Using genetic information to inform Redbay restoration in Laurel Wilt epidemic areas

K.E. Smith; M.A. Hughes; C.S. Echt; S.A. Josserand; C.D. Nelson; J.M. Davis; J.A. Smith

Treesearch

Using genetic information to inform Redbay restoration in Laurel Wilt epidemic areas

Informally Refereed

Authors:

K.E. Smith, M.A. Hughes, C.S. Echt, S.A. Josserand, C.D. Nelson, J.M. Davis, J.A. Smith

Year:

2017

Type:

General Technical Report

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Man, Gary; Hipkins, Valerie; Woeste, Keith; Gwaze, David; Kliejunas, John T.; McTeague, Brianna A., tech. cords. 2017. Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-963. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 64-66.

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Abstract

Laurel wilt disease is incited by the exotic fungus Raffaelea lauricola and transmitted by the Asian redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus). The disease has spread from Savannah, Georgia in 2002 across the coastal southeast as far south as the Everglades, and in 2014 was discovered as far west as Texas. Mortality is severe, with locations in Florida reporting more than 90 percent loss of redbays, 7.6 to 10.2 cm (3 to 4 inches) in diameter and greater. Surviving redbays from coastal maritime forest ecosystems have been collected and propagated for the study of disease resistance and ultimately restoration planting. Disease severity of artificially inoculated parental trees and their open pollinated offspring will supply evidence for whether resistance is inherited simply as a dominant versus recessive trait, or as a complex, quantitative trait. These data will be used to identify and guide deployment of resistant (or tolerant) materials in areas where redbay has been decimated by laurel wilt disease. Additionally, in order to confirm parentage and potentially access population structure and diversity, simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping is underway in this population. Primer sequences were obtained from the Hardwood Genomics Project public resource (http://www.hardwoodgenomics.org/content/redbay-gssrs) and preliminary results, presented here, appear promising.

Parent Publication

Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop.

Citation

Smith, K.E.; Hughes, M.A.; Echt, C.S.; Josserand, S.A.; Nelson, C.D.; Davis, J.M.; Smith, J.A. 2017. Using genetic information to inform Redbay restoration in Laurel Wilt epidemic areas. In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Man, Gary; Hipkins, Valerie; Woeste, Keith; Gwaze, David; Kliejunas, John T.; McTeague, Brianna A., tech. cords. 2017. Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-963. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 64-66.