This year, the proportion of blank nuts he’s seen was in the typical 10 percent to 20 percent range.

Fanucchi says relatively few early splits and the lack of insect pressure bode well for the quality of the 2016 crop. So does the widespread use of AF36, a wheat-based biological control agent that helps protect pistachio nuts from contamination with cancer-causing aflatoxins.

Growers with the Golden Hills variety which continues to expand in acreage and the Kerman variety are more likely to double shake at harvest time, especially if the crop is a largebig one, Fanucchi believes.

The idea is to harvest early-maturing nuts first at peak quality rather than face the increased threat of damage from rain and Navel orangeworm by waiting until the remaining nuts are ready.

“This way you can get a large portion of the crop with a light first shake, reducing the amount of nuts at risk of damage,” Fanucchi says.

“Considering the bonus paid for high quality nuts and the relatively low cost to tree shake, a two-shake harvest is likely to make sense if you expect production around 2,500 pounds per acre or more.”

Growers in his area who opt for the two-shake approach could begin harvesting Golden Hills from Aug. 10-15, and could begin shaking Kerman trees Aug. 20-25, Fanucchi says.