The Georgia Pecan Growers Association held their annual conference last week in Perry Georgia at the Perry National Fairgrounds. The event was well attended, most growers I spoke with said they were glad to be back to in person events after the shutdown. 

 

The conference had several vendors with new equipment to show off for the season, while others were there for the first time. 

 

The farm tour was done as a hybrid event where growers drove around the Jarros pecan orchards to stop at locations with large signs and a qr code to display a pre-recorded video presentation about the studies being performed at that location in the orchard. 

 

The studies covered a wide range of topics looking at the benefits and effects of hedging pecan orchards in the southeastern US. Hedging fruit and nut trees is very common, however hedging pecan trees in the southeastern US is relatively new and has been the topic of long term studies by researchers at the University of Georgia. The presentations cover a wide range of topics relating to hedging pecans in the area and the different effects hedging is having on the orchards. 

 

Check out the presentations below.

 

Dr. Angelita Acebes-Doria Pecan hedge pruning effects on insect populations in the orchards

 

Kyle Slusher – Pecan aphids

Kate Phillips – Pest populations

Dr. Lenny Wells – Pecan Hedging effects on pecan production and quality 

Dr. Clive Bock – Pecan scab in hedged and non-hedged orchards

Pedro Toledo (Brazil) – effects on efficiency of biological control agents due to canopy structural changes in pecan orchards.