2005 Annual Report 4d.Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Texas A&M University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 6202-21000-021-00D Genetics and Improvement of Pecan. This is a new project that replaced 6202-21000-021-01S, and which is continuing and expanding upon the work of the precursor project. Older pecan cultivars do not produce high yields of quality pecans; this project seeks to develop new cultivars that perform more productively under modern management systems, while at the same time requiring fewer pesticide sprays to control diseases and insects. In FY 2005, work under this project focused on evaluating pecan scab resistance of hundreds of controlled-cross pecan seedlings. Many of these were shown to be scab-susceptible and were discarded. However, dozens of the crosses were shown to be highly scab resistant and will be incorporated into breeding programs to develop new varieties that are scab resistant while having desired quality and productivity traits. Work by this project will ultimately result in development of improved pecan varieties that will increase pecan production and grower profits in the U.S., that will lessen the need for pesticide applications which are expensive to the grower and potentially harmful to the environment, and that will provide a more nutritionally healthy product to the consumer at reasonable prices.