SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN PECAN CULTIVATION IN ARGENTINA

Abstract

Pecan nut ?Carya illinoinensis? is native from central and western U.S.A. and arrived in Argentina in the nineteenth century. The difference with other nuts is that it presents an 80% oil composition, with polyunsaturated fatty acids omega 3 and 6 that help to reduce cholesterol and also prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease. It contains an antioxidant: vitamin E, and has a high content of fibre that helps to prevent colon cancer. Reduces bad cholesterol, helps keep blood pressure low and is recommended especially for patients with cancer and cardiac problems. A pecan sustainable farming system intends to be productive but at the same time, to preserve enviromental quality, favouring the use of biological practices over chemical inputs. Surface application of compost to pecan trees, is a common practice in organic orcharding. The objectives of the work were to compare compost and vermicompost with liquid fertilizer and a control without fertilization in a completely random block design with four replications, in a one-year crop with a planting frame of 8m x 8m. The application of organic amendments produced statistically significant changes in soil properties with reference to inorganic fertilizer, especially in the total carbon, microbial biomass carbon and phosphorus. Compost and vermicompost treatments produced statistically significant increases in factors related to production as tree height and diameter.