PARENT SESSION
Contributed Oral Session 71: Terrestrial Plant Restoration; Fire Effects
Tuesday, August 9, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Meeting Room 524 B, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Effects of past land use and initial treatment on American Chestnut restoration.
Meier, Albert*,1, Hewitt, Jennifer 1, Starnes, John2, Baker, Priscilla 3, 1 Dept. of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA2 University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky3 Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
ABSTRACT- Efforts to impart blight-resistance to the American chestnut, Castanea dentata, have yielded strains with some ability to resist the disease. However, in addition to Chestnut blight, root rot caused by the pathogen Phytophthora spp. is a major impediment to the reintroduction of the chestnut. An increased presence of Phytophthora has been associated with soil moisture and conversion of forest land to agriculture. At Mammoth Cave National Park, the effects of Phytophthora-competing ectomycorrhizal fungal innoculations and anti-Phytophthora fungicide treatments were tested on chestnut seedlings. In addition, the effect of planting seedlings in disturbed areas (forested old fields) or undisturbed areas (forests with no agricultural history) was analyzed. Seedlings experienced 44% mortality in the first year. No significant difference (p = 0.09) in survival was found between disturbed and undisturbed sites during the first year. The use of the fungicide Ridomil Gold EC tm was found to increase survival in disturbed plots (p < 0.0001) but had no effect in undisturbed plots (p = 0.76). Ridomil had no effect on growth. Mycorrhizal treatment had no significant effect (p = 0.91) on survival when compared to controls. An additional 49% died during the second year after planting.
Key words: chestnut, Phytophthora, Castanea, restoration