In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, many growers are in the midst of implementing a fungicide plan. The recent storms that have come through much of California bringing a fair amount of rainfall have left a lot of moisture in orchards, and with temperatures rising it creates ideal conditions for diseases to incubate.
“That is the recipe for disease development, primarily at this time I would say scab. I’ve seen some scab in a couple of orchards and Alternaria could be popping its ugly head up especially if you’re in a high-density planting,” said Todd Burkdoll, Field Market Development Specialist for Valent USA. “I’d actually be making a prophylactic treatment – a preventative treatment – to keep this disease at bay because it can really ruin a good crop real fast.”
The most serious issues with Alternaria are commonly seen in orchards in the northern Sacramento Valley and the southern San Joaquin Valley, while scab is most prevalent in Sacramento Valley. Both foliar diseases can cause shoot dieback and create significant problems if not managed. “You can lose yield, you can lose limbs, which loses yield in the following years as well; so, they’re diseases that need to be taken seriously,” said Burkdoll.
There are various materials available to growers who need to make a fungicide treatment. Burkdoll noted that the guidelines from the University of California Integrated Pest Management program are a great resource for developing a fungicide plan. In various field trials, Quash has been shown to be very effective against foliar diseases.
“Quash is systemic because the triazole chemistries tend to be systemic so it’s got both preventive and curative activity,” said Burkdoll, “However, getting it on preventatively is always the better way to go. It’s easier to keep the fire from starting rather than try to put it out after it’s taken off.”
Listen to the report below.