By John Wood, Certis Biologicals Regional Manager, CA South Central Valley
With an initial forecast of 3.0 billion pounds, California almond production for 2020 is definitely looking in the right direction. The numbers are bigger than last year in nearly every way—17.6 percent increase in forecasted production and a record high in forecasted bearing acreage.
Right now, we are on the cusp of a truly amazing almond crop for California!
For all of you tree nut growers, PCAs and crop consultants out there, all of this leads to one huge question looming over all our heads:
How can we protect these crops and get them harvested safely?
There is not a more critical time to get crop protection right than during tree nut hull-split. When that protective hull starts to break open, it leaves nut meat exposed to pests and diseases that can literally destroy your profits right before harvest.
Nearly every grower is planning a hull-split application, with some even considering two or three different applications over the course of this final push toward the end of the growing season.
Needless to say, it’s time to get really aggressive with your IPM and control practices.
For many of you, biologicals are already proven tools you have at-the-ready in your toolbelt. For others, certainly you’ve heard about the benefits that biocontrols can offer your operation, even if you haven’t used them yourself. For those in the latter category, here’s my question:
Why not bring the power of bio to your hull-split applications?
After all, biopesticides can really be the key you need in your IPM program to fully protect your crops, no matter how you grow them. Here are a few reasons why:
Biopesticides are flexible
Who doesn’t love a product that can get it done without a fuss? Many of the Certis Biologicals' portfolio of products can be used on either conventional or organic acreage, meaning that we can meet you with a solution no matter where on the spectrum your orchards are. If you happen to grow both organic and conventional acreage, we’re doubly easy for you because you don’t have to worry over cleaning between applications.
Biopesticides are team-players
I bring this information to you a lot in this column because I think it’s really important. Why? Because I think your time is really important and the fact that our products can be successfully tank-mixed with many of your conventional chemistries means you spend less time applying. And when chemistries can work together and even complement each other to increase potency, everyone wins.
Biopesticides can help you get it done quickly
Time is money, right? During hull-split, that’s doubly true and as we lead up into harvest, it will be downright necessary that your crop protection doesn’t lock you out of our orchard. Many of the Certis Biologicals products you need have short re-entry intervals and even shorter pre-harvest intervals, meaning you can get it done quickly and effectively. Not to mention that many of our products get to work quickly, so you won’t need to wait around for pests to die or diseases pressure to dissipate.
Biopesticides can help you fight resistance
To be effective in the fight against resistance, it’s something we have to take seriously year after year. Slip up, even once, and you could be facing consequences for years. Biologicals offer many great traits that can help in that fight, including their ability to be rotated with many other chemistries. Don’t use the same active ingredient year after year—with biocontrols in your belt, just rotate them to maintain efficacy. Also, products like Certis Biologicals' Double Nickel® and Trilogy® have different and multiple modes of action necessary to break the resistance cycle and continuously deliver control.
Hull-split is a time when you need to be using every tool available to you to ensure that you can protect your crop. Biopesticides can be integral to your toolbelt in this critical time and Certis Biologicals' has the largest portfolio of solutions in the industry.
If we can help you make the most of your 2020 hull-split applications, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or one of the other California sales team members. You can always ask me a question directly at asktheexpert@certisbio.com.
This is an amazing time in your growing season, and we are honored, as always, to be there with you!
Speaking of amazing, you’ll want to make sure you join us for the next issue, where I’m going to be bringing some fantastic news about a product that is sure to turn your pre-harvest treatments on their heads!
This series is part of a partnership with Tree Nut Farm Press. You can read the original here.
