WCN August 2021 e

WEST COAST NUT
SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE:
MANAGING STOCKPILES FOR
BETTER RETURNS
SEE PAGE 52
Your
Connection to the Tree Nut Industry
AUGUST 2021 ISSUE
IN THIS ISSUE:
SPECIAL COVERAGE:
WAPA ANNUAL MEETING
SEE PAGES 22-27
POSTHARVEST NUTRITION
SEE PAGE 6
NEW FOES OF ALMOND
AT HULL SPLIT
SEE PAGE 38
September 16-17, 2021 - Visalia, California
Register at progressivecrop.com/conference
SEE PAGE 78-79 FOR MORE INFORMATION
PUBLICATION
Photo courtesy Almond Board of California

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Publisher: Jason Scott
Email: jason@jcsmarketinginc.com
Editor: Marni Katz
Email: marni@jcsmarketinginc.com
Associate Editor: Cecilia Parsons
Email: cecilia@jcsmarketinginc.com
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Tel: 559.352.4456
Fax: 559.472.3113
Web: www.wcngg.com
Contributing Writers & Industry Support
Almond Board of
California
Contributing Writer
Nicole B. Biggs
Ph.D. Candidate, Stanford
School of Earth, Energy and
Environmental Sciences
Elda Brueggemann
Western Agricultural
Processors Association
Taylor Chalstrom
Assistant Editor
Kathy Coatney
Contributing Writer
Kent M. Daane
UCCE Specialist, UC Berkeley
Phoebe Gordon
UCCE Orchard Systems
Advisor, Madera and Merced
Counties
David R. Haviland
UCCE Entomology Farm
Advisor, Kern County
UC Cooperative Extension Advisory Board
Surendra K. Dara
UCCE Entomology and
Biologicals Advisor, San Luis
Obispo and Santa Barbara
Counties
Kevin Day
County Director/UCCE
Pomology Farm Advisor,
Tulare/Kings Counties
Elizabeth Fichtner
UCCE Farm Advisor,
Tulare County
Katherine Jarvis-Shean
UCCE Area Orchard Systems
Advisor, Yolo and Solano
Theresa Kiehn
President and CEO, AgSafe
Mitch Lies
Contributing Writer
Catherine Merlo
Contributing Writer
Themis Michailides
UC Davis, Kearney Agricultural
Research and Extension
Center
Florent Trouillas
UC Davis, Kearney Agricultural
Research and Extension
Center
Mario Viveros
UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus,
Kern County
Houston Wilson
UCCE Assistant Specialist, UC
Riverside
Mohammad Yaghmour
UCCE Farm Advisor, Kern
County
Steven Koike
Tri-Cal Diagnostics
Jhalendra Rijal
UCCE Integrated Pest
Management Advisor,
Stanislaus County
Kris Tollerup
UCCE Integrated Pest
Management Advisor,
Parlier
Mohammad Yaghmour
UCCE Area Orchard Systems
Advisor, Kern County
View our ePublication on the web at www.wcngg.com
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in this publication are the professional opinions of writers and advertisers.
West Coast Nut does not assume any responsibility for the opinions given in
the publication.
By the Industry, For the Industry
IN THIS ISSUE
6
Postharvest Nutrition of Nut Crops: When and When Not to
Fertilize
10 Making the Transition to Off-Ground Almond Harvest
14 Biological Control of Navel Orangeworm in Tree Nut Orchards
18 Farm Equipment Shortages
22 Western Ag Processors Association Meeting Highlights Top
Issues for the Nut Handling Industry
26 Tree Nut Handlers Deal with High Energy Prices
28 Walnuts, Navel Orangeworm and Ethephon for 2021
32 Bob Klein Makes a Career of Helping the Pistachio Industry
Meet Challenges
38 New Foes of Almonds at Hull Split Stage
44 Water Budgeting and Management for Pistachio in a Drought
Year: What are the Options?
48 Cover Crops in Walnut Orchards
52 Almond Stockpiles: High Moisture Content Delivers Lower
Returns, Greater Damage
56 Drought Drives Water Management Strategies in California
Almonds
62 Balancing Nutrient Needs after Whole Orchard Recycling
64 Cautionary Tale from Top 10 Pesticide Violations of 2020
68 Solar on California Working Lands: Share Your Perspective!
70 Cal/OSHA Readopts Revisions to the COVID-19 Emergency
Temporary Standard
74 Will Adequate Labor Arrive for This Year’s Harvest?
SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE: Managing Stockpiles for Better Returns
High moisture content of harvested almonds impacts returns and nut quality. Growers play a role
in improving stockpile management.
See page 52
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 3

PISTACHIOS
HAVE B-VITAMINS, PROTEIN
AND NOW THEY EVEN HAVE A
SHOW
Friday Fuel-Up is a monthly Facebook Live series
hosted by Dr. Mike Roussell, author and nutrition
expert, that welcomes top athletes, adventurers
and thought leaders from around the world
for amazing conversations about what
fuels their goals mentally and physically.
DR. MIKE ROUSSELL
4 West Coast Nut August 2021

LUKE COUTINHO
With 3 bestsellers and named one of
500 “most infl uential people in Asia” by the
NY Press Agency, Luke joins us from his
home in India. He is a holistic lifestyle
coach globally known for his approach to
Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine. Learn
the 4 pillars of wellbeing that blend Eastern
and Western thoughts and practices.
Friday, August 6, 2021
10:00 am PDT / 7:00 pm CEST
6:00 pm BST / 10:30 pm IST
SCOTT M. SMITH, PhD
Nutritionist, Manager for Nutritional
Biochemistry at the NASA Johnson
Space Center. Determining the specifi c
nutritional needs for space exploration,
Dr. Smith is one of the few people on
the planet whose work ranges from
Antarctica to Outer Space.
Friday, September 3, 2021
10:00 am PDT / 7:00 pm CEST
6:00 pm BST / 10:30 pm IST
TUNE IN TO FUEL-UP WITH:
BRYAN SNYDER, RD
Go on a rare behind the scenes tour at
state-of-the art Broncos Training Facility,
led by the Director of Nutrition for the
Denver Broncos. With past experience
in consulting multiple pro sports teams,
he reveals the effects of sleep deprivation
in athletes and how to fuel up for specifi c
sports.
Friday, December 3, 2021
10:00 am PST / 7:00 pm CET
6:00 pm GMT / 11:30 pm IST
DALLAS SEAVEY
2021 Iditarod champion and one of only
two athletes to win fi ve times (along with
a team of canine athletes). In a grueling
race that braves blizzards, whiteouts and
wind chills as low as -70°C, Seavey
explains why every second and every
calorie counts.
Friday, January 7, 2022
10:00 am PST / 7:00 pm CET
6:00 pm GMT / 11:30 pm IST
For you to cut out and keep!
JEREMY JONES
Big Mountain Snowboarder, Filmmaker,
Climate Advocate, National Geographic
Adventurer of the Year and dad,
Jones recounts his most daring adventures
and his passion to encourage action on
climate change.
Friday, October 1, 2021
10:00 am PDT / 7:00 pm CEST
6:00 pm BST / 10:30 pm IST
VICKY LOSADA
International soccer star, she led her team
to 2021 UEFA Champions League title,
played two World Cups and two European
Cups. A leading advocate for women &
girls in sports, she fuels her strength on a
largely plant-based diet.
Friday, February 4, 2022
10:00 am PST / 7:00 pm CET
6:00 pm GMT / 11:30 pm IST
ALISTAIR BROWNLEE
History-making Gold medalist,
Alistair Brownlee is half of the duo that‘s a
British brotherly legend. Now he‘s on to new
challenges, chasing Iron.
Friday, November 5, 2021
10:00 am PDT / 6:00 pm CET
5:00 pm GMT / 10:30 pm IST
JOSH ALLEN
As one of the most exciting pro Quarterbacks
today, this football hero hails from
one of the smallest farming towns in
California and takes us on his journey to
the pros. But he hasn’t completely left
the farm, join us as he talks about his new
venture in his hometown.
Friday, March 4, 2022
10:00 am PST / 7:00 pm CET
6:00 pm GMT / 11:30 pm IST
Always on the first Friday of every month @ 10:00 am PST,
the show is LIVE at Facebook.com/AmericanPistachios,
with recorded episodes on IG and YouTube.
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 5

POSTHARVEST NUTRITION OF NUT CROPS: WHEN AND
WHEN NOT TO FERTILIZE
By PHOEBE GORDON | UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor, Madera and Merced Counties
Heavy banding of potassium on the side of a tree row is a traditional way of supplying this nutrient to the tree, where winter rains will dissolve your
chosen product and move it into the soil (photo courtesy Franz Niederholzer, UCCE.)
With harvest on the horizon, it’s important to keep
in mind that some orchards will need a bit of extra care
once the nuts are gone. Not all nut crops need postharvest
nutrition, however. In this article, I discuss the four big
nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, zinc and boron) in almonds,
pistachios and walnuts, and whether you should be doing some
post-harvest fertilization.
Potassium
Potassium is the first nutrient that I think about in nut crop
postharvest nutrient management. Heavy banding of potassium
on the side of a tree row is a traditional way of supplying
this nutrient to the tree, where winter rains will dissolve your
chosen product and move it into the soil. Once the fertilizer is
dissolved and moved into the soil solution, the potassium will
loosely bind to clay and soil organic matter, which protects the
nutrient from leaching from soil over the winter. The ability of
soils to bind onto positively charged ions (cations) is generated
by clay and organic matter particles and called the Cation
Exchange Capacity (CEC).
Banding works in sands, loams and clays as well as potassium-fixing
soils, which are found on the eastern side of the San
Joaquin Valley. Potassium-fixing soils contain clays that expand
when wet and have the ability to trap small cations, such
as potassium and ammonium, between them. This potassium
may become available in the future; however, it is often in a
longer time frame and effectively makes potassium unavailable
for uptake. Heavy potassium bands will saturate the fixation
capacity of a small zone of soil, and the remaining potassium
as well as any future applications will be completely available
for uptake.
Products like potassium sulfate and potassium chloride are
typically used for banding, though potassium chloride (KCl)
should not be used in orchards that get less than eight inches
of annual rainfall or with wells that are already high in salts.
Chloride is toxic to salt-sensitive almonds and walnuts. Even in
areas that have at least that much average annual rainfall, dry
winters (like our last two winters) can cause issues that erase
any savings you may gain from choosing KCl.
When banding potassium, make sure to apply bands in the
‘
Postharvest nitrogen in almonds is
likely not necessary, except
in the case of deficient
almond orchards.
wetted zone of whatever irrigation system you have. Roots in
microirrigated orchards are concentrated in the wetted zone,
and this is the only area where water and nutrient uptake will
occur during the growing season (for the most part). Any potassium
that falls outside will be inaccessible to the trees.
Another way to fertilize your orchards is via fertigation.
Fertigating with potassium delivers this nutrient directly, and
only, to the area of nutrient uptake, and in contrast to banding,
mass flow delivery of potassium will result in the lateral
movement of this critical nutrient (Table 1, see page 8). While
the solubility of potassium products is not an issue in fall-applied
bands, fertilizer solubility may be something to consider
when fertigating. In general, potassium fertilizers are not very
soluble; the lower the solubility, the more water you need to
dissolve it. Another way to think of it: the lower the solubility,
the less potassium you deliver in an acre-inch of water. Keep in
mind that as soon as the potassium enters the soil, potassium
acts the same, regardless of fertilizer source.
Fertigation also side-steps potassium-fixing soils, but only
as long as the soil does not completely dry out. Once that happens,
potassium becomes fixed. If this does happen, additional
potassium applications will ensure the trees have continual
supplies for uptake.
As with nitrogen, potassium application rates should reflect
export rates, and it is best to manage both nutrients in the
same way: yearly applications to replace what has been exported
with harvest. Table 2, see page 8, provides export rates
for the major tree nut crops. Orchards that are deficient in
’
Continued on Page 8
6 West Coast Nut August 2021

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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 7

Continued from Page 6
potassium may need heavier applications
of 100 to 200 pounds K 2
O (more may be
needed in soils with high clay content) in
addition to annual needs to allow trees
to build up depleted reserves.
Boron
Boron is an interesting nutrient. On
the west side of the San Joaquin Valley
and in the Yolo County area, it is in excess,
yet on the eastern side of the county,
particularly in light-textured soils, it can
be deficient. All three nut crops need it,
though pistachios are particularly boron-hungry.
Boron is weakly mobile in
soils and is exported with the harvested
crop; almonds that have adequate boron
levels will export between 3.5 and 5.5
ounces of boron per 1000 kernel pounds,
for example. Export rates are not available
for walnut and pistachio; however,
sufficiency values are available for all
three crops (Table 3) and should be used
when deciding whether to apply boron. It
would be harmful to an orchard to apply
boron in order to replace what has been
exported if it is already at toxic levels.
When to time foliar boron applications
is dependent on the crop. This is
because boron is mobile in almonds and
other Prunus species and is immobile
in walnuts and pistachios. Therefore,
only almonds can remobilize and store
fall-applied foliar boron. Soil boron
applications should be made during the
growing season and likely won’t affect
tree boron status until the following
year.
Boron is best applied to almonds
leaves in the fall just after harvest. Low
rates should be applied; only one or
two pounds of a 20%-boron-containing
product per 100 gallons of water is
needed. Spring applications to trees are
also acceptable but should be applied at
pink bud as later sprays may interfere
with pollination. Research suggests
that fall foliar sprays should be done in
almonds unless a hull analysis indicates
the orchard is at toxic levels.
Why do we use hulls to determine
boron levels in almonds, while leaves are
acceptable for all other nutrients (and
to determine boron nutritional status in
pistachios and walnuts?) Boron will form
an association with a particular kind of
Table 1. Movement of potassium after surface application or fertigation. Adapted from: Uriu,
K., R.M. Carlson, D.W. Henderson, H. Schulbach, and T.M. Aldrich. 1980. Potassium fertilization of
prune trees under drip irrigation. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 105:508–510.
Soil depth
0-6”
6-12”
12-18”
18-24”
24-30”
30-36”
Table 4. Leaf critical values for zinc in the major nut crops grown in California.
Crop Deficient Sufficient range
Almonds
PPM potassium of soils after 2.5 lbs K had been ‘broadcast’ under the emitter or fertigated
Almonds
Pistachios
Walnuts
Broadcast
2131
2714
3284
3288
1634
176
85-95
29
151
Fertigated
520
414
332
230
100
66
Crop Lbs K2O Removed Harvest Unit

Lbs N/ton
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
Nitrogen accumulation in nuts
0 May
June
July August Harvest
Figure 1. Nitrogen accumulation in walnuts (courtesy of K.
Jarvis-Shean.)
Fertigation delivers nutrients like potassium directly to the area of nutrient
uptake (photo by Vicky Boyd.)
in walnuts and pistachios shows that
foliar applications should be done in the
spring. Table 4, see page 8, shows leaf
critical values for zinc.
In the past, heavy foliar zinc applications
(20 lbs. zinc sulfate per acre) were
applied late in the fall, which would defoliate
the trees. Work done by UCCE’s
Franz Niederholzer has shown that lower
rates (5 lbs. zinc sulfate) applied earlier
in the fall were as effective at supplying
trees with zinc while keeping leaves on
the tree and allowing for photosynthesis
to occur for as long as possible.
Nitrogen
Why did I place nitrogen at the end of
the list when it’s the nutrient that almost
everyone thinks about the most? First,
there’s no evidence that postharvest
fertilization in pistachios and walnuts is
necessary. Work done by UCCE’s Katherine
Jarvis-Shean shows that nitrogen
uptake in walnuts stops after August
long before harvest (Figure 1). It has
been well documented that nitrogen uptake
follows demand, and after harvest,
there is no vegetative or reproductive
growth; the trees spend their time continuing
to build carbohydrate reserves,
which does not directly require nitrogen.
Work done on Kerman pistachios
has shown much the same as in walnuts;
there’s little to no nitrogen uptake
after harvest, though in an ON year, we
recommend that you apply your last 20%
of annual nitrogen when the nuts have
reached maturity, or just after harvest
if for some reason you cannot apply it
earlier. It is possible that postharvest nitrogen
dynamics may be different in the
earlier harvesting Golden Hills and Lost
Hills, and work funded by the California
Pistachio Research Board, led by UCCE’s
Doug Amaral and in which I am a collaborator,
will seek to examine this.
Our suggestions for almond postharvest
nutrition have been changing
as more research has been done. Work
done by Patrick Brown and Saiful
Muhammad has shown that there is
very little nitrogen uptake after harvest,
which amounts to a measly 8% of the
total annual needs. However, in the past,
we’ve typically recommended that you
apply 25% of the remaining nitrogen
budget to make up for any additional
nitrogen that may have been needed
after nitrogen applications cease in June
to reduce hull rot risk. But work that
examined the connection between nitrogen
and hull rot has shown that later applications
of nitrogen aren’t the problem;
rather, it is high nitrogen content in the
tree (possibly from heavy early-season
applications). Additionally, work done by
Niederholzer at the Nickels Soil Laboratory
in Arbuckle, Calif. has shown
that there was no benefit to postharvest
nitrogen applications in almonds. So,
what should you do?
It’s important to take a few things
into account when you’re deciding
what to do. First, what did your July
leaf tissue analysis
show? If it was
deficient, and/or you
had a much-higher-than-predicted
yield, and you have
an earlier harvesting
variety like Nonpareil,
it may be a good idea
to do a small nitrogen
application right after
harvest. If you have a
later harvesting variety,
such as Winters
or Monterey, or your
orchard looks extremely
stressed from harvest (yellowing
and senescent leaves, obvious and severe
water stress during the harvest period),
your trees are likely not in a state to take
up nitrogen and may even be starting
the dormancy process.
UC Davis’ Patrick Brown has suggested
that if you spoon-feed nitrogen
(apply small amounts of nitrogen every
irrigation or every other irrigation from
70% leaf expansion through harvest
while not exceeding annual tree nitrogen
demands), there will be no need
for postharvest nitrogen applications,
and the risk of hull rot will be low. As
far as I’m aware, this has not actually
been evaluated in a commercial orchard,
but it is biologically sound and worth
considering. This practice has been used
in Australia. If you have already been
doing it, send me an email (pegordon@
ucanr.edu) as I’d like to hear about your
experiences.
In conclusion: postharvest nitrogen
in almonds is likely not necessary, except
in the case of deficient almond orchards.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
Complete Walnut and Pecan
Hulling And
Drying Systems
209-754-9636
3474 Toyon Circle, Suite 333
Valley Springs, CA 95252
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 9

