CHESTNUT INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH NEW CLONAL PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES

IN THE UNITED STATES DEMAND FOR CHESTNUTS IS MET BY IMPORTING OVER $20,000,000 OF RAW NUTS ANNUALLY. PROBLEMS WITH GRAFTING AND NO COMMERCIALLY VIABLE CLONAL PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES HAVE LIMITED USE OF SUPERIOR CULTIVARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHESTNUT INDUSTRY IN THE U.S. A PHASE I STUDY IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP NEW CLONAL PROPAGATIN TECHNIQUES (SOFTWOOD CUTTINGS AND TISSUE CULTURE) FOR EFFICIENT COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY DUNSTAN CHESTNUTS. THE OBJECTIVES OF PHASE I ARE TO: (1) REJUVENATE DUNSTAN CLONES AND DEVELOP ETIOLATION AND FOG-ROOTING TECHNIQUES FOR SOFTWOOD CUTTING; (2) DEFINE CULTURE MEDIUM FOR MULTIPLICATION OF DUNSTAN CHESTNUT SHOOTS ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN STERILE CULTURE; (3) DETERMINE FEASIBILITY OF ROOTING PLANTLETS EX VITRO AND OPTIMAL CULTURE FOR IN VITRO ROOTING OF PLANTLETS; AND (4) DETERMINE PROCEDURES FOR ACCLIMATIZATION AND SURVIVAL OF ROOTED PLANTLETS AND CUTTINGS. RESEARCH HAS BEEN INITIATED BY CHESTNUT HILL NURSERY, THE LEADING PRODUCER OF CHESTNUT TREES IN AMERICA, AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND THE UNIVERISTY OF NEBRASKA. FOG-ROOTING, ACCLIMATIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION WILL BE CONDUCTED AT THE CHESTNUT HILL NURSERY FACILITIES. ACCLIMATIZATION OF PLANTLETS AND CUTTINGS HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED IN NURSERY PRODUCTION, AND IS THE CRITICAL STEP IN DEVELOPING AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE PROCESS.