Research Library

In 2011, it became clear to Dr. Gary S. Bender that California avocado growers in the county were facing increasing pressure due to rising water prices, periodic drought and California’s dwindling share of water from the California River. For the average California avocado grower in San Diego County producing 5,000 lbs/ac and applying 4 ac ft/year, the set up was fiscally unsustainable unless a substantial increase in yield per acre occurred.

Uniconazole-P is used in ‘Hass’ avocado production to stop vegetative shoot growth at the apex of indeterminate floral shoots to increase fruit set and yield and after pruning to maintain tree size, especially in high-density plantings. Uniconazole-P has the potential to reduce pruning costs, but also to reduce fruit size and increase fruit drop. Depending on crop load, reducing vegetative shoot growth in spring or summer could mitigate or initiate alternate bearing.

There has been a growing interest of organic avocado production following consumer perceived preference for organic crops. Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties are among the top organic avocado producing counties in California. These counties make up 37% of the organic avocado industry in California. The establishment and production costs and profitability analyses have been the fundamental tool that growers and investors use for investment analyses and decisions, conducting business transactions, and risk management strategies.

There has been a growing interest of organic avocado production following consumer perceived preference for organic crops. San Diego and Riverside counties are among the top organic producing counties in California. These counties make up 62% of the organic avocado industry in California. The establishment and production costs and profitability analyses have been the fundamental tool that growers and investors use for investment analyses and decisions, conducting business transactions, and risk management strategies.

There is a growing concern that the fast expanding and globalized competitive world market is causing decline in grower returns and expansion of urban development and environmental regulations causing production cost increases and challenging the viability and sustainability of producing these crops. Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties are among the top avocado producing counties in California. These counties make up 48% of the California avocado industry; grossing over $167 million in 2011.

There is a growing concern that the fast expanding and globalized competitive world market is causing decline in grower returns and expansion of urban development and environmental regulations causing production cost increases and challenging the viability and sustainability of producing these crops. San Diego and Riverside counties are among the top avocado producing counties in California. These counties make up 49% of the California avocado industry; grossing over $268 million in 2011. It has been over 10 years since we developed a cost study for avocados in California.

This research addresses the research priority: “The role of endogenous and exogenous growth regulators in avocado and the evaluation of commercial growth regulators on flowering, fruit set, fruit size, yield and vegetative growth.”

Avocado is one of the most salinity sensitive horticultural crops, but is commonly grown in areas having saline irrigation water (an EC greater than 0.75 dS/m and chloride >100 ppm). Resulting problems associated with high soil salinity and chloride toxicity include reductions in fruit yield and tree size, lowered leaf chlorophyll content, decreased photosynthesis, poor root growth, and leaf scorching (Mickelbart et al., 2007).

Avocado yields are decreased by chloride toxicity and soil salinity throughout California orchards but there is little information on the extent to which different rootstocks can be used to improve tree performance under saline conditions. This research has been aimed at the development of a production function model that can be used to predict the impacts of irrigation water chloride content and salinity (EC) on avocado yields.

Avocado yields are decreased by chloride toxicity and soil salinity throughout California avocado orchards but there is little information on the extent to which different rootstocks can be used to improve tree performance under saline conditions. This research is aimed at the development of a production function model that can be used to predict the impacts of irrigation water chloride content and salinity (EC) on avocado yields.