By Blake Jackson
After 25 years of research, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry achieved a key milestone by patenting its first black walnut cultivar — the UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut. This new development marks significant progress in building a tree nut industry in Missouri.
Ron Revord, Interim Director of the Centre, shared that Missouri's favorable climate and River Hills soil offer ideal conditions for nut production. The new cultivar is specifically designed for kernel production, supporting food industries over timber use.
Development began in the early 2000s under former faculty member Mark Coggeshall and was later led by Revord from 2019 onward. The UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut was selected for its excellent spur-bearing ability, meaning the tree produces more nuts earlier in its life cycle, helping farmers get a quicker return on investment.
The Centre sees black walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans as key components in agroforestry systems like alley cropping. These systems offer yearly income from nut harvests instead of waiting decades for timber returns. This model can encourage more farmers to adopt sustainable agroforestry practices.
The patented cultivar is named after the Hickman House, one of Missouri’s oldest brick homes, located on the Centre’s research farm in New Franklin.
With the patent in place, the UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut can now be licensed and sold at nurseries. The Centre is expanding plant supply through micropropagation in a campus-based tissue culture lab. Master's student Jericha Hervey is currently conducting studies on shoot initiation to support large-scale plant production.
This development opens new doors for growers and adds value to Missouri’s agriculture landscape.
Photo Credit: university-of-missouri
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables