Article on revival of the American Chestnut

16 years ago

Growers bid to revive American chestnut

By RICK CALLAHAN, Associated Press WriterThu Nov 22, 5:02 PM ET

Growing up in the 1920s, Bill Lord remembers feasting on the sweet, rich nuts of American chestnut trees the majestic species that a fungus would soon all but wipe out.

More than a half-century after the prolific nut-producer became little more than the stuff of holiday songs, Lord is now part of a far-flung network of volunteers working to return the so-called "Redwood of the East" to the forests it once dominated.

The American Chestnut Foundation oversees a tree-breeding program with chapters in 15 Eastern states and is closing in on blight-resistant American chestnuts trees it hopes could revive the species.

Unless a new biological invader intervenes, the Bennington, Vt.-based group hopes to begin mass replantings in about a decade in the chestnut's original range from Maine to Mississippi.

Lord, an 86-year-old retired veterinarian from Plum, Pa., said reviving the tree would be a boon not just to people Â for its handsome, highly rot-resistant lumber and tasty nuts Â but to a wide range of animals.

"Bears, deer, rabbits, raccoons, crows, foxes Â you could just go on and on," he said. "Bringing it back would greatly increase the food supply for wildlife, and we'd have a wonderful, fast-growing timber tree."

American chestnuts can grow to 120 feet. One tree in North Carolina had a trunk diameter of 17 1/2 feet.

The fungus that attacked the American chestnut likely arrived on imported Asian chestnut trees. It was first detected in 1904 in trees in New York City, and by 1950 some 3.5 billion trees Â about 90 percent of the species Â had died.

A few trees had limited resistance to the fungus and held on. Others died from the ground up but sprouted shoots that rarely reached maturity before they died in a repeating cycle.

The American Chestnut Foundation began a tree-breeding campaign in the late 1980s in a quest for trees that could ward off the fungus.

First, the towering American species with its picturesque form was crossed with its blight-resistant but squat Chinese counterpart. The resulting trees were a 50-50 mix of American and Chinese chestnut genetics.

Those trees are then selectively bred with surviving American chestnuts in a process called "backcrossing." The nuts produced by each successive backcross are planted and eventually pollinated with pure American chestnut trees, making each generation slightly more American.

Marshal Case, the American Chestnut Foundation's president and CEO, said the program has produced trees with 94 percent American chestnut DNA, and 6 percent of the Chinese tree's genes. Those trees are now being bred to select the ones with the highest resistance to the fungus. Each state chapter is producing versions best suited for its region.

The final product is years away, but the foundation has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service in a project to plant a mix of its American chestnut trees at six sites, from Tennessee to West Virginia. Case said those experimental plantings should begin within two or three years.

Despite the progress, there is still a threat of new invasive diseases or insects that could prey on the trees, and a type of root rot already is killing some young replanted chestnut trees.

But in the meantime, the foundation's work has captured the public's interest.

In the past decade, the nonprofit group's chapters have grown from three to 15, boosting its membership to nearly 6,000, including former President Jimmy Carter. His recollection of the three chestnut trees that grew on his parents' farm in Plains, Ga., is included in "Mighty Giants," an anthology of several writers' chestnut stories the foundation recently published.

Carter recalls his family's sadness when their trees succumbed to the blight, and calls the foundation's breeding project "one of the most interesting and important scientific projects of our time."

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Comments (18)

