BIOS and conventional almond orchard management compared

Bentley, W; Silvers, C; Martin, L; Duncan, R; Hendricks, L; Gibbs, M; Stevenson, M

BIOS and conventional almond orchard management compared

Authors

Walt J. Bentley
Cressida Silvers
Lee Martin
Roger Duncan
Lonnie Hendricks
Marcia Gibbs
Max Stevenson

Authors Affiliations

W.J. Bentley is IPM Entomologist, UC Kearney Agricultural Center; C. Silvers was Lab Assistant, UC Kearney Agricultural Center; L. Martin is Staff Research Assistant, UC Kearney Agricultural Center; R. Duncan is Farm Advisor, Stanislaus County; L. Hendricks is Farm Advisor, Merced County; M. Gibbs was Research and Documentation Coordinator, BIOS, Community Alliance with Family Farmers; M. Stevenson was BIFS Coordinator, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 55(5):12-19. DOI:10.3733/ca.v055n05p12. September 2001.

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Abstract

Conventional almond growers in Merced and Stanislaus counties who use organophosphate, carb-amate and pyrethroid insecticides were compared with participants in the Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) program, who do not use these broad-spectrum insecticides. The results demonstrated consistent but not significantly lower infestation by navel orangeworm and peach twig borer for growers who used broad-spectrum sprays. Infestation by ants resulted in the most consistent difference between the two management practices, with significantly less damage when broad-spectrum sprays were used. The differences in overall pest damage were relatively minor, but the variation was greatest among those not using broad-spectrum sprays. Winter survival of the navel orangeworm parasitoid, Goniozus legneri, and parasitism by this beneficial insect were low in all orchards, sprayed or unsprayed. Winter removal of unharvested almonds to fewer than two per tree reduced navel orangeworm infestations in both treatments. Although many of the almond growers not using organo-phosphate, carbamate or pyrethroid sprays had less damage than some who used these materials, the greater range of damage experienced by these growers may explain why more almond growers prefer to use them annually to combat insect pests.

References

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