Tree Fruits

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Tree Fruits Pecans

• Eric T. Stafne
• Department of Horticulture L.A.
• Oklahoma State University
• Stillwater, OK

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General Information
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Classification of Some Fruits and Nuts

• Pome fruits
• Apple Malus domestica
• Pear Pyrus spp.
• Quince Cydonia spp.
• Persimmon
• Japanese Diospyros kaki
• Common Diospyros virginiana

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Classification (contd.)

• Stone fruits
• Nectarine Prunus persica
• Peach Prunus persica
• Plums Prunus spp.
• Apricot P. armeniaca
• Sour cherry P. cerasus
• Sweet cherry P. avium

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Classification (contd.)

• Nuts
• Pecan Carya illinoensis
• Hickory Carya spp.
• Black walnut Juglans nigra
• English walnut Juglans regia
• Almonds Prunus amygdalus
• Chestnut Castanea spp.

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Time (Years) Required to Bear

• Fig 2
• Plum 2
• Peach 3
• Nectarine 3

• Persimmon 4
• Apple 4
• Pear 5
• Apricot 5
• Pecan 7

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Site Selection

• Air drainage
• Frost pockets
• Especially important for peach
• Space available
• May not have room for trees
• Soil
• Heavy poorly drained soil may limit potential
• Can use raised berm in some cases
• OCES F-6244 (Peach) or F-6247 (Pecan)

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Soils For Fruit Nut Trees

• Depth
• Effective rooting depth
• May be limited by rock, water
• minimum of 3 feet in most cases
• Drainage
• Internal berm, perk test
• External slope to open area
• Refer to OCES F-6216 Soils for Fruit Trees

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Planning the Fruit Planting

• Determine tree number by yield/tree
• Peach - 1 to 2 bushels
• Apple - 3 to 5 bushels
• Pecan - 75 to 100 lbs
• How many trees can you care for?
• Weed and pest control
• Water
• Prune and harvest

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Tree Spacing

• Fruit trees
• About 400 square feet per tree
• Pecan
• No closer than 40 feet apart

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Pre-plant Fertilization

• Soil test
• Adjust pH
• Add nutrients to achieve normal levels
• P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn
• Add N after planting
• Refer to OCES F-6232 Fertilizing Pecan and Fruit
  Trees

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Tree Root System

• Tap root
• Nut trees e.g. pecan
• Generally require deeper soils
• Taproot essentially for anchorage only
• Fibrous root systems
• Tree fruits e.g. peach, apple
• Tolerate more shallow soil

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Rootstocks

• Add resistance
• Temperature
• Pests
• Affect precocity
• Control tree size in some cases

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Common Rootstocks

• Peach Lovell, Halford, Guardian
• Pear Pyrus calleryana
• Plum Prunus besseyi
• Apple
• M-111 85 of standard
• M106 70 of standard
• M9 or M27 30 of standard

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Tree vs. Turf

• Competition for
• Moisture
• Nutrients
• Fescue or Bermuda
• Chemical inhibition
• Greater grass free area means better growth

OCES CR-6242 Weed Control in Pecans, Apples, and
Peaches
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Micro-sprinkler Water Application

• Broader pattern than in-line emitters
• Apply more water
• Subject to wind blow of pattern
• Diameter and gph varies with type

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Pollination

• Fruit
• Usually by insects
• Cross pollination may be required
• Pecan
• Pollen moves by wind
• Cross pollination needed
• Protandrous vs Protogenous
• OCES F-6229 Pollination requirements for
• fruit and nuts

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Top Pruning of Bare Root Trees

• Cut pecan about half
• Cut peach to about 18
• Balances top and root
• Can force bud growth

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First Year Fertilizer Application

• One pound (pint) of complete fertilizer
  (10-10-10) in band about 6 from trunk
• Apply half at bud break, remainder in May/June

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Fertilization of Fruit Nut Trees

• Too little
• Unthrifty growth
• Poor fruit set
• Poor production
• Too much
• excessive growth, limb breakage
• Poor color, soft fruit
• Delayed ripening bearing
• Tree death

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Tree Nutrition Monitoring

• Soil test (F-2207)
• Generally useful for pre-plant needs only
• Soil content and tree content usually not same
• Nutrients not always available
• Leaf tissue analysis (F-6232)
• Measures tissue content
• Sample must reflect lab criteria

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Sample Fertilizer Schedule (10-10-10 per tree)

