California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Milk Advisory Board Introduces “Day Can Wait” Creative Focused on Dairy for Breakfast

    The contrast between the pull of distractions that start in the early mornings with the satisfying and calming elements of enjoying California dairy for breakfast are brought to life in two new creative explorations in the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB) Enter the Golden State campaign debuting this week. The :30 Day Can Wait segments – titled Video Conference and Emails – focus on the importance of taking a moment with family for breakfast, with California dairy, before the hustle, bustle (and technology) of the day begins.

    Produced by Deutsch LA, the spots graphically showcase the digital distractions that often start in the early mornings, from email notifications to ringing phones and video calls, compared with the satisfying and calming elements of enjoying California dairy for breakfast.
     
    “Despite breakfast being the most important meal of the day, it often gets lost in the rush of morning and all of our pending commitments. With more people working remotely, recent findings showcase that breakfast is back. With dairy at the heart of many breakfast items, Real California Milk continues to help families make mornings mean more with California milk and dairy foods,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB.
     
    The ads, which debuted this week on digital and social, will roll out on regional television in November.  They are part of an overall focus on the value of California dairy at breakfast that kicked off during June Dairy Month with the #MorningsMeanMore social media campaign where family and lifestyle influencers posted content showcasing the positive aspects of stay-at-home orders, including time in the mornings to spend breakfast together. 
    During August and September, a back-to-school “Mornings Mean More” retail flashpoint was conducted with fluid milk in the spotlight. The California promotion included digital and in-store value offers, elevated product placement and promotion on key e-commerce and retailer websites, and targeted email communication for shoppers at Walmart, Smart & Final, Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods co. A “Holiday Mornings Mean More” retail flashpoint and social campaign in November/December will bring the message home with families celebrating time together and special family recipes at breakfast.
    California is the nation’s leading milk producer. It also produces more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with milk from the state’s dairy farm families.
    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board
    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

  • Looking To 2021, All Dairy Farmers Should Sign Up for DMC, NMPF Says

    With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis teaching hard lessons on risk management throughout agriculture, and with dairy margins expected to be volatile over the next year, the National Milk Producers Federation is urging farmers to sign up for maximum 2021 coverage under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dairy Margin Coverage program. DMC signup begins today.

    “The DMC emphatically proved its worth this year, as payouts rapidly reacted to unprecedented price plunges and protected farmers exactly when they most needed help,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Coronavirus-related volatility in dairy markets is expected to continue well into 2021, with DMC payments a possibility. That makes it essential that farmers include DMC coverage in the robust risk-management plans they will need to ensure financial stability.”

    DMC, the main risk-protection tool for dairy farmers enacted in the 2018 Farm Bill, is designed to promote stable revenues and protect against financial catastrophe on some or all of a farmer’s milk. Despite forecasts in late 2019 predicting that DMC assistance wouldn’t be needed by farmers in 2020, margins instead fell to their lowest levels in more than a decade in the first half of this year, triggering payments that undoubtedly kept many participating dairies afloat. And unlike difficult-to-predict federal disaster assistance that’s provided via specific legislation or administrative action, DMC coverage offers certainty in times of need, allowing for better financial planning and faster payment when necessary.

    DMC also offers:

    • Affordable higher coverage levels that permit all dairy producers to insure margins up to $9.50/cwt. on their Tier 1 (first five million pounds) production history. Recent margin trends in reference to that $9.50 threshold is included in the graphic below.
    • Affordable $5.00 coverage that offers meaningful catastrophic coverage for farms of all sizes.

    NMPF has a resource page on its website with more information about the DMC. 

  • U.S. Dairy Exports Show Sustained Growth to Top Global Markets

    Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, issued the following statement today on the August 2020 agricultural export data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Trade System:

    “U.S. dairy exports are posting positive gains in value and volume to markets around the world and are keeping pace with other animal product exports. U.S. dairy exports are up in 8 of our top 10 export markets by both value and volume over the same period in 2019. In August, U.S. dairy exports resumed their strong pace from earlier this year, increasing 14% by value since January over the same period last year. This sustained growth puts U.S. dairy exports this year more than $600 million ahead of the same period last year, with primary gains by value appearing in China, Canada, Vietnam, and Australia.

