Question
Hello:

I recently bought a pecan tree andplanted it 900 metres up in the Lebanese mountains in full sun, alkaline clay but well draining soil- full sun,  It a rrived with some sotty looking places on its leaves and in the past 3 weeks it has been here - the black soot has increased and is now causing some yellow  and dried spots on leaves.  Was about to treat this with fungicide but decided to ask for help first.  There are very very pecans  in this country but found some      available for sale and thought to try to grow one.  This is certainly not a Texas landscape but.....  Can you help or re fer me to someone who can?

Answer
Hi Judith:
The "sooty" stuff sounds like sooty mold.  Very common on pecans. Don't park your car under a tree if you want it to remain clean!  This stuff will get on the roof!  See the website below. It is a bulletin I prepared on sooty mold and what causes it.

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7555.pdf



For some specific "real" diseases of pecan see:

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-7540.pdf

There is a lot of information on the internet from Georgia and Alabama on pecans, so you might search "Google" for this stuff.

Regards
Steve