|
Walnut
> Year-Round IPM Program > Harvest > Why
Is This Season Important?
Walnut
 Why
Is the Harvest Season Important in an IPM Program?
Nuts are mature when packing tissue has turned brown;
at this point, kernel quality is highest and any delay in harvest
will cause some loss in quality. Harvest the nuts as soon as
shaking on a few test trees removes 80% of the nuts and 95% of
husks are split and easily removable.
After shaking, remove the crop from the orchard and hull as
soon as possible to prevent further infestation of any navel
orangeworm eggs. If harvest is delayed or nuts remain on the
ground too long, the kernels may be damaged by high temperatures,
molds, or navel orangeworms, which readily enter nuts after
the husks have split.
After shaking but before sweeping, look through the nuts and
identify pest damage from the
current season. This sample will tell you which pests are in
your orchard, help you assess the current season’s
pest management strategy, and allow you to plan for next year’s
pest management activities.
|
