EPA approves emergency registration request for kasugamycin on almond

The EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation recently accepted a Section 18 petition to allow the use of Kasumin 2L (kasugamycin) to control bacterial blast (Pseudomonas sp) in almonds, as announced in a release from the Almond Board of California.

The registration allows up to two applications under anticipated cold or freezing conditions on almonds at a use rate of 64 fl. oz. per acre from Feb. 12, 2020 through petal fall. Application after petal fall is prohibited. Kasugamycin may only be used during bloom.

The approval applies to the counties of Butte, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo and Yuba.

Growers interested in this application are heavily encouraged to reference the Almond Board of California’s Honey Bee Best Management Practices as well as the Quick Guide for Applicators (in English & Spanish) to ensure pollinator health is maintained. As stated in these practices, growers should only use applications when absolutely necessary and should only make applications in the late afternoon or evening, when bees and pollen are not present.

Please contact your local County Ag Commissioner’s office for further details if interested in using this product.

Visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture website for a full list of County Ag Commissioners’ offices as well as contact information for each.

The Almond Board would like to thank Dr. Jim Adaskaveg, who wrote the Section 18 petition, and the Almond Alliance of California, who submitted the petition to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.