Education For Environmental Responsibility

Orchard Practices for Protecting Surface Water

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From an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) perspective, the best time for organophosphate (OP) pesticide applications is during the dormant season. Dormant applications were originally recommended, in part, to help reduce environmental impacts, damage to pollinators and predator insects and reduce in-season worker exposure to pesticide applications.

However, OP pesticide applications during the rainy dormant season carry certain environmental risks. OP pesticides are detected in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers following dormant spray applications during and after mid-winter storms.

Viable alternative strategies to OP pesticides are those which offer favorable levels of pest control efficacy, are effective in reducing the risk of aquatic toxicity and are comparable in cost to conventional OP pesticide dormant sprays. A viable strategy could also be used for OP pesticides with proper mitigation measures in place that prevent offsite movement.

This booklet is a guide to orchard management practices that show potential for reducing runoff from orchards following dormant season applications. Some are proven techniques demonstrated to be effective in California agriculture, while others are currently being studied.

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