Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Sponsored Content

  • The Essential Role Post Harvest Nutrition Plays in Future Yield and Quality

    —Sponsored Content—

    The almond and pistachio seasons have delivered a tale of contrasts. Market improvement and a near-record crop were positives for almond growers, while poor pollination, blanking and sharply lower production challenged the pistachio season.

    The endurance required to finish the season should be matched by foresight in taking the right steps after harvest. The work that pays off next fall starts now. Your trees have expended tremendous energy, and an effective post-harvest nutrition program is an important part of their recovery and preparation for the season ahead.

    At Redox Bio-Nutrients, our focus is helping growers get more from their nutritional programs. RAM Technology is the cornerstone of our product line and functions as a plant performance support system rather than a single product or quick fix. By supporting the natural processes plants use to manage energy, maintain balance and use available nutrition, RAM Technology helps orchards recover after harvest and prepare for the season ahead.

    Here are strong building blocks to a post-harvest recharge for your orchards:

    TriPlex® Zinc Flowable

    • Is a rich source of L-amino acid, chelated zinc that supports plant health, yield, nutrient assimilation and essential metabolic processes.

     

    Rx Platinum™

    • Provides a comprehensive nutrient package with biostimulants that support soil health, stress resilience and root growth. This post-harvest nutritional infusion helps replenish the plant and prepare it for the season ahead.

     

    RDX-N®

    • Uses patented botanical-extract technology to support nitrogen metabolism inside the plant. By supporting the natural processes that assimilate nitrogen and convert it into amino acids and other essential compounds, RDX-N helps plants make more efficient use of available nitrogen – supporting yield potential, crop quality and overall plant performance.

     

    BanX®

    • Supports carbohydrate storage and utilization for continued plant performance. With zinc and boron, it supports cell structure, sugar metabolism, stress response and long-term orchard productivity.

    These products are easy to store, blend friendly and effective at very low rates – built to fit into the operation you already run, not complicate it.

    You put in the long hours, early mornings, late nights and weekend labor that got this year’s crop across the finish line. Give your orchards the recovery they’ve earned and give next season the head start it deserves. Reach out to me or your Redox agronomist today about building a post-harvest plan that positions you for success in 2027 and for years to come.

    Jeremy Hamlin is an agronomist in the Southern San Joaquin Valley for Redox Bio-Nutrients. He can be reached at jeremy.hamlin@redoxgrows.com or (559)737-2334.

  • The Future is Here: Redefining Nitrogen Management with RDX-N®

    —Sponsored Content—

    Nitrogen is the backbone of crop production — no matter the crop, the region, or the state of the ag economy. But getting the most out of every pound you apply can differentiate a good season from a poor one. That’s where RDX-N® from Redox Bio-Nutrients comes in. This patented, plant-active botanical extract helps your crop use nitrogen more efficiently. It is the result of more than a decade of research and development.

    “RDX-N® is a flagship product because we now know how to make synthetic nitrogen fertilizer better,” said Redox Owner, Founder and CEO Darin Moon. “This is a long-term use, because use rates are extremely low and it’s very cost effective. Whether nitrogen is $1,000 a ton or $200 a ton, RDX-N® is cost-effective across the board because it is helping metabolize and make that nitrogen better. This should be integrated as a long-term play.”

    Real Results in the Field

    Redox agronomists are already working alongside nut growers throughout the Central Valley, and the reports are encouraging, including stronger overall crop health and improved yield.

    We continue to receive more data on product efficacy through a variety of sources, including commercial use, company research, and third party analysis from universities and contract research organizations.

    Redox Bio-Nutrients is among the top 20 biostimulant companies in the world, according to market research by DunhamTrimmer. The company’s technology is now trusted on a wide variety of crops and turf grass throughout the United States and around the globe.

    The Science Behind the Results

    At the core of RDX-N® — and the entire Redox product line — are Redox Active Molecules (RAM), plant-active compounds that regulate energy flow inside the plant. That regulation is what keeps a plant balanced, and a balanced plant is the single most important factor in yield and quality. Balanced plants channel energy into growth, yield and reproductive development. When it’s out of balance, that energy gets diverted into correction instead of production.

