By Clint Thompson
A lot has changed with pecan production over the past decade. University research has generated updated recommendations regarding production that Georgia and Alabama growers must be aware of. This week’s University of Georgia Pecan Beginners Class provided University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells that opportunity to educate the region’s growers.
He highlighted irrigation requirements in an interview with AgNet Media.
“The irrigation requirements for pecans have changed quite a bit just based on some of the research we’ve done and what we’ve learned about how pecan trees here in the Southeast have used water,” Wells said. “We’ve learned that they really don’t use much water at all until they get that canopy developed on them and those nuts start to size. April, really up to about the end of May, they’re just not using a whole lot of water at all. We’ve cut way back on our recommendations there.
“There’s been some changes irrigation wise and also with hedge pruning. That was just kind of starting 10 years ago and now we know a lot more about that. We have a lot more information we can tell them about that and how to do it; how often to do it; when to do it; what varieties respond best to it.”
Varieties have also been updated and improved, especially regarding scab disease.
“We’ve got better varieties now to recommend as far as disease resistance of that variety and production potential,” Wells said. “Varieties we have now have a lot higher ceiling on their production than some of the varieties we used to grow. That’s changed some, too.”