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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #158210
Title: PERFORMANCE OF NINE PECAN CULTIVARS AND SELECTIONS IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA

Author
item CONNER, PATRICK - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Thompson, Tommy

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2003
Publication Date: 10/1/2003
Citation: Conner, P.J., Thompson, T.E. 2003. Performance of nine Pecan cultivars and selections in Southern Georgia. Journal of American Pomological Society. 57:115-120.

Interpretive Summary: The Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts the only national pecan breeding program in the world . Crosses between desirable parents are made, initial selection is conducted for ten years on the seedlings, and then the best clones are grafted into advanced tests all across the southern U.S. pecan belt in our NPACTS (National Pecan Advanced Clone Testing System) testing program. This report shows how six of these older USDA selections performed in a test in southern Georgia. Performance of these six selections were not as good as Sioux, a released USDA cultivar. Sioux performed very well, and is shown to be a promising cultivar for this area of the pecan belt.

Technical Abstract: Nine pecan clones were evaluated for 18 years in a test orchard in southern Georgia. Tested clones included six USDA selections, the USDA release 'Sioux', and the seedling selections 'Jackson' and 'Kicklighter #1'. Yields and alternate bearing pattern were measured for each clone. A subsample of nuts was taken annually and percent kernel, nut volume, and specific gravity were determined. Cluster size and harvest date were also determined for each clone. All traits showed significant differences among clones. All clones, except 'Sioux', were unsuitable for commercial use in southern Georgia. 'Sioux' has excellen nut quality, but small nut size, limiting use to situations where high kernal quality brings a premium price.