Ethephon for Removal of Shucks from Insect-Infested Pecan Fruits1

Abstract

Infestations of larvae of the hickory shuckworm, Laspeyresia caryana (Fitch), or pecan weevil, Curculio Caryae (Horn), so inhibit normal dehiscence of the pecan shuck that the larvae must be removed mechanically when they are needed for study. This treatment often results in high larval mortality. When shucks were treated by dipping for 30 sec in aqueous solution containing 3000 ppm ethephon, (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid, they dehisced in 3 days, and there was no insect mortality.