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INVESTIGATION OF COMMON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN PECAN ORCHARDS AGAINST AMBROSIA BEETLES

Applied Research

Andrew Sawyer
Area Extension Agent
University of Georgia
Statesboro

Abstract

Pecans are one of Georgia's top ten commodities with a farm gate value of $401M (Farm Gate Value 2017). Ambrosia beetles are wood-boring beetles that can cause damage to young pecan trees, resulting in tree death under severe infestations. However, these beetles do not feed directly on tree tissues but rather on fungi that they cultivate inside infested trees. It has been found that ambrosia beetle attacks are associated with stressed trees subjected to the following conditions: frost Damage, flooding, poor soil drainage, drought, and previous injury to tree (Ranger et al., 2010). In GA, the acreage of newly planted pecan trees are increasing (Wells , 2014), and more trees will be planted to replace orchards damaged by hurricanes. Thus, the number of potential vulnerable trees to ambrosia beetle attacks will increase. Pecan growers have existing cultural strategies in younger orchards that have anecdotally demonstrated effectiveness against ambrosia beetles. These tactics include painting with white latex paint, spraying insecticide right after painting the tree, covering with tree guard and spraying insecticide. However, none of these methods were tested for their effectiveness in the pecan system.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.

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Authors: A. Sawyer, A. Acebes-Doria, T. Price, P. Halliday
  1. Sawyer, A. Area Pecan Extension Agent, University of Georgia, Georgia, 30460
  2. Acebes-Doria, A. Extension Entomologist, University of Georgia,
  3. Price, T. Extension Agent, University of Georgia,
  4. Halliday, P. Extension Research Technician, University of Georgia,