Research
National Elm Trial Overview
Coordinators:
Dr. William Jacobi, Dept. of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177
William.Jacobi@ColoState.EDU
Dr. James Klett, Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1173
James.Klett@ColoState.EDU
Dr. James Walla, Dept. of Plant Pathology
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5012
J.Walla@ndsu.nodak.edu
News Items:
Princeton Nurseries donated the American elm cultivars “Princeton” and “New Harmony” for 9 locations. We hope to add these trees to the remaining sites in 2007.The American elm cultivar “Jefferson” will be grown at Fort Collins and distributed to trial sites in 2007 or 2008.The American elm cultivar “ Prairie Expedition” from the North Dakota breeding program will hopefully be added to the trial in 2007 or 2008.
Renewed interest in returning the American elm to American landscapes has become a national phenomina, one that has helped to bring attention to the National Elm Trial. In her article Return of the American Elm (Spring 2007 issue of American Forests), Catherine Smith provides a historical overview of the American elm and the many historical landmarks characterized by the presence of this native species, and the devastating impact that Dutch elm disease has had on this notable North American classic. The author spoke with Dr. Greg MePherson, one of our National Elm Trial cooperators in California, about the National
Elm Trial and its mission to evaluate the use of Dutch elm disease-resistant American and hybrid elms. For a copy of this article, visit: http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/magazine/archives/2007spring/Spring2007.pdf
In the December 2006 issue of the on-line publication, Plant Managment Network, Dr. John Hartman, our cooperator in Kentucky, talks about the National Elm Trial and the importance of evaluating the Dutch elm disease-resistant elm cultivars in several different geographical areas to determine how each cultivar might preform in urban communites throughout the United States of America. For a copy of this article, visit: http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/php/news/2006/Cultivars/
Executive Summary:
The National Elm Trial is volunteer effort to evaluate and promote the use of Dutch elm disease-resistant American and hybrid elms. This effort grew out of the NCR-193 Agricultural Experiment Station coordinating committee on insects and diseases of woody ornamentals. This group consists of researchers and extension specialists located at land grant universities around the United States.
The National Elm Trial includes seventeen DED-resistant commercially available elm cultivars planted at sixteen evaluation sites in fifteen states. These elm cultivars will be evaluated over a wide range of growing conditions and hardiness zones. This nation-wide study has one coordinating and reporting system that is based at Colorado State University. This web site will report the performance data for trees at all sites.Even though many DED-resistant elm cultivars exist and are available in the nursery trade, much of the public is hesitant to purchase and plant any elm tree. While the DED-resistant elm cultivars could enhance the diversity as well as the beauty of urban forests, these cultivars do vary in their response to other biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, currently available elm cultivars are being planted in large replicated trials in a wide range of environmental conditions across the United States so that their growth and performance can be evaluated.
Problem Statement:
Due to the increasing threat that exotic pathogens and insects can have on the health of shade trees, it is essential to maximize genetic diversity within the nation’s urban forests. The graceful American elm that once dominated urban forests across the United States essentially disappeared from urban landscapes after the introduction of Dutch elm disease (DED) into North America. While DED-resistant elm cultivars have been planted in trials in various locations around the nation over the years, so often the trials lacked sufficient replication and/or cultivar performance data were never published. Scientific data on growth, form, and pest resistance for existing DED-resistant elm cultivars are essential in order to promote interest in planting these trees. The national trial of commercially available elm cultivars encompasses evaluation sites that represent a wide range of growing conditions and will be sufficiently replicated so that the data can be statistically analyzed.
Study Objectives:
1. Determine the growth and horticultural performance of commercially available DED-resistant elm cultivars in various climate regimes in the United States.
2. Determine the relative disease, insect, and abiotic stress tolerance of these cultivars.
3. Promote the propagation and use of elms through local, regional, and national reporting of the trial results to wholesale tree propagators and growers, retail nursery and garden center operators, landscaper designers, arborists, and the general public.
Methods:
1. In 2005, fourteen elm cultivars were planted in various locations in the United States.
2. Each cultivar is represented by one tree in each of five blocks in a randomized complete block.
3. The elm cultivars represent a range of hybrids and species of Ulmus commercially available.
4. The trial will be conducted over a period of 10 years.
5.Using a standard format, annual assessment of each tree will include: height, diameter, crown characteristics, and fall color.
