New research aimed to improve tree stock quality in nurseries (related to diseases)

[Victor]

Hi to all.

I am doing some written work on this topic and I am a bit stuck at the moment.

I would really appreciate if someone knew of current research to improve plant stock in nurseries (excluding ash dieback and dutch elm disease) related to tree disease.

 

Regards.

[agg221]

There is some work related to Elm Yellows in Italy if that is relevant?

 

Alec

[Victor]

There is some work related to Elm Yellows in Italy if that is relevant?

 

Alec

 

Thanks Alec. I will look into that although I would prefer other species as I have already written about dutch elm and ash dieback.

 

Do you any link to new research on elm yellow?

 

Thanks again.

[agg221]

Thanks Alec. I will look into that although I would prefer other species as I have already written about dutch elm and ash dieback.

 

Do you any link to new research on elm yellow?

 

Thanks again.

 

One issue I suspect you will find is that serious work is only undertaken when there is a) a problem and b) a commercial proposition. This is because a breeding programme for trees is necessarily very long, between propagation and first assessment is typically a minimum of 5yrs. This makes it very expensive, which usually means a significant return must be realised.

 

The exception is perhaps when the subject is highly emotive, such as ash or elm (and oak would be), at which point public funding can sometimes support it. The problem is that it doesn't tie in with any of the usual funding mechanisms for academic work, which run on a 3yr PhD timescale which makes it more difficult to determine a mechanism to support.

 

Tying off elm - you mention that you have covered it, but I wondered if you had spotted this:

 

Martín JA, Solla A, Venturas M, Collada C, Domínguez J, Miranda E, Fuentes P, Burón M, Iglesias S, Gil L (2015). Seven Ulmus minor clones tolerant to Ophiostoma novo-ulmi registered as forest reproductive material in Spain. iForest 8: 172-180. (free downloadable paper)

 

which gives a really positive story. Coincidentally, I am involved in running the equivalent trials for the UK. The only other place where research is active is Italy, which is also where the Elm Yellows work is going on:

 

http://elm2013.ipp.cnr.it/downloads/pdf_presentations/Pecori_Elm_Yellows.pdf

 

This comes from the 3rd International Elm Conference:

 

Presentations

 

There may be some more recent papers now by Pecori.

 

Regarding the other reason for breeding programmes (commercial gain) this tends to be a function of value. Timber crops are unlikely to warrant the effort, but if your subject includes it, there is a lot of disease resistance work in fruit trees. The original work of East Malling Horticultural Research Station on rootstocks was driven by a range of factors, including disease resistance, and this continues (outside the UK, mainly US so far as I am aware) with recent work on cherry and pear stocks, such as Gisela 5, Gisela 6 and Pyrodwarf. Pear and cherry are the main areas of interest because there are fewer satisfactory options for size/disease resistance/stock compatibility than in apples and plums. Not very academic, but this is a good literal description for pears, including on the subject of disease resistance considerations:

 

Rootstocks for Pear trees

 

Alec

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

sort out the world trade organisation for a bloody start.

[Deciduous Dan]

I remember reading an article on American chestnuts which had a catastrophic disease on a similar scale to ded. They had done some work bringing in genes from an Aisian chestnut which was resilient and made a hybrid with most of the carcatistist of the American chestnut but which didn't die. Unfortunately I have lost the article but you mat be able to find something on it.

[Victor]

I remember reading an article on American chestnuts which had a catastrophic disease on a similar scale to ded. They had done some work bringing in genes from an Aisian chestnut which was resilient and made a hybrid with most of the carcatistist of the American chestnut but which didn't die. Unfortunately I have lost the article but you mat be able to find something on it.

 

Something like this?

Plant science: The chestnut resurrection : Nature News & Comment

[Victor]

Alec, very interesting material. Thanks man, much appreciated.

[Deciduous Dan]

Something like this?

Plant science: The chestnut resurrection : Nature News & Comment

 

Yes I had read a different article but same trees

[Victor]

Yes I had read a different article but same trees

 

Also very helpful, thank you.