The almond industry is entering the new crop year from a solid position according to a recent market update from Blue Diamond Growers. This is thanks in no small part to exports to India. The 470.7-million-pound carry-in (of which only 447.1 million pounds is estimated as edible) is down from prior year and confirms the tightness in supply from one …
California almond growers know the challenge navel orangeworm brings every season. The pest can reduce crop quality, increase production costs and raise concerns around aflatoxin and marketability. Now, new additional funding is helping continue an industry-backed research effort to advance another tool growers may one day be able to use as part of an integrated pest management program. The Foundation …
With this season’s hull rot treatment window now behind growers, recent research shared by UCCE advisors offers timely guidance for evaluating disease pressure this year and planning more precise management decisions next season. Hull rot remains one of the more frustrating and yield-limiting diseases in California almonds, particularly because its full impact is not always visible in the year it …
Golden Mussels have been a silent threat California growers since they arrived in the Delta in 2024. These mollusks reproduce at an alarming rate and don’t require saltwater, meaning they are now clogging up irrigation systems and depriving crops of an already scarce water supply. Jason McKee from Greenleaf Ag spoke with Matthew Malcolm from Malcolm Media Ag Publishing to …
Recent studies conducted by scientists at UCCE and CSU Bakersfield demonstrate that a common disease prevalent in vineyards and orchards may impact long-term orchard longevity of almonds in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Almond orchards with a high incidence of crown gall, a disease caused by a ubiquitous soilborne pathogen, exhibit high rates of tree failure caused by a newly …
Blue Diamond Growers release its monthly crop progress report, noting that harvesting conditions began earlier this year due to the impact of the weather. Warm summer temperatures dominated the conditions in California’s Central Valley during much of July, with a significant heat wave developing during the final week of the period. Daily maximum temperatures ranged predominately between the mid- and …
How can almond, pistachio, and walnut growers control navel orangeworm and reduce aflatoxin risk? UC Cooperative Extension entomologist Houston Wilson joins pistachio and almond grower and pest control adviser (PCA) Joe Coelho and Arielle O’Connor of the Arizona Cotton Research & Protection Council to discuss practical strategies for preventing infestations, limiting crop damage, and reducing the effects of aflatoxin. Presented …
Honey bees encounter viruses in their environments, especially when they forage on flowers and other food sources. Being able to detect viruses is important for reducing infection and the spread of disease. Many insects, including honey bees, can detect viruses indirectly with sick nestmates, but it has been unclear if honey bees can directly detect viruses in food sources. To …
California’s Central Valley experienced variable weather conditions during May, with wide temperature swings serving as the norm for the period, punctuated by a few days of rain. Daily maximum temperatures ranged from the lower 60’s to nearly 100 degrees during the month, while minimum temperatures exhibited more stability, ranging from the lower 40’s on the chilliest mornings to mid-50’s under …
Andreas Westphal, scientist at Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in the San Joaquin Valley, organized a soil plant pathology conference that was held on March 24-26, 2026. Participants from as far away as Virginia came to learn about the latest research findings. Chandler Farms The first day of the conference was a field tour to three sites and then …
