In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, as growers begin to prepare for the upcoming almond bloom, there are products available that have the potential to increase yield when applied during bloom time.
“So, ReTain is inhibiting ethylene production, which in the very short term, is going to provide an extension of the almond bloom,” said Manager of Field Development for Valent USA Pat Clay, “which is going to give the bees a better chance to pollinate those flowers and set fruit.”
Field studies found that trees that received ReTain applications showed an increase of seven percent in yield during multiyear field trials. “Basically, ReTain is increasing nut set, and then after that, potentially yield from that additional nut set,” said Clay.
Before almond bloom comes around, the focus for many growers has been a lack of significant rainfall and what that means for residual herbicide applications. “Many residual herbicides are going to require rainfall to activate and some growers have delayed those applications, basically waiting for a good forecast for rainfall,” Clay noted. “The other thing the dry weather has created is it does create a delay in the emergence of a lot of the winter annual weeds.”
Listen to the interview below.