Economic impact of pecan integrated pest management implementation in Texas

The Texas pecan integrated pest management (IPM) program, begun in the early 1970s, was evaluated using research and demonstration IPM trial data and producer survey responses. The initial survey conducted in 1981 was chosen as the base line against which later surveys were compared to measure the economic impact of an IPM program. Producers in Texas reduced fungicide use 30%, insecticide use 35%, and the overall number of spray applications per season 9% from 1980 to the present. Producers practicing an LPM program realized contemporaneous benefits of $3.93 million annually from 1994. to 1996 compared with conventional program producers, and the overall economic benefits to pecan producers were estimated to be $6.06 million per year during 1990 - 1996 from the pecan IPM program in Texas. Needed nutritional amendments of zinc were identified as the current principal spray component applied to improved pecans that prevents further substantial reductions in management costs.