Naval Orange Worm Impact on Almonds

This week, the Almond Board of California Update features Chuck Fleck of Sierra Gold Nurseries discussing the impact of the naval orange worm on almond variety development in 2023. Fleck notes a significant increase in the worm’s presence, which led to the rejection of many almond loads and reduced overall production quality. The industry is now evaluating different almond selections for resistance to the worm, particularly those with fully sealed or hard shells. There is debate within the industry about the energy cost to the tree of producing hard shells, which may impact tree growth and kernel production.

The full discussion is available on the Almond Board of California’s website.