Poor Pistachio Set Reported

University of California Cooperative Extension in Kern County is reporting a poor pistachio set — but only on the south sides of the trees. The south side is the side that gets the most solar radiation, but the area got enough chilling hours, reports Craig Kallsen, Citrus/Pistachios/Subtropical Horticulture Advisor in Bakersfield.
But there wasn’t much fog last winter in San Joaquin Valley, a condition most believe was due to the lack of rainfall. “Normally, when fog is present, it acts as an insulating blanket, especially in the old lake beds where it more commonly forms, reducing the amount of radiant energy absorbed by branches,” Kallsen writes in this month’s issue of Kern Pistachio Notes.
Growers may have to make even more changes because of the drought, including more accurate assessment of chilling within their orchards, according to Kallsen.

Source: UCCE Kern Pistachio Notes