management practices. Cultivation is best in hardiness zones 5-9 and trees take 7–8 years from seedling to fruiting. KYSU has created the three cultivars 'KSU-Atwood', 'KSU-Benson', and 'KSU-Chappell', with focus on better flavors, higher yields, vigorous plants, and low seed-to-pulp ratios.
== Athletics ==
Kentucky State University teams participate as a member of the Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The school's mascot are the Thorobreds. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and indoor and outdoor track and field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, and volleyball. Kentucky State's main rivals include Tennessee State University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University.
The men's basketball team was national champions in 1970, 1971, and 1972 at the NAIA level.
The Exum Center, the university's athletic and recreational complex, was named after William Exum, the …
