Influence of Aldicarb on Growth and Fruiting of Pecan Transplants

Abstract

This study was established to assess the effect of aldicarb on newly transplanted pecan (Carya illinoinensis) nursery trees. Although labeled for use on pecans for more than 25 years, the aldicarb label for pecans was voluntarily dropped by the manufacturer in 2010. Bare-root seedling, ‘Cape Fear’, ‘Sumner’, and ‘Elliott’ trees were planted in Feb. 2007. Ten trees each were treated with one of the following treatments: aldicarb (0.25 lb at budbreak), aldicarb (0.25 lb applied at budbreak and again in June for a total of 0.5 lb/tree), and a nontreated control. Aldicarb increased shoot length, trunk diameter, leaf chlorophyll index, total dry weight, stem dry weight, and root dry weight of pecan seedlings after 1 year's growth. Aldicarb increased trunk diameter of ‘Cape Fear’, ‘Sumner’, and ‘Elliott’ during the course of the study. Nut production of ‘Cape Fear’ was enhanced in the third year of production. These observations indicate that aldicarb is of value in pecan orchard establishment.