1. Pistachios
Chapter 22

2. Value Jump
In California, they have increased 70% in value. Which is the highest increased in the state tied with Pecans.
They have increased 34.4% in exports as well.

3. Major Destinations for Pistachios #5 in US Exports (Nuts)
Fresh or Dried
1- Hong Kong 38%
2- Belgium %
3- Germany %
4- Netherlands 7.1%
5- China %
Prepared/Preserved 1
1- Canada %
Mexico %
Hong Kong %
Australia %
Turkey %

4. California’s Top Commodities
1- Milk & Cream
2- Grapes
3- Almonds
4- Cattle & Calves
5- Lettuce, All
6- Berries, All Strawberries
7- Pistachios
8- Tomatoes, All
9- Walnuts
10- Oranges, All

5. Leading California Counties, Market Share $
1- Kern %
2- Tulare %
3- Fresno %
4- Madera 12.8 %
5- Kings %

6. Leading California Counties, Acres harvested, avg. ton/ac, & $/ton
1- Kern 110, $ 4,321.67
2- Tulare , $ 4,360.00
3- Fresno 94, $ 1,746.00
4- Madera 33, $ 3,986.71
5- Kings , $ 4,303.33

7. Pistachios – Pistacia vera
They belong to the cashew family
Originated in Iran
Climate needed is a cool, moist winters and hot dry summers.
The US is the second largest producer in the world with 31% of the market. (Iran has 48%)

8. 98% of the US crop is grown in California.
2% of the US crop is grown in Southern Arizona and New Mexico.
About 239,000 acres produce 89.6 million pounds of in-shell nuts per year.
They are alternate bearing trees.
Planting is on the rise.

9. Tree Growth and limiting factors
25 to 30 feet tall.
Bear fruit 7 years after planting.
Can remain productive for up to 50 years.
Dioecious trees, thus must plant male and female trees.
Chilling hours = 850 to 1000.
Bloom starts in early summer

10. Climate needed is a cool, moist winters and hot dry summers.
Pistachios are cold hardy to about 60F.
40” to 44” of water is needed per year.
Production is alternate bearing.
Production = 1,700 to 3,800 lbs in shell/acre
A fully mature tree can produce as much as 50 pounds of dry, hulled nuts.

11. Site Selection

12. Selecting Rootstocks

13. Choosing Cultivars

14. Orchard Layout
Pg 442

15. Orchard Floor management, Irrigation & Fertilizers

16. Insects
Navel Orangeworm

17. Soft scales
Black scale
Frosted scale

18. Pistachio seed chalcid

19. Green stink bug

20. Leaffooted bug

21. False chinch bug

22. Diseases – Powdery mildew

23. Verticillium Wilt

24. Botrytis shoot blight

25. Shoot blight

26. Oak root fungus

27. Diseases – Crown rot

28. Weeds