    “Meanwhile, volume is 12% higher over the same period last year with four of the top five markets showing growth over 2019, led by increased sales to China, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

    “IDFA and its members continue to see the value of new trade agreements. In markets where an agreement was recently completed, U.S. dairy exports have generally increased over the same period in 2019. For instance, exports of milk powder, whey, and natural milk proteins to China have all increased in August, pointing to accelerating purchases of U.S. agricultural goods by China under the Phase One trade agreement. Overall, U.S. dairy exports to China by volume have already exceeded the entirety of our dairy exports to China in 2019, while the value of U.S. dairy exports to China should soon surpass 2019 levels.

    “Similar to the growth we saw earlier in the summer, we also continue to see sustained expansion of U.S. dairy exports to Southeast Asia. While milk powders, lactose, and whey maintain their strong presence, cheeses are showing marked growth to Southeast Asia in the August data, in some cases growing twice as much or more as previous months.

    “Year to date, we are on track to break $6 billion in U.S. dairy exports this year. Volatility and uncertainty remain a factor in the dairy market and trade, but IDFA remains optimistic that with continued demand for dairy around the world, especially in Southeast Asia and China, this year will end on a high note. It’s an exciting time to be part of the U.S. dairy industry and IDFA and its members stand at the ready to take advantage of these global opportunities.”

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $159 billion in wages and $620 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent 90 percent of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.

  • The Value of Honey Bees in Self-Pollinating Almonds

    A foraging honey bee approaches an almond blossom.

    Almond growers have a lot of inputs to consider to produce their crop. They must balance the cost of labor, pest management, water, and bees for pollination.  Those costs are not fixed year-after-year, especially renting the bees. The fact is the cost of colony rentals for pollination has steadily increased, and remained, at a premium. And almond acreage is projected to outpace the number of available colonies sometime in the next decade. Growers take these factors very seriously and it is not surprising that self-pollinating almond varieties have been a hot topic lately.

    “Bearing acres of almonds (trees old enough to produce fruit) are typically stocked with 2 colonies per acre of trees. If the trends of the last five years continue (a ~20% increase in acreage and a ~1% increase in honey bee colonies), pollination demand in almonds could exceed the supply of honey bees in the next five years.” Chart and caption are excerpted from The Bee Health Collective.

    Data shows that interest in self-pollinating varieties of almonds has translated into acres planted. ‘Independence’ almonds, in particular, are a proprietary varietal that now represents a noticeable chunk of new orchards over the last decade. Growers reported planting 3,155 acres of Independence almonds in 2019, which is about 15% of the total of new acres planted across all varieties. 

    This chart was created using data reported in the NASS 2019 Almond Acreage Report and shows the acres Independence almonds planted compared to the total new acres of all varieties planted (conventional and otherwise).

    Adapted from the Tuono variety Spain, self-pollinating trees have been modified for use in the U.S. where pollinator reliant almonds are most common. Pollinator reliant almonds are “self-incompatible” meaning that at least two varieties must be present to provide pollen for each other. Typically, the honey bee is brought in to transfer pollen from one row of trees to another, pollinating the trees and increasing nut set. 
     
    Even though Independence almonds do not require honey bees, research published in the journal Nature earlier this year demonstrated that honey bees are beneficial in those orchards, increasing fruit sets by 60% and kernel yield by 20%. This is an interesting finding as growers and beekeepers continue to work together towards a successful crop year after year. 
     
    All stakeholders are concerned that honey bee health challenges, and more recently declines in native pollinators,  will impact the availability of insects to pollinate almonds in the future. To continually meet this demand beekeepers have made adjustments to their yearly routines, adapting new technology to improve colony survival over the winter, and provide the high-quality colonies most useful for pollination in Almonds in February. One example of this is the increasing practice of indoor storage during the winter.
     
    Growers are stepping up to support pollinators as well. By planting forage in the form of cover crops, habitat plots, or hedgerows which provide food for bees, has been shown to increase colony size. A larger, healthier, colony will be able to supply more foragers to pollinate the trees more efficiently (foragers raised in a pollen abundant setting communicate better). Forage plantings can also improve soil quality and volume, prevent erosion, and break up compacted soil.  

    The Seeds for Bees® program mustard mix is growing between rows of almond trees. The mustard mix is planted in the fall and begins to bloom in plenty of time to feed the honey bees that are beginning to arrive in the area for the almond bloom. In addition to mustard varieties, this mix also contains canola (a honey bee favorite) and daikon radish which grows down and breaks tough soils.

