Pecan Germplasm

A Collection of Pecans Showing the Range of Nut Size and Shame Available in Pecan Germplasm

Author: Patrick Conner

By njcflocal

April 30, 2021

Pecan nut shape varies considerably, from long and thin to nearly round. These shape differences impact how well they shell out into complete kernel halves, and therefore nut shape directly influences the value of a pecan crop. By taking digital images of nuts and breaking down there shape into quantitative measures, Dr. Patrick Conner and his Ph.D. student, Gaurab Bhattarai, at the University of Georgia in collaboration with USDA researchers Clive Bock and Cristina Pisani are studying how genetics influence pecan shape. Eventually they hope to be able to use this information in the UGA pecan breeding program to design crosses that will produce optimum nut shape and more valuable pecan cultivars.