Chestnut coming back from the brink of extinction?

[cactusflinthead 27615]

The chestnut tree used to be a major food source for wildlife and people. Since it flowered later than most trees it was not caught by late frosts. But, most of us, except maybe Armybrat, have never seen one mature enough to produce chestnuts. Like several other introduced, invasive critters and diseases it happened by accident. 

Quote

The chestnut blight was accidentally introduced to North America around 1904 when Cryphonectria parasitica was introduced into the United States from Japanese nursery stock.^[8]It was first found in the chestnut trees on the grounds of the New York Zoological Garden (the "Bronx Zoo") by Herman W. Merkel, a forester at the zoo. In 1905, American mycologist William Murrill isolated and described the fungus responsible (which he named Diaporthe parasitica), and demonstrated by inoculation into healthy plants that the fungus caused the disease.^[9] By 1940, most mature American chestnut trees had been wiped out by the disease.^[10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut_blight

 

But, it didn't get all of them. That's the thing about diseases.  A few lucky individuals will have some genetic resistance. We know that now about the Black Death. You either had the pair of genes with full resistance and didn't get sick, one of the pair and kinda got sick, but survived or none at all and you were a goner. The same thing applies to other living things. Well, somebody has been diligently working to find the resistant survivors of the Ozark species of chestnut and then select the most resistant ones for reintroduction. I think it can work. 

 

Quote

 

Now, by injecting a single leaf with cultured blight, she can find out in five days if a tree is fit to survive. In what’s known as a detached leaf assay, she removes a single leaf from a tree, infects it with blight in the lab, and observes the blight’s rate of spread to determine that plant’s resistance level. The more slowly the disease spreads, the stronger the genes.

Since May, the results of 70 leaf assays have come in: some of the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation’s test plot trees are even more genetically resistant than Chinese chestnut, which does not succumb to chestnut blight. The strongest chinquapins will be chosen for propagation. In other words, what has been theory for a decade is now empirical: Bost’s attempts are working.

 

A legendary Ozark chestnut tree, thought extinct, is rediscovered, Nat Geo 6/24/19

 

 

 

[clapclapclap 9000]

Lobby Congress to support open fire control legislation.

[Texas St. Armadillos 1381]

My father would claim that they were lazy.

[Baboontyme 2836]

I know he lost to Stonie a couple of years ago but he's still the king and a true American hero. Can't wait for the Fourth.

[cactusflinthead 27615]

12 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

Lobby Congress to support open fire control legislation.

Elaborate on this please. More controlled burns?

[Neonmoon 38130]

59 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

Lobby Congress to support open fire control legislation.

Correct me if I'm wrong Sandy, but if I burn all the trees they'll lock me up and throw away the key.

[Guest Lobo]

And then the Pine Nut.  That one was just send him over the edge...

[atomheartbevo 90049]

Quote

was accidentally introduced to North America around 1904 when Cryphonectria parasitica was introduced into the United States from Japanese nursery stock

Damn, the Japanese were playing a long game.

And they were arguably more successful in 1904 than they were 40 years later.

[cactusflinthead 27615]

30 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Damn, the Japanese were playing a long game.

And they were arguably more successful in 1904 than they were 40 years 

I've said it before but it bears repeating. Tabun and Sarin were accidentally discovered while looking for an insecticide that would counter a biological attack of Colorado potato beetles. 

Why Hitler never used them is still debated.

 

[hopkinsnhorns 533]

So in 50-odd years or so, we could have a new wood to use for BBQ?

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

The laaaarch........

[utee94 15878]

43 minutes ago, hopkinsnhorns said:

So in 50-odd years or so, we could have a new wood to use for BBQ?

Perhaps, but more importantly, maybe some of us will finally get to taste a chestnut roasted on an open fire.  

 

[clapclapclap 9000]

20 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

Elaborate on this please. More controlled burns?

Every year we hear of lots of people with

Chestnuts

roasting

on an

open fire

[Incredulity 11686]

Yeah, but now it's GMO... so can't have that.

[HornsOverIthaca 2339]

21 hours ago, Texas St. Armadillos said:

My father would claim that they were lazy.

Very good.

[Parliament 14368]

9 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

Yeah, but now it's GMO... so can't have that.

They are working on a transgenic Chestnut, but I think the Chestnut mentioned above is naturally resistant?

