Evaluating cultivars is of such importance that the California almond industry has funded four generations of variety trials over the last several decades. These multi-site field trials have evaluated all the varieties that are now the most widely planted in California. Field evaluation trials are helpful for revealing which varieties are promising. Thirty named cultivars and numbered breeder selections were planted in three replicated commercial orchards across California’s Central Valley in 2014 (third generation trial). Of these 30, thirteen varieties continue to be evaluated through 2025. The thirteen varieties being evaluated through the 12th season show at least moderate yield and do not possess a fatal flaw such as low yield, lack of breeder interest, extremely early bloom timing, or poor harvestability. Additional evaluation measures have included intercepted canopy photosynthetically active radiation, hull split timing, and disease susceptibility. From these thirteen varieties and selections one numbered selection ‘Y116-161-99’ from the USDA has been commercially released as ‘Yorizane’. This self-fertile variety has been gaining industry interest and is beginning to be planted more widely. A second self-fertile USDA numbered selection ‘Y117-91-03’ with high yield, few kernel defects, and no major flaws documented after eleven years of evaluation is slated to be named and released to nurseries for propagation in late 2025. Two of the eleven remaining varieties, are industry standards, including the top yielding, and nearly 150-year-old variety ‘Nonpareil’. Potential for adoption remains for some of the remaining nine varieties under evaluation, particularly as pollinizers for ‘Nonpareil’.
