Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
Beginning in late June, several PCAs and growers reported trees in almond orchards in the Sacramento Valley with symptoms like those of almond leaf scorch (ALS), a disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. UC farm advisors and UC and USDA plant pathologists have begun a survey to confirm disease presence and improve understanding of the disease in the Sacramento Valley. Continue reading
Navel orangeworm (NOW) is the key pest of almonds, causing more income loss due to reject nuts than any other pest. Pesticide sprays, alone, cannot control this pest. A combination of several specific practices has been proven to reduce NOW damage and limit loss of grower income. The first of these practices on the orchard calendar is sanitation. Continue reading
Cytospora canker can severely limit prune production; reducing grower income and potentially lead to early orchard removal due to scaffold and/or tree loss. This bark disease is not new to prune orchards in California, but in recent years there has been a dramatic increase in this disease in some orchards. All prune growers and PCAs should know its symptoms and management strategies. Continue reading
Fall and winter orchard management considerations range from irrigation and plant nutrition to weed, pest and disease management. Continue reading