Almond experts say there is only one proven way to know when hull split begins: inspect your trees from the top down, starting in the southwest corner of the canopy.
The importance of knowing precisely when hull split occurs is critical because it signals the proper timing for treatments to control navel orangeworm (NOW) and, as appropriate, hull rot. Whether growers use a ladder, climb atop a pruning tower or lop off a few high branches with extension pruners, the goal is to understand what’s happening in the top of the tree, where nuts mature at a faster rate.
Simply looking up into a tree’s canopy from the orchard floor is a sure fire way to miss the advent of hull split. When hulls split, a scent is released into the air, attracting female NOW moths to lay their eggs on the suture of the splitting hull. As the hull splits, fungal spores also can enter and spawn hull rot infections.
Missing the beginning of hull split and allowing NOW or pathogens to gain a toehold in an orchard can wreck a grower’s entire season and reduce the value of the crop, costing growers in returns if nuts are rejected after harvest.
Summer split invites unwanted guests
Growers can determine if hull split has occurred – and if it’s time to spray – if, when they squeeze the end of the hull, the entire suture opens up, exposing the shell within. Almond hulls split as the fruit ripens, and timing varies based on weather conditions and variety. For instance, the variety Nonpareil typically splits in early- to- mid-July, earlier than some other varieties.
However, it’s at the stage before this, when the hull is split in a deep “V,” that susceptibility to NOW and wound pathogens that cause hull rot (Rhizopus, Aspergillus, and Monilinia) increase, making it vitally important that growers actively monitor their trees.
Vice President of Member Services for Blue Diamond Growers Mel Machado advises growers to look for blank nuts – those without a kernel inside – as those hulls are the first to split, several days ahead of the “sound” nuts (those with a full kernel).
Mel Machado, Blue Diamond Growers
“The blanks are like the warning shot, signaling the start of hull split,” he said. “When full hull split does occur, the nuts at the top of the canopy will open up first.”
Experts say growers should pay attention to trees on the edge of their orchards as they often ripen more quickly. Growers should also closely monitor the upper and outer portions of the canopy, particularly the southwest quadrant of the orchard block where the hot afternoon sun aids in the splitting and drying process.
“Better to be too early than too late”
Hull split applications should be made no later than at 1% hull split. This is the most effective time to spray for NOW as it often coincides with initiation of the second NOW flight.1
Once growers identify hull split in their orchard, their next step should be to initiate timely treatment. Experts warn that waiting too long to begin spraying will cost growers, as will performing a poor spray job.
Machado advised, “It’s better to be a bit on the early side than late” when spraying. Once hull split begins, he recommended the entire orchard be sprayed in five days or less. “If it takes 10 or 15 days, that’s too long,” he said.
Planning ahead – especially for smaller growers who rely on custom applicators – is essential.
“Watch your fields closely and be in contact with your operator early on,” Machado advised.
In larger orchards, Machado advises growers consider starting with aerial sprays, recognizing that ground-based sprays don’t always provide complete coverage at the tops of the trees.
“We’re seeing growers effectively incorporate aerial applications into their treatment programs for the first application in order to cover the acreage in a timely manner,” Machado said.
The best time to spray is early in the morning or at dusk.
“Do not spray in the heat of the day – your application will evaporate into thin air and you won’t get the material where it needs to go. That’s a waste of time and money, as you’re not only wasting spray material but you also won’t achieve the coverage necessary to combat crop damage,” Machado said.
Finally, growers should ensure their ground-based sprayers are properly calibrated, the nozzles are unplugged and that air flow isn’t restricted. Once it’s time to spray, growers should remind applicators to drive no more than two mph through orchards to ensure optimum coverage and to drive down each row to ensure the trees are equally covered.
“There are some guys who spray every other row, and that’s not a good idea,” Machado said. “There are two sides to the tree; you need to spray both of them.”
Machado reinforced that hullsplit sprays offer the final chance to manage NOW populations before harvest. Still, these applications are only part of a coordinated, year-round, integrated pest management plan to combat NOW that also must include winter sanitation and mating disruption, both of which are performed earlier in the crop year. — By the Almond Board of California
Almond Board of California — Exciting research shows that conducting Whole Orchard Recycling (WOR) in almonds can increase crop yields in subsequent orchards, provide long-term benefits to soil health (such as improved water retention and nutrient levels) and increase carbon sequestration.
