PAA Tackles Irrigation and Food Safety Challenge for Nut Growers
The California nut crop is robust and green near our headquarters in Modesto, as almond and pistachio groves spring to life. With water in short supply and growers relying on a good harvest, maintaining irrigation lines is critical for better yields. That’s why Enviro Tech is proud to supply the nation’s nut growers with powerful microbiocides that keep irrigation lines clean and free from plugging yet are safe and easy to use.

Water is a precious resource worldwide and particularly in California, where nuts are a multi- billion-dollar industry. Almonds — the third-largest crop in the state — are notoriously water- intensive, requiring an average of 35.58 inches or 2.97 acre-feet per acre for optimal yields. Other nut crops need similar amounts of water.

Almonds:

the third-largest crop in the state — are notoriously water- intensive, requiring an average of

35.58 inches
or 2.97 acree-feet

per acre for optimal yields

New technologies in irrigation and drip system efficiency can help nut growers make the most of a scarce resource. One main objective is keeping irrigation lines flowing freely with clean water. Over time, contaminants like bicarbonates, algae, hard water scale, bacteria and biofilm can clog irrigation systems. As a result, growers often struggle with maintaining water distribution uniformity (DU) to avoid lower yields.

Preventative maintenance is also essential for irrigation systems to avoid changes in DU. Oxidizing agents like Peragreen 5.6% — a peracetic acid (PAA)-based microbiocide — can keep irrigation systems free from slime, algae, bacterial and fungal diseases that can make irrigation systems less efficient.

PAA is a versatile microbiocide for the nut growing industry, touching every part of the growing, harvest and processing cycles that make California world famous for almonds, pecans, walnuts and pistachios.

Peragreen 5.6% from Enviro Tech may also be used for soil and seed treatments, in nurseries, and as a curative product for foliar diseases. With food safety a top priority for growers, PAA applications for pathogens are also used post-harvest during packing operations.

PAA formulations can help nut growers achieve better distribution uniformity and clog-free irrigation. They can also ensure that groves and crops that are free from fungal and bacterial contaminants that can reduce yields during the growing, harvesting and packing processes.

For crops as delicious as California nuts, better yields and better food safety mean nut lovers (and growers) can enjoy a bountiful harvest.