At the California Association of Pest Control Advisors (CAPCA) Annual Conference in Reno, NV, Almond Board of California (ABC) Pest Research Manager Dr. Lauren Fann took the stage to discuss one of the industry’s most timely topics: biological pest management. Fann outlined both the scientific potential and the practical realities of using biological products — products derived from naturally occurring organisms or substances — to manage disease and pest pressure in almond orchards.
Evolving Pressures, Emerging Opportunities
California produces roughly 80 percent of the world’s almonds, and with that comes global scrutiny. Tightening international regulations on pesticide residues, shifting hazard-based criteria in export markets, and the gradual loss of long-trusted chemistries have all put pressure on growers to diversify their pest-control options.
“We’re seeing increasing constraints on conventional tools,” Fann explained. “Biologicals offer an opportunity, not as a silver bullet, but as part of a broader, integrated pest management strategy that can help sustain the tools we still have.”
Building Confidence Through Research
Recognizing both the promise and the skepticism surrounding biopesticides, ABC launched a multi-year initiative to evaluate commercially available biological products in almonds. The goal: generate credible, transparent data that helps growers and PCAs make confident decisions.
“We knew there was a confidence gap,” Fann said. “Many growers have tried biologicals with mixed results. Sometimes that’s due to limited technical support, unclear instructions, or storage and application challenges. Our goal is to understand how these products perform under real-world conditions and to share that data openly.”
ABC’s biological project is designed to mirror how products would actually be used in the field. All trials are conducted by independent research organizations across multiple growing regions to capture environmental variation. Companies submit registered products for consideration, agree to data transparency, and provide the material for testing, while ABC funds the application and data collection.
Trial Design and Preliminary Findings
The first two years of trials included both small-plot high-pressure disease trials and large-scale field trials at commercial orchards. Four biofungicides were compared with two conventional fungicides and an untreated control, focusing on brown rot and other key blossom-time diseases.
“All of the biologicals showed some level of activity,” Fann reported. “They didn’t outperform conventional products under heavy disease pressure, but they demonstrated measurable efficacy. That’s encouraging and it tells us we’re working with products that can contribute as part of a program.”
The results helped refine ABC’s next phase of work. Trials in 2025 will zero in on bloom-time applications, exploring program-based strategies that rotate or tank-mix biological and conventional products to maintain efficacy and resistance management.
Laying the Groundwork for Practical Adoption
Beyond performance data, the project is helping ABC and its research partners understand the nuances of working with biologicals, everything from refrigeration and handling requirements to environmental sensitivity and spray timing and mixing.
“Biopesticides often need to be applied earlier, under the right conditions, and stored carefully to maintain viability,” Fann noted. “These details matter, and they’re part of what we’re learning to communicate better.”
ABC’s long-term vision is to increase the number of biological products included in UC IPM’s conventional fungicide guidelines. This resource could further help PCAs and growers plan rotations that extend the life of existing tools while meeting evolving regulatory expectations.
An Invitation to Collaborate
Fann encouraged both growers and biological product developers to engage directly with ABC’s pest research program.
“If you’re a grower or PCA interested in participating in future trials, or if your company has a biological product that could benefit almond production, we want to hear from you,” she said. “The industry is already leading in stewardship — this is our chance to lead in biological innovation too.” Interested companies or growers are asked to email Lauren Fann.
