Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development InitiativeThe purpose of the Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative is to support the growth and commercialization of the hazelnut industry in the Upper Midwest through grower support, targeted research, and technology transfer. Download the original Upper Midwest Hazelnut Strategic Plan developed in 2007 and our recently updated 2018 Hazelnut Strategic Action Plan to learn more about the Initiative.
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Our Work
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Supporting Growers Through Outreach Education. Surveys to date have identified 130 hazelnut growers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa with nearly 135 acres of production. To meet the needs of these early-adopter growers, UMHDI partners conduct field days, conferences, and other training programs. Field days are typically offered in late-summer and through the fall to coincide with harvest and processing. The annual Upper Midwest Hazelnut Growers Conference is held every year the first full weekend of March. Providing technical assistance to growers is a key part of commercializing hazelnuts as a profitable and sustainable crop.
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Identifying Select First Generation Hybrids. Early-adopter hazelnut producers in the Upper Midwest are growing hybrid seedlings derived from crosses between European, Beaked, and American hazelnuts. UMHDI researchers help growers find the best of these plants and evaluate them in replicated germplasm trials across the region. The hope is some of these plants have the yield, kernel quality, plant form, winter hardiness, and disease resistance necessary for a commercially vialbe cultivar for the Upper Midwest. In 2017, we identified 8 promising selections are now working to propagate these plants for growers to trial. To help ensure development of a diversity of locally-adapted germplasm, UMHDI growers are involved in the plant evaluation process through the Hazelnut Improvement Program.
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Developing Second Generation Hybrids. While we work with growers to select first generation hybrids from the thousands of on-farm seedlings we are also making controlled crosses to develop second generation hybrids. Our goal is to produce plants with even better yield, kernel quality, plant form, and pest resistance. Plant breeding requires a long-term commitment and is essential to helping an industry grow and thrive. With nearly 10,000 F1 and BC1 offspring now in the ground we'll be tracking performance and selecting the best of the best.
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Unlocking the Potential of American Hazelnut. The extensive wild populations of American hazelnut (Corylus americana) in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota offer an opportunity to develop cultivars from native plant material. UMHDI researchers have made initial selections from these populations and are working to evaluate them in replicated performance trials while also making controlled crosses for development of future cultivars. With tremendous genetic diversity to work with, it is possible hazelnut cultivars could come straight from the wild as has happened with other food species native to North America, such as cranberry and blueberry.
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Developing Propagation Protocols. Development of a commercial hazelnut industry depends on low-cost propagation techniques that can generate vigorous and low-cost nursery plants. Hazelnut has proven to be difficult to vegetatively propagate, particularly American hazelnut. UMHDI researchers have developed mound-layering protocols and are working to develop suitable protocols for stem cuttings and micro-propagation.
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Facilitating Infrastructure, Market, and Product Development. The Upper Midwest's hazelnut industry is driven primarily by early adopter growers with small but expanding plantings. With strong consumer demand the growers are working to develop processing technology and grower-owned processing businesses to maximize returns. The partners of the UMHDI are helping with scaling-up the industry to realize the full potential of hazelnuts.
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Establishing Best Management Practices. Most cultivated hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest are grown as multi-stemmed shrubs in hedgerows similar to highbush blueberries. Projects are underway to develop best management practices for establishement, fertilization, pruning, and pest management. The hedgerow production system has great potential for use in conservation plantings that deliver economic returns AND improved soil and water quality.
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