[cactusflinthead 27615]

1 hour ago, clapclapclap said:

Every year we hear of lots of people with

Chestnuts

roasting

on an

open fire

Son, I am disappoint 

[Anastasis 23498]

 

[Knoxtnhorn 6164]

I honestly thought this was going to be about Joey Chestnut considering the Fletcher's Hot Dog Eating Contest is in a couple of days.

[Fuck Tim Beck 3854]

18 hours ago, utee94 said:

Perhaps, but more importantly, maybe some of us will finally get to taste a chestnut roasted on an open fire.  

 

More importantly, now you and your family can watch the homeless camped in your driveway roast chestnuts on an old spare tire. 

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

The emerald ash borer is wiping out just about all of the ash trees across the continent. It already did it’s damage in Europe. What makes it doubly bad is they were one of the most popular replacements for the American elms, and they have finally reached mature, stately size. Dutch elm disease killed most of the American elms, which were/are a fantastic tree. Fortunately, there are hybrids that are resistant, although the fungi that cause the disease can mutate. I planted 8 Vanguard elm (a.k.a. Morton Plainsman) trees at our last house 10 years ago, and they’re doing great. They are a hybrid of Siberian and Japanese elms. 

I planted two red oaks and a bald cypress at our first house in Dallas. All three are 40-45 feet tall now. I planted three burr oaks, two Texas red oaks, and two chinkapin oaks at our Austin house, and then dozens of green ash (adios), elms, fruit trees, and oaks since we’ve moved from Austin. The problem is, we never stay in one house long enough to enjoy them as adult trees. Johnny Appleseed didn’t whine about it, so I guess I shouldn’t. 

Edited July 1, 2019 by ImissWallyPryor

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

Dammit, I thought this was the gardening and landscaping thread.

[Post Oak 20327]

26 minutes ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

The emerald ash borer is wiping out just about all of the ash trees across the continent. It already did it’s damage in Europe. What makes it doubly bad is they were one of the most popular replacements for the American elms, and they have finally reached mature, stately size. Dutch elm disease killed most of the American elms, which were/are a fantastic tree. Fortunately, there are hybrids that are resistant, although the fungi that cause the disease can mutate. I planted 8 Vanguard elm (a.k.a. Morton Plainsman) trees at our last house 10 years ago, and they’re doing great. They are a hybrid of Siberian and Japanese elms. 

I planted two red oaks and a bald cypress at our first house in Dallas. All three are 40-45 feet tall now. I planted three burr oaks, two Texas red oaks, and two chinkapin oaks at our Austin house, and then dozens of green ash (adios), elms, fruit trees, and oaks since we’ve moved from Austin. The problem is, we never stay in one house long enough to enjoy them as adult trees. Johnny Appleseed didn’t whine about it, so I guess I shouldn’t. 

The EAB is currently in north Texas and spreading. 

[ABSR 5327]

Why can’t we get something like this that kills Cedar trees.

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

2 hours ago, ABSR said:

Why can’t we get something like this that kills Cedar trees.

Not a fan of the golden-cheeked warbler or the black-capped vireo?

[Steel Shank 9439]

The emerald ash borer is wiping out just about all of the ash trees across the continent. It already did it’s damage in Europe. What makes it doubly bad is they were one of the most popular replacements for the American elms, and they have finally reached mature, stately size. Dutch elm disease killed most of the American elms, which were/are a fantastic tree. Fortunately, there are hybrids that are resistant, although the fungi that cause the disease can mutate. I planted 8 Vanguard elm (a.k.a. Morton Plainsman) trees at our last house 10 years ago, and they’re doing great. They are a hybrid of Siberian and Japanese elms. 
I planted two red oaks and a bald cypress at our first house in Dallas. All three are 40-45 feet tall now. I planted three burr oaks, two Texas red oaks, and two chinkapin oaks at our Austin house, and then dozens of green ash (adios), elms, fruit trees, and oaks since we’ve moved from Austin. The problem is, we never stay in one house long enough to enjoy them as adult trees. Johnny Appleseed didn’t whine about it, so I guess I shouldn’t. 

Planting trees is cool. Good work. Keep it up.

[cactusflinthead 27615]

11 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

The emerald ash borer is wiping out just about all of the ash trees across the continent. It already did it’s damage in Europe. What makes it doubly bad is they were one of the most popular replacements for the American elms, and they have finally reached mature, stately size. Dutch elm disease killed most of the American elms, which were/are a fantastic tree. Fortunately, there are hybrids that are resistant, although the fungi that cause the disease can mutate. I planted 8 Vanguard elm (a.k.a. Morton Plainsman) trees at our last house 10 years ago, and they’re doing great. They are a hybrid of Siberian and Japanese elms. 