    So what exactly is RDX-N®? It’s important to start with what it isn’t: it is not a biological, a nitrogen stabilizer, or a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. When used in small amounts alongside synthetic nitrogen, it allows growers to cut nitrogen use by up to 50 percent — without sacrificing performance. This is possible because RDX-N® was built to support a plant’s natural metabolism and utilize applied nitrogen more efficiently. It’s easy to use and drops right into your existing fertility program. The result is reduced oxidative stress caused by nitrates and a significant boost in season-long uptake, utilization and performance unmatched in the industry.

    “I believe that RDX-N® is the future of agriculture,” said A.J. Borges, Redox Agronomist in Central California. “It’s uniquely using a biostimulant to stimulate the plant for better performance, helping the health and vitality of the plant. It’s a highly versatile product that can eliminate a lot of the nitrogen issues being experienced.”

    Get More From Your Nitrogen

    Growers face no shortage of challenges every season. The right technology can help you build a smarter, more resilient fertility program — one that delivers higher performance and more consistent results, year after year. Getting the most from your nitrogen isn’t just good agronomy; it’s good business.

    Find out more at RedoxGrows.com or reach out to us at info@RedoxGrows.com to connect with your regional Redox Agronomist.

  • Building on a Strong Foundation

    –Sponsored Content–

    Strong roots are a pivotal part of successful farming, regardless of the crop or growing region.

    Rootex® and Rootex® Flowable provide unique benefits in this area. Not only does this technology help drive lateral root development and mass, Rootex is also designed to overcome one of the biggest nutrient challenges that exists in agriculture- phosphorus tie-up in the soil.

    Redox Owner, Founder and CEO Darin Moon said Rootex has an organic molecule package that alleviates tie up, making phosphorus markedly more efficient. He added its amino acid package is what boosts lateral root branching.

    The results benefit yield and quality in the immediate and long term.

    “For 50 years, we’ve all bought into the concept of building your soil,” Moon said. “The reality is that approach is more expensive than it has ever been. That math doesn’t add up. Considering the current economic conditions, it makes sense to take some of the phosphorus out of the soil that growers have been putting in and metabolize it. Rootex is a catalyst in this area.”

    Rootex contains Redox Active Molecules (RAM), which maintain electrical balance in plants, keeping nutrients in plant available form for improved uptake.

    Additionally, this product is designed with a low salt load, supporting overall soil health. It also strengthens the soil-root connection, ensuring more effective nutrient delivery to the plant.

    Rootex has one of the longest track records with Redox, with more than two decades of success in commercial farms throughout the United States.

    Like the entire Redox product line, growers can do more with less through Rootex. Application rates range from ¼ to 1 ½ gallons per acre for Rootex Flowable to one to six pounds per acre for the dry technology.

    Redox Bio-Nutrients is a family owned and operated business based in Burley, Idaho.  Products involve carefully sourced nutrients combined with biostimulants that help with nutrient uptake, abiotic stress defense, root growth and soil health. Redox is the only company in the world with multiple certified biostimulants through rigorous independent analysis from The Fertilizer Institute.

    Find out more about what Rootex can do for your crops, here: https://www.redoxgrows.com/product/rootex/

  • Smarter, Science-Based Nutrition to Optimize Your Yield and Quality

    –Sponsored Content–

    Thanks to the Haber-Bosch process and the Green Revolution, the fertilizer industry has been a boon to growers for decades, with dramatic yield spikes.

    While largely positive, the drawbacks are coming into greater focus every growing season.

    Traditional salt-based fertilizers have long been the standard for a reason. They have a history of boosting production to extraordinary levels. New scientific understandings indicate they have some drawbacks and, by themselves, they are unlikely to continue to boost yield. Used alone, they can lack efficiency, which ramps up costs to growers. The philosophy has been to over apply fertilizers to compensate for this inherent inefficiency.  Also noteworthy is the impact excess applied fertilizer use has on grower profitability and environmental impacts. Agronomically, salt-based fertilizers can be toxic to plant roots, soil biology, cause charge imbalances and create an overall drag on soil and crop productivity. They also suppress the natural biological systems that have evolved to support productive plant and soil interaction. Not to mention the volatility of the cost of these commodity fertilizers.

