Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1286027
A L M O N D O R C H A R D 2 0 2 5 G O A L S PEST MANAGEMENT 7 Once the larvae have grown, NOW moths fly and lay eggs three-to-four times per year, and with each new generation (or "flight") their numbers increase exponentially. NOW can be especially troublesome during their second flight, which coincides with hull split, when almonds are particularly vulnerable. That is why it is especially important to conduct winter sanitation after harvest, ideally when fog and rain is present, to significantly reduce NOW populations so that fewer flights can occur throughout the growing season. "Effective mummy shaking has a narrow window. Ideally, you have wetter conditions – fog or light rain in the early morning hours will give the best results as the nuts more easily come off the tree and NOW face higher mortality rates as their desired winter homes fall to the ground and become moist (NOW prefer a dry habitat)," said Hoff. "When the nuts are dry you can still shake, but it won't be nearly as effective. The right timing is everything, and the difference between the right and wrong conditions can cost a grower financially." NOW levels also differ from year to year and across the growing region. "In the north Sacramento Valley, due to NOW, their reject levels were much higher during the 2019/2020 crop year than the Central and South Valley, but the previous year it was the South Valley that had higher numbers. We cannot get lazy and predict that low levels last year will be the same this year," said Machado. The industry cannot rest on its laurels when it comes to combatting NOW. There is always room to improve and to reduce reject levels inflicted by the damage NOW delivers. 20+ years of ABC-funded research The Almond Board of California (ABC) is determined to help growers effectively and efficiently control and reduce NOW levels. In fact, improved NOW management will be vital in helping the industry achieve its Almond Orchard 2025 Goal to increase adoption of environmentally friendly pest management tools by 25% by 2025. For over 20 years, the Almond Board has funded NOW research and reported those findings and recommended practices back to the industry. While the industry has experienced great progress in At the Almond Board's NOW Summit in June 2019, Machado spoke to room full of industry members about the costs associated with NOW damage. "We continue to see the best results from growers who complete thorough winter sanitation as their percentages of insect damage are much lower." — Jonathan Hoff Continued from page 6