Hazelnut Pollination

Abstract

Hazelnuts, (Corylus avellana L.), are wind-pollinated, monoecious, mostly dichogamous, and self-incompatible. About 90% of the cultivars studied are protandrous. Anthesis of the pistillate flower is temperature-dependent and occurs December through February, peaking in January. Stigmatic surfaces may remain receptive for up to 3 months. Four to 5 months separate pollination and fertilization of the ovule; the latter usually occurring between mid-May and the end of June in Oregon. A 10% pollinizer density has been the standard, with a recommended distance of 66 ft (20 m) or less between the main cultivar and the nearest pollinizer. Two or three different pollinizer cultivars, with different times of pollen shed, are recommended. The Oregon hazelnut industry is presently combating the fungal disease, eastern filbert blight, caused by Anisogramma anomala (Peck). Current management recommendations suggest reducing risk of infection are to reduce the most susceptible pollinizer cultivars to a density 5%, then gradually replace those left with immune or more resistant genotypes.