AGRONOMY HUB

Tools and resources for functional sustainability.


Why TriCal Supports the Healthy Plants Foundation
Why TriCal Supports the Healthy Plants Foundation

TriCal's mission has always been rooted in helping growers produce healthy crops through science-based solutions that support productivity, stewardship, and sustainability. That’s why we’re proud to support the Healthy Plants Foundation and its parent organization, Western Plant Health.

6/23/2026
Micro-Sprinkler vs Drip Irrigation in Orchards: Choosing the Right System
Micro-Sprinkler vs Drip Irrigation in Orchards: Choosing the Right System

The right orchard irrigation system impacts tree health, water efficiency, and long-term productivity. Two options are drip irrigation and micro-sprinkler systems. Each offers distinct advantages depending on crop type, soil conditions, and management goals.

5/14/2026
Micro-Sprinkler vs. Drip Irrigation in Orchards
Micro-Sprinkler vs. Drip Irrigation in Orchards

Choosing between micro-sprinkler and drip irrigation can directly impact orchard performance, water-use efficiency, and long-term success. Their latest blog breaks down the key differences, benefits, and design considerations to help growers determine the best fit for their operation.

5/14/2026
World Potato Congress Launches Global Working Groups to Drive Collaboration
World Potato Congress Launches Global Working Groups to Drive Collaboration

The World Potato Congress (WPC) is turning informal networking momentum into formal global action, announcing the launch of Global Potato Thematic Working Groups ahead of its 2026 Congress in Kenya.

4/10/2026
The Real Reason Fields Get “Tired” … and What to Do About It
The Real Reason Fields Get “Tired” … and What to Do About It

Chad Hutchinson of TriCal Group explains that “tired” potato fields are often the result of more than one issue. Soil-borne disease pressure, weaker carbon flow and small inefficiencies can build over time, reducing crop responsiveness and making yield performance less consistent.

6/26/2026
One Easy Change Can Double Soil's Good Guys
One Easy Change Can Double Soil's Good Guys

A recent trial shows that one simple change with Strike™, powered by Chloropicrin, can double the beneficial microbes in your soil, helping boost root growth, suppress disease, and improve overall plant resilience.

1/29/2026
Chad Hutchinson speaks at the Potato Expo 2026
Chad Hutchinson speaks at the Potato Expo 2026

TriCal Group's Chad Hutchinson said he was honored to join a panel on potato quality at Potato Expo 2026 alongside Jeff Douglas and Aimee Nielson. They discussed why marketable yield is the real metric that matters, and how managing quality requires a systems view—from genetics and moisture management to soil pH, biology, and targeted chemistry.

1/26/2026
Honoring Steve Koike
Honoring Steve Koike

As Steve Koike enters retirement, we’re honored to spotlight his lasting impact on plant pathology. The TriCal blog highlights Steve’s decades of leadership, service, and contributions to the agricultural community, including his time with UC Cooperative Extension and TriCal Diagnostics.

1/21/2026
The Real Reason Fields Get “Tired” … and What to Do About It
The Real Reason Fields Get “Tired” … and What to Do About It

Chad Hutchinson of TriCal Group explains that “tired” potato fields are often the result of more than one issue. Soil-borne disease pressure, weaker carbon flow and small inefficiencies can build over time, reducing crop responsiveness and making yield performance less consistent.

6/26/2026
Valving on Application Equipment
Valving on Application Equipment

Have you ever walked past a nurse tank, tractor tank, or fill valve and noticed how easy it would be to bump the handle without meaning to? A pant leg, a glove, a hose, a step onto the tractor, or just walking too close to the tank can be enough to move an exposed valve handle into the open position.

6/24/2026
Plasticulture Basics Part 3: Advancing Application Precision in Strip-Till Fumigation
Plasticulture Basics Part 3: Advancing Application Precision in Strip-Till Fumigation

Part III explores how advancing application precision in strip-till fumigation is improving adaptability, seedbed conditions, and soil fumigation coverage across diverse field environments.

4/8/2026
Plasticulture Basics Part 2: Broadcast Film and Barrier Technology in Soil Fumigation
Plasticulture Basics Part 2: Broadcast Film and Barrier Technology in Soil Fumigation

While row mulch is installed on individual planting beds, broadcast film is used differently. Broadcast film plays a critical role in soil fumigation programs, particularly in large-scale cropping systems where uniform treatment is essential.

4/1/2026
Potato Farming Isn’t About Inputs. It’s About Energy.
Potato Farming Isn’t About Inputs. It’s About Energy.

