Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #329853
Research Project: New Tools for Managing Key Pests of Pecan and Peach

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Advances in organic insect pest management in pecan

Author
item Shapiro Ilan, David
item Cottrell, Ted
item MIZELL, RUSSELL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Southeastern Pecan Growers Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2016
Publication Date: 4/15/2016
Citation: Shapiro Ilan, D.I., Cottrell, T.E., Mizell, R.F. 2016. Advances in organic insect pest management in pecan. Southeastern Pecan Growers Meeting Proceedings. http://sepga.com/Presentation/WEB2016pres/Shapiro-IlanSEPGA2016.pdf.

Interpretive Summary: Pecans are economically the most important native nut crop in the USA. The market for organic pecans has been growing. However, in the Southeastern USA, there are a number of insect pests and plant diseases that challenge the ability of growers to produce organic pecans in an economically sound manner. Among the major concerns are the pecan weevil and diseases such as pecan scab. Our overall goal for this project is to develop sustainable organic production practices for the Southeastern USA. The research reported herein focuses on pecan weevil control. We discovered that an integrated approach using beneficial nematodes, insect-killing fungi, and a bacteria-based product, significantly reduced pecan weevil damage in USDA and commercial organic pecan orchards. All the organic products used are deemed safe to humans and the environment. Also, we found that the bacteria-based product (Grandevo®) controlled pecan weevil at the same level as conventionally used chemical insecticides. Additional research is needed to expand upon these findings and conduct an economic analysis of the organic approaches.

Technical Abstract: Pecans are economically the most important native nut crop in the USA. The market for organic pecans has been growing. However, in the Southeastern USA, there are a number of insect pests and plant diseases that challenge the ability of growers to produce organic pecans in an economically sound manner. Among the major concerns are the pecan weevil (Curculio caryae) and diseases such as pecan scab, Fusicladium effusum. . Our overall goal for this project is to develop sustainable organic production practices for the Southeastern USA. The research reported herein focuses on pecan weevil control. We discovered that an integrated approach using entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae), entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana), and a bacteria-based product (Grandevo®, based on Chromobacterium subtsugae), significantly reduced pecan weevil damage in USDA and commercial organic pecan orchards. All the organic products used are deemed safe to humans and the environment. Also, we found that the bacteria-based product (Grandevo®) controlled pecan weevil at the same level as conventionally used chemical insecticides. Additional research is needed to expand upon these findings and conduct an economic analysis of the organic approaches.