2015 Field Testing/Verification of Blister Rust Resistance in Whitebark Pine from Wide Ranging Provenances
General Project Information
Project Title:
Field Testing/Verification of Blister Rust Resistance in Whitebark Pine from Wide Ranging Provenances
Project Dates: August – November, 2015
Year project implementation started:
How many more years is this project expected to continue, if any?
Project Contact: (Please provide complete information for primary contact(s), e.g., name, position, phone number, email, agency name, unit/sub-unit)
Richard Sniezko (rsniezko@fs.fed.us, 541-767-5716)
Mike Crawford (Mike Crawford (m60crawf@blm.gov, 541-767-0460)
Location (Land management agency or ownership and name of geographic area(s) where project was implemented. This information should be specific enough to identify a general project location on a map but not specific enough to compromise the project.)
BLM Tyrrell seed orchard complex, Oregon
Cooperators: (List cooperating agencies and sub-units, other companies/organizations, and individuals as needed.)
Project Funding
Funding Sources (amount FHP/amount other incl. in-kind)
Forest Health Protection funding $ 7,500
Other funding $50,000
Total $57,500
Did Whitebark Restoration funding get used or obligated? (If not, please explain.)
Yes. FS and BLM personnel organized all activities (versus original potential use of contractors).
Project Details
Scope and/or Size of Project or Treated Area: (Include a short description of the project or treatment area if helpful in understanding the scope of the project.)
This provenance trial is wide-ranging covering seedlots from USFS Region 6, Region 1 and British Columbia and field trial series in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Approximately 2,268 seedlings were planted. (See section on rust resistance for more details.)
Number of Acres or Other Units Treated, Monitored, or Surveyed:
1.75 acres were planted in OR at 6’ x 6’ spacing
Specific location of project or treated area(s): (If desired, add more specific project location information here, e.g., UTMs, Lat-long, specific landmark. Otherwise, indicate if more information is available by request.)
TRAVIS TYRRELL SEED ORCHARD
SEC. 9,15 & 21, T.20S., R.5W., WILL. MER.
Objective(s) (from original request):
The first wide-ranging field verification of blister rust resistance done in seedling trials + provenance testing for adaptive traits at a range of field sites. Seedling screening for blister rust resistance has been ongoing for over a decade and results are encouraging (good levels of resistance and good frequency of resistance in some populations), but it is essential to examine field resistance under different environments – for a wide array of seed sources. This will be the first multi-site field trial series (5 sites in BC, 1 in OR, 1 in WA) using a common set of seed lots from widely differing areas to evaluate rust resistance under different environments and different geographic sources of rust; growth and other adaptive traits will also be assessed.
Planting: (Please answer the following questions if the project includes plantings or cone collections.)
Number of seedlings planted (List by location if applicable): 2,268 seedlings
Was the seed source screened for resistance? (If other, explain.)
This is a provenance trial (81 seedlots planted at the Oregon site (81 seedlots x 28 reps = 2,268 seedlings)) using seedlots from Region 6, Region 1, and British Columbia – seedlings were grown in British Columbia. The trial (subset of the same seedlots) is also planted at 5 field sites and one nursery site in British Columbia, and a subset of the seedlots are also planted at a WA DNR site (all sites planted between August and November 2015, the OR site was planted Nov 2-3, 2015).
Were Plus trees used? N/A
Results/Outcome:
The trial was planted (Nov 2015). It will be followed for rust resistance and other traits – and is linked with several sites in British Columbia and one in Washington – all planted in 2015. This will represent the low elevation site for this test series. Results are expected over the next several years.
Project Status (Is the project complete? If not, what remains to be accomplished and when?
Planting is complete – 81 seedlots in each of the 28 reps; the identity of a few seedlings need to be checked – and the final number of seedlings planted needs confirmation. Tags are being made to attach to each seedling and mulch mats are scheduled to be put down soon. For tracking purposes, Trial number RV32 was assigned to this test series.
Will outcome meet objectives?
Hopefully, if no quirks happen (extensive mortality from gophers, etc.).
Project Follow-Up
Are there plans for monitoring or follow-up? (If not, please explain.)
Yes, the orchard is located close to Dorena Genetic Resource Center (DGRC), and adjacent to a smaller whitebark pine trial planted several years ago (which is already being assessed for rust resistance). Each year DGRC personnel visit the site for plant survival and rust infection assessment and/or to give tours – so many opportunities to use for conservation education.
Changes Needed or Problems Encountered:
None at this stage.