Researcher(s): Dr. Kirk D. Broders and Dr. Greg J. Boland, Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph
Summary
Butternut has been listed as an endangered species in both Canada and the United States, largely as a result of mortality from infection by the butternut canker pathogen Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum (SCJ). The Butternut recovery plan has focused on finding potentially resistant or tolerant trees, collecting seed, and then distributing this seed for planting them around the province to re-establish butternut. However, it is unknown as to whether these seed harbor SCJ, and if dispersal of the seed is a means of disseminating the pathogen.
The objective of Kirk and Greg’s research is to determine the point at which seed may become infected starting with the leaf buds and following the progression through flowering and finally the development of the seed. This research will address the following important aspects for improvement of butternut recovery; i) at what point in seed development does SCJ initially infect the host, ii) the frequency of infection at the different developmental stages, and different canopy heights iii) and the potential of seed dispersal of the pathogen.