Saving the Butternut

Research Issue

The butternut canker disease is killing butternut and threatening the future of this important hardwood species throughout its range in North America.

 Our Research

We are propagating butternut with apparent disease resistance and conserving them in archive plantings. We are challenging these trees with the canker pathogen to determine their level of disease resistance and to identify traits such as bark texture and color that correlate with high levels of disease resistance to identify additional resistant trees in the field. Various forest management systems are being tested to conserve and regenerate butternut.

Expected Outcomes

The goal of our research is to identify butternut trees with canker resistance that could be used for breeding to develop trees for restoration of the species.

Research Results

Ostry, M.E.; Moore, M. 2008. Response of butternut selections to inoculation with Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum. Plant Disease 92:1336-1338.

Ostry, M.E. and M.Moore. 2007. Natural and experimental host range of Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum. Plant Disease 91:581-584. 

Research Participants

Principal Investigators

• Michael E. Ostry, US Forest Service- Northern Research Station, Research Plant Pathologist
• Melanie Moore, US Forest Service - Northern Research Station, Biological Technician

Research Partners

• Keith Woeste, US Forest Service - Northern Research Station, Research Plant Molecular Geneticist
• Paul Berrang, USDA-Forest Service- R9
• John Lampereur, USDA-Forest Service-R9
• Manfred Mielke, Forest Health Management

For further details log on website :

http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/butternut_canker/