Walnut scale is a minute insect pest that can, if populations build high enough and kill fruiting wood. It can do this by directly allowing pathogens entry into walnut wood, or by weaking branches, making them more vulnerable to infection. In this episode In this episode, Elizabeth Fichtner discusses the lifecycle of the pest and control options. Note: while walnut scale does appear in almonds, this episode only covers walnuts.

Mention of a pesticide does not constitute a pesticide recommendation, merely the sharing of research results. Consult your PCA and read the pesticide label. The label is law.

The miroirrigation school will be held from October 13-17, find more here.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

A great deal goes into a successful prune crop. In part two or a two-part podcast on prune crop phenology we complete the yearly cycle by talking about summer fruit growth, key financial considerations at harvest, and finishing the season strong in the postharvest period. Luke Milliron assembled an expert panel of UCCE Farm Advisors, Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa), Jaime Ott (UCCE Tehama), and Becky Wheeler-Dykes to talk about each step in prune fruit development from buds to harvest and back-again.

If you missed part one, that’s where we discussed the crop phenology and key management steps from fruit bud development through to fruit thinning. Topics included weather at bloom, the importance of weather the 30 days after bloom, a fruit thinning calculator, and we finished by discussing the exciting new Green Atlas Cartographer ATV that can bring precision agriculture to prune production by mapping fruit load in each tree ahead of shaker thinning in spring.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the San Joaquin Valley: Tuesday August 19: Stone Fruit Roundtable in Dinuba.  

And finally, the 2025 International School on Microirrigation for Crop Production: Class Lectures at UC Davis October 13-15, and field trips October 16-17.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

A great deal goes into a successful prune crop. In part one of a two-part panel, Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa), Jaime Ott (UCCE Tehama), Becky Wheeler-Dykes (UCCE Glenn) and host Luke Milliron (UCCE Butte) talk about the formation of fruit buds all the way through to fruit thinning in spring. Topics include weather at bloom, the importance of weather the 30 days after bloom, and a calculator that helps prune growers shaker thin fruit in order to produce a quality crop. We finish the first part of the yearly prune cycle by discus A great deal going into a successful prune crop. In part one of a two-part panel, Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa), Jaime Ott (UCCE Tehama), Becky Wheeler-Dykes (UCCE Glenn) and host Luke Milliron (UCCE Butte) talk about the formation of fruit buds all the way through to fruit thinning in spring. Topics include weather at bloom, the importance of weather the 30 days after bloom, and a calculator that helps prune growers shaker thin fruit in order to produce a quality crop. We finish the first part of the yearly prune cycle by discussing the exciting new Green Atlas Cartographer ATV that can bring precision agriculture to prune production by mapping fruit load in each tree ahead of shaker thinning in spring. In part two we will complete the yearly cycle by talking about summer fruit development, key financial considerations at harvest, and promoting an excellent return bloom in 2026.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the San Joaquin Valley: Tuesday August 19: Stone Fruit Roundtable in Dinuba.  

And finally, the 2025 International School on Microirrigation for Crop Production: Class Lectures at UC Davis October 13-15, and field trips October 16-17.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

.Oak root fungus (Armillaria root rot) is a devastating disease that can plague orchards generation after generation. Resistant rootstocks is the answer. Roger Duncan (UCCE Advisor Emeritus) discusses early findings in his ORF rootstock trial.

Mention of a pesticide does not constitute a pesticide recommendation, merely the sharing of research results. Consult your PCA and read the pesticide label. The label is law.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the San Joaquin Valley: Tuesday August 19: Stone Fruit Roundtable in Dinuba.  

And finally, the 2025 International School on Microirrigation for Crop Production: Class Lectures at UC Davis October 13-15, and field trips October 16-17.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

Phytophthora isn’t just an early season problem anymore. On this episode of the podcast, Dr. Jim Adaskveg (UC Riverside) talks warm season phytophthora management in almond. You can round out your phytophthora expertise by listening to earlier episodes with Dr. Greg Browne (USDA) covering Phytophthora in almond and walnut orchards, as well as an episode with Dr. Florent Trouillas on aerial phytophthora in almonds.

Mention of a pesticide does not constitute a pesticide recommendation, merely the sharing of research results. Consult your PCA and read the pesticide label. The label is law.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

First Wednesday: Things from the Field – Prune Tree Killers this Wednesday, August 6

Summer Prune Breeding meeting: This Friday (August 7) at 9:30 AM. The meeting will now consist of two stops: 1st Stop: 27606 Walnut Bayou Lane (end of the street) in Winters, CA. 

2nd Stop: UC Davis Wolfskill Experimental Station orchards (Wintu Way, Winters: 38.506855, -121.973882).

