Recent storm damage help from Farm Service Agency

A notice from Laura Westerfeld - Farm Services Agency in Merced County:

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers several different programs to
help producers affected by weather events recover losses. Many of these programs, however, require the producer to be participating in all Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Programs (NAP) and Risk Management Programs (Federal Crop Insurance).

Producers, please contact your local FSA office to report any crop or orchard damage caused by the recent storms. You will be asked to complete a report of acreage and fill out a Notice of Loss. We will share this information with the Agriculture Commissioners Office so that they may request a disaster declaration if warranted.

The Tree Assistance Program (TAP): TAP is for trees that are producing an edible crop - not nursery operations. Producers who lose or must rehabilitate trees damaged by disaster conditions (excessive wind) can be reimbursed 70 percent of the cost of replanting the trees and 50 percent of the cost to remove the damaged trees and limbs from their orchard. To be eligible the producer must have had a total loss greater than 15 percent over normal mortality. The State Office will set normal mortality, but my guess it will be one or two percent. Another requirement is that you must have all of their crops of economic significance covered by either the 50/55 level of crop insurance or NAP. This excludes socially disadvantaged, or a beginning or limited resource farmer.

If you had a problem, please call your local FSA office to set up an appointment. Before you go, 1)set up your farm records (proof of ownership/leases on all land they have an interest in) 2)do a report of acreage, and 3)submit a notice of loss. Due to the fact that FSA does not have any real procedure on how they will take these applications, please take pictures and document the cost associated with removing the damaged plant and replanting of a new tree.

Northern San Joaquin Valley Almond Day

I just wanted to send a quick "Thank You" to all of you who attended the Northern San Joaquin Valley Almond Day meeting today. Roger and I were pleased with the attendance, speakers, and quality of questions and post-talk discussions. With out your attendance, these meetings would not be a success! We had over 260 attendees!

I was very impressed with Roger Duncan's (UCCE Stanislaus) report on his trials with various growth supplements. Spending three years to work through some of these products to determine their value in almond production must have been quite tedious. Scott Johnson (UC Pomology Specialist) did an excellent job presenting his work on zinc applications for trees planted on nemaguard rootstocks. I covered this topic in a previous article.

Frank Zalom's (UC Davis, Entomologist) work regarding the area-wide USDA NOW project and how softer chemistries can be used for May Spray control of PTB and NOW was Interesting. I am sure it will be covered in a future blog.

Bruce Lampinen's (UC Davis, Specialist) work on determining excessive soil moisture is taking one step closer to answering the lower limb dieback problem. Last but not least, Blake Sandon (UCCE Kern) covered the basics of irrigation scheduling.

I will eventually post my talk regarding peach-almond hybrid's and their tolerance to salt. Until then, the slide shows should be available within a few days at Stanislaus County Extension Webpage.

Enjoy!

Early bud break of almonds

A farm call last week in the Livingston area brought up some nice discussion regarding early bud break of trees. All of the growers varieties had buds that appeared to be "pushing." Most notable were trees within the Sonora variety. As seen in figures 1 -3, varied bud stages were present, including green tip through the popcorn stage (For more information, please see the article The Seasonal Patterns of Almond Production). Seeing this, the grower was having concerns about the possibility of an early bloom.
Figure 1: Almond buds beginning to break showing "green tips."

Figure 2: Early bud break of a Sonora tree with the blossom in the "Popcorn" stage.

I doubt that we will have an exceptionally early bloom. Conversations with long time growers and consultants have indicated that this "pre-bloom bloom" can occur with early varieties. It has also been observed that tree buds will swell quickly, appear that they are going to bloom, only to remain dormant for several more weeks. I would guess that we are still looking at a mid to late February bloom. Remember to south San Joaquin Valley growers: you guys are always a week or so ahead of central San Joaquin valley.

Please let me know if you are all seeing/thinking something different.

