Editor’s Note: The Clemson University Sandhill Research and Education Center (REC) proudly marks its centennial, celebrating 100 years of advancing agricultural innovation, environmental stewardship and community engagement in South Carolina. Since its founding in 1926, the Sandhill REC has served as a vital hub for research, education and outreach, supporting farmers, landowners and industry partners through science-based solutions and practical expertise.
When South Carolina pecan growers plant a tree, they are making a decades-long investment. Choose the wrong variety and the result can be higher production costs, greater disease pressure and lower returns.
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is studying which pecan varieties may help growers avoid those problems.
At the Sandhill Research and Education Center near Columbia, Justin Ballew, a Clemson Extension fruit and vegetable research associate, is leading a trial of eight pecan cultivars under reduced-fungicide conditions.
The goal is to identify varieties that can produce strong yields and high-quality nuts in the Midlands while requiring fewer fungicide applications.
“Growers want varieties that perform well without requiring as many costly inputs,” Ballew said. “Our goal is to give them information they can use when they are establishing or renovating orchards.”
Research that addresses one of growers’ greatest challenges
Managing pecan scab is one of the largest annual expenses for many producers in the southeastern U.S., running between $1,500 and $1,800 per acre per year in fungicide, fuel and application expenses. The fungal disease can sharply reduce yield and nut quality and often requires multiple fungicide applications during the growing season.
Not every grower has access to intensive spray programs or specialized equipment, so Ballew designed the trial to reflect real-world production conditions.
“We are evaluating how these varieties perform under low-fungicide conditions,” Ballew said. “Fungicides are expensive. Applying them requires specialized equipment, which can be a barrier for many growers.”
Instead of asking which varieties perform under ideal conditions, the scientists are trying to determine which ones continue to produce high-quality pecans when growers reduce inputs.
The answer could help growers lower production costs while keeping orchards productive.
Comparing established favorites with new disease-resistant varieties
The trial includes eight pecan cultivars: Avalon, Elliot, Excel, Kanza, Lakota, McMillan, Pawnee and Sumner.
By comparing established varieties with newer disease-resistant ones under reduced-input management, the researchers hope to identify cultivars that combine strong yields, disease resistance and long-term value for South Carolina growers.
“We hope to determine whether any of these cultivars are suitable for cultivation in South Carolina,” Ballew said. “That information will help growers make better choices for their orchards.”
Research built for South Carolina
According to the Clemson FarmGate Reports, pecans were grown on 2,795 acres in South Carolina in 2024.
Information from the Clemson Home and Garden Information Center shows pecans will grow in almost any soil in the state, but not in poorly drained soil, hardpan, stiff clays or thin sands with a high water table.
Although pecans are grown across the state, conditions differ from region to region. In the Midlands, soil, weather and disease pressure can all affect tree performance.
“We want to better understand the yield potential and overall suitability of these varieties for the Midlands of South Carolina,” Ballew said.
That is why the scientists established the trial at the Sandhill REC.
These locally generated data should give growers information they cannot get from trials conducted elsewhere and help them choose cultivars based on South Carolina growing conditions rather than research from other states.
Connecting research to the orchard
The project is part of Clemson Extension’s broader effort to connect University research with the needs of South Carolina farmers.
Because pecan trees can take years to reach full production, selecting the right variety from the start has long-term economic consequences. Ballew hopes to provide growers with science-based recommendations before they make that investment.
The Sandhill orchard was planted in Feb. 2024. The scientists expect it to take around 7 years from planting until pecans have their first profitable harvest and said it will be another 4-5 years before they have any useful results.
When available, the results will be shared with growers through educational programs, field demonstrations and production recommendations.
The project is funded by a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
