Developing cover crop systems for California almonds: Current knowledge and uncertainties

Almond (Prunus amygdalus) orchard systems are highly productive and widespread in Mediterranean climates dominate the California agricultural landscape. However, current intensive monocultural bare soil production practices limit potential to support nonproduction functions (i.e., multifunctionality) long-term sustainability of system (Aizen et al. 2019; Fenster 2021). Managing orchards for multifunctional benefits includes maintaining ecologically economically viable yields while prioritizing water quality, health, reduced input use, biodiversity. Recent studies almond demonstrate that diversification, including planted or spontaneous (resident) vegetation alleys, can improve multifunctionality by enhancing without reducing crop yield, thereby providing opportunities enhance resilience (Fenster 2021; Morugán-Coronado 2020).