Bollworm
Cultar
May I use Cultar in my pecan nut orchard in South Africa?
Yes you may use Cultar but should consider all the facts before you continue or start using it.
Cultar (Paclobutrazol) and some other brand names with the same active ingredient, are registered for use on pecan nut trees in South Africa. The product is widely used and has been for some time. The merits or demerits of the substance is not what is discussed here but rather the risks that are involved.
As part of risk management the pecan nut producer has to consider that the product is not registered in the USA. The reason for this is that it can be traced in the soil for several years after application and the USDA does not register such products. There could be a scenario where customers refuse to purchase pecans where Cultar has been applied or where traces can be found, leaving South African producers using Cultar, at risk of losing access to these markets.
MRL analysis and the means to test product for traces or residues of almost anything is real and this ability is only heightening.
It needs to be understood that it is ultimately the buyers who decide to buy or not to buy any product.
It remains the producer’s prerogative to use Cultar with acknowledgement of the risk.
Processors may require producers to declare the use of Cultar.
Cultivar Identification
Mrs Anrie Allen, obtained my MSc degree in Plant Molecular Genetics at the University of the Free State. She is currently busy with her PhD degree in Genetics and Horticulture specializing in pecan nuts.
She is the director of Genepro (Pty) Ltd, which is a Genetic consulting and Laboratory services company. The main focus of Genepro (Pty) Ltd is pecan cultivar identification through DNA fingerprinting.
Contact Details:
GENEPRO (PTY) LTD
Anrie Allen
072 2599 459
anrie@gene-pro.com
Orchard Establishment / Pekanneut Vestiging
Orchard Floor Management
Pecan Pests And Fungal Diseases
Polyphagous Shot Hole Beetle (PSHB)
A collaborative research project between SAPPA and FABI started in 2018 investigating the PSHB on pecan nut orchards.
The project is on understanding the seasonal patterns as well as the rate of spread of the beetles, and also studying the long-term effects of the fungal infections caused by the PSHB
Pruning
1 year old trees of different sizes
(Part 1)
(Part 2)
(Part 3)
2 year old trees not pruned in the first year
Choctaw tree
Wichita tree
3 year old Choctaw tree that was pruned in the first and second year
(Part 1)
(Part 2)