposal that, if enacted, would significantly increase the existing area under organic production.

According to Kristen Sukalac, a consulting partner for Prospero and Partners, which is monitoring European policy developments for the Almond Board of California, as the EU implements these targets, “they will

want to ensure that imports don’t have an unfair advantage and are subject to requirements that are consistent with domestic production.

“For example,” Sukalac said, “if a pesticide is prohibited in the EU, even if it is legally available and has gone through a risk assessment, it would also be prohibited from being present in foods that are imported into the EU. So, there will be controls at the border to make sure imports don’t have unfair advantages over EU farmers since they don’t have access to the same tools. And as the EU encourages pollinator-friendly practices, they are going to want to ensure that growers in other countries are also promoting

Continued on Page 54

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Continued from Page 52 pollinator welfare. That could come directly through conditions imposed on imports, and it could trickle down and come through the conditions that food processors and food retailers are placing on their farmers and their importers.

“It isn’t necessarily something that is going to happen at the border, per se,” she said. “But it could trickle down to suppliers and, through them, have an impact on the conditions under which the almond growers are asked to work.”

Carbon Tax

Another proposal being monitored is the implementation of a tax on agricultural imports based on the carbon footprint of a product, a tax currently in place on some industrial sector imports.

“At the moment, this is only applying to some particularly [high] emitting

sectors, in part because this is a pilot and they are trying to find out how feasible this kind of offset at the border is,” Sukalac said. “[But] the European Parliament would like to see this extended to ag products without undue delay.”

In a presentation at the Almond Conference in December, Sukalac, who is based in Paris, France, pointed out that the proposals contain several ambiguities, and at a practical level, the end-product could be quite different from what is currently being aired.

Also, she said, it is unlikely restrictions contained within the proposals will be imposed on almond imports anytime soon. “But,” she said, “it is important for the industry to understand the kind of political pressure that the decision makers are under from the consumer.”

As the proposals begin to roll out, potentially as soon as early 2022, Adams said the Almond Board plans to engage in public comment opportunities with fact-based information and

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work with European food associations to try and ensure the policies don’t

Kristen Sukalac, a consulting partner for Prospero and Partners, which is monitoring European policy developments for the Almond Board of California, said that the EU will want to ensure that imports don’t have an unfair advantage and are subject to requirements that are consistent with domestic production.

adversely affect California almond imports to the EU. “We are working closely with European associations,” Adams said. “In the same way that the U.S. industry has a far louder voice with U.S. government, so too, the European industry is able to engage more fully with their regulators. So, we want to be sure that they are aware of what the implications are through the supply chain.”

Currently, about 80% of the almonds consumed in Europe are supplied by U.S. almond growers, according to Sukalac.

Also, Adams said, the Almond Board engages regularly with U.S. government officials through the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and other entities “to let them know where we see changes that could impact shipments of almonds.”

Among issues she expects U.S. government officials to monitor are whether European government subsidies are used to attain some of Europe’s ambitious policy objectives and whether those align with global trade rules.

“Certainly, if there are incentives for European growers that would put California’s industry at a disadvantage, that is something we would be watching for,” Adams said. She added: “Europe already has a complicated ag policy, and that is something U.S. authorities have been watching for a long time.”

The Almond Board is working to keep growers and handlers apprised of the situation, particularly with regard to potential implications on their production practices.

Sharing California’s Sustainable Story

As for future steps, Adams said it is important for growers to be aware of tools that are available for monitoring and reporting sustainable practices and to embrace the opportunities to do so.

“I think what is really essential for growers is that they continue to work closely with their handlers,” Adams Antles_WCN_Ad1C_101920.pdf

1

said. “We also are working closely with handlers to be sure that they are sharing that information. The industry has been focusing on water-use efficiency; there is also a lot of work underway with whole orchard recycling and with various tools to monitor chemical use.

We have a very extensive regulatory environment in California, too. So, how do we leverage what we are already doing to demonstrate that actually, we are already pretty far ahead on our practices compared to a number of other producers.”

Ultimately, Adams said, the policy proposals in Europe mirror a global trend of consumers wanting to know more about how their food is produced and where it originates.

“We know globally that people want to know where food comes from,” she said. “And I think California agriculture has been very aware and very proactive in being able to talk about

10/19/20

and document how we grow.

“I would say just continuing to be able to share that information, tell that story is really essential going forward because concerns about resources, practices in the field, is only going to continue,” Adams said. “So, the more we can be part of that conversation, the better.”

