Using biotechnology to restore the American Chestnut

“Earlier this year during my presentation at the GMO Forum in Washington D.C., I mentioned a project that raised some eyebrows,” writes Karl Haro von Mogel, a plant geneticist and executive editor of Biofortified, Inc., on the Biofotified blog. “It was at the end of a mini laundry list of genetically engineered traits that I thought were interesting and important for people to know about. But this one was different. It wasn’t about increasing commodity crop yield, enhancing the nutritional properties of tomatoes or cassava, or guarding corn against drought. These are all very important, practical ideas for improving our crops. This one, however, was different not only because it was not the kind of plant you would normally think of when you imagine a “crop,” nor would you find it making up a farmer’s field. No, this genetically engineered plant, if approved, would be grown in a forest – in fact, ideally it would become the forest. I am of course talking about the restoration of the American Chestnut.”

Read the full, original story here: “What do you want to know about restoring the American Chestnut?” 

 

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