    Just like modernization of farm equipment, scientific breakthroughs are paving the way for better crop nutrition , signaling across the board wins. This new generation of inputs have an impressive and growing resume, delivering greater yield and quality, as well as kinder approach to environmental issues such as nitrate runoff into groundwater.

    The fertilizer industry is past due for technological progress to offer growers products that work for their needs and reduce waste and cost.  The good news is there is new technology that is much more compatible with the plant and soil system now available.

    Redox Bio-Nutrients is a leader in providing superior, plant synergistic forms of crop nutrition that work with the natural systems to support optimal plant nutrition, plant health and ultimately crop quality and productivity.  What’s the secret?  Redox incorporates redox active carbon compounds that are selected for specific plant benefits.  By incorporating these redox active materials (RAM) with crop nutrition, Redox products are optimized to complement natural soil and plant health systems leading to efficient nutrition, reduced stress and overall healthier, more productive cropping systems.

    All fertilizer carries a charge, either positive or negative. Redox active molecules help give or accept charge, to allow the plant to remain in balance. When charge balance is achieved, plants will deliver their best yield and quality. Unbalanced plants will waste valuable energy to try to get into balance.

    “We need to stop talking about applied pounds per acre and start talking about metabolized pounds per acre,” remarked Redox Founder and CEO Darin Moon. “That’s a totally different and more appropriate conversation to meet today’s needs for growers and our environment.”

    RDX-N® is a breakthrough nitrogen optimization product. More than a decade of research, field trials and now commercial use confirm the power of this plant-active botanical extract biostimulant.  RDX-N is designed to elevate nitrogen use efficiency from within the plant itself, with up to 50 percent optimization, meaning can do more with less and save handily through using more appropriate levels of nitrogen.

    RDX-N is the latest in a long line of Redox products that have shown the same benefits while incorporating other nutrients like, P,K, Calcium, and others.  Redox is a second-generation, family owned and operated company based in Burley, Idaho.

    RDX-N

    REDEFINING NITROGEN MANAGEMENT.

    What Your Crops Deserve.

    One-of-a-kind. Patented. Proven. Unlock every ounce of nitrogen. Representing a breakthrough approach, RDX-N is the first and only biostimulant of its kind. It is not a microbe and not a chemical delay—it’s a blend of plant-active botanical extracts designed to elevate nitrogen use efficiency from within the plant itself by enhancing that plant’s natural metabolism. Unlike any other nitrogen product, it works smarter by activating metabolic pathways that support sufficient nitrogen uptake, assimilation, and utilization all season long.

    What is RDX-N?

    It is plant-active botanical extracts that naturally help your crop use nitrogen more efficiently.

    It works with plants’ natural signaling processes to adapt to stress.

    It supports consistent season-long nitrogen metabolism.

    It allows you to apply less synthetic nitrogen without giving up performance, helping you save money without changing your program.

    What is RDX-N not?

    ·      Not a nitrogen stabilizer.

    ·      Not a nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

    ·      Not a biological.

    Why Growers Choose RDX-N:

    ·      Improves nitrogen optimization by 50%.

    ·      Limits nitrate toxicity, leeching, and volatilization.

    ·      Improves crop quality by reducing oxidative stress caused by nitrates.

    ·      Improves logistics with fewer trips to the field and fewer tank refills.

    ·      Easy to use, fits into your current fertility plan.

    ·      Shelf stable, with a 3-year product guarantee.

    Suggested Rate:

    Soil: Apply 1 pt – 1 qt/acre, per application, with existing liquid nitrogen program.

    If Applying Without Nitrogen: Apply 1 pt – 2 qts/acre, and dilute RDX-N in at least 5 gallon solution per/acre.

    *RDX-N should not be applied at the same time as anhydrous ammonia. Apply as a separate treatment – it delivers the same level of efficacy as other nitrogen sources. Visit with your sales agronomist to best determine what your precise needs are.

  • Jumpstart your Growing Season with Redox during Bloom and Post-Bloom

    —Sponsored Content—

    Bloom is upon us and it is time to pick a quality product to increase crop set. Nutrition decisions made now will have a major impact on your yield and quality during harvest.

