Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Business meeting:
The 2025 NE-2333 meeting was held in Cromwell, Connecticut on September 16-17th, hosted by CAES, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Presentations represented research from Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
This is the second meeting under the 2333 project, and an estimated 30 people attended. Members still need to sign up, and an effort should be made to encourage new researchers working on chestnuts to join. Those interested should make sure to apply to Appendix E.
Cassie Stark will host NE2333 in 2026 in Virgina.

Objective 1: Develop and evaluate disease-resistant chestnuts for food and fiber through traditional and molecular approaches that incorporate knowledge of the chestnut genome.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Dr. Tracy Zarrillo: The chestnut bee, Andrena rehni: a survival story
*published checklist of bee species this year for state of CT
Solitary bees, including Andrena rehni, nest underground or in tunnels, with single females constructing nests and provisioning food for their offspring. In Connecticut, approximately 24% of bee species are specialists. The historical range of A. rehni, a mining bee, aligns with that of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata).
The project originated in 2018 when, Sam Droege observed an unfamiliar bee in Maryland, later identified as A. rehni. Subsequent surveys were conducted across New England from 2019 to 2024, with bees collected during June and July using aerial netting and traps. Results indicate that A. rehni is present at Lockwood Farms and was found at 10 of 53 sites surveyed, including locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Research on chestnut pollination shows that 82 bee species visit male flowers, while no species were observed visiting female flowers. At Lockwood Farms, hybrid and non-hybrid chestnuts were compared; in plot #9 (Humphry Hill), non-hybrid trees received more frequent bee visits, including visits by A. rehni.
Future work will focus on obtaining A. rehni designation as a “State Assessment Priority Species,” expanding surveys to better understand its distribution, and investigating how the species disperses to new locations.

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The American Chestnut Foundation, Connecticut chapter
Jack Swatt: A novel approach to pollinating isolated American chestnut trees
Five wild-type American chestnut trees were pollinated using an experimental method in which branches bearing catkins were placed in milk jugs and hung within the tree canopy. This approach increased pollination success, as four out of the five trees produced a greater quantity of nuts compared to previous years when this method was not used. The primary advantages of this technique include the use of low-cost materials and minimal time and labor requirements. However, a disadvantage observed was a lower overall seed yield compared to results achieved through manual or traditional pollination methods.

MARYLAND
University of Maryland
Bruce Levine: CRISPR gene editing of Cryphonectria parasitica
Genetic modification of Cryphonectria parasitica (CP) has been pursued through gene knockouts and replacement with antibiotic markers to detect and test virulence. While Cas9-mediated transformations can achieve this, some genes are more difficult to target, and repeated transformations can increase antibiotic resistance. Researchers are exploring whether CRISPR-based methods can bypass these limitations.
Initial Cas9 integrations caused untargeted cuts, as observed in control experiments. Reisolated strains were inoculated into new stems and exhibited expected behavior, showing no signs of avirulence. In 2024, ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated transformation was employed, resulting in a high transformation rate confirmed via amplicon sequencing; all ten colonies tested carried the intended mutant gene. Subsequent attempts to transform CE1 using the RNP method achieved a 0.25% transformation rate. Future efforts will focus on identifying mutants without requiring antibiotic resistance and optimizing guide RNA sequences to improve efficiency.
CE1 knockout testing revealed that rating cankers are often more effective than measuring them, as small cankers can make size differences difficult to detect. Knockouts generally show reduced virulence, although variation exists among isolates.
In conclusion, RNP-mediated transformation is effective and can be efficient, with outcomes dependent on the target gene and RNA design guide. Isolation of monokaryon colonies remains essential, and delayed virulence has been observed with Cas9-based approaches.

NEW YORK
SUNY ESF
Patrícia Fernandes: Development of transgenic blight tolerant Ozark chinquapins (OC)
Two approaches have been taken in attempt to create a successful transgenic blight tolerant Ozark chinquapin: 1) backcross breeding chinquapins with OxO American chestnuts, and 2) direct transgenic transformation. Currently, the goal of this research is to get to a BC3 generation and evaluate what percent of American chestnut DNA remains. Transgenic American chestnut × chinquapin hybrids have been evaluated for inheritance, nutritional composition, growth, and breeding performance. The OxO transgene is inherited by approximately 31.4-38% of F1 hybrids in the Darling line and 32-46% of F1 hybrids in the DarWin line. Comparative analyses of Ozark seeds from transgenic and non-transgenic trees show no differences in nutritional composition. Stem inoculation trials were performed on 81 two-year old seedlings to assess blight tolerance. Progression of canker length in transgenic hybrids was slower than non-transgenic, however all died after 4 weeks. Survival measurements indicate no significant differences between transgenic (OxO-positive) and non-transgenic (OxO-negative) trees, with survivability near 100% for OxO-positive trees and approximately 20% for OxO-negative trees.
Field study data from 2022 to 2025 reveal that transgenic trees exhibit significantly lower height and diameter at breast height (DBH) compared to non-transgenic trees (n = 39 OxO-positive, n = 39 OxO-negative; p = 0.02). Breeding progress has been notable, with first flowers observed in the field after four years. In high-light grow rooms, embryo rescue of hybrids allowed rapid flowering, with the first pollen collected this year. Fifteen flowers were pollinated using BC1 pollen from these high-light grow room hybrids, demonstrating accelerated reproductive development. Pollen production was evaluated to compare OxO-positive and OxO-negative individuals.

NORTH CAROLINA
The American Chestnut Foundation, National
Dr. Jared Westbrook: Looking into the black box of chestnut blight resistance
Efforts are currently focused on breeding chestnut trees for resistance to both blight and Phytophthora root rot (PRR) resistance, as PRR has now been detected in New Hampshire. True success in this program depends on achieving a combination of disease resistance, forest competitiveness, and genetic diversity. The hope with this program is to capture enough disease resistance from Chinese chestnut while retaining the forest competitiveness of American chestnut.
To date, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has phenotyped and genotyped approximately 3,500 trees, of which around 500 meet the criteria for disease resistance. However, there is an inherent trade-off between maintaining a high proportion of American chestnut ancestry and achieving strong blight resistance. Genetic mapping has identified roughly 17 loci associated with root rot resistance and an estimated 57 loci total that are associated with blight resistance. To fully map these areas, TACF aims to genotype and phenotype approximately 9,000 trees for blight resistance and 2,500 for PRR.
A major focus this year is on Large Surviving American (LSA) crosses. The progeny from these crosses will be inoculated and evaluated to assess the heritability of disease resistance.
The breeding program uses a Recurrent Genomic Selection approach, selecting parent trees whose crosses are expected to have an average blight resistance score above 70 and an American ancestry greater than 70%. Some crosses may include individuals with slightly lower resistance to maintain overall genetic diversity. As part of the ongoing regionalization of the TACF breeding program, researchers are also determining how many wild-type (WT) trees must be conserved to capture more than 95% of adaptive diversity. Fewer trees are needed in the southern regions, where genetic diversity per tree tends to be higher.
Genomic prediction models estimate breeding value based on the weighted average performance of related individuals. Simulation studies have shown that increasing genetic markers beyond 6,000 does not improve prediction accuracy; therefore, TACF currently uses approximately 6,500 DArT markers for genomic selection.
TACF’s overarching goal is to double population-level resistance and forest competitiveness within the next decade. While variation in resistance will always exist, maintaining this variation is considered beneficial for restoration trials, as it supports adaptability and resilience in reintroduced populations.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Clemson University
Dr. Steve Jeffers and Haiying Liang: South Carolina State Report 2025
A multi-state collaboration involving The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) