I cut open a Kanza nut today and captured the kernel filling process in progress. The first thing I noticed when slicing the nut in half is that the shell was completely hard. In the photo above, the arrow marked "S" points to the shell. At this point in time, the outer shell of the nut is fully formed and light tan in color.
The arrow marked "K" points to newly formed pecan kernel. The white creamy color is what we expect pecan kernel to look like. However, inside the white kernel layer is a translucent layer I've marked "J". This is rapidly forming kernel tissue that has yet to fully differentiate into its final solid white state. The translucent appearance of this not-yet-fully-formed kernel tissue is the origin of the term "gel stage".
When I first started working with pecans I was given the impression that kernel development progressed from water stage, to gel stage, to firm kernel. It was almost like the water turns to gel then solidifies into kernel. This is not how it works.
New kernel tissue develops starting from just under the pecan seed coat. As new kernel tissue develops, the water inside the nut is absorbed back into the tree. The amount of "gel" that can be seen inside the nut is dependent on the speed of kernel formation. The rate of kernel deposition is influenced by weather conditions and cultivar. This is the most "gel" I've ever found inside a Kanza nut. In past years, the gel layer was much thinner.
Kernel deposition is not the only pecan tissue I've seen with this translucent appearance. Back during grafting season, I noticed several stock trees with a layer adjacent to the cambium that had a water soaked or gel type look. This was obviously new wood tissue being formed that hadn't fully solidified.
Now when I think about pecan kernel development, I think of it in two stages. The first is "ovule expansion". Ovule expansion occurs during the first half of the growing season as pecan fruit grow rapidly in size. The culmination of this stage occurs when the nut achieves its full size and the inside of the nut is filled with water. The second stage is "kernel deposition". Kernel begins to develop on the inside of the seed coat and works it way towards the center. Kernel deposition continues until the shuck starts separating from the shell (shuck split).
