In a Nutshell: The Pecan Podcast

With pollination complete, Georgia pecan growers are determining how to manage pecan nut casebearer.  Dr. Apurba Barman from the UGA Department of Entomology joins this week's podcast to answer early insect management questions. Has casebearer reproduction been established across Georgia? Should all varieties of pecan be treated the same? Why are the western and eastern pecan growing regions so different in terms of casebearer damage?  Do trap captures of casebearer correlate with damage?Additionally, UGA Horticulturalist Dr. Lenny Wells and Dr. Barman discuss an historical context of aphid management from Texas to Georgia. What should pecan growers do if adult black pecan aphids are present in the month of May?Finally, Dr. Barman addresses his new research on prionus root borer to determine a new way of control and if young pecan trees may also be susceptible to its damage.

This episode separates the planning process from the planting process of establishing a pecan orchard. Hosts Andrew Sawyer and Dr. Lenny Wells of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cover the necessity of site selection, pollinator placement, and tree spacing. This episode continues with proven planting techniques involving root protection, hole depth, at-plant pruning and deer management. The hosts include a season update for Georgia pecan in April of 2026.

In the second episode, Dr. Lenny Wells of the University of Georgia Department of Horticulture, provides pecan growers a strategy for overcoming the greatest challenge in growing and producing pecans -  the continued increase in the costs of production. The episode also entails an interesting history of both domestic and international pecan markets as well as the development of the current grower and sheller industry.

The first episode serves as an introduction to the podcast. UGA Extension Horticulturalist Dr. Lenny Wells talks with host, Andrew Sawyer, about the new podcasts, upcoming episodes, the 2025 pecan crop, and finally, a brief synopsis of subjects covered during county production meetings.