CHINESE CHESTNUT CULTIVAR PERFORMANCE IN MISSOURI

Chinese chestnut is a potential new orchard crop in Missouri and in the Midwestern United States. For new orchards to succeed, reliable cultivar information must be made available. Beginning in 1996, a repository of 20 cultivars and accessions (generally 2 replications) of Chinese chestnut and chestnut species hybrids was established at the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC) at New Franklin, Missouri, in fertile, well-drained, erodible, loess “River Hill” soil. Chestnut cultivars and accessions have been added on a yearly basis to total 56 currently. Cataloging descriptors such as bud break date, flowering date, nut size, nut weight, nut maturity and nut yield has been a primary focus. Early results clearly indicate strong differences among cultivars in form, precocity, nut size and date of nut maturity. Further, as yields increase nut size appears to be declining. A second planting of Chinese chestnut cultivars was established in fall 1999 at two locations in central Missouri including HARC (12 cultivars, 5 replications) and in spring 1999, at Mexico, Missouri, a site with a claypan soil (5 cultivars, 5 replications). Based on very preliminary observations, a third orchard planting was established at HARC in the fall of 2001 consisting of 3 cultivars - ‘Peach’, ‘Qing’ and ‘Willamette’ (8 replications, 6 trees per replication). Knowledge gained in these studies will be utilized for refining cultivar recommendations and orchard management strategies in a continental climate.