Conducted by researchers from the University of California (UC) Davis and UC Agricultural and Natural Resources, with funding in part by the Almond Board of California (ABC), this study identifies significant advantages to practicing WOR, the breadth of which are detailed in a report published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The study spanned over a decade and compared plots within a nine-year-old orchard where WOR took place with plots where trees had been burned and their ashes tilled into the soil. At ninth leaf, researchers also tested the impact of deficit irrigation mid-growing season by reducing the amount of water applied by 20% for some of the trees.
When the results were placed side-by-side, the plots where WOR took place consistently bested the plots where old trees’ ashes were tilled into the soil. Among other benefits, researchers discovered a:
19% increase in yields at ninth leaf and 15% increase in cumulative yield over five years,
30% increase in soil water holding capacity (water retention), and
17% increase in total soil nitrogen levels.
To note: Subsequent research found that additional nitrogen is needed in the first year.
“Almond growers have long been told that implementing practices to improve soil health will provide all these benefits, but until now there had been very little data demonstrating that a focus on feeding the soil with organic matter can make a meaningful difference in yield and crop quality,” said Gabriele Ludwig, Ph.D., director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs for the Almond Board.
Study shows significant yield increases Key among the multiple positive outcomes discovered by this WOR study is the potential for increased yields. This finding not only brings good news for a grower’s bottom line, but it also has positive implications on the industry’s effort to produce “more crop per drop,” an effort it is striving to achieve as part of its Almond Orchard 2025 Goal to reduce the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20%.
“The increased water holding soil capacity that occurs as a result of Whole Orchard Recycling means that trees are subject to fewer extremes in terms of water availability, as more water is held in the upper layer of the soil where the majority of the tree’s roots are, and where tree uptake takes place,” Ludwig explained.
Research shows that WOR increased water retention in the soil by up to 30%. While Ludwig cautioned that this data does not lend itself to a recommendation that growers can use less water if they practice WOR, it does indicate that applied water is used more efficiently by trees in orchards where WOR has occurred.
Amélie Gaudin, Ph.D., an associate professor of agroecology in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences and a co-author of the WOR research report, said that by allowing more water to penetrate and the remain in the soil, WOR also reduces potential irrigation-related losses caused by runoff or evapotranspiration.
“In plots where WOR occurred, water was more likely to reach and be used by the trees, allowing for increased yields as trees experienced less short-term stress and therefore achieved greater water use efficiency,” Ludwig said.
A hedge against deficit-induced tree stress This study also demonstrates that by increasing soil organic matter, WOR helps insulate orchards from negative impacts of deficit irrigation, which involves a delicate balance between stressing one’s trees just enough to prevent too much moisture and potential for disease in the orchards with not overstressing the trees to a point where their yields and overall health are compromised. According to the research, the deficit-irrigated trees in the WOR plots maintained higher stem water potential compared to the deficit-irrigated trees in the burn plots, indicating trees in the WOR plots were less water stressed.
“We forget that trees can get stressed enough to shut down photosynthesis, whether that’s because they can’t keep up with water demand in the hot afternoons, for a day or two before irrigation, or during harvest,” Ludwig said. “So, when the upper layers of the soil can hold more water, the trees are better buffered from those stresses.”
Gaudin said that by improving water holding capacity, WOR also helps orchards retain nitrogen, one of almond trees’ most necessary nutrients. This has positive implications for groundwater quality in areas where nitrogen leeching is a concern. It also may contribute to yield increases as trees in the WOR plots were shown to have greater access to nitrogen for longer periods of time.
Another supplementary benefit, Ludwig noted, is that over time, as microorganisms in the soil break down the woody biomass, both macro- and micronutrients contained within the wood are released for reuse by the next generation of trees. This allows growers to “recycle” those nutrients so that they may be used throughout the lifetime of their newly planted orchard.
Next steps for researchers working on this WOR research, Gaudin said, include further study of carbon sequestration and its implication for greenhouse gases, gaining a better understanding of nitrogen retention, optimizing WOR in different soil conditions and the impacts of integrating WOR with other responsible growing practices such as cover crops or anaerobic soil disinfestation.
Support for those seeking to conduct WOR Growers may be eligible to receive incentive funding to conduct WOR if they apply for funds far enough in advance of conducting the practice.
WOR is now a practice eligible for co-funding through CDFA’s Healthy Soil Incentives Program. Payments cover about 50% of the cost of WOR, according to CDFA Senior Environmental Scientist Geetika Joshi. The next round of funding for the program begins in July 2021.
USDA-NRCS offers Conservation Stewardship Program funds to growers who find alternatives to burning old trees, providing $783.29 per acre for chipping (used for animal bedding or applied as mulch on another piece of ag land) and an additional $242.09 per acre for Whole Orchard Recycling. While applications are accepted year-round, funding for 2021 has already been announced. Still, growers can submit their applications now to apply for 2022 funding.
