ScienceQuiet 24d · day 24
Scientists use Dutch elm disease itself to breed disease-resistant American elms
A Vermont project with 6,000 young trees aims to restore the iconic species by breeding for natural resistance to the pathogen that killed tens of millions.
What to know
- A Vermont project with 6,000 young American elms aims to restore the species by breeding for natural resistance to Dutch elm disease.
- The approach uses exposure to the disease itself as a selection mechanism to identify genetically resistant trees.
- Dutch elm disease has killed tens of millions of American elms across the U.S. since its introduction.
Leila Wilson Research ecologist, U.S. Forest Service
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