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Good reading!
noki
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What would happen if these hybrid trees survive blight... would they produce viable young and grow in nature replacing the species? What is the future of a hybrid like that?
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When I bought my timberland back in 1975 there still were remnants of the giant old chestnut trees. There was one old snag, a hollow old trunk that was weathered to a silvery color. It was about 7' in diameter. There were several others not quite as large. And there were places where the sprouts from the old dead trees were think in the undergrowth of stands of oak trees. I once hoped that the hypovirulent strains of the fungus that caused all the chestnuts to die would work to control the fungus, as it did in Europe, and all these sprouts would be able to grow back to replace the lost forests of chestnut. But no such luck. The sprouts are basically all gone now, largely because of deer browseing as well as repeated onslaughts of the fungus. And those magnificent silvery old dead chestnut tree trunks have all since fallen over and have almost completely rotted into the ground. --Spruce
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It may be purely my own perception - I'm a lapsed ACCF member, and have friends who are active leaders in ACF - but ACCF seems to be a very loosely-associated group operating principally on volunteer labor and 'dues', while ACF seems to have a more well-developed structure and more funding. They're not necessarily working at cross purposes, but I'm not sure how much cooperation, if any, takes place between the two groups. It may be too great a philosophical difference - kind of like the gulf between purist 'organic' gardeners, and those who don't eschew the use of 'chemical' fertilizers/pesticides, etc. In a similar vein, the butternight blight/canker disease which has been devastating native butternuts has already revealed the benefit of infusion of Oriental germplasm. Genetic testing in the last few years has revealed that some of the named variety 'butternuts', which have been commercially propagated for decades, are in actuality, hybrids of butternut with the Japanese walnut, J.ailantifolia or its budsport, the heartnut. So...it may be, that in order for us to reintroduce these former denizens of the forest and have them reproduce reliably in the presence of these introduced pathogens, some non-native germplasm may be necessary, though the technological breakthrough of inserting resistance genes from other species may give a tremendous boost to speeding up the process. The next question, though, is, can species like the American chestnut and butternut reclaim their former niche, which has since been occupied by other species since their trip to the brink of extinction?
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I am glad it isn't the horse chestnuts then ! I tried some chestnuts a few times, I didn't think they were good. Sort of like a mealy potato. I bought some from the Oriental market, fresh, and someone sent me some, too. CHESTNUTS-POSTHARVEST HANDLING -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chestnuts are easily grown in southern Michigan and usually are of Chinese or Korean origin. They are quite similar to the native American chestnut, but are generally resistant to the blight that killed American trees. They should not be confused with horse chestnut which is closely related to the buckeye and not recommended for eating. Chestnuts available in stores during the fall are usually of European origin. After picking, chestnuts are generally seasoned for several days to remove excess moisture and to retard formation of mold while being stored or shipped. This may be done by spreading the nuts 1 or 2 layers deep on trays made of 1/2-inch mesh hardware cloth. If seasoned 1 to 2 weeks under warm, dry windy conditions, the nuts may dry more than desired, especially if additional drying occurs during storage. If the shell can be pushed in a considerable amount when squeezed between the thumb and forefinger, the nut may have dried too much. Best results are obtained with plump nuts that have not been subject to mold. If chestnuts are to be cooked within several weeks after picking, they do not need to be air dried. If they are to be eaten raw, they generally need at least a few weeks for the starch to slowly change to sugar. This process occurs in both air drying and refrigerated storage. If the nuts are picked and eaten immediately, some may have an astringent taste while others may not. Chestnuts of Korean origin tend to be more palatable when green than chestnuts of Chinese origin. STORING CHESTNUTS - RAW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If properly stored, chestnuts may be stored in a refrigerator for several months. Chestnuts dry rapidly in dry air and mold rapidly in damp air. For refrigerator storage, first place the chestnuts in a closed paper sack and leave for 1 to 2 days until they have reached refrigerator temperature. Then transfer them to a sealed plastic sack and punch about a dozen holes in the plastic with a medium sized nail. A good method for storing freshly harvested chestnuts in a refrigerator is to use milk cartons and dry peat moss (as it comes from the package). If the chestnuts are separated by the dry moss and the package tightly closed, the nuts should stay in good condition for several months. Freshly dug sand can also be used. Use sand that has been dried in the sun with occasional mixing until it is only very slightly damp. The sand