In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, a recent announcement officially approving the aerial application of ReTain will provide a more focused tool for growers to extend almond bloom.
“We’ve been testing ReTain via ground application for a number of years and seen very positive results,” said Manager of Field Development for Valent USA Pat Clay, “so we’re very excited about getting both the fixed wing and rotary aircraft added to our label.”
The cost and availability of labor continue to be an issue for California growers and ground applications can be a time-consuming process. It can be challenging to get an application down in the optimum time period during bloom, especially in large orchards.
“Making a very timely application of ReTain during bloom is difficult,” said Clay, “by getting the aerial application, it offers growers a greater degree of flexibility to be able to get that application out in a timely manner.”
The best results are observed when an application occurs between 30 percent and 60 percent bloom, making a timely application essential for optimum efficacy. Getting a significant extension to bloom can cause an increase in yield, with field trials demonstrating a seven percent increase. “We’ve actually seen better yield results from the aerial application as compared to ground,” Clay noted.
Listen to the interview below.