ORCAL

06/10/2026

Powdery Mildew: A Crop Protection Problem That Needs Attention

For the last four years, powdery mildew was voted the top disease in the annual State of the Vegetable Industry survey. Each year, more growers selected powdery mildew as a “particularly problematic disease” than all other diseases except downy mildew.

https://ow.ly/Q4UF50Z5RYo

Powdery mildew remains one of the most persistent vegetable crop diseases, making scouting and proactive management essential for effective control.

06/04/2026

Mealybugs and Alternaria have a nasty habit of chipping away at your pistachio crop. LIME SULFUR ULTRA is the versatile solution that addresses both threats without the complexity of juggling multiple products.

Formulated with 27% calcium polysulfide and a unique organic surfactant package, LIME SULFUR ULTRA penetrates deep into plant surfaces for close contact with pests and disease. It's OMRI Listed, has no known resistance issues for controlled pests, and fits cleanly into IPM rotations to help guard against the single product over-reliance.

ORCALinc.com/products/lime-sulfur-ultra

05/29/2026

Managing White Mold in 2026

White mold is a persistent, yield-limiting disease affecting growers across the Northern U.S. Its ability to survive in soil for years and infect a wide range of broadleaf crops, including soybeans, dry beans, and canola, presents ongoing challenges for disease management.

https://ow.ly/20KF50Z1jbs

According to one expert, there are four steps for ag retailers and growers to take to control this disease.

05/27/2026

Winning the Battle Against Nematodes in Root Crops

In root crops, what happens below the surface can make or break a season. Soilborne diseases, nematodes, and weeds don’t just compete — they compound, creating hidden pressure that’s difficult to reverse once it takes hold.

https://ow.ly/CS8j50YZaB2

Targeted monitoring, species-specific management, and integrated control strategies help growers reduce nematode pressure and protect root crop yields.

05/25/2026

Bell peppers are already mild, so the last thing they need is to turn up the heat! OASIS and OASIS O are calcium carbonate-based solar protectants that keep bell peppers mild in every sense of the word, shielding them from sunburn and heat stress during the hottest parts of the growing season.

OASIS cools your crops by refracting and diffusing incoming sunlight, reducing tissue temperatures and limiting sun damage to the fruit. The result is better water use efficiency, improved photosynthetic performance, and a higher-quality harvest with less crop loss to overexposure.

ORCALinc.com/products/oasis
ORCALinc.com/products/oasis-o

05/22/2026

From Pantry to Pest Control: Garlic Kills the Mood — For Mosquitoes, Too

Garlic is not a substance that most people consider an aphrodisiac. It turns out that mosquitoes agree. A new Yale study finds that garlic also functions as a de facto birth control for mosquitoes and other winged insects, an insight that could lead to eco-friendly pest control strategies.

https://ow.ly/OzKp50YZam5

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Garlic is not a substance that most people consider an aphrodisiac. It turns out that mosquitoes agree. In fact, a new...

05/20/2026

Citrus trees have enough to deal with come summer; the sun should work for, not against, them. OASIS foliar-applied calcium carbonate formula is designed to protect citrus from sunburn and heat stress, giving growers a practical way to manage what the sun throws at their trees.

OASIS (and OMRI-listed OASIS O) refracts and diffuses sunlight, softening intensity before it can damage plant tissue. Reduced sunburn, improved photosynthetic efficiency, and better water use add up to healthier trees and better yields when harvest time comes.

ORCALinc.com/products/oasis
ORCALinc.com/products/oasis-o

05/18/2026

Pointers To Better Spot Soilborne Diseases in Your Vegetable Crops

Soilborne diseases like Fusarium, Pythium, and Rhizoctonia often appear in poorly drained, waterlogged areas. Submitting whole plants with roots to a diagnostic lab can confirm the cause.

https://ow.ly/yEem50Z1ikA

Field patterns, drainage, and early testing help distinguish disease from nutrient or irrigation stress.

05/15/2026

AI-powered forecasts sharpen early warning for destructive crop pest

New research from Texas A&M AgriLife Research indicates that artificial intelligence can predict outbreaks much more accurately than traditional methods. The tool could dramatically improve how and when insect pest risks are identified and controlled.

https://ow.ly/Xrpq50YWgYy

What if farmers could see a pest outbreak coming before the insect ever had a chance to damage their crop? New research from Texas A&M AgriLife Research indicates that artificial intelligence can predict outbreaks much more accurately than traditional methods. The tool could dramatically improve...

05/13/2026

Crop Protection Tools to Fight Blight in Peach Crops

In the world of stone fruit, blossom blight and brown rot are a gut punch for peach growers. These diseases don’t just represent a single event, but a season-long siege that can destroy an entire crop.

https://ow.ly/BCFz50YWhre

Southeastern peach growers weigh options to combat blossom blight and brown rot.