Making the
Transition to
Off-Ground
Almond Harvest
By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
Tenias USA harvesting equipment was on display during a demonstration
of off-ground harvesting in an almond orchard (photos courtesy
Almond Board of California.)
When it comes to advancement
of off-ground almond harvest,
a multitude of advantages have
been presented for the state’s 1.6 million
acres of almonds in California.
Dust reduction, improved product
quality due to less insect damage,
flexibility in irrigation scheduling, less
orchard floor management and cleaner
product delivered to processors are a
some of the “pros” listed by proponents
of off-ground almond harvest.
But are the state’s almond growers,
custom harvesters and equipment manufacturers
ready for such a monumental
change?
“We’re marching toward it. We will
see what the transitional period looks
like,” said Turlock-area almond grower
Brian Wahlbrink.
Wahlbrink is chairman of the
Almond Board of California’s (ABC)
harvest workgroup and moderated a
panel discussion on off-ground almond
harvest at last year’s virtual Almond
Conference. The ABC workgroup
consists of almond growers and equipment
manufacturers who are exploring
alternative harvest methods and their
cultural and economic realities.
Wahlbrink said he is excited about
the possibilities of off-ground almond
harvest but acknowledges that there are
many components to this system that
must be taken into consideration by the
almond industry.
“A lot of things must happen for this
to become realization.”
Obstacles to Overcome
Drying a greener crop appears to
be the main obstacle to a mass move
to off-ground harvest. Nuts would be
shaken at a higher moisture level and
would need to be dried prior to processing
or stockpiling. Two options
are mechanical drying or moving
harvested nuts to an off-site lot to dry.
Energy costs for mechanical drying
and capacity to handle tonnage that
increases every year are often cited as
challenging for the almond industry.
Growers, farm managers and custom
harvesters voiced concerns about
adopting off-ground harvest in the
short term, but acknowledge that labor
saving could be an attractive incentive.
Over the last decade, innovations in
almond harvesting equipment design
have contributed to dust reduction. Use
of conditioners have helped shorten
drying times of windrowed nuts in
the orchard and produced a cleaner
product delivered to the processor. Improved
orchard floor management and
irrigation management are also playing
a part in the industry’s quest for dust
reduction.
If the next step for the almond
industry is shake-and-catch and
alternative drying options, growers
and harvest operators have questions
on feasibility and affordability of a new
harvest method.
What the almond industry can do
approaching transition, Wahlbrink
said, is to understand the path to offground
won’t be a straight or short line.
Drying a greener crop, tree heights,
orchard design, different maturity
dates for different varieties in the same
orchard, equipment availability and
cost are all challenges to be overcome
in the harvests ahead.
Almond growers and custom harvest
operators point out that costs of
new machinery would be a deterrent
in the short term. There would need to
be enough acres of orchards that could
be harvested off-ground to justify the
costs.
Corey Edwards, an almond grower
and custom almond harvester in the
San Joaquin Valley, said a constant con-
Almond harvest
could begin earlier
with off-ground
equipment, possibly
saving growers
pest control costs
with late navel
orangeworm sprays.
'
10 West Coast Nut August 2021

Catch frame used for off-ground harvest demonstrations (photo by
ENE Inc.)
cern is the life span of his equipment as more environmental
mandates are made.
“Will it be good for five years, or just two to three?” he
asks.
On the ‘pro’ side, Edwards said that if the current labor
situation persists, off-ground harvest operations, which will
need fewer machine operators, could be a driver for offground
harvest adoption.
Edwards harvests almonds for Riverdale
grower Mark Borba, who said the
expense of new harvest machinery would
be weighed against lower labor costs. Most
growers do not want to take on higher
expenses for new machinery and would
have to have the acreage to justify it. The
drive for him would be labor costs, he said,
but there are economic realities with nut
prices and new machinery investment.
Billy Schuh, an almond grower who
also harvests 3,000 acres of almonds
annually, said from an environmental
perspective, using the sun to dry almonds
in the orchard remains the best option.
“Moving the nuts to the middles where
the most sun hits them is using clean energy,”
he said. “There is no cost to that.”
Where he harvests in the Central
Valley, Schuh said sweepers are about six
hours behind the shakers and conditioners
run the next day. Their slow fans take
out leaves, dirt and other debris, leaving a
cleaner windrow for harvest machines.
The issue of mechanical drying versus
allowing nuts to dry on the ground raises
questions about costs and capacity. Wahlbrink
said until the mechanical drying
issue can be resolved, one alternative
being explored involves shake-and-catch,
but dropping the nuts in a windrow on
a barrier that keeps them from touching the ground. There,
the nuts can dry until they are picked up. If this proves to
work, he said it might bring more growers on board with offground
harvest.
Limited drying capacity by processors is a major challenge
to off-ground harvest adoption. Wahlbrink said he
is not a fan of mechanical drying, and that issue has to be
Continued on Page 12
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 11

Moving the nuts to the
middles where the most
sun hits them is using
clean energy. There
is no cost to that.”
– Billy Schuh, almond grower
Continued from Page 11
"
Almond grower Billy Schuh said from an environmental
perspective, using the sun to dry almonds in the orchard
remains the best option (photo by ENE Inc.)
Post-harvest recovery
starts at harvest.
Set your trees up for success
after a long, hot summer.
559.661.0977
Call your UG Crop Advisor for more info.
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resolved for grower buy-in.
There will be other innovations accompanying off
ground harvest, he predicted.
Tree height in current orchards will be a challenge for
harvest equipment, Wahlbrink said. First scaffolds in many
orchards are too low for harvest equipment to reach under.
Scaffolds will need to be in the 26- to 28-inch range for
off-ground harvest. Edwards said tree size could also make
it difficult to catch all the nuts at shaking. Growers would
need to prune, much like pistachio growers, to adapt for
catch frames. With almond orchards cycling out at 20 to
25 years, those challenges could eventually be overcome, he
said.
Manufacturers of harvest equipment are engaged in the
process, but it will take enough acres in the ground and
grower interest for significant investment. Almond Board,
Wahlbrink said, is conducting research on costs and benefits
to incentivize further equipment design.
Early Harvest Benefits
Almond harvest could begin earlier with off-ground
equipment, possibly saving growers pest control costs with
late navel orangeworm sprays. Research has shown an earlier
harvest could limit hull rot infections. Wahlbrink said
shaking trees two weeks prior to normal harvest would
cut down on navel orangeworm damage. Concerns about
losing windfall nuts prior to harvest could be mitigated
with earlier harvest.
Timing will be critical with off-ground harvest, said
retired farm manager Robert Gulack. While working for
Olam Orchards in Australia, Gulack became familiar with
off-ground almond harvest, noting it was used on the company’s
30,000 acres to prevent damage in rainy conditions.
Gulack said if there is more than one variety in the
orchard, harvest timing for the earliest maturing variety
could leave later maturing nuts still on the tree, negating
the advantage of one-pass harvest. Going later could mean
some loss of early crop nuts to windfall.
High-moisture nuts had to be stockpiled, he said, and
that presented kernel quality issues. Gulack said they used
forced air under the tarps in an attempt to prevent degradation,
but quality issues remained.
“There are a few challenges to off-ground, but there is
interest,” he said.
Comments about this article? We want to hear from you.
Feel free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com
12 West Coast Nut August 2021

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF
NAVEL ORANGEWORM IN
TREE NUT ORCHARDS
By KENT M. DAANE | UCCE Specialist, UC Berkeley
HOUSTON WILSON | UCCE Assistant Specialist, UC Riverside
and DAVID R. HAVILAND| UCCE Entomology Farm Advisor, Kern County
University of California researchers
have been evaluating the
role of biological control of navel
orangeworm (NOW) in California
for nearly five decades. This includes
efforts since the 1970s to document
the impacts of native predators and
parasitoids on NOW control, and to
find new parasitoid species to import
and introduce. In general, biological
control for NOW has had a secondary
role in IPM programs, with cultural and
chemical controls, including mating
disruption, taking the lead. However, as
broad-spectrum insecticides become
more and more obsolete within almond
and walnut production systems, and
as producers of all nut crops embrace
reduced-risk technologies like mating
disruption, opportunities for biological
control to play a role in integrated pest
management programs are on the rise.
Early Research
Two UC researchers were key in the
initial development of NOW biological
control in the 1970s: Dr. Leo Caltagirone
at UC Berkeley and, later, Dr.
Fred Legner at UC Riverside. Both
Caltagirone and Legner worked closely
with UCCE farm advisors and staff and
students at the former Division/Center
of Biological Control (UC Berkeley)
and Department/Division of Biological
Control (UC Riverside).
Caltagirone’s initial efforts were to
document the natural enemies already
present in California that attacked
NOW and the closely related carob
moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae). The egg
parasitoid Trichogramma californicum
was found as well as a number of larval
parasitoids including the bethylid
Figure 1. A green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea, larvae with its mouthparts in a navel orangeworm
larvae that already has been parasitized by Goniozus legneri, with the adult wasp about
to attack the lacewing larvae to protect her recently deposited eggs (circled here in red) (all
photos courtesy K. Daane.)
Parasierola breviceps, the braconids
Habrobracon hebetor and Phanerotoma,
the ichneumonids Venturia canescens
and Mesostenus gracilis, and the chalcidid
Spilochalcis leptis. Caltagirone also
documented a number of predators,
including green (Figure 1) and brown
lacewings and lady beetles attacking
the moth’s larvae, and predaceous
mites and the mirids Phytocoris relativus
and P. californicus attacking the
moth’s eggs. Unfortunately, all of these
parasitoids and predators attacked
a wide range of prey, and none were
specialized enough on NOW to seriously
drive down populations. As such,
NOW persisted as a pest, and a classical
biological control program was initiated
with the goal of discovering more
specialized natural enemies that had
more closely coevolved with this pest
in its native range, and therefore better
adapted to naturally maintain NOW
at densities below economic injury
thresholds.
Caltagirone reported that NOW
seems to be native to Central and South
America; his surveys in the late 1960s
to 1970s found it widespread in northern
Mexico, and NOW was reported
as far south as Peru, central Argentina
and Uruguay. Today, it has extended
its distribution to the southern U.S.,
across the south from California to the
east coast and as far north as North
Carolina. The first damaging infestations
in almond and walnut crops were
encountered in the 1950s, but through
the 1960s, damage was relatively mild,
typically

has a very interesting biology in that
the adult wasp puts an egg into the
NOW egg, but the parasitoids emerge
from the last stage of the moth larvae;
in fact, hundreds of parasitoids emerge
from a singly parasitized NOW larva.
This wasp is ‘polyembryonic’ where
the parasitoid egg hatches and forms
a ‘polygerm’ of genetically identical
embryos from a single egg through
clonal division, basically like identical
twins but hundreds of them. Following
this discovery, in the 1960s and 1970s,
the UC Berkeley laboratory produced
millions of these wasps and released
them throughout the Sacramento and
San Joaquin valleys. The parasitoid
established in California and is still
found today, but is more common in
the Sacramento Valley than in the San
Joaquin Valley.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. Fred Legner
focused his efforts to find a parasitoid
in Uruguay and central Argentina
as well as supplemental collections in
southern Texas. Working with regional
entomologists, he discovered another
previously unidentified parasitoid, the
bethylid Goniozus legneri (named after
Legner) in Uruguay, and also imported
the closely related G. emigratus from
Texas. These bethylids also have a
unique biology as described in Figure
3. Goniozus legneri is perhaps the most
commonly found NOW parasitoid in
California today.
Other natural enemies imported
during the 1970s and 1980s include
the egg parasitoid Trichogammatoidea
annulata from Argentina, which in
augmentation studies reached parasitism
levels of 20%. The larval parasitoids
Phanerotoma flavitestacea from Israel
and Diadigma sp. from Australia were
also imported and released, and while
they reached parasitism levels up to
25% during the release trials, they did
not overwinter well in California and
are rarely found attacking NOW today.
Figure 2. Copidosoma plethorica is a ‘polyembryonic’ parasitoid, meaning that one egg in the
navel orangeworm host (inserted in the moth egg as shown in the upper left insert) will divide
into hundreds of identical offspring. The wasp was imported from Mexico in the 1960s to help
control navel orangeworm.
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Evolving Biologies
While these natural enemies and
others are still working in California’s
tree nut crops, they still do not singularly
or collectively provide control levels
acceptable to most growers. Part of the
issue is their biologies that may have
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Continued from Page 15
evolved to satisfy their own survival
rather than the control levels needed by
modern growers, especially in the face
of strict aflatoxin regulations. For example,
the two most important imported
natural enemies, C. plethorica and G.
legneri, have biologies that allow them
to make the most use out of a single host
rather than search and kill many hosts.
Copidosoma plethorica is polyembryonic,
so finding and parasitizing a single
moth egg can lead to up to 800 offspring,
but it is still only killing one moth egg.
This species is easy to rear in the laboratory,
but in the orchard, it is dependent
on the ready presence of moth eggs to
continue to reproduce, and in periods
without eggs present or at low host densities
when the adult wasps cannot find
an egg, their numbers decrease.
Similarly, G. legneri puts many eggs
on a single host larva, but the adult
wasp has a behavior called ‘brood
guarding’ where she will not attack and
deposit eggs on a host and then go out
Figure 3. The Goniozus legneri adult female (A) approaches the moth larva, usually from the back
or side, and then (B) mounts the larvae as it wiggles to free itself and moves towards the larva’s
head where it injects a venom to paralyze the moth. It then walks up and down the host larvae (C)
to ‘measure’ its size to determine how many eggs to attach, often biting the moth larva to ensure
it is paralyzed (to the left of the wasp is an egg and there are five other eggs visible on the moth
larvae.) The wasp larvae then develop as an external parasitoid (D) on the moth larvae, feeding
there until they pupate and leaving nothing but the moth head capsule.
and search for an anther host; rather,
she will stay by her eggs and protect
them from other G. legneri (that will
kill her eggs and deposit their eggs on
a host – or fight off other predators like
green lacewings as seen in Figure 3.) For
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this reason, G. legneri does well when
the NOW density is high, say 20% nut
infestation, and you might have 20%
to 40% parasitism levels in October
after harvest. This is because the high
pest population presents a target-rich
environment where a female G. legneri
can find and guard many NOW that are
close together, but as the pest density
lowers, parasitism levels seem to drop as
well, and at current thresholds of

