Speaking of Family Trees…
New tools will help us understand and use some of our old favorite cultivars more efficiently. I had the chance to judge the Pecan Show in Brenham on Nov. 20, 2019. Kara Matheney, Washington County Extension Agent, and her Pecan Committee did a good job bringing in samples from Washington and Austin Counties in an...
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Higher Nut Consumption May Help Prevent Cognitive Decline in the Elderly
November 2019. A recent INC-funded study, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research1, showed that a high intake of nuts may help protect the elderly from cognitive decline. A team of researchers examined whether a diet high in nuts might help protect against age-related cognitive decline over a three-year period. A total of 119 participants...
Read more2020—An exciting Year Ahead
With the beginning of the American Pecan Council’s (APC) new fiscal year, the industry has several projects moving forward. With the strategic plan in full swing, these projects can be broken down into five specific areas: Marketing; International Marketing; Grades, Standards & Research; Industry Relations; and Unified Industry. 2019 – 2020 promises to be a...
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Lady Beetles, Pecan Orchards, and Ground Covers
Pecan aphids have many natural enemies. Some are rarely seen and may not be recognized for the good they do against pecan aphids. Although important, these natural enemies will be saved to write about later. Instead, this article focuses on the well-known and commonly seen lady beetles whose striking colors cannot help but attract attention....
Read moreFamily Trees: The Next Generation
The USDA-ARS Pecan Breeding & Genetics Program is at a transition point. In the past three Pecan South articles, we looked at the collection of living inventories that has grown from a “breeder’s collection” to represent global Carya populations, forming the National Collection of Genetic Resources for Pecans and Hickories (NCGR-Carya). Using that collection, cooperative...
Read more‘Desirable’: True or False
In early November, we harvested ‘Desirable’ pecans in the Brison Block of the Texas A&M Pecan Orchard on the Brazos River near College Station, Texas. The Brison Block has 18 trees that are over 70 years of age, with trunk diameters of 36 to 48 inches. These are big old trees, yet they produced over...
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Understanding Pecan Tree Dichogamy
If you have been following the Pecan South’s Pecan Newsletter this fall, you will have read several growers’ comments on pollination issues affecting their crop. Here, I’ll review the mechanics of pecan pollination and how different environmental factors impact pollination each spring. This review should help you design new plantings in the spring of 2020...
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