Asked if she had any advice for California almond growers, Sukalac said, “I would say to an almond grower who is not participating in the various sustainability initiatives that it is really important to do so because at the end of the day, it comes down to supply chain transparency and traceability, and that trend is not going to go away.”

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New Pistachio Yield Prediction Project Underway at UC Davis

By TAYLOR CHALSTROM | Digital Content Editor To make this project successful, UC Davis’ Patrick H. Brown said that the researchers need as much individual block yield data from pistachio orchards across the state as possible. All data received will be fully anonymized and private (photo by Louise Ferguson, UC Davis.)

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rowers are under constant pressure to properly and efficiently utilize their nitrogen and water.

One of the key determinants in an orchard for how much nitrogen/water to use and when to use it is yield, accord-

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ing to UC Davis Pomologist Patrick H. Brown. However, growers don’t know the actual yield until nuts are harvested.

A new UC Davis project is looking to change this for pistachio growers. Brown and UC Davis Professor Yufang Jin have begun working on a USDA grant proposal to develop a method to predict pistachio yield by using historic yield data, free satellite imagery, automated climate analysis and individual orchard characteristics. The outcome will be a simple-to-use app or website for yield prediction of any pistachio block, and this can be used to help predict ideal nitrogen fertilization and irrigation as well as plan other yield-dependent activities.

Brown provided some insight to the overarching goals of this project and how it can hopefully benefit the pistachio industry. “Early in the season (April, May), [we will] be able to get to growers a realistic estimate of their predicted yield for the remainder of the year so that they can then optimize that water and nitrogen to meet the goal of that particular yield.”

To make this project successful, Brown said that the researchers need as much individual block yield data from pistachio orchards across the state as possible. Important to note is that all

Continued on Page 58

Continued from Page 56 data received will be fully anonymized and private. There is no cost to growers, no charge for final product and no need for UC experimentation on orchards.

The orchard information survey can be found at https://myaglife.com/s7yb.

The researchers, Brown said, would use historic trend data from hundreds of different orchards across the state and ask computer programs to find patterns

in the data. Those patterns would then ideally be able to estimate a growers’ be related to satellite images of the trees yield in an already-established location and the climate of a particular year. and even a location that doesn’t yet have “We would like from as many growers, plantings. Additionally, it would be from as many individual orchards as able to tell growers or researchers why possible, historic yield data and, as much an orchard in one part of the state is as they’re willing to do so, information getting historically higher yields than an on the orchard, such as planting distanc- orchard in a different part of the state. es, planting year, etc.,” Brown said.

Brown said the app or website would Comparison to Almond Yield Project A UC Davis team led by Stavros G. Vougioukas, professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, designed a weighing bin in 2021 to precisely measure the yield coming off of each tree in an almond orchard. As nuts are shaken from trees and collected in an off-ground harvester, ORDER PISTACHIO TREES FROM they move along a conveyor belt and are WONDERFUL NURSERIES AND YOU’LL HAVE A captured in the weighing bin. The bin GUARANTEED HOME FOR YOUR CROP then communicates to the driver when to drop the nuts in the windrow.

It’s simple. Wonderful Nurseries works closely with our The pistachio project, according to sister company, Wonderful Pistachios to offer Pistachio Vougioukas and Brown, would draw Purchase Agreements to clients planting our trees. many similarities to the almond project.

Whether you are purchasing our Wonderful Pistachio One goal for the pistachio project, VouRootstock™ (WPR) or standard UCB-1 rootstock from seed, gioukas said, is to be more robust when it comes to localization in the orchard. we have a home for your product. Contact us today to place In other words, the researchers want your order and grow your rootstock into guaranteed sales! to be able to more accurately pinpoint which trees are yielding what amount using GPS software that will connect to the website/app.

WonderfulNurseries.com 661.758.4777 “In the [almond] orchards we oper27920 McCombs Road, Wasco, California 93280 ated, the GPS signals were very reliable. © 2022 Wonderful Nurseries LLC. All rights reserved. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NURSERIES and The accuracy was a few centimeters,” the accompanying logos are trademarks of Wonderful Nurseries LLC or its affiliates. The Wonderful Pistachio Rootstock Trees are the subject of U.S. Plant Patent Nos. PP26915, PP26916, PP27318, Vougioukas said. “But in other orchards, PP27319 and PP27436. especially with tall trees, you may have issues with the GPS; it might come and ALWAYS RAISING THE BAR AT WONDERFUL NURSERIES go, or it might not be as accurate.”

