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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 #396896
Research Project: Pecan Breeding, Genomics, and Genetic Resource Management

Location: Crop Germplasm Research

Title: 'Zuni' pecan: A cultivar of large nuts for the central and western growing regions

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: 10/28/2022
Citation: Wang, X., Chatwin, W.B., Kubenka, K.A., Hilton, A.E., Thompson, T., Grauke, L. 2022. 'Zuni' pecan: A cultivar of large nuts for the central and western growing regions. HortScience. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16827-22.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16827-22

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 so high quality pecans are available to the public. 'Zuni' (a cross of 'Pawnee' and 'Waco') is the 32nd cultivar released by this program and one of the first three cultivars patented by the USDA ARS. 'Zuni' was named after one of the 19 Native American Pueblo tribes that is native to the Zuni River valley in northwestern New Mexico. 'Zuni' produces large nuts in medium-sized clusters with cream-colored kernels. It also showed high scab resistance in both leaves and nuts. 'Zuni' is expected to perform well in the central and western growing regions, and should perform well where 'Pawnee' is currently grown. However, 'Zuni' was only evaluated in Central Texas and may require different management practices in other areas.

Technical Abstract: 'Zuni' is a new pecan (Carya illinoinensis) cultivar released and patented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS). 'Zuni' was released because of its large nuts in medium-sized clusters, well-filled cream-colored kernels, medium precocity, and high scab disease (causal agent: Venturia effusa) resistance for both leaves and nuts. However, 'Zuni' has only been monitored in Central Texas and has not been observed under all environmental conditions and cultural practices. Therefore, some of its characteristics may differ outside of Central Texas or with different management practices. 'Zuni' is one the first three patented pecan cultivars by USDA ARS with U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/668,127. Parties interested in licensing 'Zuni' should contact license@usda.gov with any questions. Graft wood will only be distributed to licensees.