ARS | Publication request: Lakota and recent USDA pecan releases

Submitted to: Western Pecan Growers Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 12, 2008
Publication Date: March 3, 2008
Citation: Thompson, T.E., Grauke, L.J., Reid, W. 2008. Lakota and recent USDA pecan releases. In: Proceedings of the Western Pecan Growers Association, March 2-4, 2008, Las Cruces, New Mexico. 42:22-29.

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service conducts the only national pecan breeding program in the world. This program develops and releases improved pecan cultivars (varieties) to pecan growers. These improved cultivars produce more and higher quality pecans so that growers can make a profit and so high quality pecans are available to the public. 'Lakota' is the 26th cultivar released by this program. It should perform well in all commercial pecan production areas of the world. It produces an abundance of early-maturing, easily shelled pecans of very high quality.

Technical Abstract: 'Lakota' is a new pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] cultivar released in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and Kansas State University. When compared to other protogynous cultivars, 'Lakota' has excellent nut quality, high productivity, good scab resistance and early nut maturity. It is therefore adapted to all pecan growing areas of the world. 'Lakota' pecans are large enough to be sold in-shell, or they can be shelled to produce a high proportion of intact halves and large pieces of very high quality.