The researchers will work on overcoming this problem by pairing other orchard sensors with the GPS software in order to formulate a more accurate image of individual yield from taller trees like those of pistachios. The custom harvester bin, as in the almond project, will weigh the pistachio nuts and robustly associate the weight with an individual tree.

“That’s the ultimate goal. When you have the weight, is it tree number five, number six, number seven…” Vougioukas said.

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Another direction the researchers are looking to go compared to the almond project, depending on available grant funding, is to move from a weighing bin design to a more ‘online’ weight measurement to significantly decrease any delays in the harvesting process, Vougioukas said.

“Ideally, you’d be measuring yield per tree or even per two or three trees without stopping,” he said.

This function would also be integrated with the website/app for growers to view in real time.

The pistachio yield project draws multiple comparisons to a precision yield monitoring project also taking place in almonds. An improvement the pistachio project is looking to make on the almond project is more accurately pinpointing which trees are yielding what amount using GPS software that will connect to a website/ app (photo by T. Chalstrom.)

Precision Irrigation Management

UC Davis Associate Professor of Agrohydrology & Water Management Isaya Kisekka will be heading the irrigation side of the pistachio project.

Ultimately, the pistachio yield prediction model and resulting data will be responsive to variations in water applied, and soil moisture and tree water status will be used as “covariates” for yield prediction, he said.

“The grower can use the model to predict the penalty in terms of yield reduction associated with missing irrigation or the marginal increase in yield from making a given irrigation event,” Kisekka said.

Kisekka will be developing methods for sensing soil and plant water statuses from individual trees to the entire orchard to support precision orchard water management. This, he said, will involve the fusion of sensors, remote sensing imagery and artificial intelligence.

Andrew McElrone, a research plant physiologist with USDA-ARS and adjunct faculty at UC Davis that is working on the almond project, noted that remote sensing makes it easier in general to survey the orchard and that the cost is coming down for these tools. “What the remote sensing can do is allow you to cover a lot more acreage more rapidly without having to send armies of people into the field to do intensive measurements.”

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A WORD FROM THE BOARD: AMERICAN PECAN COUNCIL

Looking Ahead: 2022 APC Activities

Organization Looks to Continue 2021 Success into New Year

By AMERICAN PECAN COUNCIL | Contributing Writer

T

he American Pecan Council (APC) was approved in its inaugural referendum by 71% of production this past year. This can largely be attributed to the successes the industry saw in the FMO’s first five years. These wins include:

• Accelerated demand for pecans, with 36% growth in consumption.

• Prices have grown or sustained at a level 11% higher than without APC marketing.

•

Growers’ money has been put to good use, with a 10x return on every marketing dollar.

• Inventory has been moving.

• Export volumes have grown.

Pecans have dominated the holidays, becoming the most talked-about nut.

The American Pecan Council plans to continue to build on these successes. The APC will continue to work on international markets in China and Germany. Additionally, there are funds to add additional dollars into the China market, look into opening India and

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Over the last two years, the Council and industry members have begun developing a voluntary Quality Assurance Program (all photos courtesy APC.)

expand the UK market. All of these markets were identified in the APC’s Strategic Plan.

Additionally, consumers continue to voice their preferences, demanding quality, accountability and evidence that agriculture is doing their part for sustainability. APC will continue its efforts to utilize influencers and dietitians to share the industry’s activities and practices that already align with consumer desires. APC will continue to educate the public on the health benefits of pecans. This, coupled with essential data, will be critical for the industry to look at the total crop and have an idea for shipments. Furthermore, with the new American Pecan Promotion Board, additional dollars will be received to increase the marketing efforts of the industry. By both organizations working together, the industry has a bright future in reaching consumers with a strong message to eat pecans.

Below, we will take a deeper look into the 2022 strategic influencer and health professional marketing plan as well as activities on the grades & standards front to continue the successful momentum.

Influencer Marketing

Throughout this upcoming year, we will continue to lean heavily into Influencer Marketing. Each month, we vet a diverse pool of influencers to identify and partner with those who have an authentic connection to American Pecans to reach and engage consumers.

Research as well as our own experience shows that Micro-influencers’ (individuals who have between 10,000 and 50,000 followers on social media) audiences are often more engaged than Macro-influencers’. In addition, it’s more cost-effective to work with them, which translates into stronger ROI. A recent statistic from G2 indicates that “social media video generates as much as 1200% more shares than text and image content combined.” We will be leaning into this trend toward video in the coming year by partnering with influencers who can create engaging video content showcasing pecans.

