Chestnut Revival
(Page 2 of 2)
August/September 1998
By Dr. Charles Dickson
Fortunately, current research being conducted by scientists in conjunction with the American Chestnut Foundation holds hope for a chestnut revival. A number of solutions are now being investigated. One is to attempt to hybridize existing chestnut stocks in much the same way as vegetable and grain varieties are developed—by irradiating the nuts to produce slight genetic mutations. Sprouts grown from them are tested for characteristics that might make them resistant to blight.
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Another hybridization program is similar to that used in creating new varieties of fruit trees. Chinese and American trees have been successfully crossbred to produce a hardy blight-resistant tree that is sold commercially. The only drawback has been some undesirable non-chestnut like traits such as slow growth, poor form, and knotty wood.
Still another approach consists of culturing a different type of fungal organism to grow on the hybrid chestnuts. Researchers have discovered that when they did this, the less virulent form of blight dominated the deadly strain genetically and eventually converted it into the new strain.
All of these are signs of hope for the revival of what was once the reigning monarch of the eastern forests.
The famous naturalist A. L. Rowe once described his memories of the tree: "If I were permitted to return to childhood for just one time, I think I would select a bright afternoon in October when the chestnut burst had been asunder. Then with my father, we would go through the orchard to the chestnut trees that stood just beyond. I would see him climb the tree and with a long pole, knock the showers of nuts from the golden burs; and I, a little boy, would gather them from the fallen leaves with a joy that only innocent childhood knows." If the research continues to be successful and signs of revival continue to be hopeful, the scenes of A. L. Rowe's youth may return to the American homestead. The sport of chestnutting may return to the American scene.
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