• Pre-plant - soil sample, adjust pH, P, K, Mg, Ca,
  Fe, Mn as needed
• Year 1 (apply after bud break)
• Apple, peach, pecan 1 lb
• water and control weeds
• Year 2 (apply before bud break)
• Apple, peach 2 lbs
• Pecan 2 - 3 lbs

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Sample Fertilizer Schedule (10-10-10 per tree)

• Year 3
• Peach - 1.5 lbs March, 1.5 lbs May
• Apple 3 lbs in March
• Pecan - 3 lbs in March
• Zinc as needed
• 36 zinc 1 lb per 50 gallons water
• Year 4 and up
• fertilize by leaf analysis results

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Leaf Sample Collection

• Collect in July from representative trees
• Sample middle of average growth
• 100 leaves or leaflets
• two leaves with petiole/shoot or leaflets/leaf
• Avoid galvanized containers
• Rinse, air dry
• Send dry sample with information sheet

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Sample technique for simple leaves
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Sample technique for compound leaves
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Pruning

• Reasons to prune
• Control tree size or shape
• Correct injuries
• Control bearing
• Types of cuts
• Heading
• Thinning

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Time of Pruning

• At or after flowering if time allows
• Can alter pruning to account for freeze damage
• Heavy crop, prune more light crop, prune less

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Preventative Maintenance

• Pruning to eliminate narrow crotch angle
• Outward pressure with growth forces split
• Proper cut to prevent split and aid wound heal

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Major Pruning Cut

• Three point cut with final outside collar
• Pruning paint not necessary
• Callus formation and healing or over growth
• Refer to OCES F 6245

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Training Fruit and Nut Trees

• Peach - OCES F-6228
• Open center
• Apple
• Modified leader
• Pecan OCES F-6245
• Central leader
• Many other specialty methods

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Freeze protection

• Plastic cover
• Irrigation prior to freeze
• Irrigation during freeze
• Supplementary heat

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Beneficial Insects Aid Pest Management

• Lady beetle adult and larva
• Learn what they look like
• Others include
• lacewing
• assassin bugs
• F-7307 Beneficial Insects

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Diagnosing Disorders

• Look for patterns of occurrence
• Look for insects
• Lawn herbicides?
• Variety?

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Pecans
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Pecan Root System

• Tap root for tree stability
• Feeder roots near surface
• Severed taproot re-establishes
• Expansive root system

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Pecan Rootstocks

• Important to cold hardiness
• May impart some characteristics to scion
• Bud break
• Vigor
• Recommendations
• Adapted native
• Northern variety e.g. Giles, Peruque

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Pecan Bare Root Tree Planting

• Plant in Spring
• Cut tap root to 18
• Plant in hole large enough to accommodate roots
• Graft union at or slightly above ground level

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Container Pecan Trees

• Plant in fall
• Graft if seedling
• May have air pruned root system
• Remove any circular roots
• Do not prune top

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Mulch Effect on Pecan Tree Growth

• Mulch
• None
• 3 ft square
• 6 ft square

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Pecan Flowers

• Catkin Male
• Nutlet female
• May or may not be compatible
• Pollination by wind
• Variety selection
• OCES F 6201

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Pecan Male Flower

• Catkin is male flower
• Produces pollen
• Borne at end of last seasons growth
• May release before female flower is receptive
• Variety selection
• OCES F-6201

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Pecan Female Flower

• Borne at end of current seasons growth
• Must be pollinated by male flower (catkin)
• Develops into the nut
• Variety selection
• OCES F6201

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Propagation

• Sexual
• Accomplished through the seed
• Variability prevents use on orchards
• Asexual
• Without seed
• Eliminates variability
• Results in clones with identical members

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Pecan Scion Wood

• Good wood must have viable buds
• Primary and secondary buds are visible
• Has two more buds for emergency use by the plant

F-6217 Collecting and Storing Pecan Propagation
Wood
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Bark Graft

• Use on stock up to 4 inches
• Top working larger trees
• Put on two, remove one if both take
• F-6204 Bark Grafting Pecans

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Four Flap Graft

• Use on stock up to size of scion wood
• Use to convert seedling trees to variety
• Remove wrapping in late summer and apply brace to
  prevent blow out
• F-6230 Four-Flap Grafting of Pecans

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Pecan Tree Prior to Pruning

• Vigorous growth
• Many shoots
• Objective is central leader
• Refer to OCES F 6245

