Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.
Evaluation of integrated pecan production management systems (Doña Ana County)
Plan Goals
Dona Ana County is the largest producer of Pecans in the southwest. Labor and water issues have become an increasing burden to the pecan farmer. New management practices will be assessed to demonstrate enhanced profitability.
- Owner
- Jeff L. Anderson
- Related Plans
-
Integrated pecan production systems
Impact Reports
Western Pecan Growers Conference.
The 2009 Western Pecan Growers Conference had >300 attendees from around the western U.S. As in 2008, attendees responding in a post-conference survey and face-to-face comments were highly complimentary of the educational program. Again, they said that the topics were immediately relevant to their current needs and that the information conveyed will directly affect practices in their pecan orchard operations. A few attendees also suggested additional topics that should have been addressed—for example, a pecan marketing presentation was requested by one survey respondent. These will hopefully be address in the 2010 WPGA program. Also, following the 2009 WPGA conference, the association’s board evaluated the educational program which I coordinated. All 21 of the board members gave a very positive review of the conference program—confirming that the presentations provided information immediately applicable for pecan growers throughout the west.
The 2009 Western Pecan Growers Conference had >300 attendees from around the western U.S. As in 2008, attendees responding in a post-conference survey and face-to-face comments were highly complimentary of the educational program. Again, they said that the topics were immediately relevant to their current needs and that the information conveyed will directly affect practices in their pecan orchard operations. A few attendees also suggested additional topics that should have been addressed—for example, a pecan marketing presentation was requested by one survey respondent. These will hopefully be address in the 2010 WPGA program. Also, following the 2009 WPGA conference, the association’s board evaluated the educational program which I coordinated. All 21 of the board members gave a very positive review of the conference program—confirming that the presentations provided information immediately applicable for pecan growers throughout the west.
Long term goals of alternate pecan bearing are being worked on. Emphasis on proper watering and nutrition techniques are being recommended to growers. Investigation of nutrient supply vs. bearing is underway. Preliminary research is indicating that nutrition and water play a major role in alternate bearing. While alternate bearing seems not to be preventable, the goal is to prevent a large crop followed by a small crop cycle. What we would like to see is more consistent bearing, and water/nutrition seems to be making the important factor here.
Orchard management practices provided through NMSU are one of the driving forces in pecan production for Dona Ana County. Attendee’s at the Pecan Conference, and Pecan Field Day learned of new cultivars, nickel nutrient deficiency, and orchard floor management, to mention a few topics. Through this information from NMSU, pecan farmers are learning; the symptoms of nickel deficiency and how to correct it, new cultivars for earlier harvesting that can lead to higher profits, and new whole floor mulchers to eliminate the need to burn pecan pruning’s. The agent is helping his clientele learn more about these systems through literature and on site consultations.
Dona Ana County is the largest pecan producing county in the United States, and the largest agricultural industry in Dona Ana County. Each year the Western Pecan Growers Conference is held in March. This conference is regarded as the best pecan information conferences in the U.S. Each year the conference strives to incorporate the best speakers in the U.S. to cover important pecan topics related to it’s producers. These topics range from orchard floor management, insect/disease control, nutrient deficiencies, harvesting /processing, international/domestic trade, pricing, and labor issues. The agent and specialist are working together to help farmers produce the best pecans in the nation. Due to these efforts pecan farming has increased in the county with new acreage being added, and continues to be a profitable profession. Information provided through the university system has allowed the farmers to make better decisions in irrigation, fertilizers, and pest control. Because of the universities research based information, the farmers are makeing better decisions in their orchards which has led to increased profits.
The “Pecanigator”.
The “Pecanigator” is an irrigation scheduling device designed by a team of NMSU researchers and extension personnel. The original design was a cardboard “slide rule”, but now is available online. It is designed specifically for increasing pecan profitability per acre-foot of irrigation water applied under the conditions of Dona Ana county (where 70% of New Mexico’s pecan acreage is found), but may also be used in most of New Mexico’s other pecan producing counties. In informal surveys, growers have been overwhelmingly positive about this device. One prominent, mid-scale pecan grower from the Mesilla Valley has informed me that he had tried unsuccessfully to develop a similar device on his own—he now uses the online “Pecanigator” to schedule irrigations for his orchards. A Mesilla Valley certified organic pecan grower has said, “I want to get [“Pecanigators”] out to some of these small organic (and some conventional farms) that think 4 irrigations per season suffice--then they whine when they grade out 52%!!! I saw the device at the NM Pecan Growers workshop. Simple and easy to use.” NMSU CES agriculture/horticulture agents in all New Mexico counties with appreciable pecan acreage have expressed to me that the “Pecanigator” is extremely useful for growers in their counties—but agents in eastern and northern pecan-growing counties have expressed a need to adapt it for conditions particular to their counties.
The “Pecanigator” is an irrigation scheduling device designed by a team of NMSU researchers and extension personnel. The original design was a cardboard “slide rule”, but now is available online. It is designed specifically for increasing pecan profitability per acre-foot of irrigation water applied under the conditions of Dona Ana county (where 70% of New Mexico’s pecan acreage is found), but may also be used in most of New Mexico’s other pecan producing counties. In informal surveys, growers have been overwhelmingly positive about this device. One prominent, mid-scale pecan grower from the Mesilla Valley has informed me that he had tried unsuccessfully to develop a similar device on his own—he now uses the online “Pecanigator” to schedule irrigations for his orchards. A Mesilla Valley certified organic pecan grower has said, “I want to get [“Pecanigators”] out to some of these small organic (and some conventional farms) that think 4 irrigations per season suffice--then they whine when they grade out 52%!!! I saw the device at the NM Pecan Growers workshop. Simple and easy to use.” NMSU CES agriculture/horticulture agents in all New Mexico counties with appreciable pecan acreage have expressed to me that the “Pecanigator” is extremely useful for growers in their counties—but agents in eastern and northern pecan-growing counties have expressed a need to adapt it for conditions particular to their counties.