At appropriate times during each year, each tree will also be assessed for response to vascular diseases, canker diseases, foliar diseases, scale insect infestations, foliar-feeding insect infestations, bark beetle infestations, and abiotic damages (frost/freeze, wind, winter dieback, sunscald, and insufficient soil moisture).
Cooperators:
Alabama |
Dr. Jeff Sibley, Department of Horticulture
Auburn University
101 Funchess Hall
Auburn, AL 36849
jsibley@auburn.edu
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California |
Dr. Larry R. Costello, Cooperative Extension San Mateo-San Francisco Counties
University of California
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
lrcostello@ucdavis.edu
Dr. Greg McPherson , Center for Urban Forest Research c/o Environmental Horticulture
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
Center fo Urban Forest Research
Davis, CA 95618
gmcpherson@fs.fed.us
Elm Renaissance: A new chance for a beloved American tree |
Colorado |
Dr. William Jacobi , Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177
William.Jacobi@ColoState.EDU
Dr. James Klett , Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1173
James.Klett@ColoState.EDU |
Indiana |
Dr. Cliff Sadof, Department of Entomology
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2089
csadof@purdue.edu |
Iowa |
Dr. Mark Gleason , Department of Plant Pathology
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
mgleason@iastate.edu
New Elms on Trial
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Kansas |
Dr. Jason J. Griffin, Department of Horticulture, Forestry & Recreation
Kansas State University
1901 East 95th Street South
Haysville, Kansas 67060-8351
jgriffin@ksu.edu
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Kentucky |
Dr. John Hartman , Department of Plant Pathology
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0312
jhartman@uky.edu
Disease-Resistant Cultivars Put American Elm on Comeback Trail |
Michigan |
Dr. Gerry Adams , Department of Plant Pathology
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1312
gadams@msu.edu |
Minnesota |
Dr. Vera Krischik , Department of Entomology
University of Minnesota
1980 Folwell Avenue #219
St. Paul, MN 55108
krisc001@tc.umn.edu |
New Jersey |
Dr. Ann Brooks Gould, Department of Plant Biology & Pathology
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901- 8525
gould@aesop.rutgers.edu
Jim Lashomb , Department of Entomology
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525
lashomb@rci.rutgers.edu |
New York |
Mr. Chris Cash , Department of Plant Science
State University of New York
Cobleskill, NY 12043
cashc@cobleskill.edu |
North Dakota, Bismarck |
Dr. James Walla , Department of Plant Pathology
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105-5012
J.Walla@ndsu.nodak.edu |
North Dakota, Fargo |
Dr. Dale Herman , Department of Plant Sciences
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105-5051
dale.herman@ndsu.nodak.edu |
Ohio |
Dr. T. Davis Sydnor , School of Natural Resources
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
sydnor.1@osu.edu |
Utah |
Dr. Roger Kjelgren , Department of Plants, Soils, and Biometeorology
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-4820
rkjel@usu.edu |
Vermont |
Dr. Mark Starrett , Department of Plant and Soil Science
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405-0082
Mark.Starrett@uvm.edu |
Washington |
Dr. Gary Chastagner , Puyallup Research and Extension Center
Washington State University
Puyallup, WA 98371-4998
chastag@wsu.edu |
West Virginia |
Dr. John Brooks , Division of Forestry
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6125
jrbrooks@mail.wvu.edu
Dr. William MacDonald , Department of Plant & Soil Science
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6058
Bill.MacDonald@mail.wvu.edu |
Nursery Cooperators:
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Keith Warren
Director of Product Development
P.O. Box 189
Boring, OR 97009
503-663-4128
keithw@jfschmidt.com |
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Supporting Agencies:
NCRA (North Central Regional Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors)
Summary of NCR193* Minutes of Annual Meetings
* Managing Insects and Diseases of Landscape Plants
List of Elm Cultivars Currently in National Elm Trial
Parentage and Rootstock of Elm Cultivars Supplied by Frank Schmidt & Son Company
Images of National Elm Trial Plots Throughout the United States <<< Updated June 2008!
Additional Sources of Elm Information
Return to Forest & Shade Tree Health Research Page
Return to Forest & Shade Tree Health Home Page
