An Entomologist’s View on Some of the Stressors on the Almond and Pistachio Industry This Season

Joel Siegel is a USDA ARS entomologist based in Parlier, Southeast of Fresno. He speaks about the almond and pistachio industry, and some of the stressors and how it may affect pest control.

“What are the challenges that the industry faces that is different this year is first people are still trying to figure out SGMA and how that applies to their operations, in terms of the water costs. Secondly, in terms of the allocation, which is only 20% for the federal water users, so you're dealing with an increased cost of water” Siegel explained.

“You're dealing with the fact that you'd have a heavy crop. So there's more water demand because the trees are under stress. And what is the ability of the individual orchard to meet that demand, and how quickly can the water get into the ground and into the root zone,” said Siegel.

So with all that going on, what about the pest? “So people really have to be on top of the monitoring

And with navel orange worm, it could blow up any day. “We could get a heat wave and suddenly go from less than 1% to 5% or greater overnight. You know, so it's one of these where people have to be prepared to be nimble. And the only way they can be nimble is through scouting and getting as much of their operation lock in, in advance as they can.