Although fall can be a rare season weather-wise in Eddy Countyit is a season of great anticipation for pecan growers whether they have one tree or several thousand. Those of us who cherish such nuts know that the taste of that first fresh nut of the season (properly dried, of course) is something to behold. However, many times the crop is lost long before we can ever harvest a single nut.
The pecan is a most unique horticultural crop in that it stays on the tree from May until October and sometimes December.That's a long time! Another interesting characteristic is how the nut develops, that is.The nut is full sized by the end of July with absolutely no kernel inside. Hence, if growing conditions are favorable early in the season, one will have large pecans.Then, if it turns dry later,the nuts will be poorly filled. So, although there are years when trees have super good nuts regardless of what we do, there are a lot more factors involved in production than meets the eye.
Premature nut drop in summer may have been caused by a lack of pollination, insect damage and/or stress. Pecans require cross pollination, but with all the pecan trees around, it is rare for there to be a lack of pollen. However, unfavorable environmental conditions such as heavy rain or hot dry winds during bloom could cause pollination problems and result in nut drop when the nuts are small.
Another common cause of early drop is insect damage. The first generation pecan nut casebearer can cause a lot of drop. Nuts with such damage will be characterized by an exit hole covered by frazz. There can be as many as three generations a year. Usually the first generation causes the most damage, but this can vary from year to year. Other insect feeding on the nuts before shell hardening will also cause the nuts to drop. Insect puncture by stink bugs will cause interior nut discoloration and later drop. Nuts which drop with no interior discoloration is caused by physiological drop or stress, not enough water or too much. However, once the nut shell becomes hard,the nut will no longer drop from stress, rather the leaves drop resulting in little to no filling of the nuts.
Poor shuck opening can be caused by either, third generation casebearer damage and/or stress. A common late season problem in many locations is casebearer. Such nuts will have black lesions, which can be spongy. When one cuts into the lesion, one will find a small white larva or worm tunneling in the shuck. Early damage will cause shucks not to open, and later damage causes poorly filled nuts. If the first generation is controlled, this is usually not an issue.Excessive feeding by stink bugs will also cause nuts not to open.
A similar shuck problem where the shucks will not open can be caused by stress. There are no apparent insect problems in the shuck, and the kernel is usually shriveled. Such "stick?tights" are caused by drought and heat stress in September and October. Pecans require water right up until the time of shuck split to reduce this problem. Nuts sprouting in the shuck before harvest (vivipary) are also reduced by late season water and/or stress reduction.I have gotten some brought in this year mostly of different varieties than Western or Wichita.The problem seem to be in a few Burkerts, Pawneeand Mohawk.
A similar shuck problem where the shucks will not open can be caused by stress. There are no apparent insect problems in the shuck and the kernel is usually shriveled. Such "stick?tights" are caused by drought and heat stress in September and October. Pecans require water right up until the time of shuck split to reduce this problem. Nuts sprouting in the shuck before harvest (vivipary) are also reduced by late season water and/or stress reduction.
Black spots on the kernels are caused by stink bugs feeding on the nuts after the shell hardened. The black spots on the kernels are bitter,inedible and can be severe in some years. However, the damage is undetected until the nuts are shelled. Such nuts can be salvaged by breaking off the spot if minor.
Another common problem found at shelling is fuzz on the surface of the kernels. This fuzz is typically caused by stress such as drought. It is a very common problem on trees with too many pecans. Also nuts maturing on broken limbs generally have a lot of fuzz.
So, when one askswhat happened to theirpecans,the answer is usually not simple. Rather it is a combination of factors which caused the problem or problems. Poorly filled kernels can be caused by all of the following: crowded trees, overloaded tress, shallow soil, late summer drought stress, casebearer damage, stink bug damage, oversized nuts and poor nutrition. Thus, one can understand what a tremendous challenge pecan production can be for the commercial producers to produce quality nuts year in and out. Also, the price you have to pay for quality kernels should not seem unreasonable.
The drought, compounded by water supply issues, has not been kind to growers in New Mexico and some sectors of California where optimism still persists via the planting of some 200 new acres per year.
Powdery Mildew (caused by the fungus Microsphaera alni)
Early-infected nuts may remain small and have an early shuck split and shriveled kernels. In some other states, it sometimes causes defoliation. The disease is usually held in check when a scab control program is followed.
During many years a lack of pollination causes the greatest loss of nuts. Since pecans are wind-pollinated only, excessive rainfall during the spring bloom prevents pollination as noted earlier, and the poorly pollinated flowers produce small nuts that subsequently abort.
Birds and squirrels are not the only animals that eat pecans. If your pecans are being eaten, it might also be other nut-loving pests such as raccoons, possums, mice, hogs, and even cows.
Alternate pecan production (on and off years) is mainly the result of inadequate fertilization. When trees set a large nut crop, there are not enough nutrients for both that year's nuts to mature and for the tree to store enough plant food for adequate production in the following year.
This is something that occurs annually and is a natural aspect of the pecan tree. They will lose a certain percentage of nuts each year. It may be worse on some varieties than others and worse in some years than in others, depending on pollination, etc.
Lack of water will reduce the production of nuts, the size of nuts, as well as leaf and shoot growth. Adequate soil moisture is important from bloom through late summer and fall. Proper fertilization of the trees is also important, especially for nitrogen and zinc.
Pecan scab is the most economically significant disease of pecan trees (Carya illinoinensis) in the southeastern United States. Venturia effusa is a fungal plant pathogen that causes pecan scab.
The general pecan harvest season starts in September and continues through November. Still, just because it's harvest season doesn't mean the pecans are ready to drop. Nature will let you know when the pecans are ready for harvesting, and this can take time.
Overcrowding- Pecan trees must have good exposure to sunlight to produce good crops. When limbs begin to overlap limbs of neighboring trees, remove the least desirable trees to prevent overcrowding. Disease and insect pests- Pecan scab seriously limits production on unsprayed pecan varieties.
Drought, particularly in August and September when pecan nuts are filling out, is a common cause of poorly filled pecans. Pecan trees growing in deep sandy soils are more likely to produce small, shriveled nuts because water drains too quickly from these soils, allowing trees to dry out between rainfalls.
For pecan trees to bare nuts you will need two or more different cultivars, as they require cross pollination for maximum productivity. Pecan trees do not bear fruit until they are between the ages of four and 12 years old and that is determined by the cultivar.
You can put a piece of sheet metal around the trunk wide enough — six-fee — to stop them from climbing the tree, but then you need to trim your trees where they won't jump from another tree, structure or wire — by the way I saw a squirrel jump over 10 feet one time.
Pollination (early May): Apply Zinc Sulfate spray and Bonide Fruit Tree spray again, three to four weeks after the late budbreak sprays. The fruit tree spray will prevent pecan casebearers. Mid-season (mid-late June): Six weeks after the last sprays, re-apply Bonide Fruit Tree Spray.
In most cases, the nut inside a green pecan isn't edible because it hasn't had time to fully develop. You'll be able to tell if they taste bitter and have a sticky, soft texture, instead of the buttery, rich, and nutty flavor of a ripe pecan.
Drought stress affects nut size and filling, as well as leaf and shoot growth. Adequate soil moisture is important at bud break in order to stimulate strong, vigorous growth, from bloom through shell hardening for nut size, and during the nut filling stage for optimizing kernel percentage.
Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas are the top pecan-producing states. The U.S. is the world's leading producer of pecans, producing about 80% of the world's pecan supply.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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