This study, published in Frontiers in Agronomy in 2026, includes researchers from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) Department of Entomology and UC Davis. The research examines how winter cover crops can help reduce populations of navel orangeworm, a major pest that damages California almond crops. Researchers found that greater vegetation biomass in orchard ground cover helped break down leftover, infested almonds, reducing the number of navel orangeworms that emerged in the spring. They also discovered that leaving infested almonds exposed to cover crops for longer periods significantly reduced pest emergence, with emergence decreasing by more than half after 127 days compared to 30 days. These findings suggest that winter cover crops could provide almond growers with an additional, sustainable pest management strategy while improving soil health and orchard sustainability.