New Pecan Nut Casebearer Control Product

In a recent meeting I learned that FMC is reformulating the chemical called rynaxypyr (prevathon) and it is now approved for controlling insects in pecan orchards, especially the pecan nut casebearer.  

The product is called Vantacor and can be used on pecan nut casebearer in the Spring but it has the advantage of PNC control for over 3 weeks (up to 4 weeks) and there is no grazing restrictions.  Also the chemical itself is very safe to use with no restrictions on type of tractor, with or without a cab.  The long residual and its product safety will make it a great choice for both native and improved pecan orchards.  

FMC is sponsoring a free webinar on Tuesday, March 16 that pecan producers should check out.  I think you will get some good information on Vantacor and other FMC products for pecans.  I am not specificially trying to promote FMC or Vantacor but when a company does work to get more pecan products registered we do need to encourage that effort!

Link to Free FMC Webinar

Soil Moisture and Temperatures

This is the time of year when we are trying to get ready to plant corn and the question always comes up about when to plant.  Most everybody wants to plant as early as possible to avoid as much hot summer weather as possible and increase yields in the process.  But this is also true with almost all crops, the earlier you plant the higher the yields and the least amount of stress in the growing season.  

The first thing to think about is Summer Solstice on June 20 at 10:31 pm.  This is the date when the day length is the longest of the year and after that date every day gets shorter by nearly 2 minutes a day.  This lengthening of days and the shortening of days has an effect on plant growth - can you figure out which is better?  Of course, longer days are better for crops and we do see plants begin some change after summer solstice.  

That said we know to plant as early in the spring as possible to take advantage of longer days but if our soils are cold then the seed won’t come up.  So, we spend a lot of time looking at soil temperatures to plant corn, sorghum, cotton and peanuts.  Corn is 50⁰, sorghum 60⁰, cotton is 65⁰ and peanuts is 65⁰ degrees F taken at planting depth at 8am for 4-5 days.

So, what is the current soil temperature?  During the coldest part of the polar vortex it was right around 35⁰ at the 2-4 inch depth, so too cold to plant anything.  But the last several days it has been above 50⁰ and the weather should stay warm enough to keep soil temperatures rising enough that the corn planters will be running soon.

What about soil moisture?  Well we are dry and have been for some time.  Soil moisture at the end of January was 30% at 4 inches and 16% at 40 inches.  Today it is 24% at 4 inches and still at that 16-17% at 40 inches.  Ideally we want the 4 inch to be at 35% now and the 40 inch to be at 50% to give the deep moisture we need to grow any crop through the hot summer days. 

Winter Grasses or Maybe Weeds?

Most of the time we call these weeds but for lots of folks they are just another pasture grass - one that just happens to be about the only thing growing in winter!

From a livestock perspective these grasses are great because all three produce lush vegetation that is readily consumed by cattle, goats and sheep.  So, what’s the problem?  Well these grasses are fast becoming weeds especially in hay fields.  They can get so thick in growth that they will shade or choke out the bermudagrass from growing in the spring.  Then they get a lot less palatable for livestock as spring temperatures warm and days get longer.  These weeds will develop a seed head fast with very little leaf growth and cattle just won’t eat them.  These weeds in hay fields left to seed will really lower overall hay quality in that first hay cutting, one we usually expect to be the best quality.

So, what are they?  The top left picture is a grass we typically call Poa.  Technically it is Poa annua or annual bluegrass.  It is a short grass that can rapidly put out that fine seedhead you see.  It is a huge problem in lawns and other turf areas but can get to be a real problem in pastures too because there is not much competition in winter for a short grass.

The second grass picture (right) is a huge problem that is just about everywhere in Texas - rescuegrass.  You might see the name Red Brome but not often, it is rescuegrass.  It is called by that name because once upon a time cattle producers introduced it to native pastures.  At that time it grew well in fall, winter and spring when nothing else was green.  Unfortunately it grows so well that it is taking over many pastures and hay fields.  Its growing season is so long that it is a direct competitor with many native summer grasses including bermudagrass.

These last pictures are of the common wild oat.  Most people recognize it as an oat but since it is wild it does have some drawbacks.  As an oat plant the seed is nothing to really harvest and the plant itself produces a lot less forage.  You can see the oat seed in the picture below and it has unique hairy projections and a curly awn that actually help to corkscrew it into the soil with moisture.  At harvest it is almost impossible to distinguish from real oats until the seeds turn almost black. with drying.  

What can you do?  In a bermudagrass hay field now is
the time to apply a chemical control for all these grasses while the bermudagrass is dormant and these grasses are green.  If you are grazing cows then don't worry, they will be gone soon enough.

