Oswego pecan - 2012 results

   When I was collecting pecan samples from our cultivar trial last fall, I came across our Oswego trees and, frankly, I was little disappointed. The nuts were small and not that well filled (sample from Chetopa at right). It wasn't until I collected samples from our cultivar trial at New Madrid, MO that my faith in Oswego as a cultivar was restored (photo at right). The New Madrid sample had the size and kernel quality that spurred the naming of this seedling in the first place.  
   I've talked about the effects of tree size and drought on nut size, nut shape and quality in previous posts. Here we see similar results. The Oswego nut from New Madrid was produced by a tree that was irrigated all throughout last summer's heat and drought. In contrast, The Oswego nut from Chetopa was produced by a young tree that was not irrigated. I'm so glad I decided to set up multiple sites to test pecan cultivars.

Productive and scab free: Kanza, Lakota and Oswego

Kanza nuts ready to shake

  
    Testing pecan cultivars has always been a big part of the my work. Choice of cultivar is critical for the long term success of a pecan planting. In recent years, I've emphasized the importance of grafting scab resisitant pecan cultivars to help reduce management costs. Three scab-free cultivars that have done exceptionally well at our location are Kanza, Lakota, and Oswego.

Kanza crop load

 

   With most of the leaves now fallen from the trees, I was able to get a good look at the nut crops produced by these three cultivars this year. While not limb breaking, Kanza, Lakota, and Oswego all held good crop loads (photos at left and below).  Nut size for the three cultivars was below normal (because of the 2012 drought) but all nuts showed good kernel fill.

Lakota crop load

Oswego crop load