    The takeaway is this: healthy and abundant pollinators, native or managed, can increase production for all types of almonds. Beekeepers and growers continue to work together to plan for the coming years. Increasing forage is an especially effective tool that can be put into place now. PAm has made forage an integral part of our organization, through acres planted and research, to support beekeepers and growers at the crucial interface of almond pollination. — By Grace Kunkel, Project Apis m.

  • American Pistachio Growers’ 2021 Conference Cancelled

    American Pistachio Growers — After thoughtful deliberations, the American Pistachio Growers (APG) Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 Annual Conference that was set to take place March 1 – 3, 2021 in Monterey, California. While we will miss seeing everyone in 2021, the health and safety of our members, attendees, speakers, staff and partners are our top priorities. The Board of Directors wants our members to have an annual conference that will match the same level of excitement, education and community that we’ve enjoyed in years past.

    The APG staff and Membership Services Committee are currently planning for an outstanding conference in March 2022 at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California. From the attendees to the presenters, exhibitors and sponsors who share their time, expertise, collaboration and leadership, we deeply appreciate your contributions to the pistachio industry.

  • Orchard Sanitation is key to a Quality Almond Crop

    Navel orangeworm (NOW) is the key pest of almonds, causing more income loss due to reject nuts than any other pest. Pesticide sprays, alone, cannot control this pest. A combination of several specific practices has been proven to reduce NOW damage and limit loss of grower income. These practices are winter sanitation, timely harvest and pesticide sprays (where needed). Mating disruption is an additional option that is seeing increasing adoption. The first of these practices on the orchard calendar is sanitation.

    Navel orangeworm find food and shelter in unharvested (“mummy”) nuts through the winter and spring, making those mummies a bridge of trouble from one year to the next in your orchard. Multiple research studies show that NOW damage increases with increasing mummy counts the previous winter. Destroying mummy nuts is the first step towards a cleaner crop and improved grower returns through quality incentives from processors. The goal of orchard sanitation is to turn that “NOW bridge” from a four-lane highway (no sanitation at all) into a narrow footbridge.

    Orchard sanitation is practiced by removing mummy nuts from the trees by February 1 and destroying (flail mow or disc) all nuts on the orchard floor no later than March 1st. In light of the expected reduced nut price for the 2020 crop, some growers may consider eliminating this key step in NOW management to “save money”. This is a risky move. The Sacramento Valley 2021 crop has a good chance to be lighter than the record 2020 crop resulting in 1) fewer nuts/tree and so higher % damage even if NOW populations stay the same and 2) larger nuts, on average, with the potential for poor shell seal and greater risk of NOW damage. Don’t play Navel Orangeworm Russian Roulette with your next crop. Sanitize.

    The following steps are needed for effective orchard sanitation:

      Before January 15, scout an orchard and count mummy nuts in 20 trees per acre. Include all varieties in this count.

      If average number of mummy nuts/tree exceeds 2, sanitation is recommended. The <2 mummies per tree target was developed in the early 1980’s, when industry average NOW damage was around 3.5%, much higher than today’s range of 1.3%. In the high pressure area of the southern San Joaquin Valley, the recommendation is to limit mummies to 1 per 5 trees (0.2 nuts/tree) and 8 or fewer mummies on the ground per Nonpareil tree, based on research from in 2003-2006 in Kern County. However, in 2019, northern California had higher % rejects level than the “high pressure” south San Joaquin Valley. Simply put, the fewer mummy nuts in an orchard, the lower NOW pressure at the start of the season.

      To sanitize, shake trees to remove nuts by January 31. Shaking can remove flower buds as they begin to swell and gain weight in late January/early February. Unless it is an early bloom season and buds begin to swell ahead of normal timing, shaking can be done into early February without reducing yield. Some buds are removed by shaking in early February, but since only 25% flower set = good commercial crop, some bud loss does not mean less crop at harvest. Some growers hand poll after shaking if too many nuts remain.

      Sweep downed nuts into windrows and mow or disc by March 1. Mow slowly (2 MPH) and check for intact nuts after mowing. If some nuts remain intact, mow again. NOW can survive if the nut is intact.

    Final thought. NOW overwinter in almond, walnut and pistachio mummies. NOW are also strong flyers, traveling at least a quarter of a mile to lay eggs. If you sanitize, but your neighbor(s) don’t, your orchard is at risk from NOW damage due to mated female moths, ready to lay eggs, flying over from the neighbors. Talk with your neighbors about sanitizing all orchards in the area and removing seedling “wild” almonds along fence lines as these can harbor NOW, too. — By Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa & Sutter/Yuba Counties

  • After a Hard-Working Harvest, Trees Need Water to Remain Healthy

    Almond Board of California — Growers have a lot to think about leading up to and during harvest – prepping the orchard floor, timing the first shake in relation to hull split and achieving optimum moisture content during drying are just a few of the many important factors growers will consider from July to October.

