Cultural Management Library

During winter, growers typically prune their trees to control tree size and shape and prompt early fruit development. Another good reason to prune during winter is to minimize branch cankers and stem-end rot. This article details branch canker and stem-end rot pathogens, signs of the diseases, how best manage the diseases and pruning best practices.

Gibberellic acid was approved for use on avocado to increase fruit size and yield. The only material registered for this purpose is ProGibb LV Plus®. This article details best practices for utilizing this foliar spray as well as data from research trials. This data compares ground and aerial application of gibberellic acid.

Avocado branch canker (ABC) is a fungal disease of avocados that occurs on twigs and branches. This piece examines the current ABC situation in California and cultural management recommendations for managing the disease.

The California Avocado Commission planted a trial at Pine Tree Ranch to look at using soil moisture sensors to manage irrigation in avocados and to determine potential water savings that could be achieved compared with traditional calendar-based irrigation scheduling. This article summarizes findings from the first year and what has been learned.