A groundbreaking moment unfolded March 26 during a ribbon cutting ceremony as USDA-ARS unveiled an updated, cutting-edge laboratory in Somerville, Texas, following a $2.5 million modernization effort.
The facility promises to revolutionize pecan breeding through innovative genetic techniques and intensified disease research in ways that have been unattainable since the 1980s when the site began.
All three scientists at the USDA Pecan Breeding and Genetics program have moved into the facility, though active research is delayed until the proper certifications have been obtained.
One of the first projects slated for the facility is aimed at improving pollination efficiency. Since pecan trees are wind pollinated, traditional pollen collection efforts are space intensive, requiring the pollen from dozens of trees in order to make controlled crosses in the breeding program.
In using the new cold-room chamber and modified stainless steel, end load sheet pan racks (such as those used in commercial kitchens), the space requirements needed for shedding pollen from catkin flowers in controlled conditions is greatly reduced.
Pecan seeds can’t be stored in traditional seed banks for more than a couple of years without dying. Pollen can be preserved in specialized facilities, and research continues on this. This is critical to the conservation of pecans and hickories.
Disease research, particularly of pecan scab, will be better evaluated as well.
“Once our permits are in place, our facility will be able to obtain isolates of pecan scab (Venturia effusa), the most economically important disease affecting pecan production, held by federal and academic collaborators across the United States,” said Warren Chatwin, lead scientist and research geneticist, USDA Pecan Breeding & Genetics Program. “These isolates, combined with our new controlled-environment growth chamber, will allow us to better evaluate the susceptibility of young pecan trees in our breeding program by exposing them to multiple races of scab from different locations.”
The facility’s researchers will also pursue the DNA sequencing of 3000+ pecan breeding lines (originating from the late 1990s to present) using a 3k DArT SNP Array, developed in conjunction with the USDA-ARS-funded Breeding Insight program at Cornell University.
The goal is to increase accuracy and precision in variety selection, allowing for the removal of less desirable trees without waiting 7-10 years to produce nuts.
This is done by combining the DNA sequence with the many years of trait observations breeders have made, which will help identify genetic links used to predict mature nut traits in young seedling trees.
Pecan trees, native and deeply rooted in North America’s agricultural landscape, have emerged as a lucrative crop over the past century and a half. However, traditional pecan breeding methods have faced significant hurdles, with an average breeding cycle spanning 28 years. The protracted timeline, primarily due to the extended waiting period for trees to mature and bear nuts, has hindered progress in pecan cultivar development. With the inauguration of the modernized laboratory, experts anticipate a paradigm shift, potentially slashing a decade off the breeding process.
The laboratory’s inauguration, a collaborative endeavor between USDA-ARS and the Texas Pecan Grower’s Association (TPGA), represents a pivotal moment in pecan cultivation. The facility boasts dedicated research spaces for plant genetics, microscopy, tissue culture, controlled-environment growth chambers, and plant disease research, underscoring its multifaceted approach to advancing pecan breeding.
Chatwin outlined the facility’s forthcoming initiatives, highlighting plans to secure essential equipment for biosafety certifications and permits, and recruit scientists, technicians, and postdoctoral researchers over the next two years.
Thirty-two pecan varieties have been released by the breeding and genetics program, including some industry favorites, such as Pawnee, Lakota, and Wichita. In 2022, USDA-ARS patented Pueblo, Seneca, and Zuni.
Main image: From right to left: TPGA Executive Director Blair Krebs, TPGA President Jake Montz, ARS Josh Udall, ARS Braden Tondre, ARS Xinwang Wang, ARS Angelyn Hilton, ARS Warren Chatwin, and ARS Keith Kubenka.
Photo: Catherine Clark, Texas Pecan Growers Association
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