A new almond demonstration orchard featuring 57 combinations of varieties and rootstocks has been planted near Los Banos to help growers evaluate planting decisions for the next generation of orchards.
Known as “Demo 57,” the RPAC Variety & Rootstock Demo Orchard was planted this year adjacent to the RPAC and PAPC facilities, allowing visiting growers to easily walk through the orchard and observe how different combinations perform over time.
The project was designed so growers can evaluate today’s commercial varieties from prominent tree nurseries alongside newer selections and rootstocks that may shape future almond plantings.
The orchard was planted in the same year PAPC founder and longtime grower Louie Parreira will celebrate his 100th birthday, a milestone that highlights how much almond production has evolved over the past several generations. Louie’s son, David Parreira, reflected on how orchards were planted when earlier generations of the family first entered the almond business.
“When my father and grandfather planted their first almonds, they were on a 24-foot square spacing, about 75 trees per acre. They planted four rows of Nonpareil, then two rows of Mission, then four rows of Nonpareil and two rows of Davey and so on. I don’t think they put much fertilizer on and irrigated only when the trees looked stressed. They were happy to make 500 pounds per acre. Harvest was all by hand and the beekeepers paid the grower to bring bees in so they could make honey. Obviously, almond production has changed a lot!”
Almond grower and RPAC partner Dennis Soares, who entered the almond industry after two decades in the cotton business, said the industry has changed dramatically since he planted his first orchards.
“Almond prices were around 75 cents a pound when I planted my first almonds in 1999. Coming from the cotton business, we learned some lessons the hard way about planting the wrong varieties, rootstocks and spacings, like planting Wood Colony at 18-foot spacing.
“Today plentiful information is available to growers, and making the right decisions is critical when planting a new orchard. This demo orchard gives growers a chance to see many different combinations and evaluate what might work best for their operation.”
Soares noted the project also benefits from agronomic support from David Doll, widely known in the industry as the Almond Doctor.
“Working with David Doll on agronomic support has been invaluable. He provides a tremendous amount of information and stays closely connected with the almond growing community around the world.”
The project was developed in collaboration with leading nursery partners supplying genetics and planting material.
John Duarte, President of Duarte Nursery, expressed that “we appreciate RPAC providing nurseries this opportunity to put forward our newest ideas and genetics. For our planting, we included Yorizane high-topped containerized trees on Bright’s Hybrid 5. We believe that this new orchard system will be the highest production and most efficient almond orchard to date. Time will tell. Growers will see it firsthand.”
“Rootstock selection plays a major role in long-term orchard performance,” said Seana Day, CEO of Dave Wilson Nursery. “Having a demonstration site like this allows growers to compare combinations and better understand how they may perform in commercial plantings. We appreciate RPAC bringing together multiple nursery partners to make this possible.”
“New almond varieties and rootstocks are coming to market faster than ever, and growers need reliable ways to evaluate them,” said Tom Burchell, owner of Burchell Nursery. “This orchard gives the industry a place to see how different combinations perform side by side in the same environment. We are proud to partner with RPAC on a project that will provide valuable insight for growers across California.”
In addition to the variety and rootstock trials, the orchard includes a hedgerow planted with ten species of California native plants designed to demonstrate how habitat plantings may support beneficial insects in almond orchards.
The Demo 57 Orchard is expected to serve as a site for future grower visits and field discussions as the different combinations develop. — Story by RPAC LLC
