In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent U.S.A., orchards are progressing well, with trees in various regions already past the petal fall stage. With most petal fall sprays already completed, growers are preparing disease management programs to combat issues like rust, scab, and Alternaria. Field Market Development Specialist with Valent U.S.A., Todd Burkdoll emphasizes the importance of early intervention, especially for high-density blocks or those with a history of disease.
“Last year, because of the wet weather, we saw rust. I would probably think that we’re going to see some more rust this year just because we had a rain event just a few days ago. We’re going to have another one this weekend,” Burkdoll explained. “I would say we’re going to have a potentially high-pressure year for both Alternaria and rust.”
The amount of moisture in orchards creates ideal conditions for disease development. Burkdoll said there is a variety of disease management options available to growers and being proactive will provide the best results. “Quash works really good for Alternaria and rust, starting early. Again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so getting that Quash on now is a good time,” Burkdoll explained.
Left unchecked, diseases like rust and Alternaria can create considerable issues for growers. Burkdoll said that he has seen orchards completely defoliated from a lack of mitigation action taken. Infection can cause the leaves to no longer be viable and eventually fall off.
“Those leaves are factories for your crop. They’re the factory that’s producing the phytonutrients, photosynthates that are accumulated in the leaves and are transferred to the nuts,” said Burkdoll. “If you don’t have a good canopy or a canopy that’s compromised from disease, your quality of nut not only this year but next year will be affected. So, you’ve got to keep that in mind.”
Listen to the report below.