Washington State University -- Impact 2004
Expanding Christmas Tree ProductionSUMMARY
- Research at Washington State University may help expand production of true fir Christmas trees in the Northwest. Christmas trees are a $60 million crop in Washington.
ISSUE
- Washington's Christmas tree growers are expected to harvest 3 million trees in 2003, a crop worth about $60 million. If you add in Oregon's 8.3 million trees, the Pacific Northwest is expected to provide about one-third of the Christmas trees harvested in the United States. The top-selling Christmas trees nationally are balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, and Noble fir, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. Noble and Fraser firs generally retain post harvest quality longer than most other varieties. Most of the Noble firs produced in the United States come from the Pacific Northwest. Although demand for this species has increased dramatically, several types of root rot limit the expansion of production of this species in the Pacific Northwest. Root rot can lead to wilting, stunting and death of infected trees.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
- Gary Chastagner, a plant pathologist at Washington State University, has been involved in an international project to identify sources of the Nordmann fir, which has superior needle retention. The Nordmann, which is native to parts of the Republic of Georgia and Turkey, is less susceptible to root rots that limit Noble fir production in the Pacific Northwest. If kept in water, a Nordmann fir can be displayed for more than six weeks. Widespread use of the Nordmann is currently limited because the tree tends to shed needles if allowed to dry after it is cut. Chastagner and a geneticist at the Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute have shown that needle retention is under strong genetic control. They have identified a number of sources of Nordmann fir that grow rapidly and have needle retention characteristics needed for the North American Christmas tree market.
IMPACT
- WSU's research has shown that the Nordmann fir has the potential to be grown in areas where Phytophthora root rot disease limits the production of Noble fir. Several Northwest nurseries have imported seed from a clonal Danish seed orchard that has been tested by Chastagner and his Danish colleague. Seedlings from a number of tested sources are being grown in nurseries and will be used to establish a series of test plantings throughout the Northwestin 2004 to further evaluate these trees. The techniques that were used to identify superior Nordmann fir trees in the Danish study are being used in a series of cooperative studies with Oregon State University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State Unversity, the New Hampshire State Forest Nursery and Nova Scotia Natural Resources to identify additional sources and types of true firs that have superior needle retention. Ultimately, this will provide U.S. Christmas tree growers with additional types of trees to meet consumer demand for high quality trees.
PRIMARY AREA OF IMPACT
- Research
FUNDING:
- Hatch Act
Agricultural Research Foundation (Oregon)
Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Assoc.
State (Washington)
COUNTIES:
- The principal counties served are Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Multi-state, Thurston
CONTACT:
- Gary A. Chastagner, Scientist/Extension Specialist
Washington State University
253-445-4528 (Phone)
253-446-4569 (FAX)
chastag@wsu.edu