Stored-Product Insect Pheromones, Traps Provide Warnings of Potential Post-Harvest Problems
With harvest underway and pecans being cracked, shelled, processed and stored, I feel that this is a good time to address that other group of insects — stored product pests — that can infest pecans. As producers, processers, wholesalers and retailers strive to produce and present to the public a high-quality product, the importance of...
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Contributing to a healthy environment
The western region irrigated pecan industry (Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas in the U.S. and Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon and Sonora in Mexico) has grown tremendously since pecans were first introduced in early 1900s. Mexico has over 96,000 hectares with an annual production valued at over $500 million (SAGARPA 2011). There are an...
Read moreNew U.S. Pecan Council
On May 16, 2013, an historic event occurred for pecans. Up until that date, no group had been assembled that represented all segments of the U.S. pecan industry. On that date, the newly formed U.S. Pecan Council seated its first board of directors. This article is an account of its beginnings and future vision. In...
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Two Silent Tree Killers
I am writing this month to discuss 2 silent killers that rob tree vitality and yield over the course of time, without most growers noticing until the damage is extreme. The first of these is the Prionus Root Borer, which attacks many different species of trees including pecan. This pest is present in varying degrees...
Read moreA – n – t – i – c – i – p – a – t – i – o – n
Some of you remember the Carly Simon song “Anticipation” from years ago. It was the most famous track from her 1971 album of the same name, reaching #13 on the U.S. pop charts. The song relates Simon’s state of mind as she waits to go on a date with Cat Stevens. And just as Ms....
Read moreGeorgia Pecans on CBS and Pinterest
As Georgia Pecan Month and the harvest season approach, the Georgia Pecan Commission has been marketing Georgia Pecans on a national platform. The Commission conducted desk-side editorial meetings with editors of food and health magazines such as Fitness, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Women’s Health, Self, Weight Watcher’s and Ladies’ Home Journal. The Commission also coordinated Georgia-based...
Read moreOld Pecan Varieties in Texas
There are over 1,000 varieties of pecans; but how many are “the best”? In Texas, there are only a very few: ‘Western’, ‘Desirable’, ‘Pawnee’, maybe ‘Caddo’, ‘Sioux’ and ‘Kanza’. In 2011, I wrote an article on the varieties THAT have potential, so we will not go there here. This winter, we face the hard task...
Read moreHow was your foliage this year?
Foliage retention until the first’ frost has always been a goal of pecan producers in order to keep the trees healthy and productive from year to year. It’s been tough to maintain good foliage health this year due to the ravages of scab, anthracnose, downy spot, zonate leaf spot, nutritional imbalances, and most significantly black...
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