Farm Equipment
Shortages, Backlogs
Put Pressure on
Machinery Dealers
and Growers
The Competition is On for New and Used Equipment
By CATHERINE MERLO | Contributing Writer
Steel shortages are adding to the pricing increases on
orders for tractors and other farm equipment (all photos
by C. Merlo.)
At Berchtold Equipment Company
in Bakersfield, Calif., Michael
Arriola is practicing patience like
never before.
“Typically, on a retail order, it would
take a month for a new tractor to show
up on our yard,” said Arriola, assistant
general manager for the 100-yearold
company that sells New Holland,
Kubota, Bobcat and other equipment
brands. “Now it’s taking four to six
months. Inventory all over the country
is way down.”
Like other equipment dealers across
the U.S., Arriola is seeing shortages
of new farm machinery, including
tractors, forklifts and harvesting equipment.
Even parts and materials can
be hard to find and are getting more
expensive.
“If Berchtold hadn’t over-inventoried
last year, we would be facing a definite
inventory crisis,” Arriola said. “Some
dealers are losing customers because
they don’t have the equipment. It’s
tough for everybody.”
Inventory has been tightening
since 2020’s COVID-19 lockdowns
forced manufacturing shutdowns and
supply-chain disruptions. Now, as the
pandemic eases in the U.S. and restrictions
lift, demand is surging for all
kinds of goods. But factories can’t ramp
up quickly enough, making it harder
to source equipment. Steel, computer
18 West Coast Nut August 2021
chips, tires and plastics, all needed to
make things like cars, smartphones
and tractors, remain in short supply.
Labor shortages and shipping delays
aren’t helping.
“We ordered $1 million worth of
tractors in June 2020,” said Brian Agnetti,
president of San Joaquin Tractor
Company in Bakersfield. “We’re just
getting them a year later.”
Agnetti still has more than a dozen
tractors on order for customers. “People
were patient in the beginning, then
not so much,” he said. “I got three
angry calls today from people who are
waiting for their orders.”
Record Equipment Demand
The shortages come as demand for
agricultural machinery soars. Improved
commodity prices and low
interest rates have spurred farmers
to make more capital investments in
equipment.
“The equipment business has seen
three to four years of straight growth,”
Arriola said. “From May 2020 to April
2021, the market for this sector rose
23.8% over year-earlier levels.”
That growth includes tractors in
the 25- to 700-horsepower range and
among all manufacturers, including
New Holland, CASE, Massey Ferguson
and John Deere.
The largest demand increase,
however, is among tractors under 40
horsepower, Arriola noted. That compact-equipment
market is especially
popular with hobby farmers and labor
contractors as are skip loaders, skid
steers, mini excavators and back hoes.
White-hot demand in the real-estate
market and increasing construction
activity is helping raise the demand for
equipment and pushing prices higher.
Some Los Angeles equipment dealers
are getting 5% to 10% over suggested
list prices, said Arriola.
“I’ve been told it
will take a year and
a half to get back
to normalcy. Many
dealers have increased
orders for
over a 12-month
supply of products,
based on the
assumption that
availability will be
a long-term issue.”
– Bill Garton, Garton
Tractor

Buy now or wait? (Left to right) Curtis Tobias, Seth Pierucci, Allen
Pierucci and Brian Agnetti discuss a new tractor at San Joaquin Tractor
in Bakersfield.
“Those construction guys have jobs
lined up and will pay what they’ve got
to pay to get the equipment,” he said. “It
all trickles down to our industry. The
competition is on for the equipment.”
Generally, all machinery products
are in short supply, said Bill Garton,
president of Garton Tractor, which
has 10 locations across California. The
shortage has meant lower sales for
dealers and contributed to climbing
equipment prices.
“I’ve seen some manufacturers
increase prices several times this year,
plus add steel surcharges to the invoices,”
Garton said.
Those steel pricing add-ons are the
result of shortages in that industry as
well. Like Garton, Agnetti is seeing the
effect of that too. In mid-June, the San
Joaquin Tractor owner ordered four
gypsum spreaders for his dealership.
There was a $2,600 steel surcharge on
the order.
“I’ve never seen that before,” Agnetti
said.
Allen Pierucci and his son, Seth,
were lucky enough to take delivery of
a new orchard sprayer in June. They
farm 800 acres of pistachios, cotton and
pomegranates near Buttonwillow, Calif.
“But if that sprayer hadn’t been in
stock and we’d had to order it, the cost
would have been $7,000 higher than
what we paid,” said Allen Pierucci.
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The lack of availability has created
a buyer’s rush of sorts on tractors and
other field equipment.
“Everything sells right away,” said
Curtis Tobias, Agnetti’s business partner
at San Joaquin Tractor. “People are
afraid it won’t be there later.”
Dan Kramer, store manager for
Kuckenbecker Tractor Company in
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A backlog of machinery orders has tightened
availability among farm equipment dealers.
Pistachio grower Allen Pierucci tries to decide whether
to purchase a new tractor at the San Joaquin Tractor
dealership in Bakersfield.
Continued from Page 19
Fresno, Calif., is seeing the same thing. “We’ve got quite a
few tractors coming in over the next three to four months,”
Kramer said. “A lot are already spoken for.”
Used equipment is also hard to get, and it’s expensive.
“Prior to COVID, high used-equipment inventories were
an issue,” said Joani Woelfel, president and CEO of Far West
Equipment Dealers Association. “But, by January 2021, used
equipment inventory fell to new lows, and prices rose dramatically.”
Repairing existing equipment has become increasingly
important, too, even as dealers wait for parts to come in.
“Servicing is key right now,” Arriola said. “People are extending
the life of their equipment to get by. If a tractor has
several thousand hours on it, we’re working to keep it going.”
But even those efforts can come with delays. “If I have to
order replacement parts, it’s a two-month wait,” said Seth
Pierucci.
In the meantime, farm equipment dealers are working
with friendly competitors to transfer inventory to each other
or help out where they can.
“We’re all trying to juggle equipment among locations to
be there for our customers,” Arriola said.
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Long-Term Issue?
The wait to replenish equipment inventories and end the
backlogs could stretch into late 2022.
“I’ve been told it will take a year and a half to get back
to normalcy,” said Garton. “Many dealers have increased
orders for over a 12-month supply of products, based on the
assumption that availability will be a long-term issue.”
For Kuckenbecker’s Kramer, another concern has
emerged as the equipment shortage sorts itself out and dealers
rev up their ordering.
“Sales will continue to be brisk to the end of 2021,” Kramer
said. “But I worry that next year, equipment dealers could
be sitting on too much inventory.”
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WAPA 2021 ANNUAL MEETING
WAPA Annual Meeting
Western Ag Processors Association
Meeting Highlights Top Issues for
the Nut Handling Industry
By MARNI KATZ | Editor
The Western Agricultural
Processors Association held
its annual meeting in June,
providing one of the first opportunities
for nut industry leaders
to gather in person for two days
of networking, business, trading
and learning. Held in partnership
between West Coast Nut magazine
and WAPA, the annual meeting
in Monterey including two days
of talks and business for some 300
handler/processor members and
associated exhibitors.
“It’s been great to see people
in person again,” said WAPA
President and CEO Roger Isom.
“We had some new faces and some
familiar faces. The ag industry is
based on communication; whether
it’s at the coffee shop or out in
the field in the pick-up, we like to
talk face to face.”
For many of the speakers at
this year’s convention, the operative
word was fight. From issues
surrounding air permits, food
safety, trucking and labor, WAPA
members heard how the association
advocates for its nut industry
members on the regulatory and
legislative front every day.
“We fight for our members on
the front end to help [handlers]
implement their programs, and
then we fight for them on the back
end to help them with appeals
when there are issues,” Isom said.
WAPA also invests significant
resources following and helping
craft policy that makes common
sense for the industry and brings
California to some sort of parity
with other states.
“We can either give up and
move to Texas or we can fight,”
Isom said.
“WAPA has the time to be
there in the regulatory office or
in the state capitol,” said Kirk
Squire, grower relations manager
for Horizon Nut Company and
a member of the WAPA board of
directors. “Being part of WAPA
affords us that talking ground
we would not have time for as a
company.”
Industry Issues
Chris McGlothlin, director
of technical services for WAPA,
reported on the association’s
efforts to get incentive funding
for ag tractor replacement rules
set to go into effect in 2024 and
its engagement with Sacramento
over funding to implement the
ag burning rule, which will phase
out agricultural burning by 2025
in the Central Valley.
To illustrate WAPA’s efforts to
engage legislators, state assembly
members Autumn Burke and
Heath Flora discussed their bipartisan
efforts to understand and
represent each other’s districts.
While Burke is a democrat representing
Los Angeles and Flora
is a Republican representing the
San Joaquin Valley, the two work
together in a bipartisan way to
find common grand and common-sense
action that impacts
California nut handlers, including
legislation around cap and
trade, pesticide mill tax increases,
trucking and water.
Dan Walters, a political
reporter who writes for CALmatters.org,
a non-profit devoted
to California public policy issues,
said during his guest talk that
this type of bipartisanship is rare
in politics today but essential for
moving the state forward. Particularly
for agriculture, which
has lost clout over the last few
decades, engaging legislators will
be critical.
“Not only has ag lost clout in in
the mind of many legislators, ag is
the enemy,” Walters said. “You’ve
got to get that seat at the table or
you will be on the menu.”
Several handlers in attendance
shared their top concerns facing
the industry. From supply chain
issues brought on by COVID, to
water, hulling capacity, labor,
trucking shortages and more,
handlers universally said there
are a number of hot-button issues
handlers and processors are up
against as they prepare to handle
this year’s nut crops.
Supply Chain
Dan Pronsolino, general manager
of Cortino Hulling Group,
which includes Dunnigan Hills
Hulling & Shelling and two other
huller/shellers, serves as secretary/
treasurer on the WAPA board of
directors.
He said supply chain constraints
throughout all levels of
22 West Coast Nut August 2021

(From left) Michael Kelly, president of Central California Almond Growers
Association, Bill Lewis of Compeer Financial, and George Gough of Bayer US
Crop Science, pause for a conversation during a break in the annual meeting
(all photos by M. Katz.)
Outgoing WAPA Chairman Butch Coburn of Hughson Nut,
addresses the 2021 WAPA annual meeting audience.
the growing and handling process are creating hardships for
handlers as they gear up for harvest. Parts and supplies they
are used to having on the shelf are in short supply. And like
consumers trying to buy replacement parts for a faulty refrigerator,
or a new car or appliance, they are having to adapt
to a shortage created by supply chain disruptions.
“We had a couple color sorters coming in that took 40
days from the day they arrived at the Port of Oakland to get
to our facility,” Pronsolino said. Rubber products, such as
belts, are just being delivered that were ordered last October.
Handlers are coping by ordering ahead to anticipate their
parts needs and have spare parts already on the shelf. Here,
too WAPA has helped direct its members to suppliers and
manufacturers.
Horizon has put advance orders in for basics like shovels
and rakes and parts for the water truck or tractor.
“These are all items that are showstoppers so you’ve got to
have them here when you need them,” Squire said.
Water
Handlers agreed that lack of water is a serious threat,
and although the ag industry in California has lived with
drought for more than 20 years, the system is at a breaking
point for the state’s ag industry.
“The way we say it in our board room is, ‘We own a couple
thousand acres of some of the best farmland in the world,
but without water, it’s just dirt,” said Don Barton of Gold
River Orchards.
While growers are making it through this year through
deficit irrigation and rationing what water they do have, Ali
Amin, president of Primex, said if the drought continues into
next year it will create a lot of uncertainty.
He said while pistachio growers continue to plant, he is
concerned about the impacts to the industry 5 to 10 years
down the road if climate trends continue. Deficit irrigation
also leads to production issues, including a higher percentage
of closed shells, which impacts yield and revenue.
Already this year’s crop is impacted and if there is no
water for post-harvest refill, next year’s will be as well.
“If we don’t have a wet winter this year we are going to
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WAPA Annual Meeting
More than 30 exhibitors took advantage of one of the first in-person events in more than a
year for the nut industry to reach current and potential clients.
Continued from Page 23
have a major issue on our hands,”
Pronsolino said.
Labor
Handlers agreed that the labor
supply issue has been a serious
problem this year.
“Were having a horrible time
finding labor out there and the
buzz is that nobody wants to work,”
Squire said. “Is that true or does
nobody want to work in ag anymore?”
Many handlers/processors are
paying signing bonuses and wages
above prevailing scale for both
skilled and unskilled positions to
have the staff on hand to process
this year’s harvest. As minimum
wage increases, Amin said it puts
pressure on labor costs across
the board, from sanitation line
operators to forklift drivers and
mechanics.
And that is when they can find
workers.
“The vast majority of seasonal
people who would usually be
available are quite happy to stay at
home,” Pronsolino added.
Many handlers are turning even
more to automation where
possible, from robotic palletizing
to electronic sorting, to
reduce their labor reliance
where possible.
Squire said handlers
will always need labor but
the incentives to automate
are ramped up by the labor
shortage.
“A piece of equipment
might cost $300,000 but it
doesn’t call in sick,” he said.
Amin said Primex is
also turning to automation,
refiguring its processing area
with new electronic sorters,
to slowly reduce labor. The
processor works to build
long-term relationships with
its work force to encourage
them to return year after
year, but acknowledged that
a tighter pool could lead
to more breakdowns and
quality issues if they are not
careful.
Hulling Capacity
In the almond industry
in particular, handlers said
24 West Coast Nut August 2021

Coburn passes the gavel to incoming chairwoman Kim Keyawa-Musselman of Keyawa Orchards,
who presents Coburn with a plaque of appreciation in return.
bumper crops continue to push the industry
beyond hulling capacity. At the
same time, many handlers are pausing
expansion plans to see what the weather
will bring in terms of water supply.
Many growers are debating letting older
less productive orchards go and many
have halted plans to plant new acreage
as they wait to see the outcome of next
year’s snowpack.
Pronsolino estimated there are
about 180 million pounds worth of
planted almond acres beyond hulling
capacity, and another 10 to 12 plants
will be needed to handle that acreage
throughout the state. Cortino Hulling
Group plans to increase its capacity
by 10 to 20 percent at each of its plants.
The facility already runs 24-7 during
the season, so it is looking to larger
equipment to process more nuts per
hour.
Amin said Primex, the state’s third
largest pistachio processor, plans to add
four hullers for 2022 and an additional
two facilities in the near term to increase
its capacity from 90-100 million
pounds to 130-140 million pounds. He
said three growers are also putting
up their own processing facilities to
handle industry growth in the near
future. He said handlers will find a way
to process larger crops.
“If you grow them, we will figure out
how to process them,” he said.
Shipping and Logistics
Truck driver shortages have also
been a significant issue throughout
the nut industry. WAPA is working to
move regulations that would increase
the load capacity to allow more product
to be moved in a single load.
Handlers are faced with having to
pay more for trucking or build added
storage to give them more hauling flexibility.
Ultimately, all these additional
costs put a squeeze on grower returns.
“Trucking is usually paid directly by
the grower, and as it gets tighter, they
get squeezed and ultimately, although
we try to absorb what we can, it finds
its way to the grower return,” Pronsolino
said.
At the same time, COVID lockdowns
led to significant congestion at
ports, as reported in previous issues of
West Coast Nut, and that has disrupted
the flow of nuts to market.
With containers returning empty to
key export markets before they can be
loaded, and uncertainty around shipping
dates, handlers have worked extra
hard to get their logistics organized for
an orderly flow of California nuts to
market.
Squire said Horizon like other
handlers last year was weeks or months
behind on shipments, just due to the
difficulty to get containers or get loads
on a ship. As with many of these issues,
WAPA is working with maritime agencies
and others to try and alleviate the
impacts of these issues on the industry.
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to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 25

WAPA Annual Meeting
TREE NUT HANDLERS DEAL WITH
HIGH ENERGY PRICES
By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
California nut processors are facing soaring
energy rates with no relief in sight.
Costs for electricity to operate machinery and
light buildings, natural gas or propane for drying
nuts and fuel to operate vehicles are assuming a larger
share of their operating expenses.
Michael Boccadoro with the Ag Energy Consumers
Association told Western Agricultural Processors
Association (WAPA) members and guests at
the association’s annual meeting what many already
knew: commercial and industrial energy rates are
twice the national average and rising faster than the
national inflation rate. He predicted the trend would
continue.
Between 2011 and 2017, Boccadoro said, electricity
prices in California rose five times more than the
rest of the U.S. California commercial and industrial
rate payers are being charged 14.28 cents per Kwh,
while in Arizona and Nevada, the rate is less than
six cents.
“This puts us [agriculture] in a difficult situation,”
Boccadoro said, “but the PUC is focusing more on
residential rates.”
Current Struggles
Renewable energy goals and expanding climate
policies are two of the drivers of the skyrocketing
energy prices. Moving to net zero emissions will be
costly, and there is a sense of urgency from the government.
An ambitious ‘decarbonization’ plan for
California will also impact energy costs, he added.
The Public Utilities Commission is not interested
in bringing down costs, he said, but is focused more
on shifting solutions to air quality goals. Drought
conditions in the state and lack of cheap hydroelectricity
are making the problem worse.
Utility mismanagement and perverse incentives
have also had a huge impact on energy prices,
Boccadoro said. PG&E has saved money by doing
less system maintenance, but now rate payers are
bearing the burden of higher costs as they upgrade
systems. Wildfire mitigation and legislative mandates
are two more drivers of higher energy costs.
Boccadoro’s presentation showed 10-year compound
annual growth rates (nominal) for energy
prices.
PG&E electricity is 3.2%, natural gas at 6% and
gasoline at 5.4%. Edison and SoCalGas is 3% for
electricity, 6.2% for natural gas and 5.4% for gasoline.
Proposed solutions are problematic and pending
legislation will exacerbate the problem, he said.
Legislative mandates include using off-shore
wind energy, but Boccadoro said that solution is not
going to be cost-competitive.
Energy-Saving Strategies
There are some emerging opportunities for
agriculture, Boccadoro reported. There is increased
funding for energy efficiency and self-generation as
well as a food production investment program. The
agriculture industry has lost much of its clout in this
state, he added, but regulators need to be reminded
that if agriculture fails, the state fails.
Among nut processors attending the WAPA
meeting, strategies for energy conservation abound.
Use of solar to offset electricity costs has been a
major investment for most processors.
At Horizon Nut in Tulare, a grower-owned
processing facility, natural gas is used for roasting.
At the facilities in Firebaugh and Lost Hill, it runs
the dryers. August through November is the high
26 West Coast Nut August 2021