For those in the San Joaquin Valley, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District provides cost-share funds to reduce ag burning through its Alternative to Agricultural Open Burning Incentive Program. Growers participating in this program are eligible to receive $300-$600 per acre, with a maximum of $60,000 per grower. Incentive recipients are typically paid four-to-six weeks after their completion of WOR, and after an invoice has been sent to the district.
For general questions about incentive programs, industry members may contact ABC’s Jesse Roseman at jroseman@almondboard.com.
Those interested to learn more about how WOR may be practiced on their operation are encouraged to download or request a physical copy of the Whole Orchard Recycling Guide for California Almond Growers, created in partnership by ABC and UC ANR. Growers are also welcome to watch the Whole Orchard Recycling Overview and Whole Orchard Recycling – A Grower’s How-To videos, which are hosted on YouTube and found on ABC’s website. Finally, UC Davis provides a robust website dedicated to Whole Orchard Recycling, which offers a deep dive into the research findings, grower testimonials, and more.
In addition to Gaudin, co-authors of the study include Kelsey Brewer and Emad Jahanzad of UC Davis; Brent Holtz, Sean Hogan and Cameron Zuber of UC Cooperative Extension; and David Doll, a former UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor.
Confidence in Product Performance in Where the Value Lies
“We tried CIDETRAK® NOW MESO™ in 2019 to see how well it would perform, and it did well. This season, we expanded with new acreage, and were pleased with the results. Along with orchard sanitation and well timed insecticide applications, mating disruption is a valuable tool in managing NOW. I like the simplicity of the MESO dispenser system, with no batteries or other hardware that needs to be serviced. The dispensers are easy to hang, and work through the season and into the fall on all flights.”
About Steve
Steve is an industry vet who began his career in Agriculture at an early age. After graduating from Cal Poly and obtaining his PCA license, Steve spent 20+ years working on the retail side with John Taylor Fertilizer, then Wilbur-Ellis after the acquisition. Currently residing in Tehama County, Steve manages his own Almond and Walnut orchards, as well as, working as an Independent PCA for Grower’s Choice, a company he founded in 2014.
Among the first agriculture conventions to take place in the post-COVID era, 350+ almond growers, hullers and processors gathered in Las Vegas to convene the long-awaited 39th Annual Almond Alliance Convention. Themed “All In 2021”, Almond Alliance membership and leaders demonstrated their commitment to the continued success of the almond industry by engaging in important discussions on current issues threatening the industry. Topics included drought and water policy, alternatives for ag burning and almond biomass, avoiding costly mistakes as ag employers, and much more.
They say, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”, but that cannot be the case for the important discussions that were had at this annual convention. Attendees had the great opportunity to meet with California Assembly Members and policy makers to discuss the concerns and needs of the almond industry. Attendees were also advised to continue involvement in the legislative and regulatory arena through trade associations such as the Almond Alliance of California. As one put it, “If we don’t get engaged in discussions on these important issues, the decisions will be made for us,” and “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu”.
At the convention, Almond Alliance leadership also took the opportunity to recognize some outstanding members that have been greatly involved in supporting the association’s efforts to protect the livelihoods of almond growers, hullers and processors. Board member John Wynn was proud to announce the Member of the Year Awards for both 2019 and 2020, due to the inability to meet in-person last year. The 2019 Member and Associate Member of the Year recognitions were awarded to Cortez Growers and Exact Corporation. “Cortez Growers continues to support the work of the Almond Alliance and has hosted several of our huller/sheller training events. They furthered their commitment to advocacy for the California almond industry by becoming the 2nd huller grower member of our association. We are extremely grateful for their commitment and support,” shared Wynn.
He continued, “Exact Corporation continues to be engaged in advancing the equipment used by the almond industry. We are thankful that they continue to support our association and have been a key partner in all our advocacy efforts, especially parking their low dust harvester at the steps of the California Capitol for the Almond Festival in Sacramento.”
Golden Empire Shelling and Premier Trailer were announced as the recipients of the 2020 Member and Associate Member of the Year awards. “We are very thankful to Golden Empire Shelling for being the first Huller Sheller Grower Member and setting the trend for a new level of investment in the Almond Alliance and has the alliance provide updates to his growers every year at their annual dinner,” shared Almond Alliance Chairman Mike Curry.
Regarding Associate Member of the Year, Curry stated, “Premier Trailer Manufacturing was founded in 1996 by Gene Cuelho. Premier Trailer Manufacturing has an experienced team of craftsman, specializing in the manufacturing of critical transportation for the California almond industry. They are one of California’s most distinguished companies and best-known commercial haulers. Not only does Premier Trailer show up to Almond Alliance events, but also always willing to help when needed. Thank-you for your support and dedication.”
