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 …

In the 1970s, the Almond Board of California began supporting Regional Variety Trials (RVTs) to provide a mechanism to test the performance of new varieties across the diverse almond growing regions in the State of California and to extend that information to local growers. Previous and current RVTs have been designed to evaluate new varieties or selections in a semi-commercial …

Due to UCD campus directives, the 2021 Principles of Fruit & Nut Tree Growth, Cropping & Management will be held remotely. A Zoom link will be provided to registrants. Understanding the fundamentals of tree biology is essential in making sound orchard management and business decisions in the tree fruit and nut industry.  However, access to educational courses on basic fruit …

University of California, Davis, researchers have bred a new walnut variety designed to provide growers a way to harvest earlier and boost the harvest efficiency of California’s $1.6 billion walnut industry. The new “UC Wolfskill” walnut has yield, quality and light color similar to Chandler, which is a late-harvesting walnut and the state’s leading variety. UC Wolfskill was bred in 2003 …

Ganoderma butt rot has been an increasing problem in the almond industry. The disease has been responsible for trees falling over all throughout the Central Valley. Ganoderma butt rot is caused by wood decay fungi that can spread via spores in the air. In order to better focus our management efforts, researchers must conduct a spore survey that will help us determine the …

Winter cover cropping is a promising agricultural management practice that boosts soil health. This article discusses a benefit-cost analysis of winter cover crop adoption and introduces a web-based interactive calculator for farmers to assess changes to baseline farm profits. Winter cover cropping is an agricultural management practice that can enhance soil health while protecting fields from soil erosion and compaction. Cover crops are typically …

Weeds can be a significant problem in berries, tree fruits, tree nuts, and vine crops (e.g. grapes, hops, etc.) especially after transplanting and during flowering and fruit and nut set. Herbicides are a primary tool for managing weeds, even though the evolution of herbicide resistance has limited the utility of many products and off-target movement can sometimes result in damage …

In California, fungal canker diseases have long been known to affect almond trees. However, they have become an increasing concern to growers in recent years as they are affecting a greater extent of young trees, eventually resulting in significant tree losses. Canker diseases can also become prevalent in mature orchards, impacting yield, the lifespan of trees, production costs and overall profitability of …

Why is milk being dumped and produce left to rot in fields while grocery store shelves go empty during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why are grocery stores running out of meat, and eggs becoming so expensive? The head of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture, researchers from the University of California, Davis, and food purveyors will tackle these and other questions …

Recycling trees onsite can sequester carbon, save water and increase crop yields, making it a climate-smart practice for California’s irrigated almond orchards, finds a study from the University of California, Davis. Whole orchard recycling is when old orchard trees are ground, chipped and turned back into the soil before new almond trees are planted. The study, published in the journal PLOS …