Cultural Management Library
Because avocado trees are tropical rainforest trees, they are active year-round — and that means cultural management of avocado groves is necessary throughout the year. In fall, growers should prepare avocado groves for winter weather events, flush out accumulated salts, and apply pruning techniques and fertilization for optimal spring performance.
Irrigating California avocado trees can be challenging for several reasons. Avocado trees are heavy users of water but they have a shallow feeder root system located primarily in the top six inches of soil that are prone to drying out. The feeder roots also have very few root hairs, thus making them inefficient at absorbing water. Hillside groves with decomposed granite drain well, but they drain rather quickly. Groves with high clay content can suffer from poor drainage that leads to root rot.
For the above reasons, monitoring soil moisture in avocado groves is important.
Understanding soil salinity and irrigation are key concepts to successful avocado grove management because poor avocado yields are often caused by under-irrigation and/or high soil salinity.
In California, poor avocado yields are often related to poor irrigation practices and soil salinity issues.
ECe. Soil salinity is measured as the salt concentration of a soil solution in terms of electrical conductivity (EC). For soil salinity, the EC is written as ECe.
Irrigation. Providing water to soil in order to create a favorable environment for plants.
Leaching. Dissolving and transporting excess soluble salts from the root zone of the soil by applying and then draining excess water in the grove.
A new beetle that vectors a Fusarium dieback on avocado trees has been discovered in and near Los Angeles County. The newly discovered polyphagous shot hole borer beetle is indistinguishable from the tea shot hole borer beetle and is believed to be a new species of beetle.
A newly discovered beetle, the polyphagous shot hole borer beetle, is morphologically indistinguishable from the tea shot hole borer, and is believed to vector a new Fusarium sp. leading to Fusarium dieback disease that affects avocado trees.
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Healthy avocado roots play an important role in producing consistent high-quality avocado crops from healthy avocado trees. Roots provide nutrients and water for strong healthy leaves, good shoot growth, flowering and fruit set, and avocado fruit growth.
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Phytophthora mengei (P. citricola) and P. cinnamomi have been associated with trunk canker and collar rot of avocado. The pathogen infects the crown, lower trunk and limbs of older trees. The disease develops after crowns, limbs, or trunks become infected through wounds, such as injuries from equipment, pruning, vertebrate chewing, and wind damage.
It’s important to manage the costs of irrigating avocado trees in order to be a successful California avocado grower. To ensure your irrigation is not wasting water resources, consider the following avocado cultural management practices.