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Breeding for EAB-Resistance: What Does the Future Look like for Ash?

Rachel Kappler, Forest Health Collaborative Coordinator at Holden Forests & Gardens in Cleveland is the presenter.
EAB threatens the survival of ash trees in the U.S. where it is a common hardwood species especially in riparian and wetland forests. Ash was also used extensively for soil conservation (including wind breaks) and in urban green spaces and streets. Surviving, or “lingering”, ash trees that had maintained healthy canopies for at least two years after all other large ash trees had died were identified in natural forests long-infested by EAB. EAB egg bioassay experiments confirmed that these trees have an increased level of resistance due to defense responses, including death of early instar larvae, larvae with significantly lower weights, or leaves less preferred for feeding by EAB adults. This webinar discusses research now being done to further understand this phenomenon and other findings to develop tree-improvement programs that could be successful in producing EAB resistant seed. Longer term goals include combining the best performing progeny from many families into a second generation seed orchard, so that the seed produced may be used for restoration plantings.

May 26, 2022 11:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)