IN YOUR ORCHARD
Mowing exposes the overwintering larvae to the environment, which aids in the mortality of the pest. Breaking up the mummy nuts exposes the larvae to predators like birds, and the cold winter weather. Without the warmth of a fully intact almond, the larvae will not survive. How do you prepare for a successful destruction of mummy nuts ? It starts with sweeping or blowing the mummy nuts to the center of the row. Winter sweeping also cleans and prepares the orchard floor for a successful application of pre-emergent herbicides. Two benefits from one action. Speed is the most important factor when it comes to mowing mummy nuts. If you are traveling too fast, the flail mower will just spread the mummies back to where they were swept from. You must travel at a slow enough speed that will fully break up the nuts to be successful. The past year has been a difficult one with high input prices. Many may be looking at how to reduce their budget, and some will consider skipping winter sanitation. I hope reading this will help you decide that winter sanitation is a necessity.
Figure 1
As you can see in Figure 1 , just going from a reject level of 2% to 3% you lose an extra $224.16 per acre, even at a price per pound that no one wants to imagine. This loss continues to increase as reject levels rise, so it’s easy to see that it pays to engage in winter sanitation.
In the end, phobias can be managed, and so can Navel Orangeworm. If you prepare, take the necessary steps, and follow through, the fear of this pest will no longer linger in your mind as you harvest next year’s crop. There may be no hope for your fear of heights, though!
Trent Voss Regional Manager Blue Diamond Growers
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ALMOND FACTS
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