For years, potato production has been measured by inputs—fertilizer, water, fuel, and crop protection products. While these investments are essential, they don’t tell the whole story. A more useful way to think about potato farming is through the lens of energy.

6/15/2026
Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC) – Manuscript 3: Field Efficacy, Grower Integration, and System-Level Benefits
Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC) – Manuscript 3: Field Efficacy, Grower Integration, and System-Level Benefits

Manuscript 3 demonstrates verified field performance and grower integration. Catalytic chloropicrin treatments increased marketable yield by 25 %, confirming that microbial reorganization drives durable functional stability.

1/21/2026
Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC) – Manuscript 4: Quantification and Climate Transition
Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC) – Manuscript 4: Quantification and Climate Transition

This fourth paper quantifies the dual climate benefits of the Catalyst-Activated Cycle (CAC). Field-verified data demonstrate that catalytic microbial resets generate both Sequestered Emissions (SE) through necromass stabilization in mineral-associated organic matter.

1/21/2026
Potatoes Following in Strawberries’ Footsteps, But Can Potatoes be as Nimble?
Potatoes Following in Strawberries’ Footsteps, But Can Potatoes be as Nimble?

The parallels between where we are in the potato industry today compared to where California’s strawberry industry was in the 1950s are quite amazing. Strawberries are very sensitive to verticillium. Do I think chloropicrin is coming in potatoes? Absolutely.

9/27/2023
Why TriCal Supports the Healthy Plants Foundation
Why TriCal Supports the Healthy Plants Foundation

TriCal's mission has always been rooted in helping growers produce healthy crops through science-based solutions that support productivity, stewardship, and sustainability. That’s why we’re proud to support the Healthy Plants Foundation and its parent organization, Western Plant Health.

6/23/2026
World Potato Congress Launches Global Working Groups to Drive Collaboration
World Potato Congress Launches Global Working Groups to Drive Collaboration

The World Potato Congress (WPC) is turning informal networking momentum into formal global action, announcing the launch of Global Potato Thematic Working Groups ahead of its 2026 Congress in Kenya.

4/10/2026
Why Ongoing Learning Pays Off - Season After Season
Why Ongoing Learning Pays Off - Season After Season

A recent blog from Strike Fumigants by Chad Hutchinson reinforces something we see across regions and seasons: some of the biggest gains happen in the off-season. The post-harvest window creates space to evaluate what worked, identify small adjustments, and strengthen decisions for the year ahead.

3/19/2026
UNC Davis Reveals Findings about PCAs
UNC Davis Reveals Findings about PCAs

In a recent op-ed in West Coast Nut Magazine, Renee Pinel, of Western Plant Health (WPH), puts long-standing claims about California agriculture to the test. Narratives have shaped public perception and fueled regulatory scrutiny at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and legislative activity.

2/5/2026
TriCal Almond Replant Research: The Importance of Fumigation for Growers
TriCal Almond Replant Research: The Importance of Fumigation for Growers

Nematodes can severely impact almond orchards in California, especially in replant situations where Prunus Replant Disorder affects up to 60% of plantings. Soil fumigation helps reduce nematodes, promote root development, and support long-term orchard performance.

1/15/2026
How To Suppress Soil Pest and Disease Levels in Cucumbers to Below Economic Damage
How To Suppress Soil Pest and Disease Levels in Cucumbers to Below Economic Damage

Cucumbers are highly susceptible to soil-borne pests and diseases, with even moderate levels capable of causing significant economic loss. Effective soil management prior to planting is critical to protecting yield and quality.

1/13/2026
Managing Plant Parasitic Nematodes in California Specialty Crops with  Soil Fumigation
Managing Plant Parasitic Nematodes in California Specialty Crops with Soil Fumigation

Dr. Kristi Sanchez addresses how plant parasitic nematodes continue to challenge growers across California, affecting the underground root systems of many high-value crops in crops such as almonds, grapes, citrus, vegetables, and strawberries.

12/22/2025
Pistachio Soil Fumigation Research: Expanding into a Key California Crop
Pistachio Soil Fumigation Research: Expanding into a Key California Crop

Our latest research in Fresno County looks at how soil fumigation supports Pistachios, one of California’s fastest-growing and most valuable crops, by improving root health, encouraging early tree growth, and managing plant-parasitic nematodes.

10/28/2025
Filtration Systems That Keep Irrigation Running Smoothly
Filtration Systems That Keep Irrigation Running Smoothly

Keep irrigation running smoothly with the right filtration system. Our latest blog walks through common filtration options, how they help solve clogging and flow issues, and why proper filtration matters for long-term irrigation performance.

