I'm under the impression that chestnuts weren't just a snack, but a staple for part of the year. When the chestnut trees died, did people starve? How integral were these trees in the economy/diet? Was it a big deal when they vanished?
https://imgur.com/a/IX1sd2A
Coastal SC, it's got a big opening in the bark. Burn it or let it ride?
I would like for this to be a major starch/nut producer in a future food forest. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find information about this online. Curious if anyone knows for certain. To be clear, this is the Allegheny Chinquapin, not the Ozark Chinquapin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_pumila
Also, does anyone have any experience with Castanea var neglecta (pumila x dentata)?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_%C3%97_neglecta
Anywhere else I should post this as well?
Does anyone know of a place where I could buy blight resistant American Chestnut seeds?
Most sources seem to say that the Allegheny is affected by blight but not enough to kill it or have significantly impacted its range. I'm basically trying to figure out what that means exactly. Is it only a superficial wounding? Is it cankered but not killed? Does it reduce their lifespan or cause them to be less healthy? Does it stop producing nuts or produce less and generally become less vigorous? Does it die back but only after reaching reproductive age for some time? Etc etc.
It can be difficult to find information about this online. Curious if anyone knows for certain. To be clear, this is the Allegheny Chinquapin, not the Ozark Chinquapin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_pumila
Also, does anyone have any experience with Castanea var neglecta (pumila x dentata)?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_%C3%97_neglecta
Anywhere else I should post this as well?
Hi Reddit! We are a team of scientists at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York, and we’ve been working for 27 years to create an American chestnut tree suitable for restoration of our forests. Billions of these trees were killed by an invasive blight fungus that was first identified at the Bronx Zoo early in the 20th century. There are references to American chestnuts throughout our culture, with chestnuts roasting over open fires in the winter and Chestnut Streets running through towns across the country. Furniture made from American chestnut is long-lasting, as are barns that dot the countryside, because the wood is durable and rot-resistant. If the wood were available now, we might be building our backyard decks with it. Perhaps most significantly, the species’ abundant nuts were once a dietary staple for wildlife.
Our research team found a way to add one gene from wheat to the American chestnut’s 38,000 genes, to make it capable of withstanding what was once a fatal blight. It works by detoxifying oxalate, the major weapon the fungus uses to attack the tree. We use tissue culture to grow the trees initially, but we have now established seed orchards for future production. We continue testing to ensure these transgenic trees are safe for humans and the environment. The next steps are to establish a restoration forest for demonstration and research, and to obtain federal approval to distribute the trees to the public and introduce the trees into the wild.
Here’s an introduction to the people you’ll be speaking to today. We all represent ESF’s American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project.
• Dr. Bill Powell, director of the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project
• Tyler Desmarais, master’s candidate in plant science and biotechnology
• Vern Coffey, master’s candidate in plant science and biotechnology
• Alex Levine, technician with the chestnut project
• Andy Newhouse, Ph.D. candidate in plant science and biotechnology
• Linda McGuigan, technician with the chestnut project
• Dr. Allison Oakes, postdoctoral fellow on the chestnut project
We’ll be back to start answering questions at 3 pm EST. We’re looking forward to it!
For more information on our project in general, see our page here: http://www.esf.edu/chestnut/
If you'd like to support or share our fundraising effort, our Fundly page is here: https://fundly.com/chestnutchallenge/
J
... keep reading on reddit ➡I'm under the impression that chestnuts weren't just a snack, but a staple for part of the year. When the chestnut trees died, did people starve? How integral were these trees in the economy/diet? Was it a big deal when they vanished?
It can be difficult to find information about this online. Curious if anyone knows for certain. To be clear, this is the Allegheny Chinquapin, not the Ozark Chinquapin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_pumila
Also, does anyone have any experience with Castanea var neglecta (pumila x dentata)?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanea_%C3%97_neglecta
Anywhere else I should post this as well?
