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TGS IS IN THE ZONE 1-800-288-8128 • www.tgschmeiser.com Better Root Zone Management from Better Water Penetration With The Schmeiser Orchard Max Aerator Patented Smart-Till tines fracture and open the soil 8” deep with little soil disturbance. Breaks hardened soil for longer irrigation sets and less ponding in the row middles. Delivering water and soil amendments directly to the root zone for Max results. • Maximizes water penetration • Increase irrigation runs • Incorporate soil ammendments • Reduces soil compaction • Fast at 6-8 mph reducing cost/acre Call your dealer for a demo or see the video in action at www.TGSchmeiser.com Mating Disruption Puts Monitoring into Action Josette Lewis, director of Agricultural Affairs for the Almond Board of California, recommends growers work with their PCAs to integrate mating disruption methods into their orchards. Mating disruption interferes with the ability of male NOW moths to find mates. It involves strategically placing “dispensers” throughout the orchard, which flood the air with a pheromone that disrupts the male’s ability to find females and mate, thus delaying or reducing mating and egg deposition. Lewis suggested small growers consider working collaboratively with their neighbors “as the technology works best over 40 acres.” She also said there is incentive funding available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help offset the cost of mating disruption. (For more information on NRCS incentive funding, contact your local NRCS district office.) Beyond NOW’s direct threat to growers’ orchards is its impact on their bottom line. At ABC’s Navel Orangeworm Summit last year, Blue Diamond ’s Director of Member Relations Mel Machado reported that Nonpareil rejections caused by NOW damage are generally below 1.5 percent across the state, but that in 2017 the levels rose to two percent. When total losses are considered, he said, NOW damage at the two percent reject level can cost growers about $450 an acre, which is $4,500 for a 10-acre plot. In comparison, according to Jonathan Hoff of Monte Vista Farming Company, who also spoke at the summit, a NOW control program, including sanitation, sprays and mating disruption and informed by monitoring, costs about $250 per acre — a savings of $2,000 per 10-acre plot when you consider the repercussions of rejected product. To learn more about the costs associated with NOW damage and what you can do to avoid them, check out this presentation 3 from the Navel Orangeworm Summit hosted by the Almond Board of California in June 2019. Article contributed by the Almond Board of California 1 ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/C003/almond- orngwrmeggtrap.pdf 2 www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/ almond/Navel-Orangeworm 3 www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/ content/attachments/How%20much%20 does%20NOW%20damage%20cost_ slides.pdf 31 M A R C H – A P R I L 2 0 2 0