USE OF SOLAR TO OFFSET ELECTRICITY COSTS
HAS BEEN A MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR MOST
PROCESSORS.
“
energy use period.
Kirk Squire, grower relations manager
at Horizon, said even with the
larger pistachio harvests, the company
has been able to cut their total annual
energy use.
“Energy bills are huge during hulling,”
Squire said.
As many other nut processing plants
have done, Horizon turned to solar
energy. In 2017, the company’s Firebaugh
plant began using solar energy
that can be transformed into heat and
used in drying, steam pasteurization
and cleaning.
Other energy savings come from
turning off cold boxes during the
winter, use of skylights for natural light
and motion sensor lighting.
At Olam-owned Hughson Nut Inc.,
almond processing consumes the largest
share of energy costs.
Outgoing WAPA Chairman Butch
Coburn and Hughson Nut plant manager
said similar energy saving strategies
are used at all three of Hughson
Nut facilities.
The Hughson plants are in the Turlock
Irrigation District, which supplies
power at lower rates than major suppliers,
Coburn said. One of the Hughson
plants, Verduga, uses solar power.
Huller and sheller Central California
Almond Growers Association
(CCAGA) has invested heavily in solar
power to supply energy needs at their
facilities. The price of energy is increasing,
said CCAGA President and CEO
Mike Kelley, but those costs are being
mitigated by conservation measures.
Five years ago, he said, energy costs
consumed 12% of their operating expenses.
Today, that figure is 9% due to
conservation and use of solar. The plant
has also invested in new technologies
for vehicles used at the plant. In the
future, Kelley said they would look at
converting forklifts to battery power.
Pistachio processor Primex was one
of the first plants to adopt solar power
to meet energy demand in 2010, said
CEO Ali Amin. Their solar installation
generated 40% of the power at that time,
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but as energy demand has increased at
the plant, the percent is lower.
Primex would install more solar to
meet energy demand at the plant, Amin
said, but more ground space is needed.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 27

Walnuts, Navel Orangeworm
and Ethephon for 2021
Growers Should Pay Close
Attention to Third Flight to
Assess Damage Risks
Mummy nuts on walnut orchard floor. UCCE’s Jhalendra Rijal said that if navel
orangeworm cannot find mummy nuts or damaged nuts to lay their eggs, they
lay eggs on nuts that are still on the ground (photo courtesy J. Rijal.)
By KATHY COATNEY | Contributing Writer
Navel orangeworm (NOW)
continues to be problematic for
California walnut growers. Jhalendra
Rijal, UCCE area IPM advisor
for Northern San Joaquin Valley, said
NOW pressure varies among orchards,
but with the drier winter and spring
in 2021, as expected there has been increased
activity with NOW in walnuts
and almonds.
“From a walnut perspective, if you
think about navel orangeworm right
now (June), the flight may or may
not matter too much unless there are
blighted or codling moth-damaged
nuts in the orchard,” Rijal said, noting
that the third and/or fourth flight is
a greater concern for walnuts at husk
split.
Higher Pressures
“I would say that overall, the numbers
and then the pressure are higher,
but sometimes it may not mean too
much,” he said, adding growers just
need to wait, and watch, and see how
that will relate in terms of the husk split
timing.
The dry conditions in 2021 are
certainly more favorable for survival of
the NOW overwintering larvae whether
the walnuts are on the tree or the
ground, Rijal said, adding drier conditions
probably play a role in overall
NOW survival.
“We know navel orangeworm will
overwinter in mummy nuts, whether
it’s almonds, or walnuts, or pistachios,”
Rijal said, adding rain in the wintertime
likely has some impacts on NOW
mortality.
Codling moth and blight damage in
walnuts can leave openings for NOW
for the first and second flights. An
important management aspect of navel
orangeworm in walnuts is to stay on
top of these diseases and pests, Rijal
said.
Nuts that have been damaged by
28 West Coast Nut August 2021

“WITH THE GLOBAL WARMING AND THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN
TEMPERATURE, WE’RE EXPECTING TO HAVE A CONSISTENT FIFTH FLIGHT
IN SOME OF THE SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COUNTIES AS EARLY
AS 2040 BASED ON A RECENT STUDY."
– JHALENDRA RIJAL, UCCE
walnut blight, sunburn, codling moth
or have been mechanically injured are
the nuts that the first and second flight
rely on to build their populations, Rijal
said.
“That is definitely the critical factor
in terms of building navel orangeworm
populations going into that third flight,”
Rijal said.
Wait to Treat
For walnuts, the first two flights are
not as significant as the third flight and
the fourth flight for late season walnuts,
Rijal said.
The third flight is of most concern,
Rijal said, and timing of the flight and
husk split is critical, which is why it’s
important to track NOW flights.
If there are almonds or pistachios
nearby, this can increase the pressure
as all of them are hosts for NOW. “They
(NOW) can move from one host to another
host when they have the opportunity,”
he said. “If you have an almond
orchard next to a walnut orchard you’ll
likely have more navel orangeworm
flying around in the area compared to
not having that.”
“It is not recommended to apply insecticides
against navel orangeworm for
the first and second flights,” Rijal said,
adding these flights aren’t damaging to
healthy walnuts.
“I would say that it’s not worth the
money or effort to do an insecticide
spray before that third flight,” he said,
unless the grower has had consistent
NOW pressure and damage in previous
years.
Using chemical applications when
needed is an important part of preventing
resistance from building in all nuts
as very limited insecticide active ingredients
are available to use, Rijal said.
“We want to save those materials for
the late-season window when the walnuts
are susceptible,” Rijal said, plus it’s
more economical, too, as these aren’t
inexpensive materials.
Cultural Control
Winter sanitation is the best cultural
control option at this point for managing
NOW. Going into the season with a
Continued on Page 30
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 29

Continued from Page 29
clean orchard means there will be less
NOW pressure at the start of the season
and less in-season, too, Rijal said.
It’s not just the nuts on the tree, but
also the nuts on the ground that need
to be removed, Rijal said.
“If navel orangeworm could not find
mummy nuts or damaged nuts to lay
their eggs, they lay eggs on the nuts that
are still on the ground,” he said.
“Early harvest is also a very good
tool, especially when there is late
season harvest and harvest is dragged
out for a longer time,” he continued,
adding an earlier harvest could protect
the nuts from later generations of NOW
damage.
For early harvest, Ethephon can
be used in walnuts to advance and
synchronize the harvest, and it should
be helpful when NOW populations
are high. Ethephon should be applied
at the right stage of the walnut maturity.
UC IPM Guidelines recommend
applying 10 to 14 days before normal
harvest for one shake walnuts (www2.
ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/walnut/Using-Ethephon/).
An earlier harvest can potentially
prevent damage from the third and
fourth flights of NOW, Rijal said.
“Ethephon may not be for everybody,”
Rijal cautioned, adding if the
trees are stressed and are in poor
health, or if the variety itself has a
synchronized split, then an Ethephon
application may not be necessary.
Mating Disruption
Mating disruption is also part of
NOW management. Rijal and David
Haviland, UCCE entomology farm advisor
in Kern County, did research on
mating disruption in almonds up and
down the San Joaquin Valley.
This has helped increase mating
disruption adoption in almonds and
pistachios, Rijal said.
“We have not seen that level of adoption
in walnuts,” he said, adding there
could be other factors like price or the
fact that walnut trees vary in size and
variety, relatively smaller blocks, etc.,
but mating disruption is an important
tool for the integrated management of
NOW in walnuts, too.
Sterile insect release is another potential
tool that growers might be able
to use as a part of their NOW program.
All nut crops are investing in research
to look at the sterile insect release technique
as part of an IPM tool for NOW
management. However, it may take
several years to develop these kinds
of techniques and apply them to a real
field scenario.
It’s been said time and time again,
but there is no silver bullet to manage
and control NOW, Rijal said, and he
doesn’t see a single solution for management.
“It still will be part of the integrated
pest management,” he said.
With over 2 million acres of almonds,
pistachios and walnuts, plus
other hosts, and multiple generations
“I WOULD SAY
THAT IT’S NOT
WORTH THE
MONEY OR
EFFORT TO DO AN
INSECTICIDE SPRAY
BEFORE THAT
THIRD FLIGHT."
– JHALENDRA RIJAL, UCCE
of NOW throughout California, we
all know this pest is a challenging one,
Rijal said.
“With the global warming and the
expected increase in temperature,
we’re expecting to have a consistent
fifth flight in some of the southern San
Joaquin Valley counties as early as 2040
based on a recent study.”
For more information, go to sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/
S0048969720361866.
“We all want a sustainable, longterm
industry. The objective of the
industry is to keep it sustainable for
a long time, and for that, we need to
adopt tools and techniques in a combined
system so we don’t rely on one
tool,” Rijal said.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
30 West Coast Nut August 2021

®
IMAGINATION
INNOVATION
SCIENCE IN ACTION

Career of Helping the
Pistachio Industry
Meet Challenges
With Retirement on the Horizon, Bob Klein
Reflects on His Time in the Industry
By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer
From his work first as research director of the
long-dissolved California Pistachio Commission
to his many years as an administrator for
the industry, Bob Klein has been a vital player
in helping the industry overcome production
issues, trade issues and regulatory hurdles
(all photos by M. Lies.)
In 1999, while looking at professional
opportunities to follow his
work as a plant pathologist at Washington
State University, Bob Klein was
drawn to a job posting for research
director of the California Pistachio
Commission. Today, after seventeen
years as manager of the Administrative
Committee for Pistachios (ACP) and 14
as manager of the California Pistachio
Research Board, Klein still remembers
his thoughts.
“I looked at the job description and
I said, ‘Well, I do that, I do that, I do
that.’ So, I applied,” Klein said. “For me,
it was an excellent career and family
move.”
From his work first as research
director of the long-dissolved California
Pistachio Commission to his
many years as an administrator for the
industry, Klein has been a vital player
in helping the industry overcome
production issues, trade issues and
regulatory hurdles. And he has seen
the industry reshape its administrative
organizations.
The reformations started eight
years after Klein joined the California
Pistachio Commission when growers
voted against reauthorizing the commission.
Fortunately for the industry,
three years earlier, the industry had
formed the Administrative Committee
for Pistachios (ACP), so the industry
had a group in place during the interim
“
“There are certain things where I might say,
‘We need this project because the information
we are going to get from this applies to this and
this and this.’ But I more inform than lead.”
- Bob Klein, ACP and California Pistachio Research Board
between the dissolution of the commission
and the launch of the Pistachio
Research Board.
“If we hadn’t had it in place, when
the commission failed the reauthorization
vote, there wouldn’t have been any
group of the industry to work around,”
Klein said. “So, it was fortuitous at
that point. Even as the commission
closed in June of 2007, we were already
meeting and putting into place a state
marketing order to help fund production
research to address many different
growing issues.”
Expanded Role
The ACP, originally formed solely
for the purpose of testing aflatoxin levels
in domestically produced pistachios,
eventually taking on additional responsibilities,
including providing statistical
reporting in the form of monthly
inventory and shipping reports and
providing acreage reports by county.
”
Through the years, the ACP also has
served as a hub where issues with food
safety can be addressed on an industry-wide
level, which has helped keep
pistachios flowing during food-safety
scares.
The California Pistachio Research
Board, meanwhile, has been integral to
helping the industry overcome production
issues by funding research into
issues with Botryosphaeria blight and
navel orangeworm, among others.
“When I came on, the biggest concern
was a new fungal disease, Botryosphaeria
blight,” Klein said. “The industry
got together, raised assessments and
put up $1 million dollars to do research
on it, looking at both cultural and
fungicidal control, and Botryosphaeria
tends to be not much of a problem now.
“Right now, the navel orangeworm
(NOW) is our principal insect pest,” he
said. “It is an ongoing issue involving
cultural control, management aspects
32 West Coast Nut August 2021

“There is almost no dissent on the board. Most of
our votes are unanimous, and I can’t say that was
always true on the [Pistachio] Commission.”
- Tom Coleman, ACP and California Pistachio Research Board
for harvest, insecticides, and now we
have mating disruption and we are
looking at sterile insect technology. So,
we hope to have a more broad-based
control for NOW in the near future.”
Board funding also has helped finetune
both nitrogen and irrigation needs
for pistachio production and has helped
inform state regulators when setting
regulations. And, he said, the board
has and continues to fund research
into maintaining salt tolerance among
pistachio varieties, ensuring that new
varieties are equally or more salt tolerant
than current varieties.
Inform Rather than Lead
Klein said his approach to working
with boards was shaped while witnessing
different ways commission administrators
dealt with their boards during
his time as a plant pathologist at Washington
State University. The hands-off
approach appealed to him and seemed
more effective.
“There are certain things where
I might say, ‘We need this project
because the information we are going
to get from this applies to this and this
and this,’” he said. “But I more inform
than lead.
“The growers may not know, for example,
what pressures the EU is putting
on us in a regulatory sense, so I try
to make sure they understand where
things sit in different contexts,” he said.
He added that he views himself as
more a facilitator than a leader.
“I think you really have to
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 33

Pistachio industry administrator Bob Klein and his long-time assistant Juanita Owens look over documents at the Pistachio
Research Board office in Fresno.
Continued from Page 33
look at it as it is a service organization
that is created by the growers,” he
said, “and you really need to serve the
growers.
“Nobody is ever going to tell you
that I am not an egotistical person,” he
added. “We all have healthy egos. But
you need to be able to set your ego
aside. And there is no question we can
reap benefits from that, but you have to
make sure that it is not about you.”
Brian Blackwell, who worked with
Klein for many years dating back to
when Klein was hired as research director
for the California Pistachio Commission,
said he has always appreciated
Klein’s approach. “He had a great leadership
style as far as I was concerned,”
said Blackwell, a former chair of the
ACP. “I was always very happy that he
was the manager of any organization
I was involved in, and I depended a lot
on him and his expertise.
“He is a very thoughtful, very meticulous,
very science-based professional,”
Blackwell said.
“He seems to know whether the
research projects are going in the right
direction or not,” said Tom Coleman,
chair of the ACP and the Research
Board. “And he seems to always be willing
to look at new areas, new technology,
new possibilities. He is very open
minded. And he does a good job of
being patient with those of us who are
not scientific in our thinking. And he
is very competent at steering us in the
right direction.
“Maybe there is a research project
that he thinks is important, but
somebody objects to the cost or the
duration. He’ll come up with an idea
like, ‘How about if we ask them to just
do this and at that point we’ll see if we
want to continue?’ There is almost no
dissent on the board. Most of our votes
are unanimous, and I can’t say that was
always true on the [Pistachio] Commission,”
Coleman said.
Klein, who grew up in the Los Angeles
area, received his undergraduate
degree from the University of Colorado
and his doctorate from Colorado State
University in plant pathology. He believes
his education and training have
served him well, both with the ACP
and the Research Board.
“Plant pathologists tend to have a
broad training,” he said. “They tend to
know agronomy because many viral
diseases end up causing chlorosis of
plants, and they learn entomology, because
insect damage can cause diseases
or transmit viruses. And when I look at
the aflatoxin issues we have, I can bring
my statistics experience to bear. It is
something that doesn’t scare me. And I
can go talk to any plant pathologist or
entomologist or agronomist and have
some sort of understanding of where
they are coming from.”
Transition Plan
Klein and the ACP and the California
Pistachio Research Board currently
are looking at a transition plan for him
and his long-time assistant Juanita Owens,
both of whom are looking to retire
over the next three years.
“It isn’t clear what we are going to
do,” he said. “But we know that Juanita
is going to retire before me, so we will
bring somebody in and have them job
shadow her for probably six months.”
Klein said he plans to retire when he
turns 70, which will be in April of 2024.
“My transition will probably involve
me being available to help when needed,”
he said. “For example, if we need
to go to the EU, I’ll probably go over
with my successor the first time so I
can introduce the new person and also
make sure the new person knows who
they are talking to.”
In the meantime, look for Klein to
take a hands-off approach in helping
position the industry for success.
“This job is not about me,” he said.
“It is about what needs to get done for
the growers so they can maintain their
operations, their families, their role in
the community.”
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
34 West Coast Nut August 2021

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Hull Split N.O.W. Applications – A
Increase Yield And Improve Yield
80
60
Zinc
a
50
37.5
Manganese
a
7
5.25
Copper
a
PPM
40
20
b
PPM
25
12.5
b
PPM
3.5
1.75
b
0
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
0
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
0
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
PPM
0.9
0.68
0.45
0.23
0
Moly Potassium Phosphorus
10500
600
a
a
a
10325
450
b
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
PPM
10150
b
9975
9800
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
n Untreated n Agro-K Treated
Data by Bisabri Ag Research
PPM
b
300
150
0
Baseline
7 DAT (8/31/17)
Foliar nutrients applied
with your Hull Split
Navel Orangeworm
(NOW) sprays provide
a win-win opportunity
to increase this year’s
nut size, splits and
yield and set the stage
for higher yields next
season. However,
many conventional foliar nutrient formulations do not penetrate
well and are largely ineffective from mid-summer onward once the
pistachio leaf has hardened off and developed a thick waxy cuticle.
But Agro-K’s Sysstem ® and Dextro-Lac ® foliar product lines are
not only designed to rapidly and completely move through even the
oldest, toughest, hardened off and waxy pistachio leaf, they are
also research-proven to do so.
In a replicated trial conducted in late-August, a mix of Agro-K
nutrients, both micro and macro, were applied to ‘Golden Hills’
pistachio trees and analyzed for nutrient uptake. The results, as
determined via leaf sap analysis and displayed in the above charts,
demonstrate statistically significant changes in the levels of “free”
or immediately plant available nutrients within the leaf sap for six
different nutrients 7 days after application. Leaf sap levels for zinc,
manganese, copper, molybdenum, potassium and phosphorus were
significantly increased compared to the control as measured the
week after application. For more on leaf sap analysis, see the text
box below.
Leaf Sap Analysis
This sample extraction protocol and analysis quantifies only
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protocol does not grind the leaf tissue or rupture the cell
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immediately available for plant use. In contrast, conventional
tissue testing methods grind and analyze whole dried leaves
measuring not only the nutrients found in the sap, but also
nutrients already bound within the leaf tissues, and those
nutrients found on or imbedded in the leaf cuticle. Nutrients
within the leaf structure, on the leaf surface, or in the cuticle
are mostly—if not completely—immobile and unavailable for
immediate plant use. Measuring sap nutrient levels effectively
detects recent nutrient changes and excludes structurallybound
and other immobile plant nutrients.