Since we are on the topic of bloom, lets consider a few things that affect bloom timing.
Chill hours: Required chill hours have been accumulated. Across the valley, the minimal hours observed have been around 700 - almonds need 500-600. Broadly, chill hours are the tree's self protecting mechanism that requires it to be exposed to enough hours of cold weather (<45 degree F) in order to prevent it from blooming at the wrong time. If these hours are not met, poor bloom, deformed leaves, and lack of growth will occur. Since the required hours are lower than many other tree crops, very rarely does this occur. Once chill hours are met, the break of almond dormancy is often delayed by soil and air temperatures, as well as the photoperiod.

As growers, we can not directly change the temperatures and amount of sunlight/darkness in which trees are exposed. We can, however, use some farming practices to change the "micro-climate" of the orchard. It has been observed that blocks that have been sprayed with dormant oil or calcium nitrate tend to push a few days earlier than untreated blocks. Shooting from the hip, I would guess that dormant oil increases the boundary layer temperature of the tree, making it "feel" warmer than actual ambient air temperature. So, if chill hours have been accumulated, and the nights are short enough, the tree would bloom since it is now warm enough.

Even though calcium nitrate gives a similar affect on bloom timing, I would suspect that it works in a different way. Even though I am not 100% sure, I would guess that calcium nitrate increases the amount of solutes within the tree's cells, triggering cell expansion through changing the osmotic potential, and thus triggering the tree to bloom by causing the required hormone imbalance. It is possible that dormant oil may do something similar, but I dont know (and I cant find a resource quick enough to answer my own questions)- so please let me know if it does.

Another way we can change the "micro-climate" is by increasing soil temperature. Often, orchards that are irrigated in the dormant season to refill the soil profile often bloom earlier than those that have a unfilled soil profile. This affect is most likely due to the slight warming affect that moisture brings to the soil. Typically we expect winter rains to refill our soil profile, but this does not always happen - the 2007/8 and 2008/9 winters are good examples. In years where we are short on rain, a pre-irrigation can help push the trees to bloom.

I hope this provides some insight for the upcoming season.

Almond Price Update from Hilltop Ranch

Almond Update

Posted on January 12th, 2010

Today the Almond Board of California reported:
December 2009 shipments were 147.4 million lbs. - a new record
- 57.5% above December 2008 shipments of 93.6 million
- Domestic shipments were up 22% and exports were up 72%

The market has continued very firm with prices rising throughout the past month.

SHIPMENTS/DEMAND:

This is a remarkable shipment figure for December and brings shipments for the season to 719 million vs. 603 last season, up 19%. Shipments to China have already exceeded 100 million lbs., up over 100%. As this is a price sensitive market, and now the largest export market for almonds, there is a lot of interest to see how Chinese consumption looks in a 3-4 months, once Chinese consumers begin to feel the impact of current prices in California and we have seen how their Chinese New Year holiday sales went.

THE 2009 CROP:

Crop receipts as of December 31 were 1.327 billion lbs. We now anticipate that the total crop receipts will surpass the 1.35 billion lb. estimate and perhaps even reach the neighborhood of 1.375 to 1.4 billion lbs.

OUTLOOK:

Prices have increased .50 to 1.00/lb. since the beginning of the season depending on the variety and size. Pricing for small Cals is up .70/lb. just since October. As we have not yet seen the impact of the drastic price increase on consumption, it’s very difficult to access the long-term outlook. The outlook for the next month looks very bullish. With the strong shipments and buying interest seen lately, sellers are now hoping for an excellent bloom and large 2010 crop to help continue to feed demand.

Courtesy of Paul Ewing, Hilltop Ranch.

New pesticides are effective on Peach Twig borer in early sprays

Author: Franz Niederholzer, UC Farm Advisor Sutter-Yuba Counties

Peach twig borers (PTB) are a key pest of almonds. Nuts damaged by PTB are preferred feeding sites of navel orangeworm (NOW). At a recent almond IPM meeting in the San Joaquin Valley, a leading independent PCA told the audience that a good NOW program included PTB control. Talk with your PCA and review reject sheets and moth traps to decide if PTB control is needed in your orchard.

