Usda Forest Service

Black Walnut in a New Century - Proceedings of the 6th Walnut Council Research Symposium - Lafayette, Indiana - July 25-28, 2004 Usda Forest Service

Eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is an economically and ecologically important hardwood species that has been used throughout the history of settlement in North America. It was a resource that helped Native Americans in their everyday life, it helped European settlers carve a living out of the wilderness, and it has helped rural farmers and private landowners subsist and invest in the future. Described here is a brief history of black walnut breeding and molecular genetics research. Current genetic research may ultimately lead to the domestication of black walnut, an event that would be a hallmark for forest tree species.