should be cooled before use in the milk carton. Sand also keeps chestnuts in good viable condition for 2 years by storing the freshly picked chestnuts in sealed plastic bags and maintaining a temperature of 26 degrees Fahrenheit to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. (This temperature range requires special refrigeration). If molding occurs in the refrigerator, the nuts may be washed and/or scrubbed to remove mold, and placed on paper toweling- with 1 or 2 paper changes- and then allowed to room dry for several hours. After drying, place again in a paper sack in the refrigerator until they are chilled, then transfer to a clean plastic bag with holes punched in it. If mold persists on the nuts for an extended period of time, the kernels may become "off-color" and no longer edible. If mold has been present, any bad kernels can be spotted by cutting the nuts in half before cooking. STORING CHESTNUTS-COOKED -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cooking methods: 1. Roasting: For roasting over an open fire, use a covered utensil with a long handle. For roasting in an oven, try a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. Experiment a bit with oven setting and length of time to suit your own preference. When properly roasted, the kernel may be removed with a small fork, dipped lightly or completely in melted butter, and salted to taste. CAUTION: Do not roast chestnuts unless you have punctured the shell with at least 1 or 2 holes. If this is not done, the build up of steam pressure within the shell can cause the nut to explode even after they have been removed from the oven. A sharp-pointed instrument such as an ice pick or knife is good for putting holes through the shell. Leaving one nut unpunctured is one way of knowing when the nuts have roasted long enough - when it explodes, the other nuts should be done. 2. Boiling: First cut the chestnuts in half with a sharp knife. Use a rather shallow pan with cover, using only enough water so nuts are not completely covered. Bring nuts to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, allow to cool a bit, the kernels should come out readily. The longer the nuts are cooked,the mealier the kernels become and the more they will crumble upon removal from the shell. Chestnuts may also be boiled vigorously in a deeper kettle with more water. After a few minutes, the kernels will begin to fall out of the half shells. Drain, remove the rest of the kernels from the shells and cook as much as desired in another kettle of fresh water. 3. Steaming: Cut chestnuts in half, and try an initial steaming time of 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and cool a bit and remove any kernels which haven't already fallen out. A small fork may then be used to spear the kernels for dipping in melted butter with salt added if desired. Steaming is considered by some to be the best method for an easy removal of the kernel and is probably best for nuts which have dried a bit too much. Steamed kernels may also be added to other recipes. 4. Microwave oven: Use of the microwave oven can give excellent results with the inner skin and outer shell separating easily from the kernel. Results obtained depend on the number of nuts being cooked, the degree of dryness of the nuts, the setting of the oven, and the length of time involved. Cut nuts in half, and place the cut end down on a double layer of paper toweling. For a start, try using 8 medium-sized nuts and a roast setting for 2 minutes. A bit of experimenting is necessary. Cooked chestnuts may be kept in the refrigerator in jars for a considerable period of time or in the freezer for even longer.
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rcnaylor
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, I'm not a tree geneticist, but, presumably the next generation in the wild would be crosses of two of the 96 or so percent American chestnut trees planted and be in that same general neighborhood. Of course, every natural offspring can vary and some might revert more to the chinese chestnut parentage. I suppose over a good bit of time the crosses with the strongest vigor and most suitable traits for the areas they are planted in would prevail, other factors being equal.
pteroceltis
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Patience...in a few years a certain university in upstate new york will be releasing PURE American Chestnuts immune to blight. Field trials are ongoing as I type this. No hybrid nonsense- these plants have a special gene inserted into their dna that codes for blight immunity. The trees are thus "pure-blooded" American Chestnut with no foreign-species interbreeding necessary. Surprised the article never mentioned the project.
lpptz5b
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Will this certain university patent these trees?
Will they be sold to the public at a resonable price?
I know the seedlings will be in high demand at first.Will there be large enough numbers of seed to distribute,so the average Joe has a chance of getting his hands on a few?
quercus_macrocarpa
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Any indication as to when the GM 100% Castanea dentata will be available?
pteroceltis
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yes, the trees will be patented, as are the blight-immune elms being produced now (which are ahead of schedule). The project hit a snag but appears to be going well now. Chestnut is exceedingly difficult to propagate in the lab. I worked on some material for this project and trust me, the location of the field trials is top secret, as these plants will be worth ALOT.

