Location: Nat'l Clonal Germplasm Rep - Tree Fruit & Nut Crops & Grapes
Project Number: 2032-30100-001-009-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 30, 2028
Objective:
The objective is to safeguard the US public almond collection by re-establishing a long term orchard block to grow, evaluate and utilize all 281 unique accessions. The previous almond block was removed in 2020 due to soilborne disease. Since then plants have been maintained in closely planted nursery rows or in pots. Repropagating and reestablishing the plants in the field will safeguard these priceless resources and increase their availability for breeders and researchers.
Approach:
Fallow orchard land will be prepared according to recommendations from farm advisors, to include deep ripping, amendments, and discing as necessary. New irrigation will be installed in rows for 694 trees. 292 trees are on hand and ready to plant, the remaining 402 will be repropagated from the collection using a commercial nursery. Trees will be planted by hand in year 2 of the project.