Articles
Breeding updates from the Hybrid Hazelnut (Corylus americana × Corylus avellana) Consortium
Article number
1460_15
Pages
121 – 132
Language
English
Abstract
Hybrid hazelnut (Corylus americana × C. avellana) development has been pursued in the United States since the early 1900s.
Enthusiasts and breeders have sought to use the native American hazelnut (Corylus americana) as a source of cold tolerance and resistance to eastern filbert blight (EFB), caused by the fungal pathogen Anisogramma anomala, to expand the cultivated range of the European hazelnut (C. avellana). Into the 21st century, the commercial viability of hybrid hazelnuts has not fully materialized, largely due to a lack of continuity of breeding efforts over the years and a narrow founder parentage pool used throughout the 20th century.
Most of the resulting hybrid selections and populations have lacked the full complement of traits needed to support commercial production.
However, recent breeding efforts have yielded significant progress.
This review provides updates on the breeding pipeline and processes of the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium.
Targeted interspecific crossing schemes at Oregon State University and Rutgers University have generated large populations (>10,000 seedlings) over the past 15 years.
From these populations >80 F1 hybrid genotypes were selected that exhibit improved kernel quality and yields, with some maintaining high EFB tolerance or resistance.
They are currently under evaluation in replicated trials in New Jersey and Missouri for response to climatic variations, bloom phenology, kernel traits and consistency of yield, and EFB response across geographic regions.
Expected outcomes following systematic testing are the release of production cultivars for colder areas as well as robust pollinizers exhibiting enhanced cold tolerance to support production of C. avellana in regions where they are adapted.
Enthusiasts and breeders have sought to use the native American hazelnut (Corylus americana) as a source of cold tolerance and resistance to eastern filbert blight (EFB), caused by the fungal pathogen Anisogramma anomala, to expand the cultivated range of the European hazelnut (C. avellana). Into the 21st century, the commercial viability of hybrid hazelnuts has not fully materialized, largely due to a lack of continuity of breeding efforts over the years and a narrow founder parentage pool used throughout the 20th century.
Most of the resulting hybrid selections and populations have lacked the full complement of traits needed to support commercial production.
However, recent breeding efforts have yielded significant progress.
This review provides updates on the breeding pipeline and processes of the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium.
Targeted interspecific crossing schemes at Oregon State University and Rutgers University have generated large populations (>10,000 seedlings) over the past 15 years.
From these populations >80 F1 hybrid genotypes were selected that exhibit improved kernel quality and yields, with some maintaining high EFB tolerance or resistance.
They are currently under evaluation in replicated trials in New Jersey and Missouri for response to climatic variations, bloom phenology, kernel traits and consistency of yield, and EFB response across geographic regions.
Expected outcomes following systematic testing are the release of production cultivars for colder areas as well as robust pollinizers exhibiting enhanced cold tolerance to support production of C. avellana in regions where they are adapted.
Authors
A.B. Teckam, T.J. Molnar, S.A. Mehlenbacher, N. Meier, J.B. Webber, R.S. Revord
Keywords
eastern filbert blight, cold hardiness, cultivar development, yield, replicated trials
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