Nutritionist and Health Professionals

In 2022, Eat Well Global will continue to be our lead partner for health professional marketing efforts. The work we will be conducting in this

Continued on Page 62

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Continued from Page 60 sphere aims to increase consumption of pecans while spurring recommendations and positive sentiment for pecans among targeted health professionals, especially registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).

These are some of the exciting plans for continuing and new activations kicking off this calendar year: Optimize the APC’s recipe database by developing refined recipe categorization.

Gather insights and distribute resources, such as diabetes-friendly pecan recipes and nutrition messaging, tailored to diabetes professionals.

Broker a strategic influencer partnership with an RDN influencer practicing in culinary, intuitive eating and/or private practice, with potential activations to include speaking opportunities, recipe development, TV segments, blog writing and/or social

Research has shown that many consumers are willing to pay more for products aligned with their values. Quality and sustainability often work together in the minds of consumers with one being a cue for the other.

media campaigns.

Participate in Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium 2022, the nation’s

second largest dietitian conference.

Continue to grow and engage with the Pecan Powerhouses Network through quarterly e-newsletters and throughout all FY2021-22 activations.

Develop a new client-facing educational resource highlighting pecans’ distinct nutritional attributes.

Broker partnership with Produce for Better Health Foundation for retail engagement.

Voluntary Quality Assurance Program

Over the last two years, the Council and industry members have begun developing a voluntary Quality Assurance Program (QAP) for the industry, from growers to accumulators to shellers, in order to enhance and support its standing in a competitive marketplace. The goal of the Quality Assurance Program is to create a management program that harmonizes the American pecan industry practices to the elevated U.S. pecan industry “standard” to ultimately make a claim at the consumer level through an APC‐branded logo, thus driving demand for U.S grown and processed pecans. Many buyers are requesting what types of practices our industry is utilizing.

As the next generation of consumers

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rises to prominence and makes purchase decisions, the message will need to be tailored to that consumer. Research has shown that many consumers are willing to pay more for products aligned with their values. Sustainability’s importance as a purchase criterion has grown over time and, for millennials, it has become an everyday concern.

Quality and sustainability often work together in the minds of consumers with one being a cue for the other.

With all that said, the Program would address consumer concerns and encourage pecans in their purchasing decisions. When we look at other ag industry programs, most already have similar programs to meet the rising buyer requirements. We will dive deeper into this in an upcoming article.

During this year, APC will move forward with approving a final draft of the program and piloting it. The Grades & Standards committee will be having a meeting in February to finalize the drafted Quality Assurance Program.

The official date of the public meeting will be posted on the American Pecan website. After the program has been approved, we will begin piloting it and testing the application on site.

We are excited for all that’s in store for 2022. As previously stated, the American Pecan Council will continue to market internationally and reach health professionals through activations with Eat Well Global and consumers through Aspire IQ to ensure the industry keep as much momentum going as possible during this transition period for both the American Pecan Council and the American Pecan Promotion Board. To stay up to date with APC’s marketing efforts, visit AmericanPecan.com and subscribe to receive email communications from the APC, including a Monthly Marketing Highlights Report.

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TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEIGHBORLY NUTS: ORCHARD SANITATION, PEST CONTROL ARE NEIGHBORLY ACTS

How nearby new blocks are managed can have an effect on your orchard health and crop quality (photo by Ryan Fillmore.)

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

NOW damage in walnuts is not solely due to migration from neighbors as populations in an orchard can build over time if sanitation and other control measures are not implemented (photo by Ryan Fillmore.)

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s tree nut acreage throughout the West increases, chances are that isolated block of trees planted several years ago is now at least partially surrounded by other tree nuts.

Those new acres may be planted to the same variety of tree nut or a different variety, but how those new blocks are managed can have an effect on your orchard health and crop quality.

“The two biggest concerns with neighboring orchards are navel orangeworm and dust,” said Almond Board of California Chairman of the Board Brian Wahlbrink. “You hope your neighbor will maintain adjacent roads, control dust and keep their orchard clean.”

Controlling navel orangeworm populations in an orchard is a multi-year process, Wahlbrink said, and a neighbor who is lackadaisical about orchard sanitation can have an impact on your orchard management. Costs of extra sprays and the time it takes to do them are the prices paid to overcome lack of sanitation and neglect of dust control by a neighbor.

