Pecan Nut Suture Splits Are Positively Related to Kernel Moisture Concentration and Solar Radiant Exposure

Abstract

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) nuts with cracked shells reduce market grade and are usually removed during pecan cleaning. One type of crack is the shell suture that splits on certain cultivars with thin shells and high kernel percentages. ‘Schley’ nuts with diverse kernel moisture concentrations were dislodged from trees on cloudy and sunny days and exposed to ambient environmental conditions for 1 day on the ground. Samples were collected immediately after dislodging and after 1 day’s exposure, sealed in a plastic bag that was placed in a cooler, and then transported to the laboratory where they were assessed for kernel moisture and split sutures. The number of nuts with split sutures was unaffected by kernel moisture percentage or sunlight exposure when samples were collected immediately after dislodging. However, after 1 day, nuts with high kernel moisture percentages with high solar radiant exposure (sunny day) had substantially more nuts with suture splits than those with low solar radiant exposure (cloudy day). At the lowest kernel moisture percentages, the number of nuts with split sutures was insensitive to solar radiant exposure. During the first harvest, ‘Schley’ trees should be shaken to dislodge nuts on cloudy days and harvested before exposure to bright sunshine to minimize suture split. This probably extends to other cultivars with a history of suture split. An alternative to shaking on cloudy days, though not tested, might be to shake trees in the evening and harvest the next morning before exposure to high light conditions. Later, during the harvest season when kernel moisture was lower, sunlight exposure has little, if any, effect on suture splits.