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New Foes of Almonds
at Hull Split Stage
By THEMIS MICHAILIDES | UC Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
FLORENT TROUILLAS | UC Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
MOHAMMAD YAGHMOUR | UCCE Farm Advisor, Kern County
PHOEBE GORDON | UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor, Madera and Merced Counties
and MARIO VIVEROS | UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus, Kern County
In California, infection of almond by diseases starts at
bloom time and continues with infections of the young
green fruit and the fruit at the hull split stage. Wet conditions
in late winter/spring favor infection of almond blossoms
by brown rot fungi, such as brown rot (Monilinia fructicola),
anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum) and gray mold
(Botrytis cinerea). Also, bacterial diseases, such as bacterial
blast (Pseudomonas syringae) and bacterial spot (Xanthomonas
arboricola pav. pruni) can infect blossoms and leaves of
almond. The young green fruit, if weather conditions are favorable,
can be infected by pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea,
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Collectorichum acutatum, Fusicladium
carpophilum and Alternaria alternata. The third stage of
susceptibility is when almond hulls split and the fungi that
infect the hulls cause hull rot.
Hull Rot
Hull rot is not a new disease of almond. This disease has
been reported several times in the past and it has become an
annual and serious problem in almond orchards in recent
years. The causal agents initially were determined as two
fungi, mainly the bread mold fungus (Rhizopus stolonifer)
and the brown rot fungus (Monilinia fructicola). Previous
studies showed that hull rot in almonds grown in the Sacramento
Valley had high incidence of Monilinia, while hull
rot in the rest of the state was mainly caused by Rhizopus
stolonifer and occasionally by Monilinia. There were also cases
where both fungal pathogens could be found in the same
orchard causing hull rot. With changes in cultural practices
and the denser plantings of almonds, vigorous rootstocks
that boost the growth and the general vigor of almond cultivars,
intense fertilization and sufficient irrigation to satisfy
the crop’s requirements, hull rot has become a major disease
that is very difficult to control, and the almond industry has
put forth tremendous efforts and supports research to find
ways to manage it. In addition to the difficulties in controlling
hull rot, we are finding new fungal foes attacking
almonds and causing hull rot.
In the last several years, almond growers, farm advisors
and PCAs noticed that the incidence of hull rot has increased
to very high levels, resulting in major economic losses,
and this is because a) the nuts with hull rot do not shake
easily (stick tights) and frequently they will require a second
shake; and b) large numbers of nuts can remain on the trees
during the winter months as mummies serving as sites for
the overwintering of navel orangeworm (NOW). Thus, to
achieve a successful sanitation as recommended for reducing
NOW damage, extra efforts by the grower and greater costs
are required.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Hull rot of almonds caused by: left nut, Rhizopus stolonifer;
middle nut, Aspergillus niger; and right nuts, Neoscytalidium dimitiatum.
Figure 2
A
B
38 West Coast Nut August 2021

Table 1. An example of 2018 samples of almonds with hull rot showing the Incidence of Rhizopus
stolonifer or Aspergillus niger. Determination of the pathogens was done with a dissecting
microscope (10 to 20 magnification).
County Aspergillus niger (%) Rhizopus stolonifer (%)
Fresno
89 (1)*
11
Fresno
100 (2)
0
Stanislaus
55 (1)
--
Fresno
100 (3)
0
Madera
54 (1)
0
Fresno
42 (4)**
68
Glenn
20 (1)
0
Glenn
20 (2)
0
Glenn
100 (3)
50
Stanislaus
90 (2)
100
Stanislaus
70 (3)
0
* Number in parentheses show serial number of sample per county.
** Sum of % of A. niger and R. stolonifer greater than 100%, suggesting the presence of both hull rot pathogens in the same fruit.
With a focus on abiotic
stress, diKaP (0-31-50)
improves nitrogen
metabolism that can lead to
reduced incidence of hull rot.
Applying diKaP post
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carbohydrate storage,
improving on next year’s
yield potential and the
grower’s return on
investment
The unusually high levels of hull rot
prompted growers, farm advisors and
PCAs to start submitting to our lab
(Kearney Agricultural Research and
Extension Center in Parlier) an unusually
high number of samples with hull rot and
requesting whether we were dealing with
more fungal pathogens in addition to the
usual mentioned above as the cause of
hull rot.
The suspicions of farm advisors and
growers were proven to be founded. In
diagnosing hull rot, one can examine the
inner surface of the hulls after they have
split and determine the mycelia and sporulation
structures the pathogens develop.
For instance, if there were whitish cottony
mycelia with black peppery structures
giving the appearance of gray cottony
fussy mass, these would be the mycelia
and sporulation of Rhizopus stolonifer
(Figure 1, see left). If there were buff color
sporulation in a defined area (lesion)
internally corresponding to a beige color
lesion on the outside of the hull, this
would suggest infection by the brown rot
pathogen, Monilinia fructicola.
Lately, though, examination of almonds
with hull rot symptoms using a
hand lens and/or a dissecting microspore
in the laboratory showed another type of
sporulation between the hulls and shell.
This sporulation was black and shiny in
color and did not show the gray appearance
that characterized hull rot caused by
Rhizopus stolonifer. This black and shiny
sporulation belongs to Aspergillus niger
(Figure 1, see left), a fungus that is very
common in soils of nut tree orchards. In
fact, analyses of many samples indicated
that, depending on the particular orchard,
there were cases in which samples
had very high levels of A. niger, alone or
in combination with R. stolonifer in the
same fruit (Table 1).
Similar survey results were found in
samples collected in 2016, 2017, 2019 and
some in 2020.
Case #1: Kern County
In December 2014, farm advisor
emeritus for Kern County Mario Viveros
presented a severe case of hull rot associated
also with excessive shoot and branch
dieback that developed unusually large
gum galls. Nuts still hanging on the
trees (stick tights) were taken from four
varieties: Nonpareil, Independence, Fritz
and Monterey. Independence had the
most and Monterey the least “gummy”
nuts at the peduncle. Fritz and Nonpareil
were between the two extremes in
appearance of gummy nuts. Gummy nuts
are the ones that show gum between nut
and peduncle which results in sticktights,
making harvest expensive (shaking trees
twice) and difficult. Arrangements were
made to collect and analyze some of the
Continued on Page 40
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Continued from Page 39
sticktights and also shoots that showed
the discoloration with the large-sized
gum galls (Figure 2A). It was apparent
the infections from the fruit moved via
the peduncle to the spur and then to
last year’s shoot down to older shoots
(Figure 2B). Results of isolation incidence
from those samples are presented
in Table 2.
The results from these first analyses
were very surprising because a
new plant pathogen was isolated from
the fruit, shoots and peduncles. The
pathogen consistently isolated at very
high levels from all of these tissues
and branches was a member of the
fungal family Botryosphaeriaceae, now
called Neoscytalidium dimitiatum. This
fungus was reported with the name
Hendersonula toruloidea in California
in about the middle of the 19 th century
as the cause of a branch wilt disease
of walnut. Taxonomists for some time
changed the name from H. toluloidea
to Nattrassia mangifera, and in recent
years to Neoscytalidium dimitiatum.
As soon as we isolated the fungus, we
inoculated detached fruit and almond
shoots. Following these inoculations,
we inoculated fruit on trees to determine
whether hull rot will develop
leading to spur and shoot killing. All
the detached fruit were infected with
lesion formation three to four days after
inoculation and were covered with dark
greenish sporulation of N. dimitiatum
10 days after inoculation (Figure 2).
Arrangements were made with the
help of PCA Chris Cucuk to visit these
orchards where the mummy nuts and
the shoots with gum galls were collected
in the new growing season (2015). A
visit in July was worthwhile because old
and new severe symptoms were apparent,
and the damage was characterized
as severe. Interestingly, the abundant
nuts with hull rot showed a black
sporulation inside the hulls (Figure
1) that had a greenish hue and looked
very different from the sporulation
of the bread mold fungus or the dark
shiny black sporulation, characteristic
of that caused by Aspergillus niger. Up
to 10 shoots were collected from four
representative trees of each Nonpareil
and Independence that showed severe
Figure 2. Shoot branches collected from the field showing large gum gall (A) and typical
invasion of branch by the pathogen via shoot (B) that was blighted due to hull rot nuts. Fruit
inoculated with Neoscytalidium dimitiatum, four days (C) and 10 days (D) after inoculation.
Figure 2
A
C
Table 2. Fungi recovered from mummy almond fruit and putative infected shoots of four
almond cultivars in 2014 and 2015 in Kern County.
Variety
Nonpareil
Monterey
Fritz
Independence
Fruit, shoot and
peduncle samples
Fruit, shoots, peduncles
Fruit
Fruit, peduncles
Fruit, shoots
symptoms, with the large gum galls
still on the shoots.
The shoots were cut crosswise and
the bark was scraped to reveal the
discolored internal tissues (Figure 2B).
Isolations were performed by cutting
the discolored tissues to pieces of 4 x
5 x 4 mm and cutting the peduncle
in half, and the surface sterilized in
a 10% chlorine (bleach) solution and
plated on acidified potato-dextrose agar
media. Results revealed high levels of
N. dimitiatum from both the peduncles
and the cankered tissues (Table 2).
By scrapping the shoots and branches,
it was apparent that infections from
the nut moved through the spur down
to last year’s shoot and from the shoot
to older wood. The fungus was isolated
from all these cankers, and about four
inches below the lower margin of cankered
tissues (Figure 3, see page 42).
B
D
Neoscytalidium
dimitiatum (%)*
60, 85, 54
* The numbers in the third column represent the incidence of the pathogen of plated tissues shown in the second column, respectively.
40
80, 36
78, 93
Although this was an extreme situation
of very high incidence of infection
of almond fruit with N. dimitiatum, it
became apparent that when inoculum
was abundant in the area and the
almond fruit were at a developmental
stage very susceptible to this pathogen
(early hull split and even earlier stages),
N. dimitiaum can cause hull rot and,
furthermore, can kill spurs and shoots
with devastating results during the
current and next production years.
Case #2: Madera County
In 2019, Phoebe Gordon, UCCE
farm advisor in Madera and Merced
counties, had a grower in Madera
with very severe hull rot in his almond
orchard, and he needed help
to figure out why there was so much
shoot killing (Figure 4). Indeed, a
Continued on Page 42
40 West Coast Nut August 2021

Figure 3
Figure 4. Almonds severely damaged by hull rot caused by
Neoscytalidium dimitiatum in Madera County in July 2019.
Figure 4
Continued from Page 40
Figure 5
visit to the orchard revealed a very high incidence of
blighted shoots with blighted leaves attached to the
killed spurs and shoots. The blighted spurs with the
attached leaves were very similar with the hull rot
symptoms caused by R. stolonifer; however, no characteristic
gray mycelia and sporulation of Rhizopus
were present under the hulls (Figure 5). Instead, there
was white mycelia growing on top of the shell. It was
apparent that the killing (blighting) of the shoots
was advancing from the fruit to peduncle, spurs and
shoots, resulting in blighting of large sections of
shoots. Therefore, samples were collected for isolation
of the fungus occurring in the nuts, and blighted
shoots for dissection, observation and isolation.
Isolations from the nuts showed 56% Neoscytalidium
on its own while of the fruit had Neoscytalidium
and Rhizopus, and a very small percentage (

Neoscytalidium dimidiatum (2-D57)
100
a
a
a
a
Figure 6. Neoscytalidium dimitiatum on a branch of walnut showing
Figure 7
the development of spores (arthrospores) that become airborne upon
the bark peeling of the infected branch (photo by Beth Teviotdale).
V split stage, but the nut pops when squeezed.) The nuts of
spurs in the 10 shoots that were inoculated with either 50
µl or 100 µl of spore inoculum per fruit showed wilting and
blighting of leaves in about one week after inoculation.
Final recording was done 11 days after inoculation when
100% of shoots of inoculated almonds with either 50 or 100
µl/ml of N. dimitiatum were blighted, while the water-inoculated
control had 10% blighted and 90% healthy. Re-isolation
from the infected fruit produced 100% N. dimitiatum,
thus confirming the Koch’s postulates that N. dimitiatum is
the pathogen causing this severe hull rot and shoot blight.
Cutting the shoots longitudinally one could observe the dark
discoloration inside the tissues.
Disease Management
Although no specific studies to control
hull rot caused by N. dimitiatum were
performed yet, at least we know that the
laboratory inhibition studies identified some
fungicides that are very effective and should
be the first choice for trials in the field. These
fungicides included Inspire Super (difenoconazol
+cyprodinil, FRAC 3/9), Quadris
Top (difenoconazole + azoxustrobin, FRAC
3/11), Orbit (propiconazole, FRAC 3), Quash
(metconazole, FRAC3), Luna Experience
(flupyram + tebuconazole, FRAC 3/7), Pristine
(pyraclostrobin+boscalid, FRAC 7/11),
Luna Sensation (fluopyram+ trifloxystobin,
FRAC 7/11) and Merivon (pyraclostrocin +
fluxopyroxad, FRAC 7/11) (Figure 7).
The fungicides Quash, Orbit and Luna
Experience at 10 ppm worked very well in
inhibiting the growth of a second strain of
N. dimitiatum. The triazole fungicides are
also very effective against Aspergillus niger.
Another way to manage hull rot caused
by A. niger and/or R. stolonifer is to avoid
creation of dust during the time the nuts
start the hull splitting process. Both of these
fungi live in the soil, and the creation of dust
brings them in high numbers in the almond
nuts. Furthermore, growers need to be aware
of the diseases N. dimitiatum causes on other
Radial growth (%)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
d
e
b
c
Control
Abound/ 1
Abound/10
Badge / 1
Badge /10
Fontelis/ 1
Fontelis/10
e
k
Inspire Super/ 1
Inspire Super/10
k
Luna Experience/ 1
Luna Experience/10
fg
k
gh
Luna Sensation / 1
Luna Sensation/10
Manzate/ 1
Manzate/10
Merivon/ 1
Merivon/10
Fungicides
Orbit/ 1
Orbit/10
Pristine/ 1
Pristine/10
Quadris Top/ 1
Quadris Top/10
Quash/ 1
Quash/10
Regalia/ 1
Regalia/10
Tebucon/ 1
Tebucon/10
crops (such as branch wilt of walnut, fig limb dieback and
canker, and other wilts and cankers in other trees) and avoid
pruning or disturbing the infected tissues, thus avoiding
spreading airborne spores of this pathogen in almond orchards.
Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel
free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com
ij
b
Figure 7. Radial growth of Neoscytalidium dimitiatum in agar media amended
with fungicides at 1 and 10 ppm. Bars topped with different letters indicate
significant mean differences according to an LSD test at P