7 Things to Do as a Pecan Orchard Manager in 2021

1.  Eliminate Deadwood!  This is a strange thing to say but so appropriate.  This actually comes from an editorial written in American Fruit Grower by David Eddy but I also wrote something similar for American Fruit Grower back in 2010.  The point is that too much of an orchard manager's time is spent in taking care of the parts of the orchard that will never be above average.  Instead, try focussing time and resources managing the already above average areas of your orchard.  It is almost certain that every dollar or every minute of time you spend on this productive part of the orchard will yield double what you invest.  Also, if we are over-producing low quality pecans, and we are, then why not eliminate completely those areas that consistently produce low yield, low quality pecans almost every year.

2.  Hedge, Hedge, Hedge!  A recent article in Pecan South magazine by Dr. Lenny Wells makes the point very well indeed.  His article title was, "Make the Most of Hedge Pruning in the Southeast."  This title will cause Western Growers to just ignore the advice or to maybe even say I'm already doing that.  The problem is we are not doing it well and/or enough.  Hedging improves consistency of the crop, quality of the pecans, and overall size.  I could go into a lot of details here but his article says it all.  This picture is one I found on the internet and is beautiful. It shows the kind of hedging we are talking about.

3.  Don't Marry Those Trees, Don't Even Date Those Trees!  I know this is a tough one for everybody but these trees have a life and for some varieties that life needs to end.  Some varieties or even some specific trees are just not productive anymore and need to go.  See #1 again.  There are many, very productive acres that are covered in nothing but junk and yet we continue to prune, spray and harvest something that is out of date and poor quality.  We have varieties that are scab resistant, have better insect resistance, don't overbear like other varieties that have to be thinned, etc, etc.  Sharpen that chainsaw and selectively remove or just push down whole rows and definitely, in this difficult economic time, make room and get ready for better times.

4. Lower Your Inputs!   This is one of those topics that includes so much but let's identify a just a few.  I can hardly go in an orchard that doesn't have some irrigation problems.  Leaky valves, bad drip tubing, stopped up emitters and more, are all creating huge problems for trees.  Do things on time, is something we all need to hear.  Fertilizer applied late is usually not effective and a missed fertilizer application means missed opportunity.  Scout and use disease and insect thresholds versus making sprays just because it's time or everyone else is spraying.  Last, take those soil and tissue tests and use them for good decisions - don't just guess.

5.  Fix Your Sprayer and Fix Your Sprays!  There is probably no more important piece of equipment than your sprayer. They need to be calibrated every year to ensure accuracy.  Tips wear out and need to be replaced.  Even fan blades can wear down and not put out the volume of air like before.  Agitation can be a problem with plugged lines.  Slow down as trees get thicker and thicker with leaves.  Get some help to see if the spray is going through the trees and into the next row.  Check the height of spray and maybe go back to No. 2 and hedge tree height back!  Why spend the money on tree sprays if you put them in a sprayer that doesn't work right. What about the chemicals and fertilizers you are using - are they any good?  Are they outdated, has resistance become an issue, are there better fertilizers that get to issues quicker, are there new and better biologicals as that industry grows every day?  Question what you are using, ask yourself why before you put anything in the tank! 

6.  Improve Your Harvest Quality!   This is not an easy fix, but with current pecan prices can pay big dividends. Keep your varieties separate, don't harvest and mix varieties. Keep your pecan nut sizes together. Buyers want the pecans to look uniform. Keep quality with quality. Crank down on the blower and remove those light pecans. The same variety, the same size and the same quality brings the highest prices - always.

7.  Improve Your Marketing Plan!  I am assuming if you are reading this that you live in Texas.  If you grow and sell pecans in Texas you are in the best location in the world to sell pecans (see #6 above first).  Texas is a great marketing brand.  Anything Texas sells and people the world over want things from Texas and you are growing Texas Pecans.  Second, you are selling the only commercially sold native nut in the US.  People love to buy native products, American products, and pecans are truly Made in America!  Third, you are a Texas Pecan Farm Family.  People love knowing where the product is coming from and the people who grow it. Highlighting that fact to consumers sells pecans.  Put them all together, Texas - Native Nut - Pecan Farm Family, and almost all consumers will buy Texas Pecans grown by Texas Pecan Farm Families every time they can!  

2020 Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award

     I am not one to "toot my own horn" but I am pretty proud of this award!  I have been involved with the Texas Plant Protection Association for years and have attended and even spoke at many past conferences.  The TPPA does a great job bringing together Educators, Researchers, and Industry into one group and the information is always outstanding.  

    Now for the other side.  I used to work for the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at TAMU and have even done some consulting work on special projects for the Institute.  Working for the Borlaug Institute enabled me to know more about Dr. Borlaug, his work and his legacy.  I even had an opportunity to work with his granddaughter, Julie Borlaug, which was a huge honor.  The Borlaug Institute does work all over the world extending Dr. Borlaug's wonderful legacy.

    So, the combination of an award with Dr. Borlaug's name attached, given from an organization that has meant a lot to me over several decades, and I am more than humbled!  A big thanks to Ray Smith, TPPA Board Chairman and long time friend and coworker for his mentorship and encouragement - it has meant a lot.   Click here to read the Farm Progress article.   BW