Articles
Multi-functional black walnut systems: nuts, timber, and alley cropping
Article number
1460_29
Pages
243 – 254
Language
English
Abstract
Eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is a hardwood species native to the eastern United States valued for its robust flavored nuts, desirable timber, and adaptation to bottomlands.
The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) began its black walnut improvement program in 1996 with the goal of improving black walnut for nut production in an agroforestry system.
The recent UMCA release of the high yielding and high kernel percentage cultivar ‘UMCA® Hickman’ enhances the economic potential of black walnut orchard production.
However, mixed-cropping and use scenarios (e.g., nuts and timber) should be considered to improve whole-system economics (e.g., improve early revenue) and cater the system design to producer goals.
Orchard spacing and tree phenology of black walnuts make the species suitable for alley cropping, particularly for hay and wheat production.
In this article, we will discuss characteristics of advanced selections for nut production and tradeoffs with selecting for preferential timber characters, opportunities to cover early management costs through hay and wheat production within an orchard, and the economic potential and management of multi-functional black walnut system combinations.
Compromises present themselves in design and management of mixed-species or use black walnut systems compared to single-goal, including overall board feet produced for timber, yield and kernel percentage for nut production, and yield for hay or wheat production.
Nevertheless, there is opportunity for producers of black walnuts to develop multi-functional plantings based upon their operational goals, whether that entails producing hay or wheat from the orchard alley ways, emphasizing nut or timber production, or opting for selections that offer the best possible nut production from timber forms.
Black walnut is a dynamic and underutilized species with economic potential and germplasm resources to offer working lands.
The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) began its black walnut improvement program in 1996 with the goal of improving black walnut for nut production in an agroforestry system.
The recent UMCA release of the high yielding and high kernel percentage cultivar ‘UMCA® Hickman’ enhances the economic potential of black walnut orchard production.
However, mixed-cropping and use scenarios (e.g., nuts and timber) should be considered to improve whole-system economics (e.g., improve early revenue) and cater the system design to producer goals.
Orchard spacing and tree phenology of black walnuts make the species suitable for alley cropping, particularly for hay and wheat production.
In this article, we will discuss characteristics of advanced selections for nut production and tradeoffs with selecting for preferential timber characters, opportunities to cover early management costs through hay and wheat production within an orchard, and the economic potential and management of multi-functional black walnut system combinations.
Compromises present themselves in design and management of mixed-species or use black walnut systems compared to single-goal, including overall board feet produced for timber, yield and kernel percentage for nut production, and yield for hay or wheat production.
Nevertheless, there is opportunity for producers of black walnuts to develop multi-functional plantings based upon their operational goals, whether that entails producing hay or wheat from the orchard alley ways, emphasizing nut or timber production, or opting for selections that offer the best possible nut production from timber forms.
Black walnut is a dynamic and underutilized species with economic potential and germplasm resources to offer working lands.
Authors
J.B. Webber, N. Meier, H. Naumann, R.S. Revord
Keywords
agroforestry, tree breeding, hay production, forage quality, orchard enterprise
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