WATER BUDGETING AND MANAGEMENT FOR
PISTACHIO IN A DROUGHT YEAR: WHAT ARE
THE OPTIONS?
By TAYLOR CHALSTROM | Assistant Editor
While pistachios are known for their ability to withstand drought, enough water stress can still cause high percentages of
blanks, low shell splitting percentages and reductions in overall yield (photo courtesy Nichols Farms.)
Low precipitation over the last
year in the San Joaquin and Sacramento
Valleys and long-term
drought are forcing pistachio growers to
make tough decisions for their irrigation
management.
While pistachios are known for their
ability to withstand drought, enough
water stress can still cause high percentages
of blanks, low shell splitting
percentages and reductions in overall
yield.
To mitigate these issues, UC experts
recommend pistachio growers employ
water budgeting strategies, monitor
tree water stress levels and implement
drought management techniques, such
as proportional decreases in water
application throughout the season or
regulated deficit irrigation at different
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stages in crop development.
Water Budgeting
Water budgeting, along with soil
moisture monitoring, helps to keep
track of water depletion and eventually
minimize water stress damage to tree
health, growth and nut quality during
normal years and drought. Daniele
Zaccaria, UCCE agricultural water
management specialist, said in a June
2021 UCCE In a Nutshell newsletter
article co-authored by UCCE Farm Advisor
Mae Culumber that a water budget
considers the amount of irrigation
needed to replace water losses from
transpiration by trees and vegetative
cover and evaporation from the soil
surface, known in combination as crop
evapotranspiration (ETc).
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needed when the
actual ETc exceeds
water inputs and soil
moisture storage.
“They [growers]
try to refill the soil
profile every now
and then, and then
they keep showering
a little bit of water to
keep the soil moisture
in the root zone
pretty optimal. This is in a normal year,”
said Zaccaria in an interview. “This
year is not normal. They try to supply
an adequate amount of water in the
most sensitive stages and then reduce
the applications in stages that are less
or not sensitive to water stress.”
Under constrained water supplies
during drought years such as this one,
growers need to be strategic with their
on-farm water allocation, and it has
been shown that regulated deficit irrigation
can result in improved water use
efficiency without significant reduction
in nut yields, according to Isaya Kisekka,
associate professor of agro-hydrology
and irrigation at UC Davis.
In pistachio, multiple UC studies
have found that regulated deficit irrigation
is effective in saving water without
stressing the tree enough to adversely
affect yields at harvest. “[In pistachio],
there are sensitive and less sensitive
stages,” Zaccaria said.
Sensitive stages for pistachio include
shell expansion (Stage I), which occurs
during the first two weeks of May, and
nut fill (Stage III) beginning around
late June, according to Zaccaria and
Culumber. Pistachio trees can be moderately
stressed through deficit irrigation
during the shell hardening (Stage
Continued on Page 46
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II), which occurs from mid-May to late
June, and during postharvest without
adversely impacting the final nut yield.
Zaccaria explained that this is possible
because pistachio yield is already
defined on the tree.
“The yield is defined already in terms
of the number of nuts on the trees, so
it’s a matter of navigating and carrying
that number of nuts up to the harvest
with the largest possible kernel weight
to obtain profitable yield,” he said,
noting that improper deficit irrigation
can lead to blanks, small nuts and/or
dropped nuts.
Soil moisture monitoring also
factors into water budgeting by letting
growers know how much water can
be depleted from the soil before water
stress levels become dangerous as well
as the amount of water infiltrating
the soil root zone during and after an
irrigation. The goal is to maintain water
levels at all times between field capacity
(where irrigation isn’t needed) and
the management allowable depletion,
which is the maximum amount of water
that could be depleted at any given
time without creating water stress
conditions to plants that can adversely
impact vegetative growth and yield (for
nut orchards, the MAD is about 40% to
50% total soil available water.)
Water budgeting also requires
knowledge of a site’s soil characteristics.
Kisekka said that growers should know
the water holding capacity of their soils
by layer. The depth of soil considered
for a water budget changes depending
on the ‘effective rooting depth’, the
portion of soil from which trees extract
most of their water and nutrients. For
pistachios grown with microirrigation,
UC notes this is generally the top three
feet of soil.
Depletion in the top three feet of
soil should be tracked for pistachios
as part of water budgeting. Kisekka
recommends developing a checkbook
spreadsheet to track water inputs (irrigation
in summer months) and outputs
(ET), and soil water sensors can also be
installed to track soil water depletion.
“It is important to note that there is
no sensor that directly measures soil
moisture; they all measure a surrogate
variable (e.g., the permittivity of the
soil) and correlate that to soil moisture,”
Kisekka said.
He said a useful technique could
be to benchmark full and refill points
for the variable the sensor is directly
46 West Coast Nut August 2021

measuring without the need to do the
conversion to soil moisture.
“[In other words], determine the
permittivity value after irrigation or
rainfall to set the full point and do the
same thing to determine the permittivity
value when the soil water is depleted
and irrigation needs to occur,” Kisekka
said.
Zaccaria said that when looking at
soil-water interactions in the orchard,
growers should also be aware of critical
areas where water may move differently
than others due to differences in
soil texture. Paying attention to these
variations, he said, can be beneficial to
accurate water budgeting.
“You can optimize irrigation applications
and probably save a little bit
of water if you adjust the frequency
of water applications to account and
buffer for differences in soil texture [in
critical areas],” Zaccaria said, noting
that placing soil moisture sensors in
critical areas of orchards will help with
optimizing irrigation applications.
In a Nutshell, the range of SWP for
pistachio is between -6.0 and -20.0
bars, with pistachios in moist soil at
field capacity having tree mid-day SWP
values between -9 and -11 bars. Values
more negative than -14 bars point to
moisture stress that reduces growth
and yield; however, UC research suggests
the threshold for stress tolerance
under regulated deficit irrigation may
be between -15 and -18 bars at different
stages of crop development.
Additional information about deficit
irrigation and other mitigation strategies
for drought in pistachio can be
found in the June 2021 In a Nutshell
newsletter for Tulare and Kings counties
at cetulare.ucanr.edu/newsletters/
In_a_Nutshell89801.pdf, and on the
UC Drought Management webpage
at ucmanagedrought.ucdavis.edu/Agriculture/Crop_Irrigation_Strategies/
Pistachios/.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
Plant-Based Farming
Understanding Tree Stress
Irrigating according to a water budget
and soil moisture monitoring does
not provide information about how
orchard trees respond to the applied
water schedule, according to Zaccaria
and Culumber. Older tools (pressure
chambers) and newer tools (cosmic-ray
neutron probes and automated osmometers)
for measuring stem-water
potential (SWP) offer a plant-based
approach to understand if plant stress
is within acceptable levels and when to
trigger irrigation.
Kisekka and other UC researchers
have recently found success with newer
tools for measuring SWP over a broader
area in the orchard. “Our recent research
shows that you can use osmometers
or micro-tensiometers successfully
in some tree crops like almonds,” he
said, noting that the technology is still
being researched in other tree crops
like walnuts and pistachios. “Also,
other technologies that measure soil
moisture of the entire orchard appear
promising, and the orchard level soil
moisture is correlated to SWP.”
SWP is measured in bars of negative
pressure, which is compared to known
values for water stress. According to
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 47

Cover Crops in
Walnut Orchards
Acreage on the rise as growers reap the benefits and
learn to manage the challenges of a planted cover crop.
By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
A
steady rise in intentionally planted cover crops in
walnut orchards has been noted by UCCE Advisor
Emeritus Joe Grant, who now serves as production
research director for the California Walnut Board.
“There has been a steady increase each year of growers
who start, intentionally, to have cover crops in their orchards.”
Grant said. “There has been more promotion of this
practice recently.”
Just allowing a crop of winter weeds to germinate and
grow in the orchard won’t provide equal benefits to a chosen
and planted cover crop. Large weeds can become problematic
by spreading into tree rows.
Young walnut orchards can benefit from a planted cover
crop due to its value as a green manure. A big driver of
increased cover crop use, Grant said, is the goal of improving
water penetration in the orchard. Cover crop decomposition
adds organic matter to the soil, aiding water infiltration
and water holding capacity. Cover crops can help prevent
soil crusting by protecting the soil surface from the impact
of sprinkler droplets and help improve traction and reduce
compaction from machinery used in the orchard, especially
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in the winter.
Depending on the species in the cover crop mix, the
plants can extract nitrogen not taken up by the tree and
convert it to more stable organic forms. Cover crops can
take up excess water from winter rains. Cover crops can also
reduce erosion on slopes and areas subject to flooding and
remove excess soil from winter rains in the spring when it
can increase the risk of soilborne disease problems.
Cover crops can help with dust control, improving soil
structure and protecting soil from wind.
Even with all the promoted benefits of a cover crop in
a walnut orchard, Grant said that establishing fall-planted
cover crops can be challenging and requires pre-planning.
“These cover crops need to be planted right after harvest,
and the later varieties of walnuts like Chandler bump right
up against cover crop planting time,” Grant said.
In mature orchards, lack of sunlight and leaf litter on the
orchard floor can interfere with stand establishment. If the
orchard floor is dry at planting and no rain is in the forecast,
irrigation may be required for germination.
Water use by a cover crop will increase the total orchard
water requirement. In the spring, cover crops deplete stored
soil moisture from winter rains. A UCCE cover crop guide
for walnuts notes that a typical 5,000-pound-per-acre (dry
weight) cool-season green manure cover crop can consume
as much as about 180,000 gallons, or 6.5 acre-inches, of
water.
There is also a risk of spring frost damage to young trees
when a cover crop is grown in the orchard. A bare orchard
floor absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night,
but a cover crop reduces this heat absorption. This risk can
be mitigated by mowing the cover crop well in advance if a
severe frost event is forecast.
Cover crops can also interfere with spring orchard sanitation
and orchard pruning operations. Destroying mummy
nuts on the orchard floor to control navel orangeworm
48 West Coast Nut August 2021

Triticale green manure cover crop in late March. Many walnut growers
report improvements in orchard water infiltration after planting this
cover crop (photo by J. Grant.)
This annual reseeding brome cover crop in a Sacramento Valley walnut
orchard is a system used in non-cultivated orchards (photo by Janine
Hasey, UCCE Emeritus.)
may require mowing the cover crop
and decreasing its ultimate biomass
production.
In orchards with pocket gophers or
voles, cover crops may aid in increasing
their populations as gopher mounds
can become hidden from site and vole
runways can be sheltered.
Population dynamics of three nematode
species that attack walnut, ring
nematode, root knot nematode and
root lesion nematode may be affected
by planting cover crops. Research
shows that nematodes are less active in
cooler months, and mowing or disking
a cover crop by mid-May could limit
their potential for harm. Sampling soil
for nematodes pre-plant can help with
cover crop planting decisions.
Choosing a System
Three cover crop systems have been
used successfully in walnut orchards.
These systems all have potential benefits
as well as drawbacks to consider when
choosing cover crops to meet needs in
different orchard situations.
The first is a winter green manure
crop that usually consists of large-seeded
cereal grains and one or more nitrogen-fixing
legumes. This crop is newly
seeded each year in the fall and mowed
or disked in the spring. This system fits
especially well in cultivated orchards
as the fertility benefits are maximized
with the crop residue incorporated in
the soil. If there is adequate soil moisture
in the fall, this system may not
need additional irrigation for germination
and growth.
Annual reseeding legumes, including
common vetch, subterranean or
crimson clover, bur medic or grasses
(Blando brome) are planted in the fall
and managed during spring and early
Continued on Page 50
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 49

Perennial rye and fescue mix improve orchard access by equipment in winter and reduce dust but require full-coverage or nearly full-coverage irrigation
and at least some direct sunlight during the day in order to persist for multiple years (photo by J. Grant.)
Continued from Page 49
summer for seed production to allow
for reestablishment in the fall. This
system can only be maintained in
non-cultivated orchards. It may also
need irrigation if fall and winter rains
have not provided adequate moisture
for good growth.
Perennial sods include grasses such
as perennial ryegrass and various
fescues and/or legumes. The species
are planted in fall through spring and
mowed to maintain a year-round orchard
floor covering. Irrigation beyond
50 West Coast Nut August 2021

what is needed by trees is needed to
maintain good growth.
Grant said there is an additional
spring-planted cover crop strategy that
includes warm-season species, such
as sudan and cowpea. These species
are helpful in increasing soil organic
matter and improving tilth and water
holding capacity, particularly in sandy
soils. Their main drawback is increased
water use and potential to contribute to
nematode populations.
Planting, Management Strategies
To maximize their benefit, cover
crops should be planted in as wide a
strip as possible.
To maximize efficiency, the width
of the planted strips usually matched
the width of cultivating, seeding and
mowing equipment advised. Planting
with a no-till seed drill helps minimize
disturbance on the orchard floor.
Drilling seed also involves less ground
preparation that broadcast seeding and
is a more precise operation.
Removal of green manure cover
crops is done by disking in cultivated
orchards. A heavy crop can be mowed
prior to disking. Flail or rotary mowers
are used in non-cultivated orchards.
Annual reseeding cover crops should
be mowed to a half inch to one inch
in height to reduce competition from
winter weeds. The grasses in this type
of cover crop do not tolerate the short
mowing as well as the clovers. A second
and final mowing is done in early to
mid-June once seed has fully matured
to ensure satisfactory reestablishment
of the cover crop the following winter.
A successful stand can be reestablished
if half or more of plants in the cover
crop produce mature seed before they
are removed by mowing or disking.
Mowing more frequently delays flowering
and seed development by most annual
reseeding species. Mowed residue
left on the soil surface helps suppress
summer weeds and will decompose by
harvest.
To maximize their benefit, cover
crops should be planted in
as wide a strip as possible.
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 51

A WORD FROM THE BOARD: THE ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
High Moisture Content Delivers
Lower Returns, Greater Damage
Growers can play a significant role in managing
stockpile moisture.
By ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA | Contributing Writer
Sample in windrows to make sure moisture content of the almonds is where it needs to be. Managing wet nuts adds costs, time and stress to
the processor (all photos courtesy Almond Board of California.)
Dave Phippen has been growing
and processing almonds for
decades in the Central Valley, an
experience that has given him a frontrow
seat to many of the challenges
confronting the industry.
And while water shortages, increasing
regulations around pesticide use
and other vexing issues often grab
the headlines, one recurring problem,
which is almost entirely within a grower’s
control, is moisture management
come harvest time.
Delivering almond kernels with a
moisture content greater than 6% to a
huller/sheller or processor can create a
cascading series of difficulties that affect
not only the “wet” nuts but also the
nuts around those with high moisture
content in stockpiles or even in loads
shipped overseas.
“Unfortunately, many times growers
know that their product has high moisture
content and are just looking for
a way to quickly get it out of the field
so that they can move on to address
other orchard management practices,”
said Phippen, a partner at grower and
processor Travaille and Phippen, based
in Manteca. “They tell me, ‘Just put it
in a stockpile. We know the almonds
are not dry enough for good hulling/
shelling.’ But as we dive deeper into
just how moist the nuts are, it becomes
evident that they are well beyond the
critical 6% moisture threshold. At
that point, the blame or loss exposure
“
Growers have to deliver dry product. It
has got to dry in the fields. If you don’t
dry it in the field, a lot of hullers won’t be
able to handle those nuts.
– Brad Craven, Processor
is transferred from the grower to the
huller/sheller.”
Almonds that are too wet when
delivered to processors have a higher
risk of developing aflatoxins created
by Aspergillus spp., the fungal molds
that produce aflatoxins. As with most
molds, the most significant factor in
the growth of Aspergillus is moisture
content.
Aflatoxin is one of the primary reasons
shipments of almonds are rejected
after testing is conducted at ports
overseas.
Nuts whose moisture content is
too high also have a higher incidence
of concealed damage, a condition in
which off-flavors and off-colors are revealed
after roasting. Concealed damage
can significantly impact quality
and reduce grower returns, especially
in years with late harvests and/or early
rains.
“
Wetter nuts also are more susceptible
to having cracked shells embedded
in the kernel during hulling/shelling
process.
Brad Craven, who retired two years
ago after a long career in the processing
industry, said California’s ever-expanding
almond production may be inadvertently
contributing to the problem
of wetter nuts.
“In my last few years, I saw an
increasing trend in growers delivering
wetter nuts,” he said. “With increasing
almond volume throughout the state,
there may not be enough harvesting
capacity to get through that crop before
a rain comes. Growers are starting
to harvest as early as they can to get
things done.”
Importance of Moisture Sampling
The first step to effectively managing
Aspergillus growth and concealed dam-
52 West Coast Nut August 2021

Stockpiles at an almond huller and sheller. Clear tarps allow the greatest temperature
fluctuations, but can be used on dry, in-hull almonds that are well below the moisture
threshold.
age is to ensure moisture content of
the almonds does not exceed allowable
levels. The Almond Board of California
(ABC), based on findings from research
in this area, created the Stockpile
Management Best Practices, which not
only detail the allowable levels but also
educate growers and the broader industry
on how to prevent aflatoxin and
minimize the formation of concealed
damage.
To accurately determine moisture
levels in almonds, it is important to
take a good sample of nuts before
sweeping.
“Most hullers have a moisture check
machine available for grower samples,”
Phippen said. “Growers should make
sure their sample is representative
of the whole orchard, or, even better,
representative of the wettest area in the
orchard.”
Phippen recommended sampling
early in the day to capture the morning
dew that may occur. Research also has
shown that nuts on the north side of
the canopy next to the tree trunk can
have moisture readings as much as 2
percentage points higher than in other
areas of the orchard.
Growers should recognize that there
is variability when drying on the orchard
floor versus drying in windrows.
Sampling should take this variability
into account; within the windrow,
moisture tends to accumulate on the
bottom layers of almonds, so samples
should be taken from that bottom layer.
Understanding Moisture Levels
Once an accurate sample has been
taken, growers should determine the
overall moisture level of their crop.
Before stockpiling, moisture content
for almonds should be below 6% for
in-shell kernel, or less than 9% for total
fruit (in-hull almonds), or less than
12% moisture content for hulls.
As a practical guideline, nuts should
not be stockpiled if either their hull
moisture content exceeds 12% or their
kernel moisture content exceeds 6%.
“A savvy huller/sheller requires a
sample before placing the product into
a stockpile,” Phippen said. “Once the
damp almonds are picked up from
the field and placed into a field hopper,
the problem gets big. That’s why it’s
important for all parties involved to
know, as close as possible, the product’s
true and actual moisture content prior
to picking it up out of the field.”
Phippen also offered this advice to
growers worried about moisture levels
in nuts.
“If you know that you are on the
risky side and picking up anyhow, wait
until later in the day after the morn-
Continued on Page 54
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 53