Wahlbrink said that sanitation and dust are very visual

Continued on Page 66 64

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February 2022

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Continued from Page 64 problems in tree nut orchards. Orchard sanitation is necessary to remove overwintering sites for navel orangeworm. Dust creates an environment that supports mite infestation. It is also a safety hazard at harvest if is not confined to the orchard.

Areawide Approach

The UCCE publication Sac Valley Orchards reports that NOW has numerous fruit and nut hosts, both agricultural and native. It also shows that this pest has a substantial flight capacity and can migrate easily between hosts. Anecdotal evidence indicates that NOW pressure is higher in walnut orchards with neighboring hosts. The report also notes that NOW damage in walnuts is not solely due to migration from neighbors as populations in an orchard can build over time if sanitation and other control measures are not implemented.

UCCE farm advisors stress that an area-wide approach, where neighboring orchards are managed to control NOW, will be most effective.

This topic can open a can of worms, said crop consultant Justin Nay with Integral Ag. Growers can blame their neighbors for pest damage to crop or unhealthy orchards.

Neighbors other than tree nut orchards can also be a problem, for instance, blowing trash into orchards (photo by C. Parsons.)

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A neighbor who is lackadaisical about orchard sanitation can have an impact on your orchard management (photo by C. Parsons.)

“Rightly or wrongly, many growers blame their neighbors for their misfortunes but not often on their successes.”

Nay said that when a neighbor is identified as being problematic for one or multiple pests, monitoring begins and options are discussed.

With NOW, which Nay identified as one of the greatest neighbor issues, May sprays are adjusted if mummies in the orchard are not infested but are going to become infested by neighbor fly-ins of mated females. Mass trapping in the orchard is done to limit mummy infestation by mated females. A decision on the number of hull split sprays will be done based on the size of the fly-in pressure.

If mummy removal from the orchard is successful, Nay said that no May sprays are done no matter the NOW fly-in pressure. Mating disruption is not added since mated females are flying in but there are no mummies to infest. Nay said they treat at hull split based on neighbor flight data in monitoring traps. Finally, there is a discussion on early harvest so that

orchards, not from other orchards, but from overwintering sites.

Communication is Vital

If mummy removal from the orchard is successful, crop consultant Justin Nay said that no May sprays are done no matter the NOW fly-in pressure (photo by C. Parsons.)

Kern County UCCE Farm Advisor David Haviland noted that use of mating disruption in an orchard can provide the benefit of lower NOW populations in neighboring orchards. If used in an area-wide concerted program, the larger pheromone plume could be even more effective.

Most other insect pests in nut orchards do not fly in from neighboring orchards, Haviland said. The stink bug complex, for example, is more of a regional issue. These pests migrate into

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orchard is not the last one on the block to capture fly-ins from the neighbors.

On the proactive side, Nay said that when developing an orchard adjacent to a possible problematically managed orchard, he recommends planting in the opposite direction to make it more difficult for the moths to fly down the lanes of the infested orchard into the new orchard. He said that one other tactic is to plant a tight barrier of trees surrounding the parcel.

To limit dust on borders, Nay said he advises watering or oiling roads more aggressively.

UCCE Area IPM Advisor Jhalendra Rijal said area-wide sanitation and mating disruption efforts make sense for control of NOW. Growers should be aware of the resident NOW populations in their orchards and how they can affect neighboring orchards.

Navel orangeworm is not the only insect pest that can migrate, he noted.

Winter sanitation and removing tree branches infested with flatheaded borers (FHB) can help keep this pest from spreading. Orchards where this pest has been found should be scouted for FHB wounds in branches during the winter.

If an FHB infestation is found in an orchard, chances are that it will spread to neighboring orchards, Rijal said.

Houston Wilson, UCCE assistant IPM specialist, said an individual grower can make the effort to heavily sanitize their orchard. But, if a neighbor fails to do the same, there is risk of navel orangeworm colonizing from nearby infested orchards.

“This is a fairly mobile pest, and so sanitation likely works best as an area-wide approach.”

Wilson and Wahlbrink both stressed that communication between growers and farm managers is critical in effective control of insect pests. If there is potential for a problem with a neighbor, Wahlbrink said communication is vital.

“Sometimes, it is just a matter of making them aware of the situation,” Wahlbrink said. “They are usually responsive, and that is typical of the ag community as a whole.”

