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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #396893
Research Project: Pecan Breeding, Genomics, and Genetic Resource Management

Location: Crop Germplasm Research

Title: 'Seneca' Pecan: A Compact Cultivar for the Northern Region

Author
item Wang, Xinwang
item Chatwin, Warren
item Kubenka, Keith
item Hilton, Angelyn
item THOMPSON, TOMMY - Retired ARS Employee
item GRAUKE, LJ - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/8/2022
Publication Date: 10/26/2022
Citation: Wang, X., Chatwin, W.B., Kubenka, K.A., Hilton, A.E., Thompson, T., Grauke, L. 2022. 'Seneca' pecan: A compact cultivar for the northern region. HortScience. 57(11):1490-1493. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16825-22.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16825-22

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) conducts the only national pecan breeding program in the world. This program develops and releases improved pecan cultivars (or varieties) to pecan nurseries and growers. These improved cultivars produce more and higher quality pecans so that growers can make a profit, and high quality pecans are available to the public. 'Seneca' (a cross of 'NC-2B' by 'NC-4', both of which are 'Colby' seedlings) is the 31st cultivar released by this program, and one of the first three cultivars patented by the USDA ARS. 'Seneca' was named after a Native American tribe that historically lived south of Lake Ontario, the area the parents of 'Seneca' were selected from in a private orchard. 'Seneca' produces an abundance of early-maturing, easily shelled pecans of very high quality. 'Seneca' is late to break bud in the spring and ceases growth early in the autumn, maintaining a pattern of growth that should be freeze tolerant and do well in the northern region. It should perform well in all commercial pecan production regions, but has only been evaluated in Central Texas.

Technical Abstract: 'Seneca' is a new pecan (Carya illinoinensis) cultivar released and patented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS). This cultivar was released because of its high nut quality, attractive cream-colored kernels, early maturation, compact tree form, and scab disease (causal agent: Venturia effusa) resistance for both leaves and nuts. 'Seneca' is late to break bud in the spring and ceases growth early in the autumn, maintaining a determinate pattern of growth that should be freeze tolerant and do well in the northern region. 'Seneca' is one of three recently patented pecan cultivars by the USDA ARS (U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/667,091). Parties interested in licensing 'Seneca' should contact license@usda.gov with any questions. Graft wood will only be distributed to licensees.