By John Wood, Certis Biologicals Regional Manager
We are thick in the middle of hull-split sprays here in California as almond growers are putting in one-final push to protect their pre-harvest crops.
Hull-split sprays are common practice, with many of you doing not only one, but two and three different applications over the course of this final growing month. Aggressive control practices are imperative for clearing out pests and diseases that have access to nut meat when the protective hull starts to break.
It’s no secret that the increased rainfall that has bogged our growing season has opened the door to many problems for us this year. Because of that, I’m seeing hull-split sprays going into orchards this month that include an insecticide, a miticide, and a fungicide. We have to hit harder and with a bigger stick this year compared to seasons in the past.
I’m a long-time advocate for Double Nickel™ and I’ll happily sing its praises again for its potency in hull-split sprays. Double Nickel’s multiple modes of action are effective in controlling diseases such as bacteria canker and brown rot with no residual issues. Applying Double Nickel™ as a contact product in combination with conventional residual chemistry delivers the one-two punch you need in this critical control time.
Some growers in our area are also seeing increased mite pressure, with some cases so severe that they had to start treating before hull-split sprays. Others are simply treating during hull-split sprays to limit the damage done pre-harvest. Trilogy®, a neem-derived miticide, is a great addition to knock out mite infestations before they become a harvest problem.
There are many advantages to incorporating Double Nickel™, Trilogy® and other Certis Biologicals biopesticide products into your hull-split sprays. When you need to hit hard and increase pressure on everything your crops are facing in the homestretch, it’s crucial that you have products that play nice on a team. The last thing you need in this critical time is your chemistries working against each other. Many of our products can be tank-mixed or rotated with conventional chemistries to increase potency, making them just the team-player you need in the clutch.
Combine the short re-entry intervals available on most Certis products with even shorter pre-harvest intervals and you have the quick and effective action you need during hull-split.
It’s important to note, too, that many of our products are approved for use in organic production, which increases the flexibility for growers who are growing certified organic products.
Control is top of mind for all almond growers right now during hull-split, the critical time when your crops are most vulnerable to pressure from pests and diseases. Talk with your PCA today about incorporating a Certis Biologicals product into your hull-split sprays so you can maximize the punch and go into harvest free from diseases and pests.
This series is part of a partnership with Tree Nut Farm Press. You can read the original here.
