Blight resistant chestnut trees have been found in the Missouri Ozarks.
The seed is being collected, taken to a nursery, then sprouted and grown to a size suitable for planting in the wild.
This is the proper approach to restoring the American Chestnut.
Creating a GMO frankentree is a bad idea, and will surely have unintended consequences.
Frankentree sounds cool. Just think of it. Harvesting frankfurters for a BBQ is all I can think of now.
(The only thing about genetically engineered plants that bothers me are the patents)
There is zero evidence of ANY such "consequences" for ANY GMO crop. The whole meme is fabricated out of whole cloth based on nothing.
There is another approach, breeding the American with the Chinese, keeping the trees with blight resistance and American form, and back-crossing to the American. I think the fourth generation is out there now, I would plant the fifth generation, 31/32 American.
There are also some really resistant big trees in the Alleghenies.
Another virture of chestnuts is that they like disturbed soil and can be used to reforest strip mined areas.
Oooh that’s exciting. I’m in the Arkansas Ozarks and would gladly lend my yard to the effort.
Right now I’m looking out the window at my massive, 100+ year old ash trees, and wondering how long they have before the emerald ash borer gets to them. Thanks again, China. :(