In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, this years early bloom means that timely applications of products like ReTain will be important to extend bloom. Several areas of California have scattered rainfall in the forecast and could cause issues with ground applications.
“ReTain works best when applied at 30 to 60 percent bloom, so being able to go in by air can help you avoid some of those weather delays that you might encounter from a ground application,” said Manager of Field Development for Valent USA Pat Clay, “it also allows for a more precise application.”
The aerial application of ReTain in almond orchards was recently approved and has been receiving quite a bit of interest from growers. “It allows for greater flexibility in application methods to cover more ground during a pretty tight almond bloom period,” Clay said.
Using a fixed wing or rotary aircraft for timely applications can be beneficial for growers who “have conditions that are anticipated to be windy or rainy during the forecast period,” Clay noted. “The aerial application allows for being able to cover more ground in a day.”
There are no specifications on what time of day aerial applications can be applied, however, Clay recommends early morning. “Anything that’s going to prolong drying time of the spray droplet on a leaf is going to be a good thing,” Clay said.
ReTain has been shown to improve yield in almond orchards by helping flowers last longer in trees and increasing the opportunity for flowers to be pollinated. Some of the studies conducted demonstrate better results with an aerial application as opposed to ground applications. Clay noted that the aerial application label states “the rate of ReTain is one pouch, and you want to have one pouch for every 15 to 20 gallons of water applied to the acre.”
Listen to the interview below.