June 17, 2020

3 Min Read
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Nut fill and hull split are always exciting times in a growing season. It’s especially rewarding when you can literally see your hard work paying off in healthy trees and great-looking nuts inside the hulls. 

Unfortunately, we are not the only ones who are noticing. While it’s probably not going to look like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock film out there, the bugs that attack our crops are definitely going to be swarming in around this time trying to eat away at our profits.

It’s especially important now, just as we enter hull-split, that you work hard to get these pest pressures under control so they aren’t wreaking havoc on your harvest.

I am seeing some scattered, but serious, pressure from mites out there in our state, especially in our younger orchards or those who had issues with Alternaria in the spring. As we discussed last week, if your orchards reach the threshold for treatment, I’d recommend that you apply Certis USA’s PFR-97® Microbial Insecticide. PFR-97 is an effective tool when used either alone or combined in your tank mix. As a combined miticide and soft-bodied insecticide, PFR-97 penetrates, parasitizes and kills insects and mites by causing death within 24 hours after infection. Those are results that cannot be beat in this critical time.

Don’t forget that PRF-97 is NOP-Compliant and OMRI-Listed so it is flexible enough for all types of production, it also has 4-hour REI, 0-day PHI and is residue exempt.

With harvest fast approaching, it’s more important than ever that you get complete control of ant colonies in your orchards. If you haven’t already been using a bait product, you simply cannot wait any longer.

If you aren’t already, start by surveying for ant colonies. Our friends at UC-IPM have a great cheat sheet that I think can be very helpful in your survey. Once you have a handle on the areas in your orchard floors that need treatment, it’s important that you start right away.

I’m such an advocate for Seduce® Insect Bait that I think I talk about it nearly every column. I just think the efficacy of Seduce is unparalleled when matched with its value and all the many wonderful advantages it offers, like its 4-hour REI, its residue-exemption and its ability to be used in organic and conventional production. 

One thing to remember when you are using Seduce is to make sure you have plenty of water. Seduce, unlike other baits in the class, performs very well under wet conditions where other oil-based baits can mold or rot and become ineffective. If you haven’t had enough rain, make sure to water before an application of Seduce and you’ll unlock its full potential for control.

There’s nothing worse than bait that doesn’t work quick enough or doesn’t last. With Seduce, you won’t have to worry about either because it gets to work quickly and can be effective for up to four weeks. 

With hull-split sprays fast approaching and harvest in our sights, we know that you’ll be using every tool in your belt to finish this growing season out strong. At Certis USA, if we can help you with any of your IPM program issues in this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected]. We are here for you!

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