I planted two red oaks and a bald cypress at our first house in Dallas. All three are 40-45 feet tall now. I planted three burr oaks, two Texas red oaks, and two chinkapin oaks at our Austin house, and then dozens of green ash (adios), elms, fruit trees, and oaks since we’ve moved from Austin. The problem is, we never stay in one house long enough to enjoy them as adult trees. Johnny Appleseed didn’t whine about it, so I guess I shouldn’t. 

Oak Wilt has a beetle that performs part of it's pathogen cycle. It has been introduced in an area because firewood was transported from one area to another. 

Rose rosette virus came south from Manitoba (I think it was Manitoba, might ought to check it) riding on a mite. 

The article mentioned that the present strategy is cut them all down when it comes to ash trees. The long term solution is usually pheromones and bait. 

GMO. right.  The old school way. Instead of slamming the gene in a patented cultivar they are doing the genetic manipulation by hand with a vial of pollen and a makeup brush. Fuck all patented BS  capture of genes. Monsanto et al. can suck it. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26676]

The emerald ash borer is wiping out just about all of the ash trees across the continent. It already did it’s damage in Europe. What makes it doubly bad is they were one of the most popular replacements for the American elms, and they have finally reached mature, stately size. Dutch elm disease killed most of the American elms, which were/are a fantastic tree. Fortunately, there are hybrids that are resistant, although the fungi that cause the disease can mutate. I planted 8 Vanguard elm (a.k.a. Morton Plainsman) trees at our last house 10 years ago, and they’re doing great. They are a hybrid of Siberian and Japanese elms. 
I planted two red oaks and a bald cypress at our first house in Dallas. All three are 40-45 feet tall now. I planted three burr oaks, two Texas red oaks, and two chinkapin oaks at our Austin house, and then dozens of green ash (adios), elms, fruit trees, and oaks since we’ve moved from Austin. The problem is, we never stay in one house long enough to enjoy them as adult trees. Johnny Appleseed didn’t whine about it, so I guess I shouldn’t. 

Good for you, man. Burr Oaks and the other two are excellent trees and should be planted more often in addition to all the live oaks here.

[millhouse 2709]

I knew Nat King Cole was fill of shit

[PittsburghTiger 6240]

I've followed the Chestnut tree efforts. Some of the things I have read is that they are successful in getting them to grow, but after about 10 years or so they die.

 

https://www.gp.com/news/sustainable-forestry-articles/bringing-back-the-american-chestnut

Georgia‐Pacific, in partnership with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), is working to bring back the American Chestnut. In 2011, employees helped plant more than 500 seedlings on a plot of land near our mill in Big Island, Virginia, and the mill committed to managing the plot for 20 years.

These saplings aren't the same old American chestnuts. They've been “backcrossed” to varying degrees – the result of decades of work – with the blight‐resistant Chinese chestnut in hopes of creating a species that will hold its own against the fungus and still be as close as possible to the original. 

“TACF was looking for places to do test plots to see how some of the latest progeny would do out in the wild. We had a perfect spot,” says Maddrey. The Big Island mill sits within the species' native range and even had old chestnut stumps on the property.

TACF monitors the trees' progress, while Georgia‐Pacific employees maintain the plot, occasionally recruiting Boy Scouts and other volunteers to help. They have replanted some of the seedlings that died due to soil and weather conditions. But the major task at this point, says Maddrey, is keeping briars from overtaking the area until the trees are more established.

Some of them now stretch to 30 feet. (American chestnuts can grow nearly 100 feet tall and nearly 10 feet in diameter). A tall fence keeps hungry deer away.

But it’s too soon to tell if the trees will succeed. “You have to wait them out and see if or when the blight is going to hit them,” says Maddrey.

If one of the hybrids proves a winner it could eventually be introduced into the Appalachian hardwood forest ecosystem where its forebears once reigned.

The American chestnut is just one of many species of plants and animals Georgia‐Pacific works to help restore or protect. We also have planted thousands of seedlings and dedicated hundreds of acres to help support the longleaf pine. Longleaf pine forests provide a habitat for at-risk animals such as the gopher tortoise and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

““Our whole business is dependent on a healthy forest because most of our products are made out of trees,...” says Maddrey. “It behooves us not only to help where we can but also promote good forestry practices. We like to get involved in programs and projects that help out whatever species might be in trouble in areas where we work.”