    Redox Bio-Nutrients technology has been specially formulated with Redox Active Molecules (RAM), to keep plants in balance, allowing them to increase yield. When plants are balanced, they focus on reproductive and vegetative processes.

    Here are specific ways Redox can help:

    Supreme™ delivers RAM derived complexed mineral and bio stimulant properties. These specifically drive early season movement of sugars and nitrogen metabolism in our crops. Applying Supreme™ during bloom and shortly after bloom improves crop set and size, depending on application timing. Here is some data to back that up.



    Material was applied with an air blast sprayer at a spray volume of 100 gallons per acre. Nuts from each tree were isolated and field weights were taken. Each sub-sample was hand cracked for quality evaluations. Supreme™ was applied three times and 2 lbs./acre, with applications at pre-bloom, petal fall and at five weeks. Nut weight, kernel size and percent of blank kernels were evaluated. The results were impressive. Supreme™ increased yield by 30.3% and decreased blanks by 38.1%.

    Supreme Product

    Improve Nitrogen Metabolism with Velox™ (formerly V-55).

    Velox™ is specially formulated to improve general reproductive energy in plants. This product uses complexing technology to improve mobility of phosphorus, zinc and boron in the plant.

    As with the Redox product line, a little goes a long way. Suggested application is 1-2 lbs. per acre. This product has been proven to increase the set of fruit, nuts, and other crops!!! Check the data for yourself.

    Supreme Product

     

    Don’t forget Calcium and Silicon at Bloom – Redox sets the standard with These Nutrients

    Calcium plays a pivotal role in cell division and defines quality of cell structure. Silicon has symbiotic relationship with Calcium since it helps organize the strong cells that have adequate calcium. This “STACKING” that Redox is known for is a way to increase your crops integrity. Reducing space taken up by oxygen and replacing it with carbon sources. Less air, more fruit, more weight, and more money in your pocket per unit of crop!!! Check data below to see how we will prove it to you!

    Apply 16-32 ounces of Mainstay® Si starting at pink bud, along with Supreme™ applications.

    Supreme Product

    By AJ Borges, Redox Bio-Nutrients agronomist for California. Email: aj.borges@redoxgrows.com

    Learn more Here

  • Healthy Soil, Stronger Crops: How Live, Native Microalgae is Transforming California Farming

    —SPONSORED CONTENT—

    Across California, growers are seeing measurable gains in yield, water efficiency, and soil health, all thanks to live, native microalgae.

    California growers know that every drop of water, every inch of root zone, and every dollar spent matters. With drought, salinity, and floods happening nearly every year, the margin between surviving and thriving often lies beneath the surface, in the soil.

    Healthy soil is alive with organisms that each play a role in supporting crop growth. Some, like earthworms, are easy to see, while others work on the microscopic level. Among these tiny contributors are microalgae, which naturally occur in most soils and help drive key biological processes like root development, soil structure, and water and nutrient availability. When microalgae are thriving, the whole soil system becomes stronger and more productive.

    That’s where MyLand’s Soil as a Service™ comes in. MyLand, a soil health company based in Phoenix, is returning live, native microalgae to the soil through growers’ existing irrigation systems, helping farms rebuild biological activity and unlock the full potential of their land.

    The results, verified by independent third-party data, speak for themselves. In 2024, California farms using MyLand saw:

    • 168% increase in harvested pistachios during an off-bearing year
    • 23% more marketable citrus fruit per acre
    • 4% less soil sodium
    • 32% higher organic carbon
    • 50% drop in tree water stress

    For California nut growers like Justin Wylie and Joe Coelho, MyLand’s Service is helping rewrite what’s possible for long-term soil health and profitability.

    Building resilience in pistachio orchards: Justin Wylie’s story

    At Wylie Farms, a fifth-generation pistachio operation in California’s Central Valley, Justin Wylie has spent years watching extreme weather push his soil to its limits. Heavy rains once meant phytophthora, runoff, and erosion, while drought cycles left the ground compacted and trees under stress.

    That trajectory began to change when he adopted regenerative practices, including the integration of live, native microalgae through the MyLand Service. His orchards began to thrive even during intense rain, with stronger ground cover and native grasses helping stabilize sloped terrain and minimize erosion.

