Five pecan (Carya illinoinensis) cultivars were evaluated over 15 years in a trial at Tifton, GA, USA. Trialed cultivars included the standard early cultivar Pawnee, and the more recent releases Byrd, Morrill, Lakota, and Treadwell. Actual yield were measured for each tree each year and a 50-nut sample was taken to determine nut quality. Trees were evaluated for leaf and nut scab infection (Venturia effusa) and black aphid (Melanocallis caryaefoliae) damage. ‘Pawnee’ yielded significantly less than all the newer cultivars which had similar cumulative yields. However, ‘Byrd’, ‘Lakota’, and ‘Treadwell’ had significantly more yield alternation than ‘Pawnee’ and ‘Morrill’, with reduction of nut quality in the “ON” years. ‘Pawnee’ was the earliest cultivar and produced excellent quality nuts, but yields were mediocre. ‘Lakota’ had excellent scab resistance, but overcropped resulting in inferior quality, and should only be grown in orchards were crop loads are controlled by hedging or tree shaking. ‘Byrd’ and ‘Treadwell’ are very scab susceptible and also need crop load control, making them poorly suited for south Georgia. ‘Morrill’ had consistent cropping and excellent nut quality but is also very scab susceptible and should only be grown with excellent disease management practices.
