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Maximizing Pecan Production Efficiency for Lower Costs

Learn cost-saving techniques for pecan production, including N use efficiency and herbicide strip benefits. Explore fertilization methods and food safety tips to enhance yield while reducing expenses.

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Maximizing Pecan Production Efficiency for Lower Costs

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  1. The Cost of Producing Pecans---Can We Grow Them for Less? Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Department of Horticulture, Tifton, GA

  2. Pecan Returns *average price from 2005-2007

  3. How Can We Reduce the Cost of Production? • Increase N use efficiency • Reduce number of trips over the orchard

  4. Why Do you have a herbicide strip? • 40 X 40 • 12 foot wide herbicide strip: • 12/40 = 30% • Can reduce area that you apply • fertilizer to by 70% with • band application • At a rate of 75 lbs per acre: • 100 acres X 75 = 7500 lbs N • 7500 X 30% = 2250 lbs N

  5. Broadcast Band Application

  6. Liquid 28-0-0-5 applied over herbicide strip

  7. Effect of N Application Method on ‘Stuart’ Pecan----Year 1 N rate for all treatments = 70 lbs/acre Return per acre based on $2.71 per point (Yield/acre x 2.71) X % kernel = $/acre 28-0-0-5 Liquid Fertilizer) used for Injection and Herbicide Sprayer Applications; Cost = $500/ton Ammonium Nitrate used for broadcast band and broadcast applications; Cost = $495/ton

  8. Food Safety Concerns Regarding the Use of Poultry Litter in Orchards • Raw vs Composted Litter • Time of Application • Crowded Orchards • Thin-shelled cultivars • Wet Harvest Conditions • Delayed Harvest

  9. Foliar Urea • Feed Grade Urea = 4 lbs/100 gallons • Liquid Urea (23%) = 1 gallon/100 gallons • DO NOT USE BIURET UREA • Urea moves out of the leaf quickly to storage tissues • Unless leaf N is deficient, you probably won’t see an increase in leaf N

  10. Chem Mowing Costs Monte Nesbitt, Auburn University Labor = $7.50/hr Diesel $4.00/gal Spray application cost = $3.34 Glyphosate cost = $38.00/gal Mowing cost per acre = $13.92/acre

  11. Pre-Emergence Herbicide Strip Options

  12. Fruit Thinning Trial—2007 & 2008 • Irwin County • Approx. 20 yr old Cape Fear & Sumner • 5 trees thinned; 5 trees non-thinned/ cultivar

  13. Cape Fear-2007

  14. Sumner 2007

  15. Cape Fear 2008

  16. Sumner 2008

  17. Total 2 year Value CAPE FEAR SUMNER

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