Our Annual Pecan Growers' Educational Event and BBQ will be held Monday, August 30, 2004 at Jaycee Hall, 2905 E. North St. This event and evening meal will be a relaxing, educational and informative program as Robert G. Bradley, P. G. with the Texas Water Development Board, Groundwater Technical Assistance Geologist visits with us on the groundwater issues facing Victoria County. The program will start with registration at 6:30 and the general welcome at 7:00 p.m.

Robert Bradley is a geologist with the Texas Water Development Board's Groundwater Technical Assistance Section.

He works with groundwater conservation districts' data collection and dissemination efforts, through the Texas Water Information Network Optimization Program (TxWIN). He serves as the Executive Secretary of the Texas Water Monitoring Council and as chair of the Drought Monitoring and Water Supply committee of the Texas Drought Preparedness Council. Mr. Bradley's work at the TWDB includes studies on the Dockum, Seymour, Trinity, and Edwards aquifers of Texas.

Prior to working at the TWDB, he worked with the Office of the New Mexico State Engineer as a Water Resource Specialist.

Mr. Bradley received his BS in Geology from Abilene Christian University in 1987 and received his MS in Geology from Baylor University in 1993. He is a registered professional geologist in the state of Texas.

A barbeque dinner will be provided free to all Victoria pecan grower members (dues are due now and are only $6.00 per person), or anyone else may attend by calling our office at 361-575-4581 and paying $6.00 for the meal at the door. Everyone, please call by August 13 to reserve a meal for this event.

INSECTS:

Stink bugs/Leaffooted bugs:

During the late summer adult stink bugs and leaffooted bugs begin to leave other hosts as they mature and seek out new feeding sites. Damage from stink bug and leaffooted bugs can be characterized as black spots on kernels at harvest. Be aware of surrounding crops such as soybeans, grain sorghum, corn, etc. that are maturing which can result in adults moving into your orchard. One method of SB management is the use of trap crops planted around the orchard. The trap crop idea is to plant a very desirable host to draw the adult stink bugs away from pecans and into these alternate host plants. Anyone wanting more information on the use of trap crops should give me a call.

MITES:

Pecan leaf scorch mite:

The only reports I have received so far on scorch mite activity have been from Bastrop and Wilson counties. Feeding by scorch mites result in a bronzing of the leaflets along the mid vein of the leaflet and leaf drop. Scorch mites tend to like hotter, drier dusty conditions and infestations generally start in the lower portion of the canopy. Controlling mites can be costly so it is best to catch infestations early. Recommended treatments for mites include: dicofol (Kelthane MF) @ 1.5 -2.0 quarts per acre; fenbutatin-oxide (Vendex 50WP) @ 4-8 oz per 100 gallons; hexythiazox (Savey 50WP) @ 3-6 oz per acre; and Acramite @ 1 lb per acre. Dimethoate at 1 pt per acre can act as a suppressant.

DISEASES:

Powdery mildew:

Pecans with powdery mildew will be covered with a white powdery substance. This fungus only attacks the outer layer of plant cells on the pecan shuck and is not a threat to the crop. This fungus is quite common, occurring during the mid summer months and no yield losses have ever been attributed to this fungus.

REMEMBER!! Check out the Victoria County Extension website at http://victoria-co.tamu.edu and you can find most Agricultural Extension publications online at http://tcebookstore.org.

Sincerely,

Joseph D. Janak, Jr., CEA - AG/NR

Sam Womble, CEA - NR

Victoria County

JDJ:SW:vaf

cc: Darrell Dromgoole

Note: Should any product(s) be listed in the above newsletter it (they) are not endorsed by the Texas Cooperative Extension and is (are) listed for your information only.

Special Notice: Provisions from the American Disability Act will be considered when planning educational programs and activities. Please notify the Victoria County Extension Office if you plan on attending any Extension Education Program and need specialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is needed, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet your needs.

Educational programs of the Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origins. The A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.