The Search for Resistant Butternut

Do you have a potentially resistant butternut tree in your woodlot?

Infected yet vigorously growing butternut trees are occasionally found in woodlots which are heavily infected with the butternut canker. These trees may be resistant to the disease and should be left to grow and reproduce. Propagating these trees will also be of value in future disease screening work. Dr. Mike Ostry of the USDA has provided some guidelines for determining the presence of potentially resistant butternut trees in your woodlot.

the tree must be within 40 meters of an infected tree
the tree must be at least 25 centimeters diameter at breast height
the tree must have no visible signs of the canker, or if cankers are present the tree must have outgrown them
the landowner must be willing to leave the tree in the woodlot and allow the collection of scions and/or seed for a number of years

The search for resistant butternut

The FGCA is currently working on a butternut conservation program. The goals of the program are to identify, graft, and archive potentially resistant butternut trees for future disease screening work, and to develop a long- term conservation strategy for butternut in southern Ontario.

The FGCA, along with its partners, is interested in collecting seed and grafting stock from butternut in Ontario woodlots with the hope of finding natural genetic resistance or tolerance to butternut canker. To assist in the cause, landowners who have butternut on their property can fill out and return a survey to the FGCA. You can find this survey on the Help us help butternut page. The information provided will be used to locate sources of genetically resistant reproductive material.

	FGCA > Conservation of Genetic Diversity > Species at Risk > Butternut > Conservation > Get Involved
	The Search for Resistant Butternut Do you have a potentially resistant butternut tree in your woodlot? Infected yet vigorously growing butternut trees are occasionally found in woodlots which are heavily infected with the butternut canker. These trees may be resistant to the disease and should be left to grow and reproduce. Propagating these trees will also be of value in future disease screening work. Dr. Mike Ostry of the USDA has provided some guidelines for determining the presence of potentially resistant butternut trees in your woodlot. the tree must be within 40 meters of an infected tree the tree must be at least 25 centimeters diameter at breast height the tree must have no visible signs of the canker, or if cankers are present the tree must have outgrown them the landowner must be willing to leave the tree in the woodlot and allow the collection of scions and/or seed for a number of years The search for resistant butternut The FGCA is currently working on a butternut conservation program. The goals of the program are to identify, graft, and archive potentially resistant butternut trees for future disease screening work, and to develop a long- term conservation strategy for butternut in southern Ontario. The FGCA, along with its partners, is interested in collecting seed and grafting stock from butternut in Ontario woodlots with the hope of finding natural genetic resistance or tolerance to butternut canker. To assist in the cause, landowners who have butternut on their property can fill out and return a survey to the FGCA. You can find this survey on the Help us help butternut page. The information provided will be used to locate sources of genetically resistant reproductive material.