Update on saving American Chestnut

[KY wild]

The Problem With Darling 58

The fight to save America’s iconic tree has become a civil war.

nymag.com

I really enjoyed article about progress of saving American Chestnut, little long but worth it

 

[Bill]

Well that stinks.

 

[letemgrow]

ACCF trees at my farm are showing favorable responses to the blight. I’ll have to go back through them to remove competing trees.

Swollen cankers are a positive.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KY wild]

First time I have seen a chestnut tree that was not a black and white pic, cool. Now I know what they look like. Tell us more about ACCF trees and your involvement, please.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I wouldn't give up hope on a GMO blight resistant chestnut. CRISPR wasn't around when they were first transforming the original Darling lines. It should be much easier (and cheaper) to insert the same blight resistant gene. The biggest hurdle at this point will be regaining trust and eventually momentum with funding a new round of research.

I

 

[letemgrow]

First time I have seen a chestnut tree that was not a black and white pic, cool. Now I know what they look like. Tell us more about ACCF trees and your involvement, please.

American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation

The American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to breeding a pure American chestnut tree and restoring it to the native range in the Eastern United States.

accf-online.org

ACCF trees originated from two original blight survivors called Floyd and Gault.

Pics are below of those 2 trees.







Progeny has been produced and distributed to growers who have trees like this.

Pure American Chestnut at High Altitude with Durable Blight Resistance/Control
Dr. Gary Griffin and Dr. John Rush Elkins, November 2019​

 

[Teeder]

I pretty much wrote off my american when I saw this.

 

[letemgrow]

I pretty much wrote off my american when I saw this.

That doesn't look good....

 

[Teeder]

No, pretty bummed about it.
The tree is about 20 years old and just developed that cancer the last couple years.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I have shown photos of this tree in one of these threads in the past, but I took this photo today of an American chestnut in St Paul, MN. This was the smaller of at least two that were originally planted by the founder of the American Chestnut Foundation who was a University of Minnesota plant breeder. The other tree was much larger before it showed any signs of blight. You can see the scars on the bark for this one. Unfortunately, there are no other pollinizers around, so this tree just makes a bunch of empty burs.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Genetically engineered chestnut tree, grown in Syracuse, moves one step closer to release -

Genetically engineered chestnut tree, grown in Syracuse, moves one step closer to release

SUNY ESF's transgenic American chestnut tree could help save the tree from the brink of extinction.

www.syracuse.com

 

[TreeDaddy]

What are the origins of the chestnut blight?

How does it spread(vectors,etc)?

bill

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If memory serves, chestnut blight pathogen was brought here from Europe years ago. Many of today's pests / pathogens - both insect and disease - are from offshore sources.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

What's interesting about this line is that it is a different Darling accession. I would be curious to know how many trees of this line have been planted in the wild and how long they have been in the ground, and the steps they are taking to ensure it is what they think it is. The original intent was to modify the American genetics to introduce blight resistance and then allow those genes to cross with other native wild Americans.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

What are the origins of the chestnut blight?

How does it spread(vectors,etc)?

bill

East Asia: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6638123/

I believe chestnut blight can be vectored by insects, but it is mainly spread by moving infected wood (inoculum) and by wind. I know that in the Pacific Northwest, they have very low blight pressure, and can grow blight intolerant European cultivars fairly well. In the NE, where it is more humid, has higher blight pressure. So it is definitely a function of at least weather or climate.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Not at all related to the American chestnut, but I am in Japan currently and saw several mature Japanese chestnut trees. Interestingly, they seem to grow at elevation or in cooler climates that are similar to the Northern US. It looks like they get bigger than the Chinese species, but not as big as the American. Most of the ones I have seen are multi-stemmed. Apparently they are the least tasty, which is why you don't really find many cultivars or the nuts in the States.

 

[b116757]

Not at all related to the American chestnut, but I am in Japan currently and saw several mature Japanese chestnut trees. Interestingly, they seem to grow at elevation or in cooler climates that are similar to the Northern US. It looks like they get bigger than the Chinese species, but not as big as the American. Most of the ones I have seen are multi-stemmed. Apparently they are the least tasty, which is why you don't really find many cultivars or the nuts in the States.

View attachment 80340

I was under the impression they suffered from the blight also.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I was under the impression they suffered from the blight also.

I think they're considered blight resistant. The American species and European varieties are susceptible, but some cultivars have a bit more resistance than others.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

The blight came from Japan when Japanese chestnuts were being imported for commercial sale. Japanese chestnuts coevolved with the fungus so I doubt they are susceptible.