Reports indicate that it has been a tumultuous year for almond growers. The rollercoaster ride began with an abundance of snow and rain, a blessing that soon turned into a series of challenges. BASF Technical Service Representative, Dr. Kevin Caffrey said the surplus of moisture early in the year led to greener hills, bringing with them an unexpected surge in pests attacking almond crops.
The situation caught many by surprise, setting the tone for a season filled with hurdles. Bloom diseases such as jacket rot and monilinia were heavy this year. “Hull rot popped up out of nowhere. You could drive by and see trees with 50 percent strikes, just dead branches from how much hull rot came in,” Caffrey explained.
Insect damage was also significant with increased damage from navel orangeworm and leaffooted plant bug. There were also reports of higher-than-average ant damage. Caffrey said that growers in many instances were looking to save money by cutting out some sprays. However, with nuts coming off the tree, many are noticing significant damage rates.
“It went anywhere from still single digits for injury, which isn’t great, but that’s what you want to see, especially under two percent. It was more common around five or six. And as wild as it sounds, I’m hearing reports from up north, 30 to 50 percent in some fields,” said Caffrey. “That’s nearly a complete loss if you’re losing 30 to 50 percent of your crop to injury. So, it has been quite the wild ride.”
Coming off a year with significant disease pressure will mean that there will be a substantial amount of inoculum in orchards. Caffrey suggests that almond growers prepare for another year of substantial disease issues, especially if California experiences another wet winter.
“I think now that people are seeing some of the injury both to their trees and to their yields, I think a lot of people are starting to think more, ‘let’s be strategic,’” Caffrey explained. “It’s really easy to spend yourself broke, but you also can’t save yourself to prosperity. So, you really have to plan ahead.”
Listen to the interview below.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West