Sometimes you find potential new cultivars in your own back yard. This was the case with
KSU-OF1. The original tree (pictured at left) of this promising clone is located along the fence line just north of my office building. The tree is a Greenriver seedling that has excellent scab resistance. The nut is slightly smaller than Greenriver but the tree is far more productive that its parent. The original tree of KSU-OF1 is growing in a upland site that is a very poor location for pecans. It wasn't until we grafted this clone into a trial down in the river bottom that we recognized this tree's potential. Outstanding nut quality is one of the most recognizable traits of this clone.
If you look at the original tree, you'll find that many nuts are infested with both pecan weevil and hickory shuckworm. High rate of insect infestation is an indication of 3 things. One, we don't spray this tree. Two, upland pecans always seem to have more weevil. And, three, nut feeding pests will always build up on trees that bear nuts every year. That's the one thing about KSU-OF1, it always seems to produce a crop even under stressful conditions.
For all those interested, this clone's designation "KSU-OF1" is simply short hand for office tree number 1.