Continued from Page 53
ing moisture has had a chance to burn off before beginning
pick-up operations,” he said. “Even if the operations need to
continue into the early evening to complete the field, that is
preferable to picking up first thing in the morning.”
Growers who shake nuts from trees too early also run
the risk of higher moisture levels in windrows. Shaking
early also leaves more nuts on trees. Conditioning to remove
debris prior to windrowing will speed up the drying process
and deliver cleaner product to the huller/sheller. Growers are
encouraged to assess their operation and determine if using
a conditioner may work for them.
Managing Stockpiles
When considering where to place stockpiles, it is recommended
that industry members choose an area where the
bottom of the pile is raised or sloped. This encourages any
moisture to drain away from the stockpile, further limiting
mold growth.
The positioning and shape of stockpiles also contributes
to moisture control and helps reduce mold growth. An even,
flat top is best for stockpiles to minimize areas where condensation
can build up on the underside of the tarp, further
limiting the opportunity for moisture.
Finally, stockpiles are best oriented with the long side on
a north-south axis. In cases where the stockpiles are oriented
with a long east-west axis, condensation and mold growth
typically are worse on the north end of the pile.
Tips for Using Tarps
While tarps are a necessary part of the stockpile equation,
they can increase humidity levels among the stockpiled nuts,
heightening the chances of mold growth or concealed damage.
Hullers and shellers are advised to keep these factors in
mind when selecting a tarp to use:
A white-on-black tarp best minimizes temperature
fluctuations, which lead to condensation and eventual mold
growth.
Clear tarps allow the greatest temperature fluctuations,
but can be used on dry, in-hull almonds that are well below
the moisture threshold.
White tarps fall between white-on-black and clear tarps
in terms of temperature fluctuations.
Controlling the relative humidity (rH) in a stockpile is
also critical to maintain food safety; rH greater than 65%
within a stockpile is the maximum allowed for almond
storage. In situations when moisture levels become too high
in a stockpile, hullers/shellers should open up the tarps in
the daytime to allow moisture to escape and then close them
at night. They should also monitor the outside of the piles
where large changes in temperature and condensation can
increase moisture levels.
For more information on how to manage stockpiles, from
tips on what kind of tarp to use and monitoring for pests
to controlling the rH, hullers and shellers should reference
pages 5 and 6 of ABC’s Stockpile Management Best Practices
for Hullers/Shellers (almonds.com/sites/default/files/
grower_stockpile_management_best_practices_from_abc_2014%5B1%5D.pdf).
Don’t Pass the Buck to Processors
Delivering wet nuts to the processor is a headache for
everyone, said Phippen, as it requires added cost, time and
stress to manage wet nuts that may have been fine if they had
a few more days in the field.
“If the product was in a pile that experienced excess
moisture for an extended time, concealed damage is always a
possibility. And, if for some reason the product slipped past
inspection, it could become moldy and fail inspection at the
point of sale,” said Phippen. “What’s more, aflatoxin contamination
is also likely with wet or damp product, and high
aflatoxin levels render product unsalable or in need of costly
further processing. And when aflatoxin rejections do occur
at the ports, this has the potential to damage the reputation
of our whole industry.”
For Craven, the solution is simple.
“Growers have to deliver dry product,” he said. “It has
got to dry in the fields. If you don’t dry it in the field, a lot of
hullers won’t be able to handle those nuts. It’s important to
provide the best product to ensure the greatest, most efficient
outputs across the industry.”
Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel
free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com
54 West Coast Nut August 2021

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Drought Drives
Water Management
Strategies in
California Almonds
By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
‘If drought conditions
and water curtailments
continue,
yields will be reduced
until the second season
after full irrigation
requirements
have been met.’
If normal irrigation scheduling takes place next growing season, it would still take two years of full irrigation to return to
the orchard’s production potential (all photos courtesy Almond Board of California.)
56 West Coast Nut August 2021

Many of California’s almond
growers faced some tough
decisions this year when it came
to water availability for their orchards.
And, it isn’t likely that any two had the
exact same decision to make given the
wide variability in management, growing
regions, soils and water.
“Strategies are radically different
depending on where you are located,”
said Tom Devol,
Almond Board of California’s senior
manager of field outreach and education.
Some growers knew what their
surface deliveries would be and if they
could be stretched across the entire
growing season. Some, who depend
solely on groundwater, lost all water
when wells went dry. Some bought
high-priced water to protect their crop
and others decided to cut losses and let
trees go.
In mid-July, growers who had used
their surface water allotment were
moving to groundwater to finish the
season. Others lost all water availability.
And, in some Modesto-Turlock areas,
growers maintained water supply until
harvest.
Devol said some growers, mostly in
the southern growing areas, anticipated
severe water shortages and pulled out
marginal or older orchards to direct
scarce supplies to better blocks.
“Not a huge volume, and trees come
out normally every year, but this is
more than usual. If they are looking
at the impact of drought this year and
its effect on next year’s crop and it’s a
20-year-old orchard, they made that
decision to pull,” Devol said.
During his travels to different
almond growing areas throughout the
Central Valley, Devol said he observed
orchards on the west side of the valley
that defoliated mid-summer due to
water stress.
Effects on Kernels, Production
The Almond Doctor, former
UCCE Farm Advisor David Doll, in
a 2021 drought update, noted that
water-stressed trees have less energy
for kernel development. This can lead
to reduced kernel size and weight and
increase the percent of shriveled nuts
in the current crop. Next year, due to
current moderate to severe deficits,
yields will be affected. This loss is due
to reduced spur positions from the
Continued on Page 58
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 57

Continued from Page 57
lack of growth and reduced carbohydrate
reserves going into floral bud
development. Less fruit will be set. Nut
weight and size will only be affected
when trees are water stressed again.
Doll said if normal irrigation
scheduling takes place next growing
season, it would still take two years of
full irrigation to return to the orchard’s
production potential. If drought conditions
and water curtailments continue,
yields will be reduced until the second
season after full irrigation requirements
have been met.
Devol said this scenario would
present a challenge to almond growers
across the state as there is no clear answer
or best practice advice as circumstances
vary so greatly.
Growers who know ahead of time
that they will not have enough water
to finish the growing season should, if
they are able, parcel out the water, not
shock the trees by abruptly ending
irrigation.
Irrigation management strategies were radically different depending on location.
“There are some growers who could
not avoid that,” Devol noted.
UC Drought Management recommends
applying water as a proportion
of availability, in order to stretch irrigation
resources.
Doll said that the best strategy when
managing limited water supplies is to
apply the available water as a proportion
of water use. This means that
whatever percentage of water is available,
the orchard should be irrigated at
Continued on Page 60
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Continued from Page 58
In some locations, including Modesto and Turlock, almond growers maintained
water supply until harvest.
that percentage of the crop’s ET for
the entire season.
The effect of water deficits
postharvest will depend on deficits
pre-harvest and the quantity of
water use over the remainder of the
season. Bud differentiation can continue
through mid-September. UC
Drought Management reports that
moderate stress during the postharvest
season will have little effect on
next year’s yields, but severe stress
can reduce fruit set.
Type of irrigation system used
can influence tree response to
postharvest stress. UC Drought
Management guidelines note that
low-volume systems with limited
soil water reserves can result in severe
water deficits soon after irrigation
is cut off. Postharvest irrigation
is necessary in southern San Joaquin
Valley growing areas, especially with
drought-sensitive varieties.
Deep-rooted trees that are
60 West Coast Nut August 2021

flood irrigated may have enough deep
moisture to carry them through bud
differentiation.
Grower Reports
Almond grower Christine Gemperle,
who has orchards in two different
irrigation districts, said previous short
water years helped her learn just how
far to cut back on water while keeping
trees healthy.
Understanding there was not going
to be enough water for one 92-acre
block, she said the decision was made
to only run water in the checks with
good production and let the rest go dry.
That way, she said, kernel quality would
be assured.
tonnage and paying higher prices for
water are the ones who are pulling out
trees, he said.
Chowchilla-area almond grower
Steve Massaro said the limited supply
of surface water ran out early and he
is finishing the irrigation season with
groundwater. His automated orchard
irrigation system is set up for shorter,
more frequent sets, but the trees were
still shorted.
“We’re just squeaking by with water
this year,” Massaro said. The high
mid-summer temperatures added to
the difficulty of retaining soil moisture.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
Postharvest
"
irrigation is
necessary in
southern San
Joaquin Valley
growing areas,
especially with
drought-sensitive
varieties.
A block in the Turlock Irrigation
District (TID) where cover crops are
planted has saved on water use, she said.
Recycled city water delivered by the Del
Puerto Irrigation District has provided
a ‘cushion’ this year.
Almond grower Donny Hicks, who
is also a field representative for Hughson
Nut, said although TID water has
been sufficient this year, he is managing
his water to provide a flood irrigation
postharvest.
Growers who are not getting the
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 61

Balancing
Nutrient
Needs after
Whole
Orchard
Recycling
By MITCH LIES | Contributing Writer
Scientists are finding that applying
five ounces of nitrogen per
almond tree for the first year after
whole orchard recycling (WOR), or two
ounces over commonly recommended
rates for young trees, is sufficient to
overcome the high carbon-to-nitrogen
(C:N) ratio that the practice creates in
soil.
Further, during West Coast Nut’s
virtual Almond Day 2021 presentation
on June 15, Mae Culumber, nut crops
farm advisor for Fresno County, said
researchers are recommending that
growers spoon-feed the nitrogen in
doses of no more than an ounce at a
time and, when possible, sprinkle granular
nitrogen around trees.
The findings show that growers can
resume typical nitrogen application
rates in year two, Culumber said.
Culumber, UCCE Pomology Farm
Advisor for San Joaquin County Brent
Holtz and other researchers have been
refining nitrogen application rate recommendations
after WOR for several
years, essentially since growers started
noticing stunting in some almond
orchards after WOR. Experiments
have involved adding up to three times
the recommended rate for early tree
growth, and then scaling that down.
“We ended up applying 100 pounds
per acre, or nearly 10 ounces per tree,”
Holtz said of one experiment. “That is
where we started working backward
and found that we can get away with
Researchers have found that the size of wood chips can influence persistence of wood decay
inoculum, with the inoculum not recoverable within two months after orchard recycling
in smaller wood chips (all photos courtesy B. Holtz.)
Adding wood chips to soil improves the physical and biological properties in soil that influence
water retention and the permeability of water through soil.
five ounces per tree to get the growth
we want.”
In recent experiments, including in
a trial established at the Kearney Agricultural
Research and Extension Center
in 2019, researchers are actually seeing
better first-year growth in WOR trees
than in trees planted under conventional
conditions, according to Culumber.
“We have other trial sites throughout
the state where, similarly, we are
finding the same or better growth in
whole orchard recycled trees when
we’ve applied that triple-15 granularly
application early on,” Culumber said.
Despite high costs and some preliminary
issues with stunted trees, WOR
has emerged as a viable alternative to
tree removal when replanting almond
orchards. Holtz noted that about 400
growers have recycled about 40,000
acres under the practice to date.
In her Almond Day presentation,
Culumber addressed the most common
questions she gets about WOR: Will the
practice benefit soil? The answer, she
said, is yes.
“We are seeing increased infiltration,
62 West Coast Nut August 2021

increased water-holding capacity and increased microbial
activity in soils from recycled orchards,” she said.
Adding organic matter, such as wood chips, to soil
improves the physical and biological properties in soil that
influence water retention and the permeability of water
through soil, which helps with drainage, aeration and soil
structure. Further, adding organic matter provides a source
of energy for microorganisms to begin decomposition and
produces substrates that act as a sort of glue for soil particles,
giving soil the kind of structure and porosity that scientists
associate with a better environment for tree roots.
“In some research that I’ve done and in trials where we
compared different organic amendments, we saw much
higher levels of microbial activity in plots where we amended
with wood chips compared to control or just fumigated soil,”
she said.
Increased Soil Permeability
She added that researchers are seeing increased permeability
in WOR plots, which allows water to penetrate deeper
into soil, allowing it to reach more of an almond root system.
And researchers have found better moisture retention in
WOR plots. “Coming out of dormancy in a year like this year
where we didn’t get much rain, that can make a big difference,”
Culumber said.
Another question Culumber addressed is whether a
grower should precondition chips with a manure fertilizer
before incorporating them into soil. The question has merit,
she said, given that researchers estimate in a mature recycled
orchard that as much as 45,000 tons of carbon can be added
per acre, and only a small portion of that is nitrogen. Adding
dairy manure can help reduce the imbalance in carbon to
nitrogen, she said.
“Even just adding eight tons of dairy manure, you are going
to really drastically reduce that C:N ratio, maybe as much
as half,” she said. “But as far as adding inorganic fertilizers,
that might be a little more complicated calculation. Applying
large amounts of inorganic fertilizer is not necessarily going
to be beneficial for tree growth.
“Our recommendation is that probably fallowing for one
to two years is going to be the best in promoting that turnover
prior to planting,” she said, “but for a lot of people, we
realize that is not an option.”
The good news here, she said, is researchers are finding a
rapid decline in the C:N ratio under normal irrigation and
fertigation conditions, so bumping up the nitrogen application
rate for the first year should be all that is necessary.
“In some preliminary results from trials, we are finding
that you can return to those normal fertilization guidelines
as soon as the second leaf,” she said.
Culumber added that it is important for growers to come
in early with their first shot of nitrogen. “We recommend doing
that first dose of fertilizer several weeks after the tree put
out leaves,” she said, adding that no more than one ounce at
a time is recommended.
Targeting fertilizer to the root zone of trees through
well-placed granular applications can improve performance,
Culumber said, given that when applied through irrigation
it can be difficult to get nitrogen to the smaller root diameter
of young trees.
Wood Decay
Culumber also addressed the potential for wood decay
diseases to persist in soil under WOR. In addressing this, she
referred to research conducted by UC Davis Plant Pathologist
David Rizzo and graduate student Bob Johnson that measured
the persistence of Ganoderma inoculum over time in a
recycled orchard. At the start, the research showed that 100%
of the Ganoderma pathogen was present in the wood chips.
Seven weeks later, researchers were still recovering about
50% of the inoculum in the largest of the wood chips, but the
inoculum was not recoverable in the smaller sized chips.
“This preliminary evidence suggests that if an orchard
has a history of disease, maybe fallowing for a year or two is
going to be your best bet to ensure you don’t have problems
with it in the future. But to alleviate your concerns about the
disease, the size of the wood chips after grinding are generally
much smaller than the size of the chips where the disease
was still recovered,” Culumber said. “That is just not the size
of wood chips that we are seeing with the screens that are
used on these manure spreaders now.”
Culumber also addressed questions regarding whether
wood chips would interfere with harvest. To address that,
Culumber presented sampling she did last year where she
analyzed material going into a conveyor belt from an orchard
that had undergone WOR. She found that only 2.73%
of debris in the conveyor belt was wood chips, while 91% was
almond hulls and shells.
“We are finding that where people use some of these
compacting tillers, there is good success with prepping that
orchard,” she said. “And harvest doesn’t come until three
years after you’ve planted, so you’ve got a couple of years of
decomposition and settling of some of those wood chips.”
Comments about this article? We want to hear from you. Feel
free to email us at article@jcsmarketinginc.com
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 63

TOP
PESTICIDE VIOLATIONS
OF 2020
By THERESA KIEHN | President and CEO, AgSafe
On an annual basis, the California
Department of Pesticide
Regulation (CDPR) releases their
top 10 pesticide violations of 2020. This
information is incredibly valuable in
determining the agency’s priorities and
where agricultural operations should
direct their efforts. It is no surprise that
the top 10 list over the years has not
fluctuated by much as the industry continues
to struggle with the pain points.
With that being said, this is an excellent
opportunity to assess if your business
is meeting regulatory standards, and
if not, take the time to fix the issues
before CDPR comes knocking at your
door.
FAC §12973 | Labeling and
Permit Conditions
Common violations under FAC
§12973 include:
• Not following the application
requirements listed on the pesticide
product label.
• Applying a pesticide to a site or crop
not listed on the pesticide product
label.
Sept.
16-17, 2021
For the safety of your employees, it is critical that correct PPE is worn and it fits properly
(photo courtesy AgSafe.)
The use of a pesticide shall not
conflict with the registered labeling
delivered with the pesticide, or any
conditions of a restricted material
permit issued by the commissioner.
All pesticides registered with U.S. EPA
have the phrase, “It is a violation of
Federal law to use this product in a
manner inconsistent with its labeling.”
In other words, the label is the law!
3 CCR §6738 | Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE)
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6738 include:
• Not using PPE correctly and for its
intended purpose.
• Using damaged or contaminated
PPE.
The employer is required to provide
all PPE that is required on the pesticide
labeling, regulation and restricted
material permit condition. The employer
must provide for its daily inspection
and cleaning, and repair or replace any
worn, damaged or heavily contaminated
PPE. Additionally, assure that all
PPE not in use is kept separate from
personal clothing and in a clean, pesticide-free
designated area.
3 CCR §6726 | Emergency
Medical Care
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6726 include:
SEE PAGE 64 78-79 FOR MORE West INFORMATION Coast Nut August 2021

