March 2026 USDA pecan breeding and genetics program update

Authors: Chatwin, Warren; Hilton, Angelyn; Wang, Xinwang; Kubenka, Keith

Submitted to: Pecan South
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2026
Publication Date: 4/1/2026
Citation: Chatwin, W.B., Hilton, A.E., Wang, X., Kubenka, K.A. 2026. March 2026 USDA pecan breeding and genetics program update. Pecan South. 59(2):32-39.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This report presents ARS pecan research in a clear, stakeholder-friendly format. In 2025, the breeding program carried out successful controlled pollinations, field trait ratings, and destructive nut quality tests, and introduced new scab inoculation techniques for young seedlings to improve disease evaluation quality. More than 7,000 trees were genotyped, and sequencing will expand further; the resulting genetic data are integrated with field measurements to build genomic-selection models that predict mature traits such as scab resistance and crop load, speeding the breeding cycle. The National Plant Germplasm System Repository for Pecans and Hickories upgraded infrastructure by adding irrigation to previously unirrigated orchards, fencing to exclude wild-hogs, collecting disease data and images, and modernizing storage of a large collection of preserved pecan nuts and leaves. Finally, three concise summaries of previously published ARS studies were included to highlight advances in young-tree measurement, rootstock effects on grafted performance, and the impact of freezing and cold-stratification on pecan seed germination and growth.