Almond grant page image. Grant page image related to almond research.

Protecting Soil Health & Food Safety in Almond Orchards

Working to AddressAgroecosystems
Working to AddressAgroecosystems

Program Contact

LaKisha Odom
lodom@foundationfar.org

Portrait of Patrick Brown.

Drs. Patrick Brown & Sat Darshan Khalsa

University of California, Davis

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $225,000

Total award amount   $450,000

Location   Davis, CA

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Almond Board of California, Bays Ranch Inc., Muller Berry Farms, Ples Due Family Farms

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

  • Agroecosystems

Addressing Problematic Harvest Techniques

California’s almond industry produces 80% of the world’s almonds and contributes $21 billion to the state’s economy. Currently, growers collect almonds after they fall to the orchard floor. To ensure food safety, however, the ground must be cleared of organic material that would contaminate the fruit. These harvesting techniques require synthetic fertilizers and additional water, creating extra costs for growers and depriving soil of essential nutrients

University of California, Davis researchers are testing mechanical advanced harvesting techniques that catch almonds before they fall, remove the hulls and shells and discard them on the orchard floor. These techniques use the almonds’ hulls and shells as organic matter fertilizer. Using the almond’s organic matter as fertilizer eliminates the need to clear the orchard floor and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and additional water. This advanced harvesting technique can also protect the topsoil, preserve essential nutrients and reduce water use.

Benefits of Mechanical Harvesting Techniques

This research is critical to protecting soil health and scaling up almond production while preserving food safety.

Environmental Benefits

  • Organic matter fertilizer increases soil health and water efficiency.
  • On-site hulling reduces transportation emissions and fuel needs.

Almond Grower Benefits

  • Reduced costs.
  • Organic matter is cheaper than synthetic fertilizer and does not cause topsoil nutrient loss.
  • Lighter fruit weight from on-site hulling lowers transportation costs.
  • Organic matter reduces water needs.
  • The research identifies economic barriers to expanded production.

Consumer Benefits

  • Avoiding almond contamination on the orchard floor prevents food waste and ensures food safety.

Research Details

Researchers are examining advanced harvesting practices that improve soil health and ensure food safety. The research team is testing methods of catching almond fruit in above-ground mechanical frames that do not disturb topsoil and allow growers to use the hulls as fertilizer.

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ID: CA18-SS-0000000260

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