Pecan Tree Experts

[Dusty Britches]

I have several large native pecan trees on my place. Last fall, one started looking sickly but a month later they all went dormant and lost their leaves. I thought hopefully maybe the drought triggered early dormancy in the one, although it is between 2 others of the same size and they did not show any sings of sickness.

My sickly pecan now looks bad sick and one next to it is starting to show some signs of the same thing. The leaves don't fully develop and turn crispy brown in clusters. The worst part - my great big pecan tree at the entrance with a 5' diameter trunk is starting the same thing.

Any hoo, does anyone know of any pecan tree experts in the Milam - Falls - Brazos - Robertson county areas that can look at my trees? I called and sent emails to the local extension agent but got the same response I always get - nothing.

Thanks.

[Buckshot-73]

I believe Sackett is an arborist.

If’n he can’t get to you, he can probably point you to someone who can.


Good luck, nothing more majestic than a pecan tree.

[Smeone]

it is difficult to diagnose plant diseases just from a description and often even with pics

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/evaluating-pecan-problems/

it sounds like you might have cotton root rot, but from your locations given that does not seem like it would be in your areas

look at the soil types that harbor it and decide as well as the other disease descriptions below and then contact someone from A&M (where they have a lot of pecan experts) and they can help more

[Dusty Britches]

Cotton rot, uh? My neighbor has cotton. We are in a permitted county because of the cotton. Thanks for the link.

I wish my extension agent would at least answer my email.


Nope definitely not cotton root rot. I have well drained sandy liam and clay soil, ph is 5.5. Plus, the leaves turned brown in the fall but the tree rebuded fine in the spring.

[Sackett]

it is difficult to diagnose plant diseases just from a description and often even with pics

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/evaluating-pecan-problems/

it sounds like you might have cotton root rot, but from your locations given that does not seem like it would be in your areas

look at the soil types that harbor it and decide as well as the other disease descriptions below and then contact someone from A&M (where they have a lot of pecan experts) and they can help more

Very good info and possibility here. I would skip the county extension agent and go straight to Texas ATM's Plant Disease Clinic. I have not submitted any testing samples since all this COVID-19 mess has begun, so can't speak to their lead times. For your sample submissions, include a section of twig with leaves attached. I also like to include some pictures of the tree (standing far enough away to get the whole tree in the picture and some close ups). Provide as much detail as possible on the form.

Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

https://plantclinic.tamu.edu/

[Greenheadless]

My pecans started dropping leaves as well, but no browning. it has done this in the past under the same conditions, same with the pecan crop.

Went from an abnormally dry period to receiving a lot of rain all of a sudden.

[Briar Friar]

Sounds like too little water (crispy brown leaves) and magnesium or zinc nutrient deficiency (undeveloped leaf clusters). Start watering at the dripline and consider spraying some fertilome in the spring. Also...if the edges of the big trees are intermingled thoroughly...consider preemptively cutting one down...too many mouths to feed and not enough food...eliminate a tree to save the forest.

Any grass or bushes growing below the trees are competing for resources. I trust youre not fertilizing with a grass weed&feed...which is a no no. The “weed” herbicide will kill your trees.

Good luck MrBritches.

[KIETHSTONE]

Try looking up Scab to see if any of the symptoms match.


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[JFFB]

Pecans

Try looking up Scab to see if any of the symptoms match.


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Not Scab. I take care of 3 orchards of around close to 3000 trees native trees do not get scab just some variety of hybrid trees like Sumner, Melrose and some others. I have to spray them once a month in growing season. Elliots and Candies won't get it either. Could be the tree is just old they can only live so long or kinda sounds it was not getting enough rain.

[Smeone]

Cotton rot, uh? My neighbor has cotton. We are in a permitted county because of the cotton. Thanks for the link.

I wish my extension agent would at least answer my email.


Nope definitely not cotton root rot. I have well drained sandy liam and clay soil, ph is 5.5. Plus, the leaves turned brown in the fall but the tree rebuded fine in the spring.

a neighbor with cotton pretty much eliminates cotton root rot.....if it was in the area then the cotton would be long gone from the area

sounds like a lack of water (pecans can take a ton and in some areas almost need to be flood irrigated at particular times of year) or a root issue

lack of zinc can be an issue and you pretty much need to zinc spray then year in and year out to even out the crops

[Dusty Britches]

Thank you Sackett. I will send them a sample.

Here's some pictures.
All 4 of these are pecan trees. The one branch on the one on the left is the second tree that is showing distress.

[Dusty Britches]

I am going to say I do not think this is lack of water. We've had good and timely rains this year and no dry periods. Last year we went 3 months without rain but this year has been fantastic. The longest we've gone without rain is 3 weeks and every time it rains we get between 1-3" per system generally spread out over 3-5 days.

[jeremy360]

Very deficient in zinc. They make foliar sprays for pecans to help them out. Full disclosure....not an arborist.

[S-3 Ranch]

Bumping this up
I have a pecan tree that is losing its leaves? Fast
We can’t water because of the water well restriction in the area
Hopefully we can slowly get the tree some more water, dang drought

[RPB]

Drought. I’m loosing some big natives this year. Once one dies and let’s more sun hit the soil in its area sooner or later in drought conditions the ones next to it will go. We lost trees for a few years after the 2011 drought. Natives are tuff when it comes to disease. They can tolerate a lot. The may drop their nuts because if something but the tree is very hardy. Droughts are a bad deal for natives. Still had good tap roots but had no fibrous roots out from the tap. They literally would die and then fall over at the next wind. And it’s mainly the big trees. I can’t get my shaker around them so if I’m gonna loose trees it may as well be those. Still a Sad deal. Only plus is now those areas are full of Bermuda so I have more grazing. Haven’t had a good pecan crop In years. So at least my cattle have grass.