Mr. Gary Veal with Plant Food Systems offers some insights on how growers are utilizing formulations from their lineup to help lower inputs costs for growing pecans. 

 

“Lower pecan prices coupled with higher input costs are forcing growers to look at cost savings measures”,says Gary Veal, Technical Sales Agronomist for Plant Food Systems, Inc.

 

“Our 2023 fungicide season is underway. Some growers in southeastern Georgia started early in April and are on the second application of Kphite 7LP fungicide this week”, says Veal. 

 

“We’ve had rainfall across the entire pecan belt but cooler temperatures have prevailed. Many of our Georgia growers are beginning the first application this week.” 

 

“Pecan inputs remain high. Many companies who manufacture fungicides have raised the price of their products. One key fungicide is almost double the cost from a year ago. The owner of our company, Plant Food Systems, Inc. is also a grower and is extremely concerned about rising costs of inputs.” 

 

“Because of our robust sourcing capabilities, and unique custom formulations we have been able to hold the line on the cost of Kphite 7LP and the fungicide remains one of the lowest cost fungicides.” 

 

“Kphite 7LP is a “low-risk” class fungicide compared to most of our fungicide arsenal. Pecan scab is known for developing resistance to most other classes of chemistry.” 

 

“We can use sequential applications in pre-pollination sprays without fear of scab building resistance. Since Kphite 7LP is lower cost than many other fungicides we can take advantage of cost savings.”

 

Veal says that Kphite 7LP can be applied as a stand-alone at 2 quarts per acre during the period for leaf-scab infection in pre-pollination sprays in April and May. 

 

“Many growers use Kphite 7LP alone in the first three sprays and some go into early June with a fourth spray. For growers considering skipping a spray in the pre-pollination period recall that Kphite 7LP works in two ways. First, Kphite 7LP has a direct impact on the pecan scab fungi and is ranked as best for leaf scab protection. Secondarily, Kphite 7LP contains the active ingredient that can improve overall tree health (the Only One), “

 

“Our growers who use multiple and sequential applications of Kphite 7LP note there is a visible difference in the tree color and health.”

 

Veal continues, “we have not had any report of disease control issues since we re-entered the pecan fungicide market in 2017. “

 

According to Veal, there is no other class of chemistry that can offer both disease control and overall tree health. In twenty-two years of use there is no report or documentation of resistance to the active ingredients found in Kphite 7LP.

 

Plant Food Systems, Inc. is the manufacturer of Kphite 7LP and is located in Zellwood, Florida. Gary Veal is full-time Technical Sales Agronomist for Plant Food Systems, Inc. located in Ocilla Georgia.