6/19/2026
Potato Farming Isn’t About Inputs. It’s About Energy.
Potato Farming Isn’t About Inputs. It’s About Energy.

For years, potato production has been measured by inputs—fertilizer, water, fuel, and crop protection products. While these investments are essential, they don’t tell the whole story. A more useful way to think about potato farming is through the lens of energy.

6/15/2026
Micro-Sprinkler vs Drip Irrigation in Orchards: Choosing the Right System
Micro-Sprinkler vs Drip Irrigation in Orchards: Choosing the Right System

The right orchard irrigation system impacts tree health, water efficiency, and long-term productivity. Two options are drip irrigation and micro-sprinkler systems. Each offers distinct advantages depending on crop type, soil conditions, and management goals.

5/14/2026
Micro-Sprinkler vs. Drip Irrigation in Orchards
Micro-Sprinkler vs. Drip Irrigation in Orchards

Choosing between micro-sprinkler and drip irrigation can directly impact orchard performance, water-use efficiency, and long-term success. Their latest blog breaks down the key differences, benefits, and design considerations to help growers determine the best fit for their operation.

5/14/2026
Part II: A Deeper Look into Grafted Watermelon Production and Management
Part II: A Deeper Look into Grafted Watermelon Production and Management

In this post we want take you through year 2 results and our findings into grafted watermelon production and management. The key focus points of the trial were increasing yields and maturity window of grafted plants using chloropicrin.

12/5/2022
A Deeper Look into Grafted Watermelon Production and Management
A Deeper Look into Grafted Watermelon Production and Management

In this blog and video presentation we will take a deeper dive into why we recommend grafted plants and fumigation as potential solutions to obstacles in watermelon production. I would like to focus on grafted plants as a tool and potential solution to grower obstacles.

10/14/2022
A Deeper Look into Grafted Watermelon Production and Management

In our last blog we went over the obstacles that growers face in watermelon production and their potential solutions. In this video presentation we will take a deeper dive into why we recommend grafted plants and fumigation to boost your watermelon production.

10/14/2022
Overcoming Obstacles in Watermelon Production
Overcoming Obstacles in Watermelon Production

Sustainable crop production is a complex issue that every farmer faces each season. The production issues for watermelon are not limited to those listed here by any means, but the following are the focal points of ongoing research..

6/27/2022
How To Distinguish Weather-Related Crop Injury From Disease
How To Distinguish Weather-Related Crop Injury From Disease

There has been outrageous weather in parts of our nation this year. “Bomb cyclones” were dropping hsnow and unleashing winds. Historically huge snowstorms paralyzed all transportation and interfered with daily tasks. Cold-paralyzed iguanas were falling from trees in Florida!

3/9/2026
Honoring Steve Koike
Honoring Steve Koike

As Steve Koike enters retirement, we’re honored to spotlight his lasting impact on plant pathology. The TriCal blog highlights Steve’s decades of leadership, service, and contributions to the agricultural community, including his time with UC Cooperative Extension and TriCal Diagnostics.

1/21/2026
California Faces an Average of 9 New Invasive Species Each Year
California Faces an Average of 9 New Invasive Species Each Year

California faces an average of 9 new invasive species each year, living below the soil surface, quietly impacting crops long before problems become visible. As part of a broader soil health strategy, soil fumigation can help manage certain soil-borne pest pressures.

1/16/2026
Common Myth: TELONE™ by Teleos “Wipes Out” Life in the Soil
Common Myth: TELONE™ by Teleos “Wipes Out” Life in the Soil

Independent third-party studies and numerous global trials show TELONE™ doesn’t sterilize the soil—but rather, it supports a diverse and highly functioning microbiome.

11/3/2025
Filtration Systems That Keep Irrigation Running Smoothly
Filtration Systems That Keep Irrigation Running Smoothly

Keep irrigation running smoothly with the right filtration system. Our latest blog walks through common filtration options, how they help solve clogging and flow issues, and why proper filtration matters for long-term irrigation performance.

6/19/2026
TriCal Australia

TriCal Australia was established as SA Rural Agencies in 1987 which became AGAS Rural in 2012. Joining the TriCal Group of Companies in 2019, TriCal Australia continues its history of providing innovative and dependable fumigation products and services to the Australian fumigation, agriculture, pest control and quarantine community.

8/8/2019
Valving on Application Equipment
Valving on Application Equipment

Have you ever walked past a nurse tank, tractor tank, or fill valve and noticed how easy it would be to bump the handle without meaning to? A pant leg, a glove, a hose, a step onto the tractor, or just walking too close to the tank can be enough to move an exposed valve handle into the open position.

6/24/2026