Georgia‐Pacific's goal in practicing sustainable forestry is to ensure a future that includes plenty of healthy, diverse forests.

 

https://www.acf.org/the-american-chestnut/why-american-chestnuts/

 

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2019/0424/GMO-could-bring-back-the-American-chestnut.-But-should-it

Dr. Powell calls the American chestnut an “almost perfect tree.” It grows remarkably quickly, and, when planted near other trees, remarkably straight. The wood is easy to split and hard to rot, and from the Colonial era onward, Americans used it for fences, railroad ties, furniture, cradles, caskets, and anything else they wanted to last.

Chestnut trees, which once accounted for a fourth of all hardwood trees in some eastern forests, played a key role in the southern Appalachian economy. Free-range hogs would forage on the chestnuts. People could collect chestnuts to pay off grocery debts or trade them for shoes.

“It has so many values to it,” says Dr. Powell. “Almost everything eats chestnuts.”

That began to change in 1904, when chestnut trees at the Bronx Zoo started dying. The culprit was soon discovered to be Cryphonectria parasitica, a fungus native to Asia to which the American chestnut lacks any natural immunity.

 

https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/revival-of-the-american-chestnut/

Once, their creamy June bloom so festooned the eastern hardwood forests that they looked from afar “like a sea with white combers plowing across its surface,” wrote the naturalist Donald Culross Peattie. That annual exuberance of the American chestnut began fading from the landscape around 1904, when a blight imported on Asian chestnuts began rampaging from Maine to Georgia. By the 1950s destruction was complete.

Of literally billions of chestnuts growing in the tree’s historic range when the blight hit, only dozens of pre-blight survivors struggle on in the wild today. Far more numerous are chestnuts that sprout from the roots of felled forest giants, only to die in a decade or two from the deadly fungus that may never go away.

But now comes the best hope in over a century for restoring the species that once comprised a quarter of all eastern hardwoods, with economic and environmental values unmatched by anything in today’s forest. A modest but historic planting of several hundred little chestnuts has completed their first full growing season in the wild on U.S. Forest Service lands in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Researchers say they are strong performers, reaching three to seven feet, some flowering at an earlier age than normal. That’s the merest wisp of what Peattie described; “But we’re excited,” says Meghan Jordan of the American Chestnut Foundation (ACF), which supplied the trees. “This means that our goal after 25 years has moved from breeding a chestnut that can survive to working on landscape-level restoration.”

The little trees represent the sixth generation of a breeding program begun by the 6,000-member ACF in 1989. Only hundreds of latest-generation nuts have been available to date, but this fall’s harvest was 13,000, and the numbers will grow geometrically.

With this latest hybrid, unofficially dubbed the “Restoration” chestnut, breeders feel they have a tree with enough of the Chinese chestnut’s natural blight resistance to have a shot at surviving; but also a tree that is virtually indistinguishable in form, growth rate, and wood quality from a pure American chestnut.

Approximately 15⁄16ths American and 1⁄16th Chinese, “It’s probably not the best tree we can achieve, but it’s good enough to start planting,” says Kim Steiner, director of Penn State University’s arboretum, and a science advisor to the Chestnut Foundation.

Planting will continue in national forests. And next spring in Pennsylvania’s (My County) Westmoreland County, about 500 more of the blight-resistant chestnuts will be planted on a private, cutover forest plot, Steiner says. This planting, at a place fittingly known as Chestnut Ridge, will intersperse the chestnuts with other native species — white pine, red oak, black cherry, sugar maple — “the first attempt to see how they compete in a real-world situation,” says Sara Fitzsimmons, another chestnut researcher at Penn State.

The main concession to how the forest has changed since the chestnut last dominated will be a sturdy deer fence (“Please, make deer reduction the lead of your story,” implored one chestnut breeder).

[drt 640]

it's wonderful for furniture, as well as other uses and like the article said, grows relatively quickly.  hoping this actually brings them back to being widespread again in my lifetime.

[utee94 15878]

This is all fine and good, until the genetically engineered chestnut trees overthrow humans, and then fight it out in one final apocalyptic battle with the robot AIs.

[Grippe 313]

Chestnut uber allis.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

On 7/1/2019 at 12:33 PM, ABSR said:

Why can’t we get something like this that kills Cedar trees.

Bag worms willl do it.