UGA Pecan Extension

Desirable Drop Most growers know that Desirable drops a few nuts each June, which is one reason they tend to bear a crop every year (see previous blog post). Typical drop for Desirable is to lose 30-60% of the nuts in June. However, its still shocking to most growers to…
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As what Dr. Wells posted last month, there have been reports on Phylloxera galls this season and I have seen them myself in a couple of orchards. Phylloxera outbreaks have been known to correlate with increased first generation shuckworm populations. Hickory shuckworm females favor to lay eggs in the Phylloxera…
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With 10 successive days of rain behind us and no relief in site and a potential tropical storm bearing down on us, pecan growers are under the gun for scab pressure right now. Most days have provided some breaks in the rain showers that have allowed growers to get out…
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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…
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Row crop planting has started in south Georgia and this means herbicide drift season has arrived. I have been on the road all week looking at drift-damaged trees. Since I cannot make it to every orchard in which this occurs, here are the steps that should be taken when a…
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With the cool temperatures we are experiencing this spring pecan trees are exhibiting some odd foliage characteristics. Normally at this time we have seen foliage reach nearly full expansion and female flowers are in the middle of pollination. But, with temps averaging about 4 degrees below normal, foliage development is…
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