Wilson said the social component in the ag community, peer pressure, in-person exchanges, can carry some weight when there is a neighboring orchard that isn’t farmed to control insect pests.

“There can be some social motivation.”

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NO MANDATORY TESTING FOR FARMS IN NEW PROPOSED WATER REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRODUCE SAFETY RULE

By PRISCILLA RODRIGUEZ | Director of Regulatory Affairs and Food Safety, Western Agricultural Processors Association

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n the last month of 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they would postpone the Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) water compliance requirements, subpart E, which was set to begin in January 2022. The FDA intends to exercise enforcement discretion for the agricultural water requirements for covered produce while proposing changes to the current water requirements.

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Jim Britton (559) 994-1221 68

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February 2022

Continued on Page 70

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Continued from Page 68

Industry Pushes Back

FDA held public meetings on the initial water requirements and had great pushback from farms throughout the U.S. and internationally, given the vast uses and practices of agricultural water for hundreds of commodities and regions. The proposed revisions are intended to address stakeholder concerns about complexity and practical implementation challenges by replacing certain pre-harvest agricultural water testing requirements with provisions for comprehensive pre-harvest agricultural water assessments. The intent of the assessment is to help farms to identify potential sources of contamination and effectively manage their water.

The proposed water requirements eliminate the necessity of the Microbial Water Quality Profile (MWQP), which consisted of a rolling four-year dataset of water testing results. The water testing frequency varied based on the water source for ground water or surface water sources. FDA received a great deal of pushback on the mandatory testing due to its perceived costs and challenges it presented. With the new proposed rule, water testing could be one element of a mitigation strategy if the grower chooses to include testing as part of their strategy, but they are no longer obligated to do so.

The proposed agricultural water assessments would offer flexibility for farms to evaluate a range of factors that impact pre-harvest agricultural water quality, using a systems-based approach. The farm has the ability to determine which mitigation strategies will work to address the issue based off their current situation on the farm and not a universal testing mandate.

FDA’s new approach to water assessment versus water testing is in line with the PSR current requirements for cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and tools, allowing the farm to evaluate their practices and determine the best cleaning methods, procedures,

frequency and/or mitigation measures to ensure a safe food environment. The new risk-based approach to determine corrective actions or mitigation measures for agricultural water resembles the same principals of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).

Key Provisions

The proposed rule would revise subpart E of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule to change certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce other than sprouts. Key provisions in the proposed rule include: A requirement for farms to manage their agricultural water quality based on the results of a comprehensive systems assessment (“agricultural water assessment”) that is adaptable to the wide variety of water sources and uses and future scientific advancements.

An annual assessment by farms of their pre-harvest agricultural water to identify any conditions likely to introduce hazards into, or onto, covered produce or food contact surfaces. Based on these assessments, farms would then determine whether corrective or mitigation measures are reasonably necessary to reduce the potential for contamination. The assessment would include an evaluation of the farm’s water system, agricultural water use practices, crop characteristics, environmental conditions and other relevant factors, such as the results of any testing conducted to inform the assessment.

A requirement that farms implement expedited mitigation measures for hazards related to certain activities associated with adjacent and nearby lands to protect the quality of the water used on produce. This is being included following several recent outbreak investigations on produce that revealed potential routes of contamination, including activities and conditions like animal grazing and the presence of livestock and wildlife on land adjacent to, or near, produce farms or their water sources.

The removal of certain testing requirements for pre-harvest agricultural water and replacing them with the agricultural water assessments. The proposed revisions are intended to address stakeholder concerns about complexity and practical implementation challenges while protecting public health.

The goal of the FDA is to complete the compliance date rulemaking as

quickly as possible. The FDA will be allowing for written comments through April 5, 2022 and will listen to stakeholder comments at two virtual public meetings to be held in February 2022.

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SPOTTED LANTERNFLY RISK TO CALIFORNIA WALNUTS

By SURENDRA K. DARA | Entomology and Biologicals Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension ROLAND C. BOCCO| Assistant Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension

T

he spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, which is an invasive pest in many parts of the Eastern U.S. and is spreading westward, has multiple cultivated and wild hosts in California (Dara and Bocco 2021). The black walnut (Juglans nigra) and other Junglandaceae members are common hosts of SLF (Dara et al. 2015).

The cultivated English walnut (Juglans regia) and the endemic California walnut (Juglans californica) are among the important hosts that could harbor SLF populations and are at risk if the pest

invades California.

