Neglected mature 'Wichita' pecan trees were rejuvenated using various pruning techniques in 1997. Trees were pruned using proven horticultural techniques which included dehorning (cutting main scaffolds to within 2 feet of trunk) and cutting main scaffolds by 50%. To date the treatments have resulted in an increase in yield when compared to trees that received no pruning. In 1999 the grower has developed an orchard management program conducive to maximum production.

Microsprinkler irrigation offers excellent flexibility for site-specific management of water and nitrogen inputs for citrus orchards in the southwestern United States. Escalating water costs, declining water availability, and increasing regulation of nitrogen (N) fertilizer use are causing growers to adopt practices to improve water and N use efficiency. A three-year field experiment was initiated in the spring of 1996 on six-year-old pink grapefruit trees at the University of Arizona Citrus Agricultural Center. The objectives of this experiment are to i) evaluate the effects of fertigation frequency and fluid N application rate on the yield and fruit quality of microsprinkler irrigated grapefruit, and ii) develop best management guidelines for fluid N application frequency and rate for microsprinkler irrigated citrus. Treatments include a factorial combination of two N rates (recommended and 2 the recommended rate) and three fertigation frequencies (weekly, monthly, and tri-monthly). Minimal treatment effects were observed during the first season due to the influence of previous management practices. During the second season, fertilized trees yielded greater than the control trees. There was no significant difference between N rates, but fruit yield was generally higher with monthly or weekly fertigation. Leaf tissue samples collected during the second and third growing seasons showed increasing leaf N with increasing fertigation frequency at the high N rate.

Five rootstocks, 'Carrizo' citrange, Citrus macrophylla, Rough lemon, Swingle citrumelo and Citrus volkameriana were selected for evaluation using 'Limoneira 8A Lisbon' as the scion. 1998-99 results indicate that trees on C. macrophylla and C. volkameriana are superior to those on other rootstocks in both growth and yield. C. macrophylla is beginning to outperform C. volkameriana. 'Swingle’ and Carrizo' are performing poorly. In a similar trial, Four 'Lisbon' lemon selections, 'Frost Nucellar', 'Corona Foothills', 'Limoneira 8A' and 'Prior' were selected for evaluation on Citrus volkameriana rootstock. 1998-99 results indicate that the 'Limoneira 8A Lisbon' selection is superior, and that ‘Corona Foothills Lisbon’ may also be superior to the other selections in both growth and yield. Results from another lemon cultivar trial suggest that 'Cavers Lisbon', 'Limonero Fino 49' and 'Villafranca’ lemons may be good candidates for plantings as well. Results from two other lemon scion trials, a navel orange cultivar trial and a 'Valencia' orange trial are presented as well.

Two orchard floor management strategies were evaluated beginning in the fall of 1997 in a 'Valencia' orange (Citrus sinensis) grove at the University of Arizona Citrus Agricultural Center (CAC) in Waddell, Arizona. The clean culture or bare ground treatment produced more yield than the ‘Salina’ strawberry clover treatment when harvested on March 10, 1999 and the tree canopy volume of the clean culture treatment was also greater than that of the clover treatment. Yield efficiency (lbs of fruit per cubic meter of canopy) was similar in the two treatments. The clean culture treatment produced more large size fruit (size 88 and larger) and less small size fruit (size 113 and smaller) than the strawberry clover treatment. Although the yield efficiency parameter suggests that it may be possible to produce as much fruit in the clover treatment as the clean culture treatment, the total yield and fruit size distribution of the clover treatment compared to the clean culture treatment were characteristic of the negative effects of competition from vegetation on the orchard floor found in other studies. Based on previous studies, competition for water was the most likely cause of the negative competitive effect. Installation of additional tensiometers to measure soil moisture at greater depths and leaf water potential measurements to assess the degree of water stress in both treatments prior to irrigation will hopefully allow further improvement in irrigation scheduling to eliminate the negative affect of having vegetation on the orchard floor in the clover plots.

A field study was designed to determine if foliar boron (B) sprays could increase fruit set and yield of 'Parent Washington' navel oranges (Citrus sinensis). Treatments consisted of two application timings (prebloom and postbloom) and five application rates 0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm B as Solubor. Leaf B levels had a significant response to both application timing and rate. There were no significant difference in fruit quality or yield.

The residual activity of insecticides to second instar citrus thrips was measured on lemon foliage in 1998. In April, Dimethoate and Agri-Mek provided only knockdown control of thrips, dropping to <70% mortality by 3 days after treatment (DAT). Baythroid performed slightly better, providing 95% mortality 3 DAT, but by 7 DAT was giving about 74% mortality. Alert, Carzol, Success and AZEXP-2 provided the longest residual activity, lasting 7 days, but began to slip at 14 DAT. AZEXP-1 induced only 74% 0 DAT. Although, residual activity in general was greater in June than April, however this increase in residual activity did not necessarily increase the length of commercially acceptable residual. Agri-Mek and Dimethoate still only provided knockdown activity, and Baythroid was still giving 3 days of good activity. AZEXP-1 performed much better following the June application relative to the April application, providing 3 days of adequate activity. Although we are not certain the reason for this result, it maybe due to the adsorption properties of this chemical relative to leaf physiology. Alert performed similarly in June and April, and Carzol, Success and AZEXP-2 each lasted about 1 week longer.

Two small plot efficacy trials were conducted evaluating different insecticide rotation regimes using commercially available insecticides and the effectiveness of new insecticide chemistries to control citrus thrips. Under the consistently cool conditions experienced during the first four weeks of the trial, Dimethoate, Success, Baythroid, Agri-Mek, Vydate and Carzol all of the offered adequate control and would fit well in the petal fall window. This is in contrast with previous years experiences when high temperatures within a week of petal fall would result in all treatments except Carzol requiring a re-treatment within ten days. All of the rotation schemes evaluated required three insecticide applications to get through the season, and did not appear to be greatly different in controlling thrips and producing high quality fruit under the environmental conditions experienced. However, the Dimethoate - Success - Baythroid rotation scheme was most cost effective. When temperatures were in the 70's to low 80's, Dimethoate and Vydate offered about three weeks control, Success, Carzol, Baythroid and Agri-Mek all offered about four weeks control. When temperatures were in the mid to upper 80's and low to mid 90's, Success provided about three weeks control while Carzol didn t require re-treatment for 4 weeks. Under these same temperature conditions, Dimethoate and Vydate gave about 7 to 12 days control, and Agri-Mek provided 12 to 14 days of control. Other than the one control failure with Baythroid, under warmer conditions, it provided about seven days control. In the experimentals test, AZEXP1 appeared to offer knockdown activity at temperatures less than 90 F, and only suppression at higher temperatures. AZEXP2, appeared to be a viable citrus thrips material, with activity similar to Success and Carzol. The knockdown activity of M96 appeared to be enhanced by including Dimethoate or Carzol, but will require multiple applications to achieve the level of repellency experienced in 1997.