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Phylloxera and Casebearer Update

Phylloxera damage has become very noticeable this week. If you see galls on the leaves like the image below, that is phylloxera damage. Stem phylloxera (a separate species) shows up as galls in the stems or nuts and is much more damaging.  Once you see damage from either stem or leaf phylloxera, it is too late to spray for them. These pests have to be sprayed just at budbreak with imidacloprid. Spraying now will do no good.

Pecan leaf phylloxera damage 

 

We are also getting a high volume of calls related to casebearer. As Dr. Acebes mentioned in her post a few weeks ago, light infestations in Georgia do not require control. I think it is likely a good idea to spray Desirable because Desirable will noticeably drop nuts in the next month or so anyway, and in my opinion, it is a good practice to protect the remaining nuts. For most other varieties, especially with a heavy crop load, it is doubtful you would get your money back out of that spray (plus, they would likely help in thinning the crop load a little) unless you have historically had casebearer problems. If you have had problems historically or if you are growing Desirables, now would be a good time to spray with Intrepid. Try to avoid Lorsban applications at this point in the season so that you do not disrupt beneficial insects and create serious aphid problems for later in the growing season.

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