Pacific Nut Producer Magazine is proud to be the Almond Alliance’s official Media Partner and sponsor of the Convention, and for more in-depth proceedings of the annual event, read all about it in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) has been in effect for 16 months, however the timing of Japan’s fiscal year meant that the agreement entered “Year 3” of implementation on April 1, 2021. This report is one in a series of product briefs highlighting the tariff benefits for specific commodities and products from Year 3 (2021) to Year 5 (2023) of the agreement. Additional information is available at www.usdajapan.org/usjta/.
In 2020, the United States exported $411 million of nuts to Japan, making Japan the #7 overseas market for U.S. nuts. Almonds and walnuts are Japan’s top nut imports from the United States, accounting for over half of Japan’s total nut and nut product imports in 2019. The years below correspond to Japan’s fiscal year beginning April 1.
Market Considerations: Japan relies on imports for most of its nut consumption. Almonds and walnuts are supplied almost exclusively by the United States. Salted mixed nuts remain a popular snack item in the retail sector while unsalted nuts are gaining in popularity due to perceived health benefits. The United States is the second largest supplier of peanuts to Japan, after China. Under this agreement, U.S peanuts gained an immediate tariff advantage over Chinese peanuts.
Additional Resources:Further information is available at www.usdajapan.org. For additional questions, please contact the USDA Agricultural Trade Office at atotokyo@usda.gov, Tel: 81-3-3224-5115. — By Tomohiro Kurai and Akiko Satake, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
More than 1,300 attendees from over 85 countries are expected to join the INC 3D Online Conference from May 25-27, 2021. The event will be held using a virtual platform in which participants can customize an avatar to explore all that the conference has to offer.
The online conference will feature live nut and dried fruit working group webinars led by industry leaders from around the world, giving insights and updates on topics such as production, trade, consumption, consumer trends, and other topics relevant to each product. Moreover, the event will include on-demand sessions which participants can watch on their own time. Apart from each product working group being available on-demand, attendees can also watch Nutfruit & Immunity, which will focus on nutrition and scientific research examining the health benefits of nuts and dried fruits, Nutfruit & Sustainability, which will highlight the sustainable activities of the sector, and Industry Marketing Programs Update, where participants can hear about the latest promotional activities from nut and dried fruit associations around the world. In addition, on-demand videos will feature sponsor videos and the Innovation Award Applicants. All of the live sessions will be recorded and published in Nutflix, so participants can re-watch the conference’s sessions or view them at a time that best suits them. Nutflix will also host all of the on-demand videos, making it the one-stop spot to catch all of the conference’s sessions.
Brand new to this event is an interactive 3D virtual exhibition area where sponsors who have a booth can expose their brand, product, and services to the entire industry. Furthermore, attendees’ customizable avatars can explore the virtual platform to network by visiting the Nutfruit Cafe Corners where they will be able to foster existing and new business relationships and enjoy all the conference has to offer.
Additionally, the INC will give out this year’s Innovation Award, which recognizes some of the brightest and most innovative products in the nut and dried fruit industry.
Visit the INC 3D Online Conference website to register for the event, see the preliminary program, Innovation Award information, and discover who is already attending.
About the INC
The INC is the international umbrella organization for the nut and dried fruit industry. Its members include more than 850 nut and dried fruit sector companies from over 80 countries. INC membership represents over 85% of the world’s commercial “farm gate” value of trade in nuts and dried fruits. The INC’s mission is to stimulate and facilitate sustainable growth in the global nut and dried fruit industry. It is the leading international organization on health, nutrition, statistics, food safety, and international standards and regulations regarding nuts and dried fruits.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will purchase up to $159.4 million in domestically produced seafood, fruits, legumes, and nuts for distribution to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions. These purchases are being made utilizing funds under the authority of Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (Pub. L. 74-320), as amended (Section 32). This is one of many actions USDA is taking to address the disruptions in the food system supply chain and worsened food insecurity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The impacts of COVID-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow. Today, USDA is pleased to make the largest single seafood purchase in the Department’s history. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and non-profits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden Administration works to get the economy back on track for American families.”
Selected commodities include: Alaska pollock, apricots (canned, dried, and frozen), chickpeas, dry peas, Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic wild-caught shrimp, lentils, navy beans, Pacific pink shrimp, Pacific rockfish fillets, Pacific whiting fillets, pistachios, prepared peaches, and sockeye (red) salmon. The inventories of these commodities are in high oversupply due to a decrease in demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption in the supply chain, as restaurants and other outlets closed during the pandemic. This is the largest purchase of U.S. raised seafood by the USDA to date.
