OF CALIFO TE RN TA IA S # # R D E CENTRAL G R VALLEY A I O REGION O N B A L L O W R A T TE N R CO QUALITY CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD CENTRAL VALLEY REGION Agricultural Practices and Technologies DRAFT REPORT May 2002 DRAFT State of California California Environmental Protection Agency REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD CENTRAL VALLEY REGION Robert Schneider, Chair Karl. Longley, Vice Chair Beverly Alves, Member Alson Brizard, Member Christopher Cabaldon, Member Mark Salvaggio, Member Cher Kablanow, Member Robert Fong, Member Thomas R. Pinkos, Acting Executive Officer 3443 Routier Road, Suite A Sacramento, California 95827-3003 Phone: (916) 255-3000 CalNet: 8-494-3000 DISCLAIMER This publication is a technical report by staff of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region. No policy or regulation is either expressed or intended. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD CENTRAL VALLEY REGION Agricultural Practices and Technologies DRAFT REPORT May 2002 DRAFT REPORT COMPILED BY: EMILIE REYES MARY MENCONI ADDITIONAL STAFF INVOLVED IN REPORT PREPARATION:: DANIEL CARLTON MATTHEW MCCARTHY FOREWORD The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency or the State Water Resources Control Board, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Daniel Carlton compiled tables presented in Appendix B of this report and wrote portions of the integrated pest management section. Matthew McCarthy provided input and wrote portions of the soil section. This document also greatly benefited from an existing practices report compiled by the Sacramento River Watershed Program. Sections in this document relating to dormant season practices for orchards, vegetation and soil management practices, and pesticide application methods have borrowed heavily from the aforementioned document. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 7 2.0 PESTICIDE APPLICATION PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES .......... 9 2.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 9 2.2 PESTICIDE APPLICATION TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES................................. 10 2.2.1 Spill Prevention/Emergency Response ..................................................... 10 2.2.2 Mixing and Loading.................................................................................. 11 2.2.3 Disposal Practices .................................................................................... 12 2.2.4 Sprayer Calibration and Nozzle Selection................................................ 12 2.2.5 New Equipment Technology ..................................................................... 13 2.2.6 Equipment Maintenance ........................................................................... 14 2.2.7 Selection of Ground or Aerial Application ............................................... 14 2.2.8 Reduction of Aerial Drift .......................................................................... 14 2.2.9 Setback/Buffer/No Spray Zones ................................................................ 16 2.2.10 Application Rates and Spray Volumes...................................................... 16 2.2.11 Spray Adjuvants ........................................................................................ 17 3.0 PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ............................................................. 18 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 18 3.2 MAJOR ECONOMIC INSECT PESTS ...................................................................... 19 3.2.1 Peach Twig Borer (PTB) .......................................................................... 19 3.2.2 Oriental Fruit Moth (OFM)...................................................................... 20 3.2.3 Codling Moth ............................................................................................ 20 3.2.4 San Jose Scale (SJS) ................................................................................. 20 3.2.5 Webspinning Spider Mites ........................................................................ 21 3.2.6 Egyptian Alfalfa Weevil ............................................................................ 21 3.3 PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR ORCHARDS .............................................. 21 3.3.1 Introduction............................................................................................... 21 3.3.2 Pest Management Options for Orchard Crops......................................... 22 Conventional Dormant Oil and OP Pesticide ....................................................... 22 No Dormant Application or Dormant Oil Only and In-season Applications as Needed .................................................................................................................. 23 Alternate Year Dormant OP with Yearly Oil Only Application........................... 25 Dormant Oil and Pyrethroids or Carbamates........................................................ 25 Dormant Oil and Spinosad.................................................................................... 26 Bt at Bloomtime for PTB...................................................................................... 26 Pheromone Mating Disruption for PTB................................................................ 27 3.4 PEST MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR ROW CROPS ................................................ 28 3.4.1 Introduction............................................................................................... 28 2 3.4.2 Pest Management Options for Row and Field Crops ............................... 28 Organophosphorus ................................................................................................ 28 Carbamates and Pyrethroids ................................................................................. 29 Bt use on row crops during growing season ......................................................... 29 Reduced Risk Alternative Pesticides For Row Crops........................................... 29 Other Row Crop Considerations: Cultural Practices ............................................ 30 3.5 ALFALFA-SPECIFIC FIELD CROP PRACTICES....................................................... 31 3.5.1 Introduction............................................................................................... 31 3.5.2 Pest Management Options for Alfalfa....................................................... 32 Conventional Pesticide Treatment ........................................................................ 32 Bt........................................................................................................................... 32 Cutting practices ................................................................................................... 32 Overseeding in weak stands.................................................................................. 33 4.0 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ......................................................................... 33 4.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 33 4.2 TYPES OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ................................................ 34 4.2.1 Cover Crops.............................................................................................. 34 Description............................................................................................................ 34 Resident Vegetation.............................................................................................. 35 Seeded Cover Crops.............................................................................................. 35 Annuals ............................................................................................................. 35 Perennials.......................................................................................................... 36 Green Manure Crops......................................................................................... 36 Crop-Specific Considerations ............................................................................... 36 Pending Research.................................................................................................. 36 Data Gaps.............................................................................................................. 38 4.2.2 Buffers....................................................................................................... 38 Description............................................................................................................ 38 Filter Strips............................................................................................................ 39 Hedgerows ............................................................................................................ 39 Riparian Buffers.................................................................................................... 40 Vegetated Waterways ........................................................................................... 40 Constructed Wetlands 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