Temperate nut crops: Chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, and walnut

Abstract

Pecan is the only major nut crop native to North America; however, many important wild relative species of nut crops, including chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, and walnut, are native to North America and are important sources of useful genes. This chapter briefly covers the history and use of temperate nut crops and more thoroughly discusses the occurrence, potential usefulness, and conservation status of North American crop wild species that have potential value in nut crop improvement.