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 (Otero County)

Plan Goal

To assess the effects of new and conventional management practices on pecan orchard yields and quality. To promote those orchard management practices demonstrated to enhance pecan orchard profitability. And also the use of water in the valley.

Situation Statement

There are approximately 35,000 acres of pecans in New Mexico and, in 2005, New Mexico pecan sales were valued at a record $112 million, accounting for a substantial percentage of the state’s agricultural economy. With declining profitability in many of the state’s other agricultural sectors in recent years, there has been much conversion of crop land to pecan orchards. At the same time, however, production costs (e.g. land, nursery trees, fuel, and fertilizers) are rising, irrigation water is becoming scarcer and international competition is increasing. Thus, for pecan operations to be profitable, it is more critical today than ever before for growers to maximize production efficiency. The research and extension activities in this plan of work will make the New Mexico pecan industry more competitive in the world market in the long term by making growers better able to make informed management decisions.

One of the other most enduring issues here in the valley where growers are concern about is the water usage, water quality and how to reduce the use of water through new, widely available, efficient, economical technology. The Growers themselves see this as a threat and concern for next generation growers. The water table is on the decrease for the last several years due to the population growth in Alamogordo and Tularosa and other smaller towns in the surrounding areas. We need to educate the people living in this community about the usage of water specially those people that moved from out of town and come down here to retire. People in the community have been educated about water usage by the programs that we conduct through the Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners often go out and conduct classes with other entities about the use of water and how to conserve water, how to protect the water, and how to store water by collecting it when it rains. Conducting workshops for new growers and having Master Gardeners conduct classes and attending other entities meeting about planting and growing trees, they will get to bring some of the issues about water in this area that we face. Some of the progress that we know that was made was the concern that people have when they call the extension office or the Master Gardener Hotline to ask about water conservation or how to improve their capacity in water conservation. Growers also often note that they would only water enough for the trees by carefully monitoring the soil moisture contend of the soil by using soil moisture monitoring equipment given by Otero Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).

Target Audience and Actions

The target audience for this program includes large and small scale pecan growers in New Mexico. Experiments will be conducted, targeting the issues surrounding alternate bearing in particular. Results will be disseminated via one-on-one visits with growers, an annual shortcourse, an annual conference, field days, extension publications and trade journal articles.

Workshop have been conducted concerning spraying of pesticide, insecticide, fertilizer usage, handling, insect management, weed management, tree health, all these contribute to the healthy growth of the Pecan and Pistachio growers bottom line.

Short-Term Objectives

Growers in Pecan and Pistachio that attends the workshop, or call the extension service for service report a 50% improvement in their ability to make well-informed orchard management decisions. Decision made in the past was not well informed but decision done since we had the first Otero County Pecan workshop in Otero County, Growers have expressed their confidence in managing their Pecan orchard base on scientific facts and published material from New Mexico State University being more accessible to them more readily.

Distribution of water publication through Master Gardener will help promote and educate the population in the water usage through conservation. Master Gardener exhibiting their programs through local events and handling out pamphlets to visitors will further carry the message of water conservation to the greater population of Otero County. Growers will be contacted through visitation and phone calls to check if the monitoring equipment is working well and the data collection is on schedule.

Medium-Term Objectives

Forty percent of pecan growers attending presentations or reading publications will adopt those management practices demonstrated to enhance orchard profitability.

There will be more and more growers that have adopted the sprinkler system for their trees instead of burying their water system where they could not see if there is a leak and wasting water. Using this sprinkler system could same money on the use of water through pumping it out of a well and the conservation of water is achieved. Working in partnership with NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service)incentives from NRCS to help pay for half the project when changing to more efficient water equipment for their Pecan/Pistachio orchard will raise the percentage of Growers participants in water conservation efforts thus reducing the use of ground water and ensuring there is water for the next generation of Growers.

Long-Term Objectives

Otero County Pecan and Pistachio growers in the county adopting new practice promoted by the cooperative extension service should have an impact of 50% or more in the yield of their crop and quality of production as a result of adopting these practices.

Water usage should be lower too, with the advent of education in the use of water.

Evaluation Plan

Short-term objectives of this program will be evaluated through questionnaires, while longer-term objectives will be evaluated through surveys, personal observations and interviews.

Questionnaires are given usually at the end of the workshop to see if the Growers feel that the workshop was adequate or there is improvement to be made in the next workshop to be conducted. Long-term evaluations will be done through visitation and phone calls to see if there is improvement of crops and water use conservation.