Dormant, delayed dormant, or bloom sprays, with the proper pesticide, give effective PTB control when applied properly (every-row spraying and proper sprayer speed). Other effective timings include a spring or summer spray(s) timed using moth trapping data and degree days.

Recently registered pesticides give excellent PTB control in research by Dr. Frank Zalom, UC Davis Entomology Department, in the Sutter/Yuba region (see table below). These materials are less toxic to operators and wild life, especially those that live in water. Consider these new materials as part of a PTB control program in your orchards. Organo-phosphate pesticides (Lorsban, diazinon, etc.) and pyrethroids (Asana, Warrior, Brigade, Baythroid, Mustang, etc.) are very effective on PTB, but can harm fish and other life in local streams if the pesticide moves to the water in drift or water runoff from rain or irrigation. Including a new pesticide in your PTB program in dormant to bloom also helps avoid pest resistance to organo-phosphates and/or pyrethroids.

Organic Weed Control in Almond Orchards

Weed control within organic blocks is more critical than in conventional blocks. Weedy orchards can compete for the high value organically certified nutrients, decreasing yields and/or increasing fertilizer input costs. Organic weed control methods are also not as effective and more costly than conventionally available materials. Therefore it is important for growers to use multiple strategies to reduce weeds to a level that is economically acceptable. This entry will focus on several methods available for organic almond production weed control. These methods may also be useful in conventional orchards that have multiple areas of herbicide resistant weeds.

Mulches: Plastic or fabric mulches block light, preventing weed germination or growth. These materials are often placed in the row strip before planting. Upon planting, a hole is made at the planting location so that the tree can be planted. Placing the mulches post planting can also be done. These materials control most weeds effectively while they are still intact. Materials do degrade over time due to UV light and temperature. Weed seeds that land on top of the mulches can germinate and grow. These types of materials are expensive ($250-$300 treated acre) and post-use disposal can be problematic since they are currently are not able to be recycled. Organic mulches (straw, newspaper, wood chips) can be used for early season weed management, but often interfere with harvesting practices. Organic mulches are most effective when they are at least four inches thick. Use on non-bearing age trees may be feasible. Remember, these mulches MUST be organically certified to be used.

Cultivation: This is the most widely used organic weed control method. Cultivation uproots and buries weeds. This tends to work better on smaller, shallow rooted weeds. Deep cultivation is not advisable since it can damage tree roots. Usually, a mix of a tractor mounted cultivator with some hand weeding is used. Semi-recent research suggests that tillage during the night may increase the effectiveness. Growers need to be careful about irrigation lines when using this practice.

Mowing: This falls under a similar category as cultivation. Many growers mow in between the rows and trees, doing a relatively thorough job in weed management. Before harvest they often spend a little extra time to hand weed missed weed patches to ensure a thorough/efficient harvest. Irrigation lines often interfere with cross-mowing. Also, care should be taken so that the tractor operator does not damage the tree.

Organically Approved Herbicides: Varying in effectiveness, these herbicides usually contain naturally found plant based oils. Applied at high concentration, these oils will kill anything that is green due to their ability to damage the plant's cuticle and epidermal cells. Good coverage is essential and most appear to be safe if accidentally sprayed on the trunk. Weed size is also critical when using herbicides. Studies have shown that most available products provide adequate control of weeds up to 2 inches in height. Results were less satisfactory on larger weeds. Organic herbicides tend to be expensive and will need multiple applications - just like any other method. Effectiveness may be increased by the addition of surfactants and efficient application methods.