'THIS IS AN EXCELLENT
OPPORTUNITY TO AS-
SESS IF YOUR BUSINESS
IS MEETING REGULATO-
RY STANDARDS, AND IF
NOT, TAKE THE TIME TO
FIX THE ISSUES BEFORE
CDPR COMES KNOCK-
ING AT YOUR DOOR.'
• Not taking employees suspected of
a pesticide illness to a medical care
facility IMMEDIATELY.
• Emergency medical care information
is not posted at the work
site or work vehicle, or is missing
information.
If the employer suspects that an
employee could have a pesticide related
illness or exposure, the employee must
be taken to medical care immediately.
Be prepared to provide medical
professionals with the following:
• The SDS(s)
• Product name(s)
• U.S. EPA registration number(s),
and active ingredient(s)
• Circumstances of application or use
that may have resulted in exposure
The information is critical in determining
the proper treatment for your
employees. Ensure this information is
readily available to be provided in an
emergency.
FAC §11732 | Registration in County
Common violation under FAC
§11732 include:
• Performing pest control activities in
a county before registering with the
County Agricultural Commissioner.
• Anyone who intends to advertise,
solicit or operate as a pest control
business in California must be
registered annually with the County
Agricultural Commissioner (CAC)
in each county they provide business
services.
3 CCR §6678 | Service
Container Labeling
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6678 include:
• Not including the signal word on
Continued on Page 66
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 65

Continued from Page 65
the service container label.
• Not including the name of the
company or person responsible for
the container on the label.
• All service containers are required
to contain a label with the following:
• Name and address of the person
or company responsible for the
container.
• The identity of the pesticide in the
container.
• The signal word “Danger,”
“Warning” or “Caution” that
corresponds with the precautionary
statement on the original container.
• Farmers on their own property
are exempt from this requirement,
unless they travel on public
rights-of-way.
The following round out the rest of
the top 10 list.
3 CCR §6734 | Handler
Decontamination Facilities
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6734 include:
• Handlers using wet towelettes in
place of soap and single-use towels.
• Not having a decontamination
site at the mixing and loading site
and within 0.25 miles from other
handlers.
3 CCR §6602 Availability
of Labeling at Use Site
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6602 include:
• Not having a copy of the registered
pesticide labeling covering the use
at the use site of each pesticide
application.
• Not having the special local need
(SLN) section 24(c) labeling when
using the pesticide according to
supplemental instructions.
3 CCR §6761| Hazard
Communication for Fieldworkers
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6761 include:
Not updating medical information
within 24 hours of the change.
Grower not informing employees
of the location of the pesticide use
records before they enter the treated
fields.
3 CCR §6761.1 | Application-
Specific Information
for Fieldworkers
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6761.1 include:
• Not retaining the Application-
Specific Information (ASI) for the
last two years.
• ASI displayed with missing
information (e.g., Restricted Entry
Interval (REI) or active ingredients).
3 CCR §6724 (b-e) |
Handler Training
Common violations under 3 CCR
§6724 (b-e) include:
• Employer not including all pesticides
to be handled in the training.
• Employer not having records of
trainings that occurred within the
last two years.
If you should have specific questions
regarding your pesticide compliance
program, policies or best practices,
please contact the AgSafe team at 209-
526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org.
The information in the top 10 pesticide
violations was provided by the
CDPR. To view the CDPR presentation
in its entirety, please visit cdpr.ca.gov/
docs/license/pdf/pesticide_use_violation_2020.pdf.
AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing
training, education, outreach and tools
in the areas of safety, labor relations,
food safety and human resources for the
food and farming industries. Since 1991,
AgSafe has educated over 85,000 employers,
supervisors and workers about
these critical issues.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
66 West Coast Nut August 2021

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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 67

SOLAR ON
CALIFORNIA
WORKING LANDS:
SHARE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE!
By NICOLE BUCKLEY BIGGS | Ph.D. Candidate,
Stanford School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences
A
team of researchers at Stanford
University is interviewing
farmers and ranchers in the San
Joaquin Valley about the opportunities
and concerns surrounding solar energy
production on their lands. While state
and regional planning studies have
mapped out where solar arrays should
be developed based on transmission
lines and avoiding prime farmland or
wildlife habitat, little research has been
done that captures the perspectives and
priorities of California’s farmers, even
though most solar energy is developed
on privately owned farms and rangeland.
To include the voices of farmers in
the discussion, this Stanford research
team would like to hear your opinions
through a phone interview. They are
interested in understanding what solar
Researchers want to hear from growers about their perspectives on implementing solar on the
farm (photo courtesy UC Davis College of Engineering.)
income could mean for your operation,
what types of solar contracts are
attractive and landowners’ concerns
about solar.
If you are a producer in the San
Joaquin Valley and are willing to
participate in this study, please email
Estefania Acuna Lacarieri (at eacuna@
stanford.edu or by phone at 650-460-
0304) to schedule a time to share your
thoughts. Your contribution to this
work is important and will be kept
confidential.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
68 West Coast Nut August 2021

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Cal/OSHA Readopts Revisions to the COVID-19
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Just as the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be winding
down and the state of California is opening up, the
California Occupational Safety and Health Standards
Board voted on June 17, 2021 to readopt revisions to the
COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards
(ETS) on vaccination availability, removal of physical
distancing requirements and guidance on face coverings to
align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
These revisions take effect immediately by executive orders
signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, which apply to most
workers in California.
70 West Coast Nut August 2021

This ETS process moved fast
and furious through Cal/OSHA’s
rulemaking process. A petition was
filed in May 2020 for an emergency
temporary standard on COVID-19
to protect workers in California.
In July 2020, it was placed on the
Standards Board calendar for review
after several public meetings and
substantial public comments from
employers. Concerns ranged from
Cal/OSHA’s jurisdiction for imposed
requirements to continue benefits to
workers excluded from the workplace
due to COVID-19 related reasons; requirements
of providing COVID-19
testing at no cost to potentially
exposed employees; and the requirements
on employer-provided housing
and transportation to separate beds
by eight feet and require three feet
of separation in employer-provided
vehicles.
During the November 17, 2020
meeting, Cal/OSHA adopted the
emergency temporary rules to
strengthen COVID-19 protections
for workers and it became effective
November 30. These proposed regulations
include a written COVID-19
Prevention Plan (CPP), procedures
for outbreak requirements, procedures
for major outbreak requirements,
employer-provided housing
and employer provided transportation.
As we headed into 2021, the Standards
Board held several meetings
to hear public comments on the proposed
ETS language for re-adoption,
with three public meetings held in
June alone. On June 3, the Standards
Board held a special meeting to vote
on the revised COVID-19 ETS, and
after a long nine-hour meeting, the
Board initially voted to reject any
changes to the current ETS. After the
Board deliberated for over an hour,
they realized that rejecting would
mean the current regulation would
have stayed in effect. Therefore, the
Continued on Page 72
Nothing in the revised ETS prevents an employer from requiring all employees to wear a face
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Employers are to develop and
implement an effective COVID-19
Prevention Program. Be sure your plan
includes these updated revisions.
Board voted to approve the current
ETS regulation requiring masks to
be worn at all times indoors as well
as outdoor less than 6 feet away
from others, employers to provide
and encourage unvaccinated workers
to wear respiratory protection
(N95s).
This meant it was headed to the
OAL for review and approval, to
be effective June 15. But a few days
later, CDPH published guidance on
June 7 to align the face coverings
with the guidance from CDC. Then,
Cal/OSHA submitted additional revisions
to the ETS, and employer groups
continued to ask the Board to consider
changes of the proposed requirements
for employers to provide N95 respirators
for voluntary use to unvaccinated employees
and clarification of the recordkeeping
requirement for vaccination
status. The Board proposed updated
ETS from division staff at the June 17
meeting, and the current ETS has removed
some of the initial requirements.
Below is a summary of the current
requirements:
Vaccines
Employers
may allow fully
vaccinated employees
not to wear
face coverings
indoors, but must
document their
vaccination status.
The revised ETS
does not specify a
particular method
but the employer
must record the
vaccination status
for any employee
not wearing
a face covering
indoors, and this
record must be
kept confidential.
Acceptable options
include:
Employees
provide proof of
vaccination (vaccine
card, image
of vaccine card or
health care document
showing
vaccination status)
and employer
maintains a copy.
Employees provide proof of vaccination.
The employer maintains a record
of the employees who presented proof,
but not the vaccine record itself.
Employees self-attest to vaccination
status and employer maintains a record
of who self-attests.
Nothing in the revised ETS prevents
an employer from requiring all employees
to wear a face covering instead of
having a documentation process.
Face Coverings/Respirators
Employers must provide unvaccinated
employees with approved respirators
for voluntary use when working
indoors or in a vehicle with others,
upon request. Employers may not retaliate
against employees for wearing face
coverings. Exceptions for unvaccinated
persons: When alone in a room or vehicle;
When eating and drinking; When
an accommodation is required; and
When job duties make a face covering
infeasible or create a hazard.
Physical Distancing
Elimination of physical distancing
or barrier requirements regardless of
vaccination status with the following
exceptions:
▶ Employers must continue to assess
workplace hazards and implement
controls to prevent transmission of
the disease. There may be certain
circumstances when physical distancing
and barriers are necessary
in the workplace.
72 West Coast Nut August 2021

▶ Employers must evaluate whether it
is necessary to implement physical
distancing and barriers during an
outbreak (three or more cases in an
exposed group of employees.)
▶ Employers must implement physical
distancing and barriers during
a major outbreak (20 or more
cases in an exposed group of
employees.)
coverings are used during screening by
both screeners and employees who are
not fully vaccinated and, if temperatures
are measured, that non-contact
thermometers are used.
Employers are to develop and
implement an effective COVID-19
Prevention Program. Be sure your plan
includes these updated revisions. Cal/
OSHA will move forward with the formal
rulemaking process for a permanent
regulation.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
▶
Where all employees are vaccinated
in employer-provided
housing and transportation,
employers are exempt from those
regulations.
®
Ventilation
Employers must evaluate ventilation
systems to maximize outdoor
air and increase filtrations efficiency,
and evaluate the use of additional air
cleaning systems.
There are requirements that
remain in place from the November
2020 ETS, and those are: Written
COVID-19 Prevention Plan; Effective
training and instructions on
the employer’s prevention plan and
employee rights under the ETS; Notification
of outbreaks to local public
health departments; Notification
to employees of exposure and close
contacts; Procedures for responding
to COVID-19 cases and outbreaks;
Offer testing after potential exposures;
Implement exclusion pay requirements;
and Employer-provided
housing and transportation prevention
requirements.
In addition, the employer shall
develop and implement a process
for screening employees for and
responding to employees with
COVID-19 symptoms. The employer
may ask employees to evaluate their
own symptoms before reporting
to work. If the employer conducts
screening indoors at the workplace,
the employer shall ensure that face
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Plants are bracing for a tighter labor market and higher labor costs this year (photo courtesy M. Kelley.)
WILL ADEQUATE LABOR ARRIVE FOR
THIS YEAR’S HARVEST?
HANDLERS OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT MANAGING HARVEST
IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET
By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
Hullers and shellers as well as processors of valuement
and manage incoming loads (photo courtesy
Manufacturing Commercial Grade
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Operators of almond and pistachio processing
plants are cautiously optimistic their labor force
will be adequate in August to handle this year’s
crops.
Hullers and shellers as well as processors of value-added
products rely on skilled workers to operate
equipment and manage incoming loads. There are also
numerous unskilled jobs that need to be filled to keep
the plants operating at optimum efficiency.
Even though most COVID-19 restrictions were
lifted in June, the U.S. Department of Labor reported
approximately two million people were still receiving
unemployment benefits in California. The California
Workforce Association reported in June that fewer job
seekers are contacting their office about employment.
As in other industries, nut handlers report challenges
staffing their work force. Some plants are offering
worker bonuses for referrals, competitive pay and other
incentives to attract skilled and unskilled workers this
year.
Labor Challenges
Ali Amin CEO of Primex, detailed some of the
hurdles encountered in processing the 2020 crop and
how the pistachio processor would meet labor needs
this year.
74 West Coast Nut August 2021

added products rely on skilled workers to operate equip-
M. Kelley.)
Some plants are offering worker bonuses for referrals, competitive pay and other incentives to
attract skilled and unskilled workers this year (photo by C. Parsons.)
Primex did have a COVID-19
outbreak in 2020, and the plant had to
reconsider operations quickly to protect
workers, Amin said.
“We are emphasizing education, and
we would like to incentivize all employees
to be vaccinated.”
This year, Amin said, the plant is
bracing for a tighter labor market and
higher labor costs. Primex works with
employment agencies and has relationships
with farm labor contractors to
meet labor needs.
They are reviewing salary ranges to
attract workers, but negotiating higher
salaries for skilled and unskilled workers
will eventually affect the growers’
bottom line.
“We can squeeze our margins, but
eventually it will go to the grower.
Higher nut prices will help this,” Amin
said.
Unskilled labor at Primex does not
always remain unskilled, he added.
Seasonal workers recognized for their
skills and work ethic can become permanent
employees, and Primex strives
for those long-term relationships with
employees.
The reality of a tight labor market
is that the plant operations can be
maintained at 20% below optimal labor
levels, but it can create delays.
“It is a challenge, but it can be done,
“Amin said.
Kirk Squire, grower relations manager
at Tulare-based Horizon Nut, said
labor contractors are reporting that
workers aren’t out there this year.
Since 1969
He said the labor shortage couldn’t
entirely be blamed on the pandemic,
but on continuing struggles with
Continued on Page 76
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August 2021 www.wcngg.com 75

“A lot of talent
is required of
our workers.
Harvest is fastpaced,
and we
can’t just put
anyone on a
machine. If
an operator
doesn’t show
up, we can’t put
just anyone in
their place.”
– Mike Kelley,
CCAGA
Continued from Page 75
drought in the San Joaquin Valley.
Both year-round and seasonal
workers moved away from the
area during the last drought and
haven’t returned, he said. Competition
with other nut processing
plants for labor has increased the
cost of labor, Squire added.
Trucking companies that contract
to deliver nuts to the plants
have also been experiencing a
shortage of drivers. An effort supported
by Western Ag Processors
Association is increasing truck
weight limits, which would cut
down on load numbers and the
need for more drivers.
Looking ahead, Squire said
that automation in many areas of
Horizon’s plants would be needed
to process pistachio crops in the
future as technology improves.
Sorting is the main area in
processing where automation is
becoming more common as the
cost for hand sorting and need for
high labor numbers is on the rise.
“We have been at the tipping
point for years with human versus
automation,” Squire said.
With planned plant expansions
at their three facilities,
Horizon is looking at processing
120 million pounds of pistachios
in the future. Automation can’t
cover all their labor needs and
there will be job opportunities, he
added.
Mike Kelley, president and
CEO of Central California
Almond Growers Association
said he is optimistic that the four
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76 West Coast Nut August 2021

facilities operated by CCAGA will have
the necessary workforce in place for
this year’s harvest.
“We are down now, but optimistic
that numbers will improve in the next
two months,” Kelley said.
With a nod to the multiple-plant
workforce that powered through the
2020 harvest, Kelley thanked the shellermen,
plant operators, stockpile workers,
loader drivers, sanitation and office
staff who kept the plant in operation.
Labor is the biggest operating cost
at the CCAGA plants, the largest huller
and sheller of almonds in the world.
Kelley said labor accounts for around
50% of their operating costs, up from
40% just five years ago.
The plant depends on skilled workers
to operate machinery and manage
stockpiles from August through the
end of the year.
“A lot of talent is required of our
workers. Harvest is fast-paced, and we
can’t just put anyone on a machine. If
an operator doesn’t show up, we can’t
put just anyone in their place.”
Worker safety is a serious issue with
CCAGA, and trained personnel are
needed for machinery operation. Staffing
has to be adequate or the plant can’t
operate, Kelley said.
Butch Coburn, plant manager at
Hughson Nut Inc., said various avenues
to attract workers have been explored.
Hughson Nut operates three value-added
plants and needs a sufficient labor
force to maintain production. In June,
he said they had held job fairs and are
offering workers bonuses if they can
bring in a new employee.
Critical needs are forklift drivers
and machinery operators. Like other
processors, Coburn said that where
possible, they are turning to automation.
As the technology advances, more
nut processors are turning to automation
and not just in the sorting lines,
said Mike Durrant of MPA solutions.
As plant capacities increase, the need
for labor will also increase. Product
quality is also important for processors,
he said.
Durrant noted that automation
in processing plants is not just about
replacing workers with machines or
filling in labor gaps, but it can assist
with providing the data to assist with
management decisions.
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
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• Green and black re-sorting at the huller
• Several width options — 32, 48, 64 or 80in
• Capacity from 5-30 tons/hour
Automated Moisture Monitoring
at the Dryer
All moisture meters are available for use individually
or in conjunction with the WalnutTek sorter.
• Hand-held moisture meter
• Automated moisture meter
• Automated moisture meter with door control
• Automated moisture meter with door control
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530-979-7633
16 Years in Walnuts | 30 Years of Sorting in the Field
August 2021 www.wcngg.com 77

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