TRI-COUNTY PECAN NUT CASEBEARER MONITORING PROJECT
Spring 2004
Anthony Netardus - DeWitt County Extension Agent - Ag/NR
Shannon DeForest - Lavaca County Extension Agent - Ag/NR
Joe Janak - Victoria County Extension Agent - Ag/NR
Bill Ree - Extension Agent - IPM (Pecan)
SUMMARY:
Results of first adult catches in pheromone traps varied by 13 days across Victoria, DeWitt and Lavaca counties. This information emphasizes the fact that every orchard is different in terms of insect activity and treatment decisions need to be made on an orchard by orchard basis. Furthermore, egg laying and more important yet - nut entries, varied from orchard to orchard considerably by date, quantity and spray recommendation.
Fourteen volunteer pecan producers from DeWitt, Lavaca and Victoria counties received training on pecan nut casebearer, PNC, biology and monitoring methods. These volunteer producers monitored PNC pheromone traps during April and May of 2003 and reported trap data and first significant events of first trap catch, first observed egg and nut entry to their respective county Extension agent. County agents from these three counties used this information in their mass media programs such as, radio programs, newsletters and news articles to keep other pecan producers in their respective counties informed of PNC activity. It is estimated that PNC activity information was made available to 50,000+ citizens in the Victoria, DeWitt and Lavaca county area.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project was to improve communication between pecan producers and their respective county Extension agent on first generation pecan nut casebearer activity. The pecan nut casebearer is the most damaging nut feeding insect of pecan across the southern portion of Texas where the first summer generation has the ability to destroy an entire crop. However, in some years PNC can be beneficial with light infestations thinning heavy crops so it is up to the producer to determine the threat of PNC to the crop every year for every orchard.
Many insects, including the pecan nut casebearer, PNC, develop according to temperature rather than a calendar schedule, therefore the start of PNC activity could vary by as much as two weeks from year to year depending on spring temperatures. Across Texas, first generation PNC activity starts in late April and early May in the southern portion of the state while activity in the northern counties doesn't start until late May or early June.
A successful PNC management program depends on monitoring adult activity and the start of oviposition. In order to make correct management decisions producers must monitor their orchard at the correct time. Having information on PNC activity is important for producers to time scouting operations.
MATERIALS and METHODS
County Extension Agents from DeWitt, Lavaca, and Victoria counties each recruited 2 - 6 volunteer pecan growers to dispense and monitor pecan nut casebearer pheromone traps for first generation PNC flight activity The volunteer producers were then to report trap data to their county Extension agent on a weekly basis plus first observation dates of first significant events of first trap catch, first observed egg and first observed nut entry.
Fourteen volunteer producers, three county Extension agents met with Bill Ree, IPM (Pecan) Agent for an in-depth training on pecan nut casebearer. Each producer and County Agent received 6 PNC pheromone traps and pheromone septas and trap data sheets to record trap catches.
RESULTS and DISCUSSIONS
Volunteer producers provided information to their respective county agent on a weekly basis plus information on the biological events of first adult capture, date of first observed egg and nut entry (tables 1, 2, 3). In Victoria County, the results were varied and mixed up probably due to continual rainfall. Moths were found but egg lay was very low, delayed and possibly non-existent on some orchards. When found high enough in the Nelson orchard, it was two weeks later than typical. Egg counts were reportedly low in DeWitt and Lavaca Counties also.
Information from the volunteer producers were used in radio programs, news articles and news letters. In DeWitt county PNC information was published in three county papers that have a combined circulation of 9,200. In Victoria county information was published in the local Victoria newspaper( cir. 40,000) , Country World paper (cir. unknown), Victoria County Agricultural Newsletter to 914 and as emails to volunteer producers. Information on PNC activity was made available to 50,000+ citizens of the Victoria, Lavaca and DeWitt county area.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The following volunteer pecan producers assisted in this project: DeWitt county - Kenneth Adamek, Mark Vavrusa, Roel Chacon, Errol John Dietz and Lloyd Boedeker ; Lavaca county - David Bohuslov, Edward Kallus and Victor Patek; and from Victoria county - Jay Garcia, Charles Nelson Jr, Charles Nelson Sr., Joe Janak, Alton and Kenneth Moritz and Don Stockbauer.
DISCLAIMER CLAUSE:
Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas A&M University System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary.
Table 1. Dates for first observed pecan nut casebearer pheromone trap catch, oviposition and nut entry observations. Victoria County, 2004.
| Producer | County | First observed adult catch | First observed egg | First observed entry |
| Stockbauer | Victoria | April 20 | none found | - |
| Garcia | Victoria | April 20 | May 7 | - |
| Nelson | Victoria | April 22 | May 4 | May 8(A) |
| Janak | Victoria | April 24 | none found | none found |
| A. Moritz | Victoria | April 25 | none found | none found |
| K. Moritz | Victoria | April 28 | none found | none found |
(A) The next entries found (3) were on May 17 and the orchard was sprayed May 21-22, 2004. Moths were caught throughout May and June and 2 entries were found on June 21, 2004. The orchard was sprayed for the second generation on June 22, 2004.
Table 2. Dates for first observed pecan nut casebearer pheromone trap catch, oviposition and nut entry observations. DeWitt County, 2004.
| Producer | County | First observed adult catch | First observed egg | First observed entry |
| Adamek | DeWitt | April 26 | (B) | |
| Adamek/Steen | DeWitt | April 26 | (B) | |
| Laging | DeWitt | April 23 | (B) | |
| Boedeker | DeWitt | April 30 | (B) | |
| Vavrusa | DeWitt | April 23 | (B) | |
| Dietze | DeWitt | May 3 | (A) | (B) |
(A) Egg counts were reported to be very low for the first generation casebearer.
(B) Egg laying and nut entry was very sporadic due to continual rains during the egg laying period.
Table 3. Dates for first observed pecan nut casebearer pheromone trap catch, oviposition and nut entry observations. Lavaca County, 2004.
| Producer | County | First observed adult catch | First observed egg | First observed entry |
| Bohuslav | Lavaca | April 28 | - | (Sprayed May 7) |
| Kallus | Lavaca | April 26 | - | May 8 |