Water Management: Buried drip tape can place water within the tree's root zone, but yet out of reach of weed roots. As the season progresses, the climate of the central valley will dry out and kill most weeds, eliminating the need for other control methods. This method is highly effective in reducing unwanted vegetation and helps increase water use efficiency. However, the use of buried drip tape does have some drawbacks. These include plugged emitters, vertebrate pest damage, and lack of water movement within the soil profile. It is important to note that other irrigation systems that reduce the available water to weeds will also provide some level of control.

Flame/Steam Weeding: Propane fueled burners provide an effective way for weed control. Brief intense heat (130 degrees F) ruptures cell walls by causing the cell sap to expand. Weeds must have less than two true leaves for the greatest efficiency. Grasses tend to be more difficult to control since the growing point is underground. Efficiency can be improved by burner placement, heat source, flaming angle, flaming pattern, and flaming length. These vary by manufacturer. Efficiency is increased by flaming in calm conditions. Care must be used to prevent tree damage and reduce the risk of fires. Generally, this method tends to be very effective, but the required equipment can be costly and may be subject to air quality mandates. Steam can also be used to generate a similar affect as the burners, but this is newer technology, (currently) tends to be less effective than flaming, and can be more expensive.


Please let me know if you have any questions/comments/concerns regarding the outlined methods - or if I missed a potential method!

Information used was based off of W. Thomas Lanini's 2009 Weed Short course article, "Organic Weed Management."

Almond Price History- Recent and Long Term

I came across these graphs on Hilltop Ranch's website:

Recent Almond Price:

(Sourced from: http://www.hilltopranch.com/2009/11/recent-almond-price-history/)

Long Term Pricing:

(Sourced from: http://www.hilltopranch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/long-term-price-history1.jpg)

Just in case:
NPS 23/25 - Nonpareil Shelled, 23-25 almonds/ounce;
CALSSR 27/30 - California Standard Sheller Run, 27-30 almonds/ounce;
STD UNSIZED - Standard Unsized.

Thanks Paul!

Use of Preemergent Herbicides in Almond Orchards

Preemergents can be an effective tool in orchard weed management. When properly timed and applied, weed pressures can be significantly reduced during the early growing season. There are around 12 different herbicides registered for preemergent use in almonds. They all differ in their rates, weed control spectrum, application methods, and time to incorporation. Kurt Hembree, Advisor in Fresno County has developed updated selectivity charts that will aid in the selection of an herbicide. They can be found here. Pages 1 - 3 address the use of preemergents.

Preemergent can provide a long lasting control of escaped weed and herbicide resistant weeds such as hairy fleabane, horseweed, and yellow nutsedge. Row strip applications made in the winter/early spring months can provide control for 3-4 months without the heavy use of a post-emergent herbicide. This often reduces the number of applications of post-emergent herbicides saving time, chemical costs, fuel, and wear and tear on equipment. It is not uncommon for growers to reduce their applications of "burndowns" by 50% or more when using a preemergent.

Comments have been made regarding preemergents as "soil sterilants." Pre-emergents do not sterilize the soil and many are broken down by the soil microbial community. It is important to note, however, that they are not without environmental impacts. Before using an herbicide, ask about its volatility, water solubility, soil mobility, toxicities to bees, birds, fish, and aquatic insects, and ability to contaminate groundwater. Not all of the preemergents are the same, while newer preemergent chemistries tend to be less hazardous to the environment than older chemistries. Keep in mind that newer chemistries will cost more than older, out of patent, chemistries. Questions regarding environmental and use regulations should be addressed with your local ag commissioner as restrictions vary by county.

A reasonable "first time" preemergent application could look like:

flumioxazin (Chateau - 12 oz) + pendimethalin (Prowl H20- 5 pts) + a post emergent to burn down weeds

- OR -

rimsulfuron (Matrix - 4 oz) + pendimethalin (Prowl H20- 5 pts) + a post emergent to burn down weeds.

Please note that this is not an endorsement for any of the trade names listed, nor does the ommision of of specific trade names reflect the view of the author. Refer to your local chemical dealer or manufacturer for specific herbicide products available.