Pistachio Field Trial – TriCal, Inc.

Pistachio Soil Fumigation Research: Expanding into a Key California Crop

Posted on October 25, 2025October 15, 2025 by Kristi Sanchez

Pistachios have become a major area of focus as we expand soil fumigation research into new crop markets. Nearly all U.S. pistachios, about 99%, are grown in California, with production centered in the San Joaquin Valley. The region’s hot, dry climate creates ideal growing conditions, supporting both high yields and consistent quality. This strong regional […]

PISTACHIO FIELD TRIALS: DECREASED NEMATODE DENSITIES PART 2

Posted on March 11, 2024March 6, 2024 by Kristi Sanchez

In 2022, the pistachio industry contributed over $6.4 billion to California’s economy, ranking as the fourth-largest agricultural commodity in the state, following milk, almonds, and grapes. Our goal is to assess the impact of soil fumigation on pistachio orchard establishment, tree growth, and the potential acceleration of early yields. Last year, we initiated two multi-year […]

Ag News: A blog by Dr. Mike Stanghellini, Dr. Kristi Sanchez & Guests

Our Authors

Dr. Mike Stanghellini
Director of Research & Regulatory Affairs Dr. Mike Stanghellini received a dual-major Ph.D. in Entomology and Horticultural Science with a minor in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State University. Since 2005, he has served as the TriCal liaison to federal, state, and international regulatory agencies, agrochemical companies, grower organizations, and third-party research entities. Mike directs and supervises our research on product defense, new product registration, and lab/field research on soil fumigants, novel products, and non-fumigant soil pest control tactics.

Dr. Kristi Sanchez
Senior Researcher and Nematologist Dr. Kristi Sanchez received her Ph. D. in Plant Pathology, specializing in Nematology, from the University of California, Davis. She has over a decade of combined research and field experience with UC Davis, the agrichemical industry, and the Plant Pest Diagnostics Center with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Kristi’s expertise includes pest management of nematodes, morphological and molecular diagnostics of plant parasitic nematodes, and the development of experimental assays for nematode studies in the lab and field. Kristi is a regular invited speaker on topics related to soil health, nematode control, and integrated pest management in orchards.