2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) This project is to identify a means of preventing excessive early-season fruit-drop common in the southeastern United States. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) This project will assess the efficacy of banding high rates of potassium along the drip irrigation zones of pecan trees that historically drop a majority of fruit during the June-drop. A soluble form of potash will be banded (i.e., concentrated) along two sides of trees along irrigation lines so as to provide trees with available K. Circumstantial evidence indicates that June-drop is due to the inability of young developing fruit to complete well enough with developing foliage for limited potassium in the xylem sap stream; thus causing fruit to abort as a consequence of insufficient potassium at a time of critical need. The K will be applied at rates of O, 1X, 2.5X and 5X, with X equating the annual amount of K usually applied to orchards. Application will occur once, in the late winter of 2007. Trees will be observed for 2-3 years thereafter to assess impact and efficacy of treatments. ARS will provide the potash fertilizer as a treatment variaable (approx. $3,000) in experimental materials. The farmer will otherwise manage trees according to standard practices. Nuts will be harvested and sold by the farmer. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a non-funded cooperative agreement, "Preventing Early-Season Fruit Drop," (CRIS 6606-21220-009-05N), between ARS (Byron, Georgia) and Georgia Pecan Farms, LLC. Additional details of research can be found in the report of parent project 6606-21220-009-00D, Pecan Cultivation and Disease Management. A multiple year study was initiated to test the effect of improving tree potassium nutrition on June-drop and fruit-set. Treatments were established and results monitored. For the first time in six years the orchard did not exhibit june-drop, even in the check; thus, this year's study is inconclusive. Activities of this project was monitored via several on-site visits.