Articles
ESTABLISHMENT AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED NUT-PRODUCING HICKORY CULTIVARS GRAFTED TO PECAN ROOTSTOCKS IN MISSOURI, USA
Article number
1070_15
Pages
137 – 141
Language
English
Abstract
Shagbark and shellbark hickory (Carya ovata and C. laciniosa, respectively) are native to Missouri, USA, and the nuts have excellent market potential if they could be economically produced.
However, hickories have been neglected and poorly developed as a commercial crop in North America.
Pecan (C. illinoinensis) is generally recommended as the best rootstock for shagbark and shellbark hickory scions in the midwestern USA, although compatibility among the various taxa is not well-understood.
A significant planting of shagbark and shellbark hickory cultivars grafted to pecan rootstock was established in southwest Missouri in 1997. Many of the trees required grafting multiple times before finally becoming well-established.
Graft success/failure and tree growth was not statistically different among cultivars through the 2012 growing season, and significant nut production had not begun.
While the hickory trees and cultivars in this study are thriving and should eventually produce marketable nut crops, they were slow to become established and are not precocious.
Additional research is needed in order to develop hickory as a viable commercial crop.
However, hickories have been neglected and poorly developed as a commercial crop in North America.
Pecan (C. illinoinensis) is generally recommended as the best rootstock for shagbark and shellbark hickory scions in the midwestern USA, although compatibility among the various taxa is not well-understood.
A significant planting of shagbark and shellbark hickory cultivars grafted to pecan rootstock was established in southwest Missouri in 1997. Many of the trees required grafting multiple times before finally becoming well-established.
Graft success/failure and tree growth was not statistically different among cultivars through the 2012 growing season, and significant nut production had not begun.
While the hickory trees and cultivars in this study are thriving and should eventually produce marketable nut crops, they were slow to become established and are not precocious.
Additional research is needed in order to develop hickory as a viable commercial crop.
Authors
A.L. Thomas
Keywords
Carya, shagbark, shellbark, orchard, graft compatibility, graft incompatibility
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