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Pecan Tree After Pruning

• Central leader
• Temporary scaffolds spaced along leader
• No
• narrow crotches
• crows feet
• Emphasis on structure
• Refer to OCES F 6245

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Pecan Tree Training

• Ideal crotch angle is 45 degrees
• Establish by pruning
• Can establish with spacers
• Use spacers for permanent scaffolds

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Green Shuck

• Not ready for harvest
• Susceptible to freeze
• High moisture
• Nut development still affected by stress, e.g.
  moisture

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Shuck Split

• Nut is mature and ready for harvest
• Nut is released from shuck
• No longer susceptible to freeze
• Nut begins to dry
• Time varies with variety (F-6201)

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Excellent Kernel Quality

• Harder to achieve with large nuts
• Requires persistent management
• Usually requires crop load management
• Usually related to nut load and stress

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Pecan Nut Thinning in Home Situation

• Remove with cane pole
• Nuts at 50 kernel expansion
• About Aug 3 - 10 in Central OK
• Knock nuts from clusters

OCES F 6251 Pecan Crop Load Management
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Home Pecan Harvesting

• Wind may cause drop
• Long harvest period increases loss
• Cane pole may be best option for home owners
• Knock nuts from clusters after shuck split

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Pecan Kernels Maramec Pawnee

• 35-55 of in shell wt.
• 70-75 fat
• 92-97 unsaturated
• Get rancid with age
• Storage
• 700 F 3 Month
• 320 F 12 Month
• 00 F 6-10 years

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Pecan Scab

• Black splotches on nuts and leaves
• Results in
• leaf drop
• poor nut fill
• shuck stick
• Treatment
• Resistance
• Fungicide spray

OCES F 7642 Pecan Diseases Prevention Control
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Pecan Phylloxera

• Galls on stem or leaf
• Stem is more serious
• Insecticide must be applied shortly after bud
  break in spring
• Resistance in some varieties

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Pecan Nut Casebearer Damage

• Adult is moth
• Damage in May/June
• Time sprays based on egg lay
• Use traps to help scout for eggs
• Use Bt formulations in home landscape

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Pecan Nut Casebearer Trap

• Bait with pheromone
• Hang in tree at convenient height
• Catches adult male moth
• Use along with egg scouting

OCES F 7189 The Pecan Nut Casebearer
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Pecan Weevil Adult

• Overwinter in soil under tree
• Emerge after rain in July-September
• Must treat soon after emergence
• Must get full tree coverage with spray

F-7190 Monitoring Adult Weevil Populations in
Pecan Fruit
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Pecan Weevil Larvae

• Results from egg lay inside nut
• May be in nut at harvest
• Leaves buckshot hole at exit
• Must control prior to egg lay

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Circle Traps for Weevil Monitoring

• Instructions in OCES F 7190
• Trap catches adult upon emergence
• No catch, no spray
• May help reduce population in landscape situation

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Pecan Freeze Damage

• Freezing temperatures prior to nut maturity
• Nut may be salvaged in some cases
• Shuck will not open
• Use early maturing varieties

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Peaches
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Variety Selection

• Fruit quality
• Season of maturity
• Pest resistance
• Tree characteristics e.g. size
• Bearing habit
• Climatic adaptability
• OCES F-6210 Apple and Peach Varieties for OK

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Peach Variety Selection

• Many choices
• flesh color
• pit adherence
• maturity
• disease resistance
• Individual preferences are key factor

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Peach Variety Selection

• White flesh varieties e.g. Indian Red, Georgia
  Belle, Summer Pearl
• May be red streaked
• Little disease resistance
• Soft fruit

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Peach Variety Ripening Season

• Start in early June
• Can continue through September
• Early are cling, freestone later
• All bloom about the same time

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Peach Tree Planting

• Plant before buds break
• Do not prune root system
• Do not let dry
• Keep from freezing
• Hole big as the root
• Bud at ground level

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Early Peach Flowers

• Snow may not be damaging
• Snow can insulate
• Usually greatest chance of injury the day after
  the snow

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Peach Buds Critical Temp (F) atVarious Stages
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Peach Critical Temp Shuck Split

