ManyAmericans will want to have a pecan pie as part of their Christmas banquet, however farmers who grow the nut in New Mexico are fretted a little bug may impact their harvest.
The state’s Department of Agriculture is presently attempting to secure it’s $215 million a year market, by avoiding the spread of little animals that consume pecans as they’re growing, calledweevils
“The pecan weevil is probably considered one of the most devastating or one of the most damaging to pecans,” stated Phillip Arnold, President of the New Mexico Pecan GrowersAssociation
TheDepartment of Agriculture put a quarantine on pecans originating from the eastern New Mexico counties of Curry, Eddy, Chaves and Lea, till May 20,2018
It’s a specifically dangerous time for pecan farmers, since it’s the middle of their annualharvest The spread of weevils could have debilitating monetary ramifications. Farmers are specifically attempting to avoid weevils from spreading out into Dona Ana County, which Arnold quotes will produce 90 to 100 million pounds of pecans this year.
“The Mesilla Valley here is one of the largest production areas in the continent, and for that matter in the world,” statedArnold “To bring that type of pest in here could be devastating to the industry.”
The larval weevils are a little, white, waxy worm-like animal. The grownups have a snout and 6 legs. They utilize their snout to enter into pecans throughout the growing season, and consume the establishing nut.
Pecans with weevils can be fumigated. But inning accordance with Arnold, fumigation or insecticides do not constantly eliminate every weevil, and the survivors can begin spreading out once again.
The tested technique for eliminating weevils is freezing them. Pecans with weevils are taken into freezer at absolutely no degrees. As long as the pecans stay at absolutely no degrees for 96 hours, all the weevils will be dead.
“It’s the type of insect you can try and control and eradicate if you do it properly,” statedArnold
Arnold stated the weevils will not take a trip really far as long as they have a food source. Weevils spread when plagued pecans, soil, or devices is delivered with weevils within.
“I’m not going to say that it’s not something it’s a slam dunk that we’re going to be able to get rid of if it shows up,” statedArnold
Arnold stated the Department of Agriculture and the Pecan growers have actually been carefully keeping track of for weevils considering that the 1990’s. They follow a set quarantine system if weevils are discovered in regional orchards. His greatest issue is individuals bringing plagued pecans into Dona Ana County from Texas and other locations, wishing to get a much better cost.
“A lot of times people don’t mean to do anything bad, they just don’t know any better,” statedArnold