This year's UF/IFAS Florida Pecan Field Day took place on September 13th, 2018 at the Jefferson County Extension Office. Extension specialists from Florida and Georgia provided growers from across the state with information about current pecan production practices and management tips. Pesticide continuing education units (CEUs) were offered for Florida and Georgia pesticide handlers as well as for Certified Crop Advisors. Sponsors of the Pecan Field Day included Farm Credit, Savage Equipment and Simpson Nurseries.
Speaker topics included Best Management Practices (BMPs) and cost-share opportunities for growers, weed management, fertility, pecan scab management, insect pest management and information regarding new pecan varieties. The following provides a brief recap of the Pecan Field Day.
BMAPs, BMPs and Cost-Share Opportunities
Dr. Andrea Albertin, UF/IFAS Water Resources Agent provided information on the implications of the Florida Water Bill. According to this bill, farmers in a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) can either choose to either: (1) enroll in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program and implement BMPs or (2) monitor water quality on their farm. Currently, in Jefferson County we are under the Wacissa Springs BMAP. Financial assistance is available from FDACS, NRCS, Suwannee River Water Management District and the Mobile Irrigation Lab for producers enrolled in the BMP program.
Herbicides for Pecan Orchards
Dr. Peter Dittmar, UF/IFAS Weed Specialist shared information on the current herbicides labeled for use in Florida pecan production. It is important to know which weed you are targeting and selecting the proper herbicide for its control. He also discussed the benefits of using a pre-emergent herbicide to reduce the use of post-emergent herbicides and to decrease the likelihood of building herbicide resistant weed populations.
Pecan Fertilization
Dr. Lenny Wells, UGA Pecan Specialist discussed the importance of proper fertilization for young and mature pecan trees. Leaf sampling between July 7th and August 7th are the most effective means of determining nutrient requirements and soil sampling should be done in the fall/winter for determining pH and toxicities.
Pecan Scab Management
Dr. Clive Bock, USDA-ARS Plant Pathologist spoke on the proper fungicide spray distribution and coverage for effectively managing pecan scab. He stressed the importance of rotating fungicide modes of action to reduce resistance. Phosphite fungicides are effective for controlling pecan scab on the fruit and the foliage. There are organic options available for managing pecan scab.
Management of Common and Occasional Pests of Pecan
Dr. Ted Cottrell, USDA-ARS Entomologist discussed managing the black peach aphid and its life cycle. He also talked about mating disruption as a possible control for the pecan nut casebearer and the hickory shuckworm. Mating disruption prevents the male insect from finding the female, thus the mating process is disrupted.
New UGA Pecan Releases
Dr. Patrick Conner, UGA Pecan Breeder provided variety data from trials in Georgia demonstrating trends in pecan performance. The pest resistance, yield, nut quality and tree attributes for several varieties were discussed. He also discussed tree availability for different varieties.
Florida Pecan Growers Association
Following the Pecan Field Day, the Florida Pecan Growers Association met for their annual meeting. The Florida Pecan Growers Association is looking to grow their organization and connect with pecan producers across the state. If you are a current or prospective pecan grower and are interested in becoming a member of the Florida Pecan Growers Association, please call the Extension Office at (850) 342-0187.
The Florida Pecan Growers Association will hold their next meeting at 9:30 a.m. on March 1, 2019, at the Extension Office. For more information or to receive the presentations from the meeting, give the Extension Office a call.
The Fall Backyard Gardening Series will run from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 20 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Jefferson County Extension Office.
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