The extent of SLF risk to various cultivated hosts, potential economic losses and the distribution of wild and cultivated hosts that support SLF populations was determined by generating various maps using crop data from the state and various counties. This article focuses on the risk of SLF to walnuts in California to help prepare the growers and local communities for its potential invasion.

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The cultivated English walnut (Juglans regia) and the endemic California walnut (Juglans californica) are among the important hosts that could harbor SLF populations and are at risk if the pest invades California (all photos courtesy S.K. Dara.)

nuts, which are the tenth-most-valuable commodity in the state with a value of $958 million (CDFA 2020). With some decline from the previous years, walnut production in 2021 is expected to be 670,000 tons from 385,000 bearing acres (NASS 2021). In many counties, such as Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Kings, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter, Stanislaus, Tehama and Yolo, walnuts are grown in large acreages and are an important commercial crop.

Mapping the Risk Areas

Using the county crop reports, the SLF risk levels were determined as very low, low, moderate, high and very high for the acreage and value of walnuts within each county. The highest risk value within each parameter was used to determine the ‘very high’ category and 4/5, 3/5, 2/5, and 1/5 were used for high, moderate, low, and very low categories, respectively. In other words, 0% to 20% risk was considered very low, 21% to 40% as low, 41% to 60% as moderate, 61% to 80% as high and 81% 100% as very high for each measured parameter.

Data were entered into a spreadsheet and maps were generated using QGIS open-source cross-platform geographic information system application. These maps show the distribution of cultivated walnuts in various counties and the level of risk based on acreage, value and production volume.

Continued on Page 74

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Although various species of imported biocontrol agents are currently under investigation, they don’t seem to be an immediate option due to some host specificity concerns.

Continued from Page 72

What is Being Done?

Importing natural enemies from the native country of the invasive pest that are very specific to the target invasive pest and releasing them in the new area of invasion is one of the common approaches (known as classical biologi-

cal control) in managing invasive pests.

Although various species of imported biocontrol agents are currently under investigation, they don’t seem to be an immediate option due to some host specificity concerns. However, several researchers are working on various integrated pest management strategies to manage SLF. The web site ucanr.edu/spotted-

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February 2022

lanternfly has links to maps, articles, videos and other SLF resources and will be periodically updated with relevant information.

Thanks to California Department of Food and Agriculture for funding the study to map the SLF risk-prone areas in California.

References California Department of Food and Agriculture. 2020. California agricultural statistics review 2019-2020. (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/ PDFs/2020_Ag_Stats_Review.pdf) Dara, S. K. L. Barringer, S. P. Arthurs. 2015. Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae): a new invasive pest in the United States. J. Integr. Pet Manag. 6: 20. (https://doi.org/10.1093/ jipm/pmv021) Dara, S. K. and R. C. Bocco. 2021.

Spotted lanternfly risk in California: acreage, value, and distribution of various hosts. UCANR eJournal of Entomology and Biologicals. (https:// ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail. cfm?postnum=50963) National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2021. 2021 California walnut objective measurement report. United States Department of Agriculture. (https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_ by_State/California/Publications/Specialty_and_Other_Releases/Walnut/ Objective-Measurement/202108walnutom.pdf) Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com

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Careful Rootstock Selection Can Ensure Long-Term Productivity

By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor

C

hoosing the correct almond rootstock based on specific environmental limitations at an orchard site can help ensure long-term productivity.

Speakers at the 2021 Almond Conference rootstock presentation stressed that the best rootstock choice made for a 20-year orchard investment should be based on appropriate vigor, rooting anchorage, tolerance to poorly drained soils, nematodes, salt and boron, root rots, intermittent flooding and replant syndrome.

Almond growers and farm managers should determine limiting factors of an orchard site and choose appropriate rootstocks (photo courtesy K. Jarvis-Shean.)

Since many speakers pointed out that there is no ‘perfect’ almond rootstock, making the best possible planting choice for a specific orchard site relies on a number of data points from rootstock trials.

“Selection is extremely important,” UCCE Orchard Systems Farm Advisor Roger Duncan said. “Beyond biotic and abiotic issues, there are many other things to consider with rootstock selection. It should be based on physical, chemical and biological conditions in your field.”

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Almond rootstock genetics come from peach, plum and almond sources. Almond genetics contribute drought tolerance, tolerance to alkaline soils, longevity, deep roots and vigor. However, they are susceptible to wet soils and associated diseases.

