The American Chestnut Foundation

Our work is located in the heart of the native range of the American chestnut. At our research farms in southwestern Virginia, the American Chestnut Foundation employs the backcross method of plant breeding to transfer the blight resistance of the Chinese chestnut to the American chestnut. This method entails first crossing the two species, then backcrossing repeatedly to American chestnut. Each backcross reduces the Chinese parentage by a factor of one-half. After three backcrosses, the progeny average fifteen-sixteenths (92%) American and one-sixteenth Chinese. The growth characteristics of the American chestnut are recovered automatically as Chinese traits are diluted by backcrossing, except for blight resistance, which is retained by using only blight-resistance trees for further crossing. Currently, TACF is expanding the regional diversity aspect of its breeding program. Native trees are being sought throughout the trees former range. These trees are then being incorporated into the extensive breeding program now under way. It is hoped that in this way, greater genetic diversity will be incorporated into the resulting blight resistant trees. TACF currently has 6,000 members in forty-seven states and fifteen state chapters. Many of these members are involved as volunteers in our breeding and research activities. Members receive the foundation's science journal, The Journal of the American Chestnut Foundation and the quarterly newsletter, The Bark. The American Chestnut Foundation is working on a number of research initiatives in conjunction with other organizations. A partial list of official cooperators includes North Carolina State University, Penn State University, US Forest Service, the Department of the Interior Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, and The National Wild Turkey Federation.