Varieties worth considering (Part II)
In my last column, I wrote about two varieties, ‘Desirable’ and ‘Kiowa’, that I consider two of my favorite selections for the main variety in a new orchard in the East. To these I add a third, ‘Creek’, released by the USDA in 1996. In my experience, this tree is very precocious, does well in...
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Pecan Trees: Coping With the Drought
During 2011 Oklahoma and Texas endured a severe drought resulting in major agricultural losses. The losses from the continued drought conditions of 2012 could be as equally significant if adequate rainfall does not occur. Drought conditions cause extreme stress on pecan trees. Water is critical for tree survival and nut production and is involved in...
Read morePecan Monster Stress
The river region of Texas from San Antonio to Texarkana has a monster crop. Improved and native trees are loaded. Limb breakage is a major problem. All loaded trees are in stress. We are dry and the trees are loaded – we have a problem. Some growers shook back in July and that helped a...
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West Nile Virus a Threat to Ag Producers
Agricultural producers are outside a lot and with the high number of West Nile virus cases in Texas this year, especially the Dallas area, I am using some information that was put together by our Texas AgriLife Extension Entomologist, Dr. Sonja Swiger on some West Nile facts for this month’s column. West Nile is serious...
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Major changes in how to fertilize pecan trees
Significant advances have been made recently that we believe should result in major changes in how pecan trees are fertilized, at least from Oklahoma east. Consider: • After many years of unsuccessful attempts to increase phosphorus (P) levels in pecan trees from broadcast soil applications, research has shown the ability to significantly increase this important...
Read moreKernel Necrosis of ‘Pawnee’ Pecan
Kernel necrosis is a malady characterized by necrotic tissue at the basal end (stem end) of the kernel (Fig. 1) (Smith et al., 2007). It was first reported in an orchard near Charlie, Texas, and has since been identified in several orchards with ‘Pawnee’ trees located in the Red River Basin located along the Oklahoma...
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