Factsheet #20-053 | AGDEX 240 | AUGUST 2020 Provisional Recommendations and Descriptions of Hazelnut Varieties in Ontario T. Leuty INTRODUCTION potential market uses and yield and sensitivity to The Ontario hazelnut industry is currently in a state winter injury (hardiness zone). of early commercial development. Hazelnut cultivars are being evaluated as potential crop cultivars and Hazelnuts are self-incompatible. This means that pollen source cultivars, based on their ability to a hazelnut plant will not pollenize its own female tolerate minimum winter temperatures, spring frost flowers or pollenize female flowers of other and manage native diseases, mainly Eastern filbert hazelnut plants within the same variety. Hazelnut blight (EFB) and bacterial blight. Maturing orchards varieties must cross-pollenize with other compatible have begun to produce an annual hazelnut crop. varieties in order to set and grow a nut crop. It is Kernels are being evaluated for quality attributes recommended that growers provide three to five and for various market uses including fresh, different compatible pollen source varieties for each confectionary and other value-added products. crop cultivar to ensure successful pollen transfer and optimize crop yield. The timing of pollen Table 1 provides provisional hazelnut variety release is also a factor. Male catkin flowers should recommendations for Ontario with revised release pollen when the female crop flowers are tolerance/susceptibility to Eastern filbert blight, open and receptive. Table 1. Provisional hazelnut cultivar recommendations (crop and pollen source) for Ontario Cultivar Eastern filbert Catkin Fresh market and Hardiness and source blight survival confectionary Yield Zone Pollen-compatible varieties Gene moderate tolerance good fresh market very good Zone 5–7 Slate, Norfolk, Jefferson Jefferson susceptible okay both okay Zone 7 Gene, Gamma, Yamhill Yamhill susceptible poor both okay Zone 7 Gamma, Santiam, Jefferson Chelsea moderate tolerance good both good Zone 5–7 Gamma, Yamhill, Gene Norfolk moderate tolerance good both good Zone 5–7 Gene, Jefferson, Slate Gamma susceptible fair both good Zone 7 Jefferson, Yamhill, Santiam, Theta Slate moderate tolerance fair fresh market good Zone 5–7 Gene, Norfolk, Lewis Alex moderate tolerance good both good Zone 5–7 TBD Source: Cultivar evaluations conducted by the University of Guelph, Horticultural Experiment Station, Simcoe, Ontario. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Before deciding on which hazelnut varieties to Consult with knowledgeable tree nursery providers, plant, growers are advised to investigate the kernel experienced growers or an OMAFRA crop specialist characteristics of each variety and the varietal if additional information is required. preferences of the markets they want to supply. Fresh markets, such as farm gate sales or farm Since development of the information in Table 1, markets, generally accept good quality nuts of additional new and existing hazelnut varieties have all hazelnut varieties. Confectionary companies, been released or imported for evaluation in Ontario processors and makers of value-added hazelnut yet have not undergone formal comparative testing. products may have specific requirements that are found only in some varieties and not in others. For example, a confectionary company may only purchase specific hazelnut varieties that have round, medium-size kernels and exact expectations of flavour. Prevention of spoilage mould in kernels after harvest and during storage is a priority to maintain quality and top market value. Contact the Ontario Hazelnut Association for information on how to participate in variety trials. 