Diverse Horticultural Issues

Winter Pecans

An acre of pecans in the winter

Growing regions within the U.S. are diverse, with farmers in each region facing major and unique horticultural issues. The horticultural issues to be addressed by genetic tool development include flowering, severe alternate bearing, disease susceptibility, salinity stress, drought stress tolerance, and micronutrient uptake insufficiencies. Genetic variation within the species allows for differential adaptation in wide ranges of environments; thus, unraveling the genetics of several genotypes will allow for identification of genes controlling specific traits. Obtained data will allow development of vital genetic tools necessary for increasing understanding of regional adaptation, promoting conservation, and selecting improved cultivars/rootstocks for all major farming regions.