    Even as this season’s bounty is being harvested, the foundation for next year’s crop is already being developed through fruiting-bud differentiation. The period from July to October, in normal years, is when floral buds develop and the next year’s crop yield potential is set. The principle is simple: more buds = likely more flowers = likely more almonds. 

    Many factors can affect crop yield, such as pollination, weather, and nutrient management decisions. But this year, especially, with a record projected crop on the way, one key practice growers should implement to maximize yield potential is optimized post-harvest irrigation. Because growers typically stop irrigating in the weeks leading up to harvest, their trees can be rather dried out come late September and early October.

    “The sooner you can get water back on your trees, the more you’ll be able to support tree health,” said Sebastian Saa, Ph.D., associate director for Agricultural Research at the Almond Board of California (ABC). “We know next year’s buds already are on the tree – water reduces the stress on the tree and therefore allows those buds to further develop.”

    One way for growers to think of post-harvest and late-season irrigation is that they are “paying it forward” for next year’s crop. During this critical time, trees’ water needs are significant and severe water stress can drastically affect bloom, fruit set and yield.

    Saa said growers who have self-compatible varieties may have more flexibility when it comes to post-harvest irrigation. Because there will only be one harvest per block in self-compatible orchard configurations, growers will not necessarily need to wait for the harvest of the pollinizer to irrigate again. Similarly, Saa also said that off-ground harvest (catching the nuts and drying them outside of the orchard) or semi-off ground harvest (catching them and re-allocating them to the middle of the row) also may provide flexibility when it comes to post-harvest irrigation.

    One key resource available to help growers better understand irrigation management – both post-harvest and year-round – is ABC’s     Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum. This resource, developed by the Almond Board in partnership with many trusted and respected technical experts, provides a wide-ranging look at a grower’s site-specific irrigation system with the goal of improved efficiency and effectiveness. In the Continuum, growers and irrigation experts will find a step-by-step explanation of irrigation management and scheduling practices related to the following concepts:

    • measuring irrigation system performance and efficiency,
    • estimating orchard water requirements based on evapotranspiration,
    • determining applied water,
    • evaluating soil moisture, and
    • evaluating plant water status.

    Tom Devol, ABC’s senior manager of Field Outreach and Education, is available to help almond growers reach their goals of increased water efficiency. Devol and his team can meet growers in-person for in-orchard consultations to discuss irrigation systems, address challenges, and share ABC’s print and online irrigation tools. To schedule your own irrigation consultation, email Devol at tdevol@almondboard.com or call (530) 570-5558.

    More post-harvest irrigation information
    More information about the impacts of water stress on fruit bud development in relation to growing regions and varieties is available in the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources publication 8515, “Drought Tips: Drought Management for California Almonds,” found at Almonds.com.

  • Soil Compacted Post-Harvest? Look to Cover Crops

    Almond Board of California — For the third year in a row, Chris Rishwain is preparing to plant cover crops in the windrows of his 150-acre almond orchard near Manteca. Although his original intent was to provide forage for honey bees during pollination, Rishwain has discovered multiple additional benefits to cover crops, one of the most impactful being the positive effect they have on compacted soil.

    “Soil compaction has been a problem for us,” Rishwain explained. “My goal to reduce soil compaction is aimed at helping improve the orchard’s water retention, allowing the roots of our trees to penetrate deeper in the soil to obtain water and minerals, and also to allow for better soil aeration, which supports the microbes in the soil.”

    Like many other almond growers, Rishwain just completed harvest, a time when shakers, sweepers, tractors and other heavy equipment can contribute to pre-existing issues of soil compaction in orchards up and down the Central Valley. Compaction also can be a greater problem in soils that have more silt.

    Soil compaction – coupled with other contributing factors – can negatively affect tree development and subsequent tree productivity. While there is work that can be done to prevent or decrease the severity of soil compaction before trees are planted in an orchard, once an orchard is established those options become more limited. That’s where cover crops can help.

