There’s no such thing as “more than you need to know” when it comes to growing almonds. Benefit from the collective knowledge of preeminent experts presenting on these topics to enhance your management skills and your bottom line.
What to Consider: Almond Rootstocks and Almond Varieties Choosing a rootstock and varieties is a long-term orchard decision, and sets the stage for the success of your operation. These sessions will consider what questions you should be asking about rootstocks when planting a new orchard, and what questions you should be asking about varieties — things like orchard performance, self-compatibility and marketability.
Healthy Hives: A Grower’s Role Just as almonds are nutritious for humans, almond pollen is nutritious for the honey bees that are essential to pollinating our orchards. But like humans, bees thrive with a well-balanced diet. Almond growers and others have planted forage to supplement pollinators’ diets, but is it making a difference? Are the bees healthier throughout the year? Attend this session to gain a better understanding of these issues, and learn how you can support bee health during bloom and beyond.
Tree Physiology: How Does an Almond Tree Grow? Understanding how almond trees grow and develop impacts management decisions. Be sure to attend this session to learn more about the following issues: What factors influence tree growth and spur development? What governs root development in almonds and other Prunus species? Are almond trees really dormant during dormancy?
Tree Physiology: Orchard Management of Young Trees Are you new to growing almonds? Did you just replant an orchard? Learn how tree physiology and environmental factors impact the management practices applied to young orchards. Management choices made during orchard development will impact the orchard’s growth and yield over the life of the orchard.
Tree Physiology: Nitrogen Understanding how and when an almond tree uses nitrogen is not only critical for a healthy tree and crop, but also for regulatory considerations. Learn about efficient nitrogen management for almonds and a free tool that can help you meet those regulatory expectations.
Pest Management: What's Current? Representatives from the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation will provide an update on the pesticide regulatory environment. Learn about new research, products and techniques that allow for effective monitoring and management of mites and navel orangeworm. This session will cover these topics from both a northern and a southern valley perspective.
Pest Management: Protecting Blooms and Bees Those involved in crop protection and pollination during almond bloom can directly contribute to honey be health by following Almond Board Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMPs). This session will cover the BMPs as well as the research that provides the basis for the BMP guidelines.
Pest Management: Fine-tuning Spray Efficacy With newer, softer materials available for insect control, ensuring good spray coverage is critical for good efficacy. Recent research findings provide ways to do this while also reducing spray drift. Attend this session to learn how airblast sprayers and applications can be fine-tuned for both efficacy and spray drift, answering the question: What should your ideal spray system look like? Additionally, an interactive discussion will focus on your in-field spray technology wants and needs.
As always, the ever-popular research updates and poster sessions will take place as well. And stay tuned for the next sneak peek of Conference sessions, encompassing topics on almond quality, food safety, regulations, grower economics and marketing activities.
You can register online for the 2016 Almond Conference.
