By: Samuel Tobin An Undergraduate Thesis Defense ENVR 499B Evaluating Hazelnut Cultivars for Yield, Quality and Disease Resistance

Introduction Hazelnuts Small-tree or schrub Deciduous Grown over temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere primarily. Wind pollinated

Hazelnut with Involucre

Hazelnut Uses UseForm ChocolateDiced, Paste BakeryDiced, Meal, Paste CoffeeHazelnut Oil Mixed NutsRoasted, Whole Kernels PasteriesDiced, Meal, Paste

Worldwide Production Turkey: 625,000 metric tons 74% of world market Italy 15% of world market Spain 3% of world market Azerbaijan 2% or world market United States 2% of world market

Eastern Filbert Blight Eastern Filbert Blight or EFB is the major disease that effects commercial hazelnut production in the United States.

Eastern Filbert Blight (cont’d) Disease cycle requires 2 or more years. A. Spores infect breaking buds and young shoot tips B. 15-month latency period C. Stromata first visible during spring and early summer D. Stromata with mature spores in early fall. E. Spores actively discharged during rainy periods F. Expansion of perennial cankers. Most of the canopy of infected trees will die within 7-15 years after first infection.

Nebraska Forest Service Research Troy Pabst of the Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) is performing a long-term study trying to develop a prime hazelnut. East Campus Hazelnut Plot: 40 ̊ 49’ 53” N, 96 ̊ 39’ 25” W 600 Hazelnut trees. Skinner Grand Traverse NADF Turkish Tree Hazel

Young Hazelnut Planting Spacing similar to that of NFS-East Campus planting. Young Trees Probably have yet to produce nuts.

The Research Problem There are no cultivars which have proper characteristics for commercial hazelnut production in Nebraska. Is there any plants in the NFS-East Campus Hazelnut Plot that have the proper characteristics needed for large scale production? Comparing two different cultivars Skinner Grand Traverse

Materials and Methods Harvesting All manual harvesting Begins in early-mid August Completed by early October Various plants are ready to harvest at different times, this adds to the length of the harvesting process Plants are harvested separately to ensure data from each plant is kept accurately.

Materials and Methods Processing Data is kept separately from harvest and then kept in a cooler until cleaned. When cleaning the involucres from the shell there are two steps Mechanically cleaned by a machine that partially removes involucres from shell Final cleaning is done by hand where the involucres are manually removed from the shells. Data recording is done prior to cleaning and then following cleaning and drying.

2001 Planting Data

2002 Planting Data

2003 Planting Data

2004 Planting Data

2005 Planting Data

Analysis of Data In the graphs I included two comparisons, a comparison of pre-cleaned weight average of Skinner against pre-cleaned weight average of Grand Traverse, and then a comparison of the clean-weight of Skinner against the clean-weight of the Grand Traverse By breaking up the data into the year of the plantings it makes it easier to compare how the yield is increasing.

Skinner The Skinner’s tend to have a greater yield than the Grand Traverse when directly compared. There are a couple other factors that need to be accounted for when choosing the better cultivar In-shell nut size Skinners don’t have the desired characteristics for in-shell nut production

Conclusion When deciding which of the two cultivars are better suited for large scale commercial production I would choose the Skinner over the Grand Traverse, but not for in-shell production. Reasoning Greater Yields When grafted, quicker bearing Large nut

Future of Commercial Production Even though the market is dominated by the Willamette Valley region of Oregon there is still a bright future in commercial production right here in Nebraska. With research being done by the Nebraska Forest Service this will make a commercially viable hazelnut possible.

Thank You Thank you to Troy Pabst, Rich Lodes, Scott Josiah and the Nebraska Forest Service who allowed me to use the data that we have been collecting over the past two harvesting seasons in my results. I would also like to thank them for the support provided in writing and reviewing my thesis. I would also like to thank Dave Gosselin and Sara Yendra for their support in the writing and review process.

References Fulbright, Dennis W.. Nut Tree Culture in North America. Vol. 1. Saline, MI: McNaughton and Gunn, Inc., Print. Olsen, Jay. "Hazelnuts." Nutrient Management Guide (2001): Print. Pscheidt, Jay W.. "Detecting and Controlling Eastern Filbert Blight." (1999): Print. USDA. World Hazelnut Situation & Outlook. “World Horticultural Trade & U.S. Export Opportunities.” 2004: Print.

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