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) continues to fund research into the impacts of cover crops. Much of that scientific work has been conducted by a team led by Amélie Gaudin, Ph.D., an associate professor of agroecology in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, as well as researchers from UC Riverside.

    Seed money available to growers

    One of the most enthusiastic promoters of cover crops in California is Project Apis m., which has managed the popular Seeds for Bees program for many years. Seeds for Bees encourages the use of cover crops to increase the density, diversity and duration of pollinator forage in California agriculture, while also improving soil health.

    “The seed mixes available through Seeds for Bees are designed to bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active,” said Billy Synk, the organization’s director of pollination programs.

    Through the Almond Board’s Bee+ Scholarship Program, 100 almond growers can receive up to $2,000 each in FREE cover crop seed through the Seeds for Bees program. Funding provided by ABC’s Bee+ Scholarship will allow growers to plant an estimated 3,500 acres of quality pollinator forage statewide – that’s in addition to the cover crop seed Project Apis m. typically distributes directly to almond growers through their Seeds for Bees program each year. Applications are being accepted now, so growers are encouraged to visit Almonds.com/Pollinationto learn more.

    Rishwain started participating in the Seeds for Bees program two years ago. He planted Project Apis m.’s Soil Builder mix, which includes brassicas, legumes and grains. In addition to the cover crops’ positive impact on honey bees, he also likes this mix because of its combination of shallow hair-like roots that help prevent erosion in addition to strong tap roots that grow deep into the soil, breaking up compacted areas.

    “I will use this mix again this coming year. I liked how it has a diversity of species that can improve soil health in our orchard in many different ways,” said Rishwain, adding that the experts from Seeds for Bees make choosing the right seed mix easy for any orchard situation.

    Synk said the most popular Seeds for Bees seeds mix that growers typically use to deal with compacted soils is the Mustard mix, which includes canola, white mustard, two kinds of yellow mustard and Diakon radish.  He also said 75% of Seeds for Bees participants list breaking up compacted soils as one of their primary reasons to plant cover crops.

    Similarly, Gaudin’s research shows that a mixture higher in legumes (such as clover and vetch) can boost nitrogen levels in the soil; conversely, grasses can help reduce nitrogen losses, decrease compaction and improve water infiltration.

    Typically, cover crops are planted in the fall – after harvest – and sprout naturally following the first rain of the new crop year. Their flowers provide additional forage for honey bees when almond trees are in bloom and their roots add organic material to the soil. The cover crops are then typically mowed down in late spring so orchard floors can be readied for harvest later in the year. Rishwain also uses a conditioner before harvest to filter out organic debris.

    Josette Lewis, Ph.D. , the Chief Scientific Officer for the Almond Board, said the organization expects to publish a practical guide on best management practices for cover crops at the start of 2021. In the meantime, growers are encouraged to participate in the Almond Board’s Bee+ Scholarship and visit the Seeds for Bees website to learn more about the benefits of planting cover crops in or near their orchards.

  • CA Milk Advisory Board Launches California Dairy Innovation Center

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the marketing order representing California dairy producers, today announced the development of the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC), a collaborative effort to further product-oriented innovation and enhance productivity for California dairy. The CDIC will feed dairy innovation efforts for the number one dairy state with collaborations between California dairy producers, processors, and universities.

    “The ‘center’ is not a physical building or organization, but rather a cooperative effort to leverage the tremendous brain trust of our California colleges and universities as well as the California dairy industry as a whole to support our mutual goals,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB.

    The CMAB is currently in the recruitment process for a CDIC Director who will unite industry professionals to meet innovation goals, while providing vital leadership for the California dairy industry. The Director role will also include coordinating pre-competitive research projects, as well as educational trainings to meet these goals. The Director will be a point of contact for researchers, educators, and business development representatives, as well as for processors interested in innovation efforts. This position will also serve as an advocate for the dairy community by promoting innovation, product development, and workforce support; in addition to implementing competitive advantages for the dairy industry.

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer. It also produces more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with sustainably produced milk from the state’s dairy farm families.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

  • Evaluating Biological Fungicides Against Fruit Rot in Strawberry

    Several crown, fruit, and foliar diseases cause significant yield losses to strawberry.  Gray mold or Botrytis fruit rot caused by Botrytis cinerea, mucor fruit rot by Mucor spp., and Rhizopus fruit rot by Rhizopus spp. are common fungal diseases in California.  Botrytis cinerea is more prevalent and damaging fungus among these pathogens warranting regular fungicidal applications.  Fungal spores survive in plant debris and soil and infection can occur before flower initiation.  Both flowers and fruits are subjected to infection.  Severely infected flowers fail to develop into fruits.  Infection on developing or ripe fruit occurs as brown lesions, usually under calyxes.  Infected areas rot and become dry and leathery under dry conditions or produce a thick, gray mat of spores under cool, moist conditions.

