TPGA Conference Draws Big Crowd to San Marcos

A crowd of almost 500 participated in two full days of educational programming and then finished up the 89th Annual Texas Pecan Growers Association Conference and Trade Show with a multifaceted field day that encompassed tours and demonstrations at two different orchards. TPGA members Troy Swift and Mark Friesenhahn hosted tours of their operations that gave…

Pecans, along with almonds and walnuts, are among the most salt-sensitive tree crops currently grown under irrigation. Many growers are not aware that salts are affecting tree growth, nut yields and quality, because symptoms of salt-affected trees are difficult to differentiate from water stress (Fig. 1). Diagnosis of salt problems and general approaches for minimizing…

It is with a great deal of sadness and respect that I note the passing of Belding Farms pecan grower extraordinaire, Mr. Jim Bennett. The first time I visited Belding Farms I was not only intrigued with the trees, but the size of the operation and the smoothness with which it ran due to Mr….

I think just about everyone in the pecan industry already knows that maintaining water status in orchards is of utmost importance for consistently producing top pecan nut yields and top pecan nut quality. When trees become water stressed, photosynthesis slows, shoot growth stops, nuts drop, and the remaining kernels don’t fully fill—all bad things if…

For the first time, growers from all 4 associations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi gathered for the TriState Convention and Trade Show in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Growers were treated with a program full of a number of topics ranging from pest and disease control, management practices, salmonella and the future of the industry. The day finished…

Every year there are isolated reports of walnut caterpillar activity, and so far for 2010, I have only received reports from 2 Texas counties — Victoria and DeWitt. And so far the only infestations have been in residential areas and not across commercial orchards. Although there are these isolated or localized areas of walnut caterpillar…

Lowell, MA – Eating about a handful of pecans each day may play a role in protecting the nervous system, according to a new animal study published in the current issue of Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. The study, conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, suggests adding pecans to your…

By the time you read this the first crop estimate of the year will have been made at the Louisiana pecan meeting. I have no idea what that estimate will be. The past 6 “off” years’ production for the U.S. has averaged about 195 million pounds. I have heard 2010 estimates for Mexico of about…

Food safety and health department regulations were featured presentations at the recent Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association annual meeting in Ardmore. OSU Food Scientist William McGlynn told the group that many producers of agricultural products are now being asked — either by government regulators or by private industry — to create and follow some kind of…

The most common question asked of pecan Extension specialists is “What variety should I plant?”. In the West where you may have primarily only two varieties that are commonly grown, it’s not that tough of a decision. In the Southeast, the variety question has no simple answer because we have a multitude of varieties to…

We all know pecans need deep, well-drained soil, a warm climate, financing and good management. But when it comes to what we can do, irrigation is number 1. Nothing we do in the orchard affects profit more than irrigation. For years or decades, we have said pecans need one-acre-inch of water every week from April…

The Texas Pecan Growers Association will host its 89th Annual Conference and Trade Show, July 11-14 at the new Embassy Suites in San Marcos. The conference includes two full days of educational programming and will conclude with a half-day orchard tour. Hotel accommodations at the Embassy Suites may be reserved by calling 512-392-6450. The group…

The pecan industry in Louisiana is comprised of both native and improved varieties. The native trees concentrated along the Mississippi and Red River deltas account for approximately 80 percent of the state’s annual production. Point Coupee Parish (Louisiana) has the largest population of natives in the state, often producing over 4 million pounds in an…

Pecan growing is not a simple task. For trees to grow and bear quality nuts, over 100 different challenges must go right. Pecan growers know one needs a warm climate, deep well-drained soil, a lot of money, the desire to grow pecans, and good management. There are 4 absolutely essential management tasks that we must…

RUBEN CASTRO MEDINA Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico 1941 – 2010 Ing. Ruben Castro Medina, long-time Director of CONAFRUT for all of Mexico, passed away on May 8, 2010. Few individuals have contributed more to the culture of pecans than Ruben Castro. In the 1970s and ‘80s, Castro, as Director of CONAFRUT/Pecans in northern Mexico, supervised over…

From my list of insects that feed on pecan, I have recorded over 100 that feed on the foliage, most of which are considered secondary or nuisance pests. From the emails, phone calls and orchard site visits I make, I have determined that 4 of the most common early-season foliage pest problems are phylloxera, sawfly,…

Most of you probably don’t realize that most of the early part of my life was spent as a cowboy. I was born on a 300,000-acre cattle ranch in California in 1949. The farm I grew up on in Arizona also operated several thousands of acres of desert range and my family currently operates a…

Mac Gilliat Real County Extension Agent Leakey, Texas 1942 – 2010 Mac Gilliat, long time Real County Extension Agent at Leakey, Texas, passed away on April 25, 2010. Mac was a life member of the Texas Pecan Growers Association and a great friend of pecans. Early in his career, he conducted establishment demonstrations which proved…

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association enjoyed an enthusiastic turnout for its recent annual meeting in Perry, Georgia, and speakers shared some helpful insight into issues that Georgia producers are facing. USDA’s Bruce Wood led off the program by reporting on a study focused on orchard thinning. “One of the most common mistakes is delaying thinning,”…

Jim Bennett Belding Farms Manager Fort Stockton, Texas 1922 – 2010 Jim (James Elton) Bennett, manager of Belding Farms in Fort Stockton, Texas, for 27 years, passed away on April 30, 2010 at the age of 87. Jim was a quiet strong man who provided outstanding pecan leadership for the state of Texas and the…

The attitude in Georgia about pecans is not the same today as it was 10 years ago. A strong grower market in recent years has generated an optimistic outlook and thousands of acres of new trees are being planted. Not only have several thousand acres of new trees been planted over the past 5 years,…

One of the most challenging aspects of pecan production is managing the native pecan grove. Native pecan groves are unique since no two native trees or orchards are alike. Since these differences exist, each grove must be managed differently. To successfully manage a native grove, a producer should take a holistic approach when evaluating the…

As most of you know, for many years I have been a proponent of a federal research and promotion order to collect mandatory funds to use in research and for the promotion of our product in the marketplace. I am about to change my mind on this because of problems that I perceive with our…

I wouldn’t be a pecan specialist were it not for Dr. J. Benton Storey. The procedure for acceptance into graduate school at Texas A&M University, in addition to grades and test scores, requires that a professor in the department be willing to take on a prospective student. My ticket to Aggieland was punched by Dr….