2 Table 2, the Compatibility Chart, presents a list In the Compatibility Chart, hazelnut crop varieties of current hazelnut varieties that can be planted (left column) that share similar expressed alleles in on farms and evaluated by growers. Table 2 also pollen source varieties (top row) are incompatible provides guidelines on selecting compatible pollen and will not cross-pollenize. Asterisks indicate the source varieties to design commercial orchards, alleles that are expressed, and are incompatible optimize nut set and crop yield, enable uniform with the same allele number. ripening of varietal blocks and the option of mechanized harvest. Table 2. Ontario hazelnut compatibility chart, developed in cooperation with Oregon State University and Rutgers University LEGEND: X = incompatible c = compatible * = expressed alleles Pollen source variety — Pollen (male) parent Gamma Yamhill Jefferson Theta Lewis Santiam Gene Slate Norfolk Chelsea Linda Cheryl Carmela Matt Aldara Frank Marion Dawn Raritan Monmouth Hunterdon Somerset 2 8 1 5 3 3 15 1 12 1 14 10 25 11 25 14 14 15 3 1 3 3 Alleles 10 26 15 8 15 25 20 12 13 27 12 Oregon State University varieties: Zone 6b or 7 Gamma *2 *10 X c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c c c c c c c Yamhill *8 *26 c X c c X c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c Jefferson *1 3 c c X c c c c X c X c c c c c c c c c X c c Theta *5 *15 c c c X c X X c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c Lewis *3 *8 c X c c X X c c c c c c c c c c c c X c X X Santiam *3 *15 c c c X X X X c c c c c c c c c c X X c X X New York varieties: Zones 5–7 Gene *15 23 c c c X c X X c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c Slate *1 23 c c X c c c c X c X c c c c c c c c c X c c Canadian varieties: Zones 5–7 Norfolk *12 25 c c c c c c c c X c c X c c c c c c c X c c Chelsea *1 *20 c c X c c c c X c X c c c c c c c c c X c c Linda *14 23 c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c X X c c c c c Cheryl *10 *12 X c c c c c c c X c c X c c c c c c c X c c Carmela 23 *25 c c c c c c c c X c c c X c X c c c c c c c Matt 11 13 c c c c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c c c c c Crop variety — Female parent Crop variety — Female Aldara 25 27 c c c c c c c c X c c c X c X c c c c c c c Frank 14 c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c X X c c c c c Marion *14 25 c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c X X c c c c c Dawn *15 27 c c c X c X X c c c c c c c c c c X c c c c Rutgers University varieties: Zone 7 Raritan *3 22 c c c c X X c c c c c c c c c c c c X c X X Monmouth *1 *12 c c X c c c c X X X c X c c c c c c c X c c Hunterdon 1 *3 c c c c X X c c c c c c c c c c c c X c X X Somerset *3 10 c c c c X X c c c c c c c c c c c c X c X X 3 VARIETY DESCRIPTIONS OF HAZELNUTS IN ‘Jefferson.’ Zone 7. Released by Oregon State ONTARIO University in 2009 for the in-shell market. The nuts Oregon State University varieties of ‘Jefferson’ are large, well filled (3.2–4.2 g) and ‘Gamma.’ Zone 6b–7. Released by Oregon State have 45% kernels by weight. Raw kernels have University in 2002. Released as a pollenizer but a moderate-to-heavy amount of fibre on their also suitable as a main variety. The trees set many pellicles. ‘Jefferson’ blanches only moderately catkins, and pollen is shed in mid-season. The well. Kernel quality is suitable for many end pollen shedding period is short, therefore ‘Gamma’ uses, although they are larger than desired by should not be the sole pollenizer in an orchard. It the chocolate and bakery industry. It has high is a suitable pollenizer for ‘Lewis’ and ‘Barcelona,’ yield, attractive nuts, kernels and good kernel but sheds pollen too early for ‘Clark.’ The average quality. About 80% of the nuts fall free of the nut weight is about 2.5 g, and it blanches poorly. husk at maturity. The variety matures at or up Kernel percentage by weight is 52%. ‘Gamma’ has to 3 days later than ‘Barcelona.’ ‘Jefferson’ has a 12% blank and brown-stained nuts. The frequency low frequency of mouldy kernels. Pollen is shed of mouldy kernels is very low (1%). The variety is in mid-season, but female receptivity is very susceptible to Ontario strains of Eastern filbert late. Pollenizers that shed pollen very late are blight and resistant to big bud mite. It is very needed. In Oregon, one-third ‘Eta’ and two-thirds suitable for the processing industry. ‘Theta’ is suggested. ‘Yamhill’ pollen is effective on early emerging female flowers and should be ‘Yamhill.’ Zone 6b–7.