Cultivar and Mulch Affect Cold Injury of Young Pecan Trees

Abstract

Four- and 5-year-old pecan trees ( Carya illinoinensis(Wangenh.) K. Koch) were damaged by cold temperatures during the winter of 1998-1999, although winter temperatures were normal or above normal and not commonly considered harmful. Injury symptoms were small longitudinal splits in the bark. Wounds were exclusively on the sun-exposed side of the trees. One-year-old branches had more damage than 2-year-old branches, but the white-painted trunks were not injured. ‘Giles’ and 642 generally had less damage than ‘Pawnee,’ ‘Shawnee’ and ‘Kanza.’ Mulched ‘Giles’ trees had less cold injury than those that were not mulched. Drought stress during 1998 apparently predisposed trees to cold injury at temperatures that are not normally injurious.