English: Pecans contain protein, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, calcium, and 95 percent unsaturated fats. Unfortunately for pecan trees, worrisome diseases keep popping up and of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are working alongside growers to come up with management strategies. One solution is to breed disease-resistance into the crop. USDA ARS conducts the world's only pecan-breeding program, serving growers in the U.S., Mexico, and other pecan-growing countries. Out of this program came pecan variety called Pawnee that was released in 1984. This variety is insect and disease resistant and produces notably large nuts of high quality as well. USDA photo by Scott Bauer.