Verticillium Wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that sometimes affects young almonds. The fungus grows inside the tree and can result in death to part or all of the tree. The first two pictures here show the classic external and internal symptoms of this disease. On this 40 acre block about 15 trees are affected so far.

2nd leaf tree with Verticillium wilt

Most of the infected trees are in a small area that was too close to buildings to be fumigated with Telone prior to planting. In the first picture, you can see in the distance that most of the orchard is doing well. The last picture shows part of the non-fumigated area where the trees are weak or have died. These two pictures illustrate the importance of preplant fumigation in orchard replant situations.

Internal brown necrotic area, symptom of Verticillium Wilt

Regulations or restrictions that would prevent us from performing preplant fumigation could have a devastating impact on our ability to establish new orchards.

Area not fumigated prior to planting