Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
Updated July 2019; Originally posted July 2016. Adapted from “Hull Rot Management” by Dani Lightle, UCCE Farm Advisor, Glenn, Butte and Tehama Counties, and Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa, Sutter and Yuba Counties, originally published May 2018; and “Almond … Continue reading
The good news is that a truly sound IPM program should already have you considering economic costs and returns when making pest management decisions. Economic treatment thresholds for pest management can be distilled into a formula that considers the following: … Continue reading
Elizabeth Fichtner, UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County; Carlos Cristosto, CE Specialist, Postharvest Physiology; Bruce Lampinen, CE Specialist, Plant Sciences The overall value of a walnut crop is based on yield and nut quality. Commodity prices are depressed, improving nut quality … Continue reading
A sudden autumn freeze event last November is the likely cause of widespread dieback observed in both young and mature orchards in the Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys this spring. Following reports in April of walnut orchards not leafing out, our initial diagnosis was freeze damage. We advisors, specialists, and faculty agree that this initial diagnosis has been further supported after examining additional orchards and weather station sites. Continue reading
These updates are provided as reference information for Sacramento Valley orchard pest and natural enemy activity. Continue reading
In prunes, some years are bacterial canker years, while every year is a Cytospora year. Going into this year, we knew the wet/cold conditions could mean that we were headed into a bacterial canker year. However, diagnosing the dieback we are seeing this spring has brought some surprises. Continue reading
We have been seeing walnut leaves showing browning (necrosis) on the leaf area between the veins in some orchards since about mid-May. Sometimes the leaves will then twist and defoliate in very severe situations. We call this problem mesophyll collapse and believe it is a physiological problem associated with sudden temperature changes. Continue reading
These updates are provided as reference information for Sacramento Valley orchard pest and natural enemy activity. Continue reading
These updates are provided as reference information for Sacramento Valley orchard pest and natural enemy activity. Continue reading
From the northern San Joaquin Valley to the northern Sacramento Valley, walnut growers are reporting a widespread and alarming issue of walnut trees not leafing out this spring. The initial hypothesis from researchers is that we are seeing frost damage from mid-November, however the symptoms on mature blocks are both more unusual and more severe than autumn freeze events in recent memory. Continue reading
California prune growers generally had good bloom in 2019 and bloom weather was also good. This should see an increase in cropload for many blocks for 2019, meaning that chances are higher for growing smaller fruit. Growers and PCAs are invited to attend a field day to demo cropload checking in Live Oak on Wednesday, May 8. Continue reading
This week, I received several phone calls and photos from growers and PCAs in the area inquiring about large caterpillars being observed on weeds in their almond and walnut orchards. Is it going to eat your orchard? Continue reading
Storms throughout the winter and into early spring, have resulted in localized flooding in the Sacramento Valley and left standing water or shallow perched water table in many orchards in the region. This update shows the extent of above-average rainfall in different parts of the Sacramento Valley in January through March. Continue reading
The Northern Region of the California Department of Water Resources and the University of California Cooperative Extension in Tehama and Glenn counties have teamed up to provide Weekly ET Reports to agricultural water users. Reports include water use information for a variety of crops. This article outlines background information about the reports and ways to use them in on-farm water management. Continue reading
The foundations of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are rooted in economics. Putting a well-established IPM program in use can help you address the following questions: What are my best options and timings for treating economically-damaging populations? Particularly in years where crop prices are relatively low, taking an IPM approach has the potential to save cost inputs. Continue reading