In the San Joaquin Valley: Tuesday August 19: Stone Fruit Roundtable in Dinuba.  

And finally, the 2025 International School on Microirrigation for Crop Production: Class Lectures at UC Davis October 13-15, and field trips October 16-17.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

We know pistachios, and we love to eat them. Despite pistachio ice cream being the objectively best way to consume this nut , the majority of pistachios are sold in-shell. Have you ever wondered how those shells split? In this episode, Phoebe sits down with Shuxiao (Susan) Zhang and Georgia Drakakaki, two of the authors of a recently published study on the mechanisms behind pistachio shell splitting. They discuss how the cells of a shell enable splitting, whether kernel size really does impact split percentage, and why Golden Hills has a higher split percentage than Kerman.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

North Sac Valley Groundwater and SGMA is on Tuesday, June 24

Save the date for Prune Research Tour Part 2 on Tuesday, July 15 

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

Johnsongrass can be a tough weed to control. Ryan Hill (UCCE Tehama, Shasta, Glenn) comes on the podcast to update us on the integrated year-round management of this perennial weed in orchards. UC ANR has great resources on distinguishing Johnsongrass and other young summer grass weeds. Johnsongrass identification photos can also be found on the podcast website. ANR also has a great guide to Johnsongrass biology and management.

Connect with a local UCCE weed expert! UC ANR has recently expanded their weed science team across the state. Ryan Hill (UCCE Tehama, Shasta, Glenn), and Clebson Goncalves (UCCE Lake and Mendocino) are based in the north state. In the northern San Joaquin there is Giuliano Galdi (UCCE Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin). In the central and southern San Joaquin there is Jorge Angeles (UCCE Tulare, Fresno, Kings), and Mandeep Riar (UCCE Kern, Tulare, and Kings). These advisors work in concert with statewide Cooperative Extension Specialist Brad Hanson.

Mention of a herbicide does not constitute a pesticide recommendation, merely the sharing of research results. Consult your PCA and read the pesticide label. The label is law.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

North Sac Valley Groundwater and SGMA is on Tuesday, June 24

Save the date for Prune Research Tour Part 2 on Tuesday, July 15 

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

Dr. Pat J. Brown (UC Davis) discusses exciting new clonal rootstocks being developed by a team of UC and USDA researchers. Pat is looking for growers to trial these new clones, in particular K3 an exciting new rootstock that has produced good growth, yield, and very low crown gall. You can contact Pat at [email protected]. Please also CC your local UCCE walnut farm advisor.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

North Sac Valley Groundwater and SGMA is on Tuesday, June 24

Save the date for Prune Research Tour Part 2 on Tuesday, July 15 

In the San Joquin Valley:

The Almond Board of California is hosting a Production Summit on Wednesday, June 18 where you can hear from researchers on advances in almond production research.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

Three PhD entomologists with UC Cooperative Extension: Sudan Gyawaly, Jhalendra Rijal, and Houston Wilson discuss integrated management of the leaffooted and stink bug pest complexes in California nut crops. Be sure to first listen to part I where the three experts discuss phenology and monitoring of these pest complexes.

More information on controlling plant bugs in almonds and pistachios can be found on the UCIPM website; there are separate pages for stink bugs and leaffooted bugs, and in pistachio, small bugs.

Mention of a pesticide does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings. Always follow the label. The label is law. Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

North Sac Valley Groundwater and SGMA is on Tuesday, June 24

Save the date for Prune Research Tour Part 2 on Tuesday, July 15  

In the San Joquin Valley:

The Almond Board of California is hosting a Production Summit on Wednesday, June 18 where you can hear from researchers on advances in almond production research.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.

Three PhD entomologists with UC Cooperative Extension: Sudan Gyawaly, Jhalendra Rijal, and Houston Wilson discuss the phenology and monitoring of the leaffooted and stink bug pest complexes in California nut crops. Including an exciting update from Houston Wilson (UC Riverside) on the trap and lure for leaffooted bug. Stay tuned for part two where the expert panel discusses the integrated management of these pests.

More information on controlling plant bugs in almonds and pistachios can be found on the UCIPM website; there are separate pages for stink bugs and leaffooted bugs, and in pistachio, small bugs.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

In the Sacramento Valley:

Almond Variety Trials: 2025 Field Meeting at CSU, Chico Farm (TAKE-TWO!) is TOMORROW, Wednesday May 28

Prune Research Tour Part 1 is this Thursday, May 29

North Sac Valley Groundwater and SGMA is on Tuesday, June 24

In the San Joquin Valley: The Almond Board of California is hosting a Production Summit on Wednesday, June 18 where you can hear from researchers on advances in almond production research.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Follow us on Twitter! @SacOrchards and @SJVtandv

Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.