Tag: Pecan Nuts

UPDATE – Pecan Nut Trees in South Africa- 40% Increase in Yield in Nuts

UPDATE - Pecan Nut Trees in South Africa- 40% Increase in Yield in Nuts pic 1Small trees in the nursery treated with Explogrow (SumaGrow) which were on the left, dramatically outperformed the untreated trees on the right.

SumaGrow trees produced an estimated 10kg extra per tree, compared with the untreated trees. This increase equates to an average of 25kg added production per tree, signifying a 40% improvement in mass.

The size of the Pecan nuts is also dramatically better. This places the product in the top category, resulting in the farmer being paid $0.85 more per kg, equal to a financial gain to the farmer per tree of around $21.

UPDATE - Pecan Nut Trees in South Africa- 40% Increase in Yield in Nuts pic 2Stem diameter of treated Pecan trees averages 1cm. Untreated Pecan trees stem diameter averages 0.6cm.

SumaGrow’s microbiologist is confident that similar results will be obtained with all the nut varieties grown in South Africa.

UPDATE - Pecan Nut Trees in South Africa- 40% Increase in Yield in Nuts pic 3

The competition for hectares between soybeans and groundnuts.

UPDATE - Pecan Nut Trees in South Africa- 40% Increase in Yield in Nuts pic 4Groundnut is a major oil-seed crop in South Africa. About 200,000 ha are planted annually, producing an average yield of 1,000 kg/ha. In South Africa, Groundnut yields are not only limited by low and late summer rains and poor soils, but also by many diseases including those caused directly or indirectly by plant-parasitic nematodes. Indirect damage may include increased secondary infection by fungi and reduced nodulation and nitrogen fixation. SumaGrow has shown to be effective in significantly alleviating the underscored factors.

Pecan Trees Yield 25% More Nuts in South Africa

ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated trees produced an estimated 5kg to 8kg extra per tree, compared with the untreated trees.  This increase equates to around 25% improvement in yield.  With N-P-K- fertilizers reduced to 50% of recommended quantities, the use of ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) is essentially cost neutral.

The farmer, Mr. John Pozyn, achieved, by the use of ExploGrow™, an overall net gain of around R37,000 per hectare.

The size of the Pecan Nuts is also dramatically better. This places the product in the top category, resulting in the farmer being paid R11.50 more per kg, equal to a financial gain to the farmer per tree of around R290, adding up to R29,000 per hectare.

This increase equates to a 50% improvement in the sales price.

South Africa -- Pecan-Nut-trees-planted-with-ExploGrow-microbial-biofertiliser-doubled-growth-rate

Improved quality grading:

The size of the pecan nuts is also dramatically better.  This places the product in the top category, resulting in the farmer being paid R11.50 more per kg, equal to a financial gain to the farmer per tree of around R290, adding up to R29,000 per hectare.

This increase equates to a 50% improvement in sale price.

South Africa -- pecan tree transplant with bottle comparison

Improved growth rate:

After 11 months, the ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated trees already appear to be one year ahead in its growth cycle compared to the control.

“My trees with ExploGrow (SumaGrow), after just 1 year, are just as high as two-year-old trees without ExploGrow (SumaGrow).”

John Pozyn, Pecan nut tree farmer

The significance for farmers would be to achieve the 1 ton per hectare at least one year faster than the normal 5 years.

The significance for nurseries is that they would be able to sell trees to farmers after 3 years instead of 4 years.

By implication, a nursery producing 100,000 trees is likely to bank approximately R17,500,000 one year faster when using ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow).

The increased yield and price equates to a total increase of 75% value per hectare.

This result is without taking into account the faster growth rate.

South Africa -- pecan-nut-tree-nursery-using-explogrow-biofertiliserSouth Africa -- Pecan-Nut-Trees-control vs Treated

South Africa Lucerne (Alfalfa) Achieves 130% Yield Increase

Lusern-Alfalfa-South Africa -- field comparison160126

Mr. Francois van Rooyen, a lucerne and pecan nut agriculturist, carried out the following interesting controlled test on his lucerne.

  • The right-hand field was treated with ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow).
  • The left-hand field was not treated.
  • The soil is the same in both fields: very brackish and shallow water table, and is well drained with underground pipes.
  • In all other respects the two fields were treated the same, except a variation in the type of Lucerne.
    On the left hand field: Sardi 10 cultivar. On the right hand field WL 711.
  • Both fields were therefore top producers with low dormancy and both fields were also treated identically with organic acids, clay minerals, macro-elements, micro-elements and activated carbon, to provide an effective and balanced soil due to brackish conditions prevailing in the area.

“ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) has just raised the maximum yield ceiling for my land and a 130% increase in yield represents a massive increase in profits.”

Mr Francois van Rooyen, Lucerne and Pecan Nut agriculturist

UPDATE: Results after harvesting Lucerne

  • Harvesting took place during March/April 2016
  • Yield increase: 130%
  • The ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated area produced 23 tons per hectare versus 10 tons per hectare from the untreated area.
  • Better plant health on the ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated area showing a “remarkable difference compared to the untreated area”.
  • “After a severe and damaging drought, I would attribute the radically superior yields on the treated land to the bigger root systems, reduction in watering requirements and improved plant health, delivering over 23 tons per hectare compared with only 10 tons per hectare for untreated area.” Mr. van Rooyen

Lucerne-Alfalfa -- South Africa close up

Based on his expertise in balancing soil, Mr van Rooyen offers his analysis as follows:

“I believe that the carbon and organic acids act as excellent food for the ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) microbes.

In nature, manure (for example) releases organic acids and then feeds organisms from the animal’s intestines that generates diverse populations of ground microbes. Without the dung, the microbial populations would not develop, because some form of energy needs to drive the microbial activity. It is not enough to only use a balanced vitamin and mineral supplement. You also need protein, carbohydrates and other energy-rich compounds to function at the optimal level.

I therefore believe that the organic acids in my fields provide the energy to the microbes to develop a diverse strong population. This diverse population can now execute various tasks like (a) extracting minerals from the soil solution and (b) helping the plant to absorb the minerals. 

Microbial activity fuels a high rate of multiplication. This impacts positively on the plants also acting as a precursor to the plant’s own productions of hormones, resulting in stronger growth, like I observed with ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow).

The ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) microbes develop a diverse population in symbiosis with the plant. This diverse group of microbes carry out several critical functions such as binding of atmospheric nitrogen, releasing phosphates etc. In this specific case of brackish soil, the microbes make the excess iron available to the plant for consumption, which would otherwise be detrimental to root establishment and growth.

I believe this is clear from the photo, when looking at the left-hand field. One can clearly see in the photo that on the untreated left field the plant microbial interaction is poor, although this field has an otherwise absolutely balanced fertilization program.

The soil in the left field is simply poor in essential microbes.

Looking at the right-hand field treated with ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow), the picture speaks for itself!”

“On my farm I noticed an extraordinary difference in the presence of lice (“Bladspringers”). The ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated areas were virtually unaffected compared with the untreated areas that were severely affected. Furthermore, three other farmers that I supplied with ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) experienced similar results.”

Mr Francois van Rooyen, Lucerne and Pecan Nut agriculturistLucerne - Alfalfa -- South Africa -- bush view

Photo: Note how many leaves there are on the treated plants compared to the low leaf count on the untreated plant

At the end of the season Mr van Rooyen shared the following observations:

  • “A very intense drought hit the central and western regions in South Africa. 
  • Insects such as Bladspringer (Leafhopper) that normally survive in the field, fed on Lucerne for the whole summer, causing severe damage.
  • The ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) treated area had a very positive effect on the resistance of the plants against insects.
  • Where farmers applied ExploGrow (SumaGrow) in the spring, there was visible resistance. The population of the insects were much smaller on the ExploGrow (SumaGrow) treated areas. Also, there were far less marks on the leaves in the ExploGrow (SumaGrow) treated areas.
  • Within six days of the end of March we had 150 mm of rain. 
  • The treated Lucerne survived much better in the wet conditions than the untreated Lucerne.
  • In the end, production varied from 10 tons for the untreated Lucerne and 23 tons for the treated Lucerne.”
 “ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) is a winner!“
Mr Francois van Rooyen, Lucerne and Pecan Nut agriculturist

Pecan Nuts

“I made the same observation on Pecan Nut trees, in an orchard where 40% of the trees were dying – although the soil was perfectly balanced with organic acids elements etc.  After treatment with ExploGrow™ (SumaGrow) there was a total recovery.”

Mr Francois van Rooyen, Lucerne and Pecan Nut agriculturist