Integrated pecan production systems

Jeff Anderson has signed on to support Evaluation of integrated pecan production management systems within Doña Ana County.

Pecan nut case bear scouting and reporting took place for crop year 2008. Producers were advised of approperate actions via e-mail, news paper articles, and news letters. The impact of PNC was miminal with less then a 1% loss to PNC compared with a 12 to 23% loss when control measuers are not implemented. This incerase the gross revenu to the county producers by about 4 milllion dollars.

Due to late freze and high spring wind most pecan orchards have a low production yeild for crop year 2008. This makes it very important to retain all the nuts possable. Twenty two producers were advised on water impacts and need in mid -summer in an efffort to reduce the normal Auguest nut drop. Six of the producers reported back that they felt like they had reduced their late summer nut drop in half. However this imprssion could be a result of low nut count to start with. Based on cluster counts it is prediced that this year yeild will be about 60% of last years.

Wallnut catipliller became an important pest this last summer. Twenty seven producers were visted and advised on how best control this pest. Also a news paper article was written and published in both Artesia and Carlsbad, as well as e-miled to producers.

At the end of the 2007 Western Pecan Growers Association conference, attendees were given surveys to assess the educational program. Attendees participating in the survey were nearly unanimous, stating that conference speakers addressed topics that were immediately relevant to them and that the information conveyed will directly affect practices in their pecan orchard operations. However, a few attendees at the conferences felt that too few water policy issues were addressed and that Spanish translation would be helpful.

A survey of producer who attended the the pecan field day indicates that a 80% adoption rate was obtained.