ECONOMIC-IMPACT OF PECAN INTEGRATED PEST-MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION INTEXAS

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 1 981 was chosen as the base line against which later surveys were compa red to measure the economic impact of an IPM program. Producers in Tex as reduced fungicide use 30%, insecticide use 35%, and the overall num ber of spray applications per season 9% from 1980 to the present. Prod ucers practicing an LPM program realized contemporaneous benefits of $ 3.93 million annually from 1994. to 1996 compared with conventional pr ogram producers, and the overall economic benefits to pecan producers were estimated to be $6.06 million per year during 1990 - 1996 from th e pecan IPM program in Texas. Needed nutritional amendments of zinc we re identified as the current principal spray component applied to impr oved pecans that prevents further substantial reductions in management costs.