Year-Round IPM Program Pages
This year-round IPM program covers the major pests of avocados in California. Details on carrying out each practice, example monitoring forms, and information on additional pests can be found in the Avocado Pest Management Guidelines. Track your progress through the year with this annual checklist form. Color photo identification pages and example monitoring forms can be found at forms and photo ID pages.
About Harvest
What should you be doing during this time?
Mow or manage weeds that may interfere with harvesting. Reduce vegetation cover in cooler areas to reduce chance of frost damage to lower leaves.
Check preharvest intervals for all products used.
Use pruning and other cultural practices to minimize anthracnose and branch canker diseases in groves as well as postharvest fruit and stem-end rots.
Size pick fruit. Thin clustered fruit and prune to reduce protected sites, thereby culturally controlling greenhouse thrips, leafrollers, loopers, and mealybugs:
- Thin by selectively harvesting only larger fruit, which increases market price to the grower.
Educate and supervise workers regarding fruit handling Best Management Practices (BMP), Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and food safety.
Inspect fruit quality before bins are moved from the picking site to identify grove areas where management practices need improvement.
Take steps to prevent fruit contamination and theft.