Within a few days of approval, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will offer these commodities to their networks. Orders should be received during the first week of June with solicitations being issued mid-June and awards occurring near the end of the month. Deliveries should start to occur by mid-August.
Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements and be domestic operations.
The purchase amounts are as follows:
USDA also announced today a policy change that makes food fish and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) under the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Previously, only farm-raised game and bait fish were eligible for death loss ELAP benefits. Beginning June 1, eligible aquaculture producers can request ELAP assistance for 2021 losses. This policy change is for the 2021 and subsequent program years. You can learn more here.
“This is the first year we decided to use a mating disruption product for NOW. Having said that, we looked at all of our options and decided to go with Trécé’s CIDETRAK® NOW MESO™. The Almond farm I manage is roughly 2,500 acres and we made the decision to treat the entire orchard. I’m glad that I did.
Last year, we sustained an average of 2.5% NOW injury on our Almonds. This year in 2020, NOW injury on average was reduced to just below 1%. The product performed as expected and I am very pleased with the results.
We ran our normal spray program along with CIDETRAK. By reducing the NOW injury over 60%, the product more than paid for itself. We are seeing a strong return on our investment in CIDETRAK.
Installing the product went very smooth for us. We pre-assembled the MESO’s on the hooks that come in the case, then sent the crew out to apply in the orchard. In the orchard, we averaged applying 5 acres per hour/per man. This method worked great for us and it’s my intention to repeat the processes next year.”
About Allan
Allan has been involved in agriculture his whole life, having grown up on a hay and cattle ranch in Northern California and currently as an orchard manager in the Sacramento Valley. He has put his Ag business degree from Cal Poly (SLO) to use during the past 27 years as an orchard manager in Butte and Glenn County. His experience has been in almonds, walnuts, prunes and pecans. Currently, Allan is a farm manager for Farmers International, responsible for 2,400 acres of almonds, along with an almond huller and sheller.
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Almond Board of California — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting an increase in the California almond crop. The USDA-NASS 2021 California Almond Subjective Forecastestimates California almond orchards will produce 3.2 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 3 percent from last year’s 3.12 billion-pound crop. Forecasted yield is expected to reach 2,410 pounds per acre, 3 percent lower than the 2020 yield of 2,490 per acre.
This forecast comes about three weeks after USDA-NASS released the 2020 California Almond Acreage Report, which estimated total almond acreage for 2020 at 1.6 million acres, up 5.3 percent from 2019. Bearing acres – orchards mature enough to produce a crop – were reported at 1.25 million acres, up 5.9 percent from the previous year. USDA-NASS also estimated preliminary bearing acreage for 2021 at 1.33 million acres.
“What we’re seeing with this report is a forecasted continuance of high yields,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California (ABC). “Water availability will be the principal concern on growers’ minds as they continue to grow this crop. We look forward to the outcome of the Objective Report to see if it corroborates this estimate.”
The first of two production reports for the upcoming crop year, the Subjective Forecast is based on opinions from a phone survey of randomly selected almond growers located throughout the state. It was conducted from April 19 to May 6. USDA-NASS asks individual growers their total almond yield per acre from last year and their expected yield for the current year based on field observations.
The sample of growers interviewed is grouped by size of operation, and different people are surveyed each year to ensure grower representation throughout the Central Valley. USDA-NASS combines all the yield estimates and extrapolates the numbers reported in the Subjective Forecast.
In July, USDA-NASS will release its second production estimate, the 2021 California Almond Objective Report. While the Subjective Forecast provides an initial 2021/2022 crop estimate, the Objective Report will provide an estimate based on actual almond counts using a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield.
The 2021 California Almond Objective Report will be released on Monday, July 12, at 9:00 a.m. PT. USDA-NASS produces the Objective Report, the Subjective Forecast and the Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions, and thanks all farm operators, owners and management entities for their time in providing the information necessary to create these reports.
Confidence in Product Performance in Where the Value Lies
More than 1,300 attendees from over 85 countries are expected to join the INC 3D Online Conference from May 25-27, 2021. The event will be held using a virtual platform in which participants can customize an avatar to explore all that the conference has to offer.
This forecast comes about three weeks after USDA-NASS released the 
The sample of growers interviewed is grouped by size of operation, and different people are surveyed each year to ensure grower representation throughout the Central Valley. USDA-NASS combines all the yield estimates and extrapolates the numbers reported in the Subjective Forecast.