Agriculture
Pistachio
Pistachios are delicious tree nuts recognized for their nutritional qualities. Pistachio nuts are a rich source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and many phyto-chemical substances with antioxidant properties. Pistachio nut oil features flavorful, pleasant nutty aroma and has excellent emollient features. It helps to keep skin well protected from dryness. Today pistachio trees can also be found in India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Italy and the USA.
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Pistachio trees are highly vulnerable to weeds that weaken the plants’ resistance to a number of diseases, insects and mites, which can damage entire pistachio orchards. The competition between pistachio and weeds is of greater concern when trees are young because weeds can delay growth and production. Additionally, weeds can host pests and pathogens, interfere with irrigation uniformity and distribution, and reduce harvest efficiency.
Glufosinate-ammonium is a highly effective tool for controlling a broad spectrum of weeds in pistachio trees and has thus enabled a significant increase in yields over the last three decades. The herbicide is applied around the pistachio trees and even if small amounts land on crop leaves there is minimal to no damage. The use of Glufosinate-ammonium as an alternative to commonly-used Glyphosate helps to avoid problems of weed resistance in pistachio.
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Did you know?
- Pistachios are very effective in reducing “bad” cholesterol in blood. Eating about 42.5 grams of nuts a day may reduce the risk of heart diseases.1
- Weeds around pistachio trees can be ideal host to the false chinch bug that feeds on the leaves of the trees. In some cases, trees die so rapidly, that scientists belief it injects toxins.2
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1Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, Qualified Health Claims: Letter of Enforcement Discretion – Nuts and Coronary Heart Disease (Docket No 02P-0505), June 2008.
3Northcutt, G. (April 2014). Getting jump on weeds critical for pistachio growers. Western Farm Press.