    The addition of microalgae quickly became central to his soil health strategy. Supporting the soil with live biology helped jumpstart broader microbial activity, which in turn supported nutrient cycling and improved water dynamics.

    With soil function improving year-over-year, Justin was able to scale back chemical inputs without sacrificing yield or crop quality, thereby sidestepping the typical ‘J curve’ many growers experience when transitioning to regenerative systems.

    Healthier soil has also meant less tree stress and more efficient water use. This change has helped Justin create a foundation of resilience that now carries his orchards through both wet and dry years. His message to fellow growers is practical and encouraging: “Take the smallest amount of acreage that you can stand to lose the crop on, which is, of course, a worst-case scenario. My goal has been to not experience any sort of drop-off in production and quality. And I think we’ve been successful.”

    Now, Justin’s trees are more resilient, his soil is more balanced, and his operation is better positioned for the next generation.

    From skeptic to advocate: Joe Coelho’s journey at Terra Linda Farms

    A few hours south, in Riverdale, California, Joe Coelho was facing familiar challenges at Terra Linda Farms. Saline soils, uneven infiltration, and the constant pressure of water scarcity were daily stressors. After nearly four decades of farming pistachios and almonds, Joe had seen countless improvement options come and go.

    “I’ve seen a lot of solutions over the years,” he said. “But some of the changes I’ve seen with MyLand are very shocking and in a good way. It’s the first time in my career I’ve seen something move this fast.”

    Skeptical at first, Joe decided to try MyLand’s Service on 600 acres. Within two years, the data told a clear story. He cut nitrogen use by 30%, replaced $450 per acre of inputs, and maintained the same yields.

    MyLand’s soil analysis confirmed rapid improvements:

    • +359% organic phosphorus reserves
    • +428% total phosphorus
    • +98% iron availability

    “Part of my problem is just having enough time in the day to do everything,” he said. “Just having MyLand as a one-stop shop for a lot of different solutions is fantastic and saves a lot of headaches at the end of the day.” As a fully managed service provider, MyLand requires no extra effort from growers.

    As Director of Sustainability and Member Outreach for the American Pistachio Growers, Joe now shares his experience with peers facing the same challenges. “It’s not just about yields,” he said. “It’s about reducing complexity, farming more efficiently, and solving multiple problems with one solution.”

    A future rooted in healthy soil

    From Wylie’s pistachio orchards to Coelho’s mixed nut farms, a clear theme is emerging across California agriculture: live, native microalgae do the job. By restoring the living foundation of soil, MyLand’s Service is helping growers achieve measurable results faster than conventional methods alone.

    For California farmers navigating water limits, soil salinity, and rising costs, the path forward is simple: let biology do the work.

    Visit MyLand.ag to learn more.

  • Tank-Mix Compatibility, Flexibility with New Active for Tree Nuts

    Stop Tough Broadleaves from Cluttering Orchard Floors with Rinskor® active

    Sponsored Content

    California tree crop producers can now choose Hulk® CA herbicide, featuring a new active ingredient for the tree crop market, to strengthen their herbicide resistance management efforts. Producers also get reliable control of challenging broadleaf weeds to maintain cleaner orchard floors.

    With systemic activity that translocates to key weed-growing points for thorough knockdown, Hulk CA herbicide prevents regrowth of treated weeds and can be integrated into most weed management programs. It is also tank-mix compatible with other herbicides and complements a preemergence or burndown program in the fall or spring.

    “We aren’t the only ones excited about Hulk CA herbicide. The tree nut producers we spoke to clearly understand the importance of adding a new active ingredient to their weed control arsenal,” said Daniel Abruzzini, coastal district market development specialist with Corteva Agriscience. “Hulk CA herbicide brings excellent efficacy for reliable control of tough Conyza broadleaf weeds such as hairy fleabane and horseweed.”

    Hulk® CA herbicide with Rinskor® active can be applied when the crop is dormant or nondormant, extending the window of application flexibility. This allows Hulk CA herbicide to be added to weed control programs and used year-round.

    “Hulk CA herbicide features an active ingredient different from glyphosate, glufosinate and PPO inhibitors, which are frequently used in tree crop production,” Abruzzini said. “It also has a favorable environmental profile. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified Rinskor active as a reduced-risk herbicide.”

