Almond hulls are susceptible to hull rot fungi from the beginning of hull split until hulls dry – a period that can last from 10 days to 2 months depending on fertilization and irrigation. Hull rot invades hulls once hull split begins, and produces a toxin that kills the spur and shoot attached to the fruit.

The disease makes the fruit difficult to remove during harvest and because it harbors in remaining nuts, spreads from year-to-year.

Identify hull rot by:

• Checking for a brown area on the outside of the hull and a tan fungal growth in the brown area on the inside or outside of the hull (this indicates Monilinia).
• Checking for a powdery black fungal growth on the inside of the hull (this indicates Rhizopus).

Prevent the spread of the disease during hull split by:

• Adjusting irrigation methods to decrease the amount of standing water around trees.
• Removing infected fruit and stems from the tree and surrounding grounds.
• Applying Quadris Top® fungicide to achieve preventive, systemic and curative activity for hull rot.

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