Peach rootstock genetics contribute compatibility with almond scions and less susceptibility to wet soil conditions.

They are not tolerant to salt or alkaline soil conditions.

Plum genetics add tolerance of low oxygen conditions due to wet soils and diseases, including Phytopthora, crown gall and oak root fungus. They have variable compatibility with almond genetics.

Many hybrid rootstocks, including numerous complex hybrids, have been developed from almond, peach and plum genetics. Research trials determined their salt tolerance, vigor and canopy size among other traits. Findings determined that rootstock characteristics tend to fall in behind their almond, peach or plum parents. Peach-almond hybrids are among the most tolerant commercial rootstocks to sodium, chloride, high pH and alkaline soils and water. They are also the most vigorous and may have higher yield efficiency in many cases.

They do not, Duncan said, perform well in all conditions.

Almond growers and farm managers should determine limiting factors of an orchard site and choose appropriate rootstocks. High boron levels in the soil and anchorage to withstand high wind conditions are two examples of orchard site limitations. Yolo County UCCE Orchard Systems

Hybrid rootstocks, including numerous complex hybrids, have been developed from almond, peach and plum genetics. Research trials determined their salt tolerance, vigor and canopy size among other traits (photo courtesy Almond Board of California.)

Advisor Katherine Jarvis-Shean noted that the correct rootstock can come to the rescue, keeping boron from moving into the scion and providing a strong root system.

Disease Management

Almond industry trends that justify more attention to rootstocks for management of Phytopthora and replant diseases include a shift from peach to peach-almond hybrid rootstocks.

Other trends are continuing apparent

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Continued on Page 78

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Continued from Page 77 crowns and suboptimal placement of drip or microemitters as orchards develop along with increased restrictions on soil fumigations.

USDA-ARS researcher Greg Browne noted that rootstocks are valuable tools for management of crown and root rots and Prunus replant disease.

Phytopthora diseases are multiple and diverse and the vast majority infect through roots and crown. A second problem for orchard establishment is Prunus replant disease. This microbe-induced growth suppression in almonds planted after almonds is distinct from nematode parasitism and is impacted by many factors.

Give rootstocks a chance by keeping the graft union above the soil line and avoiding soil water saturation at the crown, Browne said. When planting, it is best to position rootstocks to serve as barriers to scion infection by Phytopthora.

Browne said that greenhouse and orchard trials detected superior resistance to Phytopthora in several commercial and experimental rootstocks.

In addition, the resistance was found in clones of several rootstock types, including peach, peach-almond, peachplum and complex hybrids, indicating strong potential for valuable selections.

A sensitivity trial of different rootstocks to Prunus replant disease showed that peach-almond hybrids and plum or plum hybrids have less sensitivity than peach rootstocks.

Nematode Tolerance

As for nematode resistance, again there is no ‘perfect’ rootstock, UC Riverside Nematologist Andreas Westphal reiterated. One rootstock is not tolerant or resistant to all destructive nematode species.

Westphal explained that resistance is the ability of a plant to reduce nematode reproduction. No nematode reproduction occurs in a highly resistant plant, a low level of reproduction occurs in a moderately resistant plant and unchecked nematode reproduction occurs in a susceptible plant.

Tolerance is the ability of a plant to grow and yield well even when infested 78

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February 2022

Care at planting can improve the success of rootstocks (photo by M. Katz.)

with plant parasitic nematodes.

The root lesion nematode remains one of the biggest threats to almond tree health. Infestations of root lesion nematode can have a negative effect on young tree root systems as it is closely associated with plant growth disruption. Management strategies for root lesion nematodes are being developed by researchers at the UC Kearney Agriculture and Research Center.

Rootstock tolerance to nematode infections alone will not ensure healthy trees. Westphal said that environment and drought stress can also impact tree health.

Current status of rootstock research includes hybrids with nematode resistance and tolerance identified, hybrids with multiple resistances identified and hybrids under horticultural and susceptibility evaluations. Researchers include Dan Kluepfel, Greg Browne, Malli Aradhya and Tom Gradziel, USDA-ARS and UC Davis.

Speaker Chuck Fleck with Sierra Gold Nurseries noted that while almond rootstocks are a 20-year investment, “it’s all about risk avoidance” when selecting rootstocks.

Tools have been developed to help with rootstock choices and keep risk at an acceptable level, Fleck said. He noted that in the last ten years, many new rootstocks have been developed for almond production and both public and private breeders continue to develop more.

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