As of now it looks like the field trials have been going on for about a year, and I think they need 5 to ensure complete immunity. I beleive that cuttings will be distributed first (since seeds take awhile to be produced on the trees), but since the immunity is granted by a gene that was actually inserted into the Chestnut's DNA, the seeds should have it as well, so it won't be like a typical cultivar that has to be vegetatively propagated to mainatain the immunity trait. I beleive the university is patenting the trees just to protect their investment, but their main focus wil be towards reforestation and distribution to the average joe. Hopefully their elms will be available sooner, as that project has exceeded expectations.
pineresin
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Any idea where they got the gene for immunity from? One of the Asian chestnuts, or from something totally different like a frog, or a bacterium, or whatever? And what chance the fungus evolving to get round it?

Resin
spruceman
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
pterocelis:

Any reason why this university has to remain a secret? If you were expecting the article to mention the project, it can't be that much of a secret--so, would you be angry with me if I talked about it? I made a visit there a number of years ago and got a rundown on the project from an unnamed tree geneticist (should this be a secret also?) and was shown how some of the cultures were done in the lab. Anyway, I am pleased to have the progress report. Are you or were you a professor at this university?

--Spruce
Carrie B
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
pteroceltis, are the chestnuts and elms you speak of actually immune or are they resistant?

The American elms that I know of on the market today (Princeton and Valley Forge are the two I'm familiar with) are resistant, but certainly not immune to DED.
pteroceltis
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The college is not a secret, its SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, where I am currently finishing my undergrad. I've gotten to know some of the professors working on this project over the years and they have been working very hard on getting this to be a success and are very friendly people. I took a tissue culture course that was taught by some of the people working on the project and got to see firsthand some of the laboratory difficulties and challenges that had to be overcome to make it work. Elm grows like a weed in terms of micropropagation but chestnut is an absolute nightmare!

Resin- I beleive the gene used in the chestnut project came from a species of Wheat that just happened to have some sort of natural mechanism for fighting a similar pathogen, and it happened to work. There may in fact be a group of genes being used, I have no formal training in genetics and was never introduced to that aspect of the project.

For the elms I beleive this is the case, as there are several different diseases attacking them that needed to be addressed (i.e. elmy yellows, blight). I don't know too much about that project, although as part of the field trials several of the "immune" plants were planted in a group with "baseline" american elms in front of our campus library. they are monitored 24 hours a day for both security and to compare their growth to the normal seedling elms. Only the professors know which is which. Some of the biogengineered elms come from a few plants that were found thriving in the nearby solvay wastebeds in absolutely atrocious, dry, polluted, compacted conditions- the idea being that our trees should be quite urban-tolerant!
jqpublic
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I typed SUNY and CHESTNUTT into google and found their website. Quite interesting and not as "secretive" as I thought! COOL!
spruceman
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Pteraceltis:

Yes, good. I won't say anything I might know about where their chestnut trees are, and in any case it is so long since I was there and had my "tour," I don't really remember specifically and things may have changed.

I looked up Professor Charles Maynard after talking to Professor Edwin White (who was then, and I guess still is Dean of Research), because of my interest in Norway spruce. Professor Maynard was doing a provenance trial. I also talked to two other professors there--one about silviculture of Norway Spruce, and another about larch. Professor White and professor Maynard (as well as the others) went out of their way to be helpful. Professor Maynard gave my wife and I a wonderful tour of the experimental forest there.

You have a very fine group of professors if my experience says anything. Good luck with your further studies. I almost became a professional forester myself--Michigan State University, class of '62.

--Spruce
rufino
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
pteroceltis,

What are "solvay wastebeds"? I Googled "solvay" and it appears to be some kind of plastic but I can't imagine what a "solvay wastebed" might be.

Thanks.

Rufino
pineresin
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The Solvay process is how sodium carbonate is made from salt and limestone; the byproduct is calcium chloride, so presumably solvay wastebeds are rich in that.

Resin
radagast
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I look forward to the return of the American Chestnut, and from the more sources, the better!
nandina
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Am. Chestnuts resistant to the blight are growing on my former nursery property. Several institutions have been working with them. Sadly, I was notified that a heavy infestation of winter moth this year has destroyed the 2007 nut crop. Seems the winter moth finds chestnut to be tasty.
pteroceltis
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Good to see that so many other institutions/entities are working on revitilizing this species. The more diverse the methods and reintroductions, the better!

I hear ESF is looking at possibly starting a similar project for American Butternut, Juglans cinerea and that the University of Kentucky and a few other Southern institutions already have more advanced programs on the species. Hopefully they can have success with this species as well. Butternuts taste absolutely incredible and it is becoming rare in this area, and from what I have read almost everywhere else.

Article on revival of the American Chestnut

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Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

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Article on revival of the American Chestnut

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