    Mucor spp. invade the fruit through ruptured skin and cause leaky fruit rot.  Under high humidity, profuse fungal growth of white, tough filaments with black spore-bearing structures is seen covering the fruit.  In the case of Rhizopus fruit rot, discolored, water-soaked spots develop on fruit eventually leading to wilting.  Similar to the Mucor fruit rot, Rhizopus rot also leads to leaky fruits and development of black spore-bearing structures on white mycelia under high humidity.  Both pathogens survive in dead and decaying plant material and can persist in the field.

    In a fall-planted conventional strawberry, growers usually make 12 or more fungicidal applications during a four-month period to control Botrytis and other fruit rots.  Although fungicides with different modes of action are present and growers try to rotate them, fungicide resistance in B. cinerea is common and effective integrated disease strategies are necessary.  Using biostimulants that might improve plant’s ability to withstand diseases and alternating chemicals with biological fungicides could be some options to mitigate chemical fungicide resistance.  Previous studies looked at the response of fruit diseases to various treatments that received biological soil amendments (Dara, 2020a), soil fungicides (Dara, 2020b), or chemical and biological fungicides (Dara, 2019).  This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of some biological fungicides along with a chemical fungicide primarily against Botrytis fruit rot.

    Methodology

    This study was conducted at a research strawberry field at the Shafter Research Station.  Strawberry cultivar San Andreas was planted on 31 October 2019.  Other than regular irrigation and fertigation, plants in this study were not treated with any agricultural inputs for agronomic or pest management purposes.  Treatments included i) untreated control, ii) Elevate 50 WDG (fenhexamid) at 8 oz/ac, iii) Serifel (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) at 8 oz/ac, iv) ProBlad Verde (Banda de Lupinus albus doce – BLAD, a polypeptide from sweet lupine) at 36 fl oz with Cinnerate (cinnamon oil) at 0.25% followed by ProBlad Verde at 36, 43, and 43 fl oz/ac on subsequent applications, and v) ProBlad Verde at 36 fl oz with Cinnerate at 0.25% followed by three subsequent applications of ProBlad Verde at 32 fl oz/ac.  Each treatment had a 3.2′ wide and 14′ long plot with two rows of plants and replicated four times in a randomized complete block design.  Treatments were applied using a CO2-pressurized backpack sprayer using a 45 gpa spray volume on 26 March, 2, 10, and 20 April 2020.  Flowers and fruits were removed from all the plants before the first application.  Fruit was harvested on 14 and 27 April and 2 and 10 May and stored in vented plastic containers for postharvest quality assessment.  The severity of Botrytis and other fruit rots was recorded 3 and 5 days after harvest on a scale of  0 to 4 where 0=no disease, 1=1-25% fruit with fungal infection, 2=26-50% infection, 3=51-75%, and 4=76-100%.  Compared to Botrytis fruit rot, other rots occurred as mixed infections at different times and it was not possible to accurately measure them separately.  Data presented in this study primarily represent Botrytis fruit rot with other fruit rots included on some data sets.  Data were subjected to analysis of variance using Statistix software to compare disease severity for individual harvest dates and their average.

    Results

    Fruit rots occurred from low to moderate levels during the observation period.  Disease severity followed the usual trend with higher levels 5 days after harvest compared to 3 days after harvest.  Compared to untreated control, disease severity was numerically lower in some treatments especially 3 days after harvest, but differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05) when individual harvest dates or their average were considered.  The average disease severity from four harvests was 0.25 in Elevate and Serifel, 0.50 in ProBlad Verde low rate with Cinnerate, and 0.81 in ProBlad Verde high rate with Cinnerate treatment and untreated control 3 days after harvest.  The average disease severity was 1.13 for Serifel, 1.19 for Elevate and the low rate of ProBlad Verde with Cinnerate, 1.81 for the high rate of ProBlad Verde with Cinnerate, and 2.0 for untreated control 5 days after harvest.  Although statistically significant differences could not be found among treatments, this study indicates the potential of non-chemical alternatives and warrants additional studies for further investigation. -By Surendra Dara