Skip to main content
APS Plant Health 2025 Main banner
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
ViewAttendees 2

POSTERS: Chemical and Biopesticide Control I

P-089 - Evaluation of chemical and biological control products for the protection of almond pruning wounds against infection by Ceratocystis destructans

Monday, August 4, 2025
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM HST
Location: Exhibit Hall 3

    Presenting Author(s)

  • RJ

    Rosa E. Jaime

    Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
    Parlier, CA, USA

    • Author(s)

  • TM

    Tawanda E. Maguvu

    Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
    Parlier, California, United States

  • AH

    Alejandro I. Hernandez

    Graduate Student Researcher
    Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
    Parlier, CA, USA

  • ES

    Erin Shipley

    UC Davis
    Parlier, California, United States

  • FT

    Florent P. Trouillas

    Professor
    Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
    Parlier, California, United States

Abstract Text:

Ceratocystis canker of almond, caused by Ceratocystis destructans, is a significant threat to almonds in California. It infects almonds through injuries caused mainly by pruning and mechanical harvesting. Since there is no cure once infection is established, it is crucial to protect pruning wounds and other injuries from infection by C. destructans. There are several chemical and biological products registered for almonds, but their efficacy to control Ceratocystis canker has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to determine the best products to control this disease. The efficacy of seven fungicides tebuconazole/fluopyram, fluopyram/trifloxystrobin, fluxapyroxad/pyraclostrobin, metconazole, propiconazole/azoxystrobin, flutriafol, and thiophanate-methyl, and two biological control products (Trichoderma asperellum ICC 012/T. gamsii ICC 080 and T. atroviride SC1) to protect almond trees from Ceratocystis canker was evaluated in young nonpareil trees at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center from 2022 to 2024. The mean percentage of disease control (MPDC - average reduction of canker size) of the three years of evaluation indicated that the fungicide metconazole had the highest efficacy of control with an MPDC of 75%, followed by propiconazole/azoxystrobin and flutriafol with an MPDC of 66.7%. The rest of fungicides and the biocontrol products had an MPDC below 50%. Our findings indicate that several chemicals can effectively reduce the risk of Ceratocystis canker infection of pruning wounds, giving almond growers options to control this disease.