• 10 kill _at_ 31?F
• 90 kill _at_ 29?F
• 30 minutes or more

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Peach Healthy Flower

• Freeze can damage only parts of flower.
• Anther, style

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Peach Freeze damaged flower

• Petals intact,
• ovary dead

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Peach Fruit Thinning

• Remove fruit before pit hardens inside the fruit
• Usually about 4 weeks before ripening
• Thin to average 4-6 between fruit

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Peach Fruit Size

• Tree will set far more fruit than it needs
• Excess load
• small fruit
• tree breakage

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Peach Fruit Size

• Most common size in OK is 2 ¼ - 2 1/2 inch
  diameter
• Larger size may be uneconomical for grower
• Larger fruit have more edible peach per bushel

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Bounty ripens late July,Loring Early August

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Peach Tree Pruning

• Remove wood to establish open center structure
• Remove upright, crossover, branches
• Refer to OCES
• F -6228

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Peach Frozen dormant bud

• Dormant Peach bud
• Black interior indicates dead bud
• Occurred after -18 F in February.

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Peach Leaf Curl

• Fungal disease
• Infests leaves at bud break
• Control with copper fungicide before bud break
• Lesions may be various colors

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Peach Bacterial Spot

• Best control is resistant varieties
• Tree loses leaves in mid summer
• Lesion on fruit prior to harvest

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Peach Phomopsis (Pocket rot)

• Lesion on fruit separates to pit (plug)
• Distinct line between healthy and affected tissue
• Control not yet well defined

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Peach Spider Mites

• Usually occur in hot, dry summer
• Yellow spots on leaf surface due to mite on lower
  surface
• Usually associated with broadleaf weeds

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Peach Plum Curculio

• Larva result from egg laid on fruit
• Larvae migrate to pit
• Most prominent worm in OK peaches

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Peach Plum Curculio Traps

• Use to time spray application
• Screen or pyramid traps

OCES F-7190 Monitoring Adult Weevil
Populations in Pecan Fruit Trees
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Peach Tree Borer Control

• Trunk drench in early spring
• Use traps to determine when to apply

F-7319 Home Fruit Tree Production Pest
Management
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Peach Tree Borer

• Adult moth lays eggs on trunk
• Larva bores into trunk
• Will kill tree

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Peach Scale

• First found on twigs
• Heavy infestation goes to fruit
• Control with dormant oil

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Peach Physiological Disorders

• Split pit caused by rapid growth in cling
  varieties
• Color splotches can be caused by shade from
  leaves or can be variety specific

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Apples and Pears
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Apples

• Select variety for use e.g. dessert or cooking
• Rootstock/variety combination should be on label

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Apple Varieties

• Good eating quality
• Often have poor color
• Strains of Gala and Fuji are usually good
• Delicious types are hard to grow in OK
• OCES F-6210

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Dwarfing Apple Rootstocks

• Affects only tree size
• Fruit characteristics remain same
• The most dwarfing stocks (e.g. M-27) require
  support to prevent lodging under load

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Specialty Pruning of Apples

• A frame, or other shapes
• Require more time
• May require special rootstock e.g. dwarfing

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Pear Site Selection

• pH 6.5
• Tolerate clay soils well
• Good air flow reduces humidity and disease
• Need elevation and good air drainage to avoid
  spring frosts

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Pear Rootstocks

• P. calleryana (Bradford for example)
• Old Home x Farmington (OHxF) resistant to fire
  blight
• Asian pears P. betulifolia (drought tolerant)

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Pear Cultivars

• May require cross-pollination, some are partially
  self-fruitful
• Bees main pollen mover
• Oriental types not as susceptible to fire blight
• Asian pears require thinning
• European cultivars Bartlett, Bosc, DAnjou
• Oriental cultivars Kieffer, Orient
• Asian cultivars Shinko, Hosui, 20th Century

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Asian Pears

• Well adapted to Oklahoma
• Susceptible to fire blight
• Shape like apple
• Good as dessert fruit
• Not grainy as common pears

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Pear Harvest

• Asian pears can tree ripen, use taste to
  determine when
• European and Oriental pears
• Ripen from inside out
• Ripen off tree
• Chill for 2 days to 2 weeks in fridge then allow
  to ripen at room temp
• When flesh is slightly soft then ready

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Pear Storage

• Climacteric
• Store in fridge
• 3 to 8 months

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Pear Pests

• Not too many
• Main pest is bacteria Fire Blight
• Choose resistant cultivar
• Limit vigor
• Use copper fungicides and antibiotics
• Remove infected parts
• Disinfect pruners