CALIFORNIA AG SUPPLY
PISTACHIO POLLEN NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2009
California Ag Supply has male pollen (Early Peters) available.
We recommend 40 to 60 grams of pollen per acre total.
We recommend 2 to 3 application at various times during the female bloom
Supplemental pollination will be of value when the male and female bloom is out of synchronization. Usually the male tree blooms before the female tree. So part of the female bloom is left with no male pollen.
Supplemental pollination will also be of value if your ratio of male to female trees is too high.
Research done on Pistachio pollen:
From: Gan-Mor, Bechar et al.... “Electostatic Pollen Applicator Development and Tests for Almond, Kiwi, Date and Pistachio Pollen - an Overview” Applied Engineering in Agriculture, Vol 19 (2) 119-124 April 2002.
Tests were done in the San Joaquin Valley on Kerman (female) on P atlantica rootstock.
Trees received two applications of 1 gram and 0.5 grams of pollen each (2 grams per tree times 100 trees per acre equals 200 grams per acre or the half rate of 100 grams pollen per acre).
Yields of up to 12.7% greater and splits of 28% greater were obtained with the supplemental pollen. This occurred when there was a lack of overlap of male and female flowers.
The authors of this article made a precautionary statement that “more pollen is not necessarily better”. Increasing the dosage of pollen may result in “over dosing” similar to the situation in Serr walnuts where too much pollen can cause female flower dropping.
They caution growers to be aware of their natural sources of pollen.
California Ag Supply pollen does have an electrostatic charge but not as great as the pollen used in this research.
What is Better Ground or Air Application ?
Ground application is more expensive but will produce more nuts.
Air application is cheaper, quicker but does not have the same nut setting capacity.
Please contact us with questions and orders at 559-281-5411
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