PRESENT STATUS AND PROSPECT OF PECAN NUT CULTURE AND TRIALS IN TURKIYE

Adaptation works started in 1953 and now 31 cultivars are under investigation. First adaptation trial were carried in Antalya and later on pecan orchards were established in Adana and Alata in 1980. Four years ago two other adaptation experiments were started in GAP area with 11 varieties and at Pozanti Research Station (at 1 100 m altitude) of the Cukurova University with 16 varieties. According to the preliminary results Western and Harris Super cultivars seemed to be more promising in comparison to the others.

Although pecan nut introduced to Türkiye quite a long time ago, due to the following reasons it could not expand as it was hoped: 1) number of scientists who work in pecan nut were very limited therefore researches were not sufficient, 2) neither the research institutions nor the universities could not supply informations to the private horticulturists. On the other hand, due to its late fruit set, pecan nut could not compete with citrus and vegetable growing in the Mediterranean coastal areas.

Türkiye has a very suitable and a large potential for pecan nut growing and because of the favorable climatological conditions in different regions, trials with different varieties must be established to use this potential for final decisions.