Factors Affecting the 2014 Pecan Crop Lenny Wells UGA Horticulture
How Will 2013 Affect 2014? • 2003 Pecan Crop: 75 million • 2004 Pecan Crop: 45 million • 2013 Pecan Crop: 55 million or less 89 million Trees attempted a good crop Heavy Disease/Insect Pressure Cloudy Conditions If Yields fair to good with good quality or Chance for good Trees never set crop return crop Poor return If Crop lost after August or Poor Quality=Stressed Trees crop potential
2014 Georgia Pecan Crop • Carry-over of scab inoculum • Cool, wet spring • Late budbreak • Heavy scab pressure prior to June • Heavy pressure from mites/black aphids • Dry nut sizing period • Short crop • Small nut size/High % pops/reduced weight
Nut Size Determined By: Soil moisture during sizing Crop Load Temperature Sunlight
Rainfall (cm) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1-Apr-14 8-Apr-14 April-September 2014 Rainfall 15-Apr-14 22-Apr-14 29-Apr-14 6-May-14 13-May-14 20-May-14 27-May-14 Tifton, GA 3-Jun-14 10-Jun-14 17-Jun-14 24-Jun-14 Date 1-Jul-14 8-Jul-14 15-Jul-14 22-Jul-14 29-Jul-14 5-Aug-14 12-Aug-14 19-Aug-14 26-Aug-14 2-Sep-14 9-Sep-14 16-Sep-14 23-Sep-14 30-Sep-14
June-August Rainfall 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2011 2012 2013 2014
Temperature June-July 95 94 Temperature (degrees F) 93 92 91 90 89 2011-2013 2014
Sunlight Levels June-September 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 Lum/ft2 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2012 2013 2014
March/April Temperature, Rainfall and Pollination Temperature March April Avg. 1912-2003 69 77 2014 65.7 74.7 Rainfall April Avg. 1912-2003 3.81 2014 8.72
Pollination Dates Average 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 18 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 Desirable Stuart 2014 Desirable Stuart Pollen Shed Pistil Receptivity
Pecan Nut Drop Pattern Failed Embryo Fertilization May Result From: • Environment – Cool, Cloudy Conditions • Genetic Incompatibility: – Pollen & female parents carry incompatibility gene(s)
Ovule was not fertilized (poor pollination) OR Fruit aborted following nut sizing (pollen incompatability or insufficient carbohydrates)
November 2014 Freeze 70 60 50 Daily Low Temperature (F) 40 30 20 10 0
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