    Cleaner orchard floors allow growers to more easily operate irrigation and fertilizer equipment and maximize harvest efficiency. Put Hulk CA herbicide with Rinskor active in your tree nut program, control troublesome broadleaf weeds and share in the success other California orchard managers are having with Hulk CA herbicide.

    For more information, visit Corteva.us/HulkCA or contact your local Corteva Agriscience representative.

    ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Hulk® CA is only registered for sale or use in California. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Rinskor® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva.  032861  BR (10/25)  CAAG5HULK055

  • Shield Your Yield with Spectra™

    SPONSORED CONTENT

    Shield your yield with Tidal Grow® Spectra™, a bioactive fungicide, bactericide, and nematicide that’s now approved for California growers. Spectra™ fights pests and pathogens directly, enhances natural crop defenses, and fortifies against abiotic stressors. It also boosts nutrient uptake, root function, growth, and yield while working synergistically with other active ingredients.

    Growers are effectively fighting California crop threats like Almond Blossom Blight, Shot Hole, and Powdery Mildew with Spectra™. In fact, in a 2023 almond trial, Spectra™ provided a 15% reduction of Shot Hole over Grower Standard while also helping offset its cost by enabling reduced use of the Grower Standard fungicide.

    Protect your crops and shield your yield with Spectra™. Click the button below to learn more.

  • Controlling Broadleaf Weeds on Orchard Floors – 101

    —SPONSORED CONTENT—

    Improving Tree Nut Crop Management Through Effective Weed Control

    Preventing Broadleaf Weeds from Obstructing Orchard Floors

    In sports, there is nothing like good competition. When it comes to managing orchard floors, competition can be a nightmare, especially when that competition comes from tough-to-control broadleaf weeds.

    A weed-free orchard floor is more than visually appealing; it sets the stage for better orchard management throughout the season and improved efficiency at harvest.

    Early Control

    Tree nut production is challenging enough without having to worry about controlling tough Conyza broadleaf weeds such as hairy fleabane and horseweed, along with other species like prickly lettuce, mallow and filaree. If a herbicide used in a weed control program provides only partial control, regrowth is likely.

    “Timing herbicide applications when broadleaf weeds are small is always advised,” said Daniel Abruzzini, Coastal District market development specialist with Corteva Agriscience. “Small, actively growing weeds absorb and more readily transport herbicides throughout the plant than larger weeds. Susceptibility is greater when weeds are small — which increases the chances for control.”

    At all costs, prevent weeds from reaching the reproductive stage and heading out, which adds to next year’s seedbank. A single horseweed plant can produce up to 250,000 seeds. Hulk® CA herbicide with Rinskor® active is a new and effective Group 4 herbicide offering excellent broadleaf control. Through systemic activity, it controls emerged, susceptible weeds and prevents regrowth.

    “This innovative herbicide provides tree nut crop growers with a powerful new solution to manage challenging broadleaf weeds in permanent crops,” Abruzzini said. “Hulk CA herbicide delivers a flexible solution as part of a season-long weed management program and can be used alone or with a tank-mix partner. It also is compatible as part of a preemergence or burndown program in the fall or spring.”

    Flexibility

    Like weed control in row crops, effective weed management in tree nut orchards should begin early and continue through fruit set and nut development. That creates the need for a herbicide with extended flexibility, not only in application timing but also in tank-mix compatibility. More orchard managers are finding those attributes in Hulk CA herbicide with Rinskor active.

    Hulk CA with Rinskor active offers a broad application window for both dormant and non-dormant uses.

    For more information, visit Corteva.us/HulkCA or your local Corteva Agriscience representative.

    ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Hulk® CA is only registered for sale or use in California.  Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Rinskor® is a registered active ingredient. Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva.  032171  BR (09/25)  CAAG5HULK055

  • Almond Orchards Prevail in Battle with Phytophthora

    SPONSORED CONTENT

    How one California almond grower managed over-soaked orchards to prevent devastating soilborne pathogens.

