The American chestnut tree has a good shot at making a comeback | Scienceline
The tree species, part of the beech family of trees, fell victim to a fungal disease introduced by a foreign chestnut species in the early 20th century. Although many stumps remain in the wild and send up new shoots of green, they can only re-sprout so many times before they completely succumb to the Cryphonectria parasitica fungus and die away.
Some researchers today are committed to restoring the ecologically and culturally significant tree in its original habitat, which once extended from Mississippi to Maine. Two approaches, selective breeding and genetic engineering, are under development to make the American chestnut resistant to blight. These methods could also give hope to conservationists who dream of reviving other native tree species, such as the American elm, that have also been wiped out by pests in the past century. But there is no agreement yet as to which approach will work best at saving the American chestnut.
