62nd annual Texas Pecan Short Course set for Feb. 24-27 in Somerville
Four-day course includes classroom learning, hands-on demonstrations
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host the 62nd annual Texas Pecan Short Course on Feb. 24-27 in Somerville, combining classroom learning with in-field demonstrations at Texas A&M University’s working pecan orchard.
The four-day course, which encompasses both classroom learning and hands-on demonstrations, will run from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. each day at the Texas A&M University Horticulture Teaching Research and Extension Center, 3199 County Road 269.
The cost is $320 per person and $80 per person for Texas A&M AgriLife employees. Lunch is included with registration. Online registration is available through Feb. 20.
About the course
The Texas Pecan Short Course is an intensive training for entering commercial pecan production and is recognized as the most complete basic training program in the pecan industry.
The short course covers all aspects of pecan production, with a focus on recommended practices for Texas. The principles of pecan production, such as disease control and irrigation, are also covered and are transferable to other regions or climates.
“The course starts at the beginning and walks participants through all basic aspects of managing a pecan orchard and marketing pecans for sale,” said Monte Nesbitt, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and associate professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
“It is designed for people considering starting a pecan orchard, who have recently purchased a pecan orchard or who have been hired to manage a pecan orchard.”
One highlight of the course is that every participant builds a “pecan variety board” containing 48 unique pecan varieties, a well-known signature of short-course participants.
Topics and speakers
Among the topics that will be covered during the four days are:
- Texas pecan industry overview.
- Tree yield and production potential.
- The pecan market.
- Human nutrition effects of pecans.
- Native grove management.
- Integrated pest management.
- Tree anatomy.
- Taxonomy.
- Physiology.
- Pecan diseases.
- Orchard floor management.
- Irrigation and salinity management.
- Site selection.
- Orchard design and establishment.
- Pesticide resistance.
- Spray equipment calibration.
- Pruning and orchard rejuvenation.
- Rootstocks.
- Varieties.
- Breeding new cultivars.
- Harvesting methods.
- Grafting techniques.
Speakers for the short course include:
- Nesbitt.
- Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Uvalde.
- Kimberly Cervantes, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulture specialist and professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, El Paso.
- Jenna Anding, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension nutrition specialist and professor, Department of Nutrition.
- Kyle Slusher, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension entomologist and assistant professor, Department of Entomology, Stephenville.
- Stephen Janak, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Hallettsville.
- Amit Dhingra, Ph.D., head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Angelyn Hilton, Ph.D., research plant pathologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Bryan-College Station.
- Warren Chatwin, Ph.D., research geneticist, USDA-ARS, Bryan-College Station.
- Blair Krebs, executive director, Texas Pecan Growers Association, Bryan-College Station.
