Almond Board of California to invest in sustainable farming of almonds

Almond Board of California (ABC) in the US has announced a $4.7m investment in 82 projects to explore the potential of new farming and sustainability practices to develop almond production.

The research will also be funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) 2016 Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) programme, and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Programme (SWEEP).

The investment is aimed at improving irrigation efficiency and air quality, as well as protecting honey bees that pollinate almond crop.

The sustainable almond farming uses economically viable production practices that are based upon scientific research, therefore resulting in nutritious and safe food product, ABC stated.

Almond Board CEO Richard Waycott said: "By continually investing in research, we challenge ourselves to do more and continue to pave the way for almonds to be an economically, environmentally and social responsible crop for California."

Funding from the SCBG programme will be shared among tenprojects for almond operations covered under farm definition, data-driven block-level yield prediction for seasonal nitrogen fertilisation strategies in almond orchards across the state, and development of versatile Phytophthora-resistant almond and walnut rootstocks using host-induced gene silencing.

Under the SWEEP, a total of 528 agricultural projects worth $55.7m have been selected to receive funding to invest in irrigation systems and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save water.

The funding will support conversion from traditional flood irrigation to water-saving microirrigation systems and installation of soil moisture sensors and in-field weather stations that provide important information for determining when irrigation is needed.

The almond growers will also use sand filters that keep irrigation systems at a constant pressure and flush particles that can cause blockages and inefficiency.

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Image: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers install sensors in a Stanislaus County almond orchard to better understand its groundwater recharge potential. Photo: courtesy of Almond Board of California.