    BY BETHANY MACON 

    Losing crops is a reality of farming, especially when you’re battling weather, new pests and emerging diseases. Seeing a few acres of your life’s work perish is tough, but the threat of losing your entire operation is a different type of sting. One California almond grower shares how soil health improvements made his orchards vulnerable to disease and how he was able to bring them back from the brink of total devastation.

    Trees Lost to Unusually Wet Weather Worsened by Soil Prep

    Whole orchard recycling is a process to reincorporate an outgoing orchard in preparation for planting a new one. Mature trees are felled and ground into woodchips, which are then spread and incorporated into the soil. The University of California found that this process can help improve water retention. The issue for John Fassler, a California pest advisor who went through whole orchard recycling, was that the moist soil and greater-than-normal rainfall turned his orchards into the perfect breeding ground for oomycete pathogens like Phytophthora.

    Fassler has consulted at Braden Farms where they used whole orchard recycling as a way to prepare for planting a new orchard. “This is a fairly new process, which means we’re learning as we go,” he says. “Some issues we’ve seen have been a rise in fungal diseases, such as Phytophthora and other replant diseases.”

    Mother Nature hasn’t helped the fungal disease risk, especially at the beginning of the 2023 growing season. California experienced greater than average annual precipitation in 2023, breaking numerous records and ending three years of persistent drought, according to the California Nevada River Forecast Center.

    “We’ve had significant rainfall in California the last two years, so this has really intensified the battle with Phytophthora in some spots,” says Ashley Bandoni, Syngenta sales representative and California almond grower.

    Fassler experienced devastation due to those heavy rains. One of his orchards was completely submerged, worsening the orchard’s Phytophthora issues.

    “We lost about 500 trees on this block due to Phytophthora and replant disease,” says Fassler. “Phytophthora is becoming more and more of an issue in these wetter years.”

    Phytophthora Overtakes Young Almond Trees

    Many California growers and crop consultants have been battling fungal disease challenges.

    Ethan Nicol, an independent pest control advisor and crop consultant for Balanced Agronomics, helped one of his customers manage extreme Phytophthora in a young almond orchard.

    Planted in the fall of 2021, Nicol began seeing early symptoms of Phytophthora infections the following spring. Young trees like the ones in the orchard Nicol manages tend to be more susceptible to disease because their root systems and crown areas are smaller compared to those of mature trees, according to the University of California Department of Agriculture.

    “In that first 2022 season, we observed maybe 30 percent of the orchard was infected,” says Nicol. “By mid-August, we had really grown to realize the significance of the issue.”

    Coming Back from Orchard Devastation

    For both Nicol and Fassler, almond yield potential was on the line and devastation was just over the horizon. They both had a tough decision to make.

    “As far as doing our research going into it, usually we have the Syngenta reps come in to help us decide if the product will be a good fit for us,” says Fassler. “We also ask about how the product differentiates itself from what we’ve already been doing.”

    After discussions with their local Syngenta experts, Fassler and Nicol decided to apply Orondis® fungicide to help save their orchards. Fassler says his flooded orchard plot turned around.

    “My experience with Orondis changed up our program,” says Fassler. “We’ve been able to work it into our program really well and we didn’t lose one tree this year.”

    Nicol’s experience with Orondis was also nothing short of extraordinary. Before application, Nicol was working with the grower to continuously remove and replant dead trees. They lost roughly 600 almond trees — six ranches — to Phytophthora. Once Orondis was applied in 2023, Nicol observed a noticeable decline in newly infected trees.

    [quotes quotes_style=”bpull” quotes_pos=”center”] My experience with Orondis changed up our program. We’ve been able to work it into our program really well and we didn’t lose one tree this year.  —John Fassler, California Pest Advisor [/quotes]

    “We were confident in the success that we were seeing by the replants taking and growing strongly, and the existing trees continuing to grow and not develop signs of Phytophthora,” says Nicol. “Going into 2024, just as a precaution and to help protect this investment, we made an additional Orondis application. There’s been almost no sign of infected trees this season.”

    Growers Also Need Care

    If Fassler and Nicol didn’t have the guidance and support of their Syngenta representatives, their almond orchards might have been lost.

    “I’ve worked with Syngenta for probably about the last 20 years, and through the years we’ve had many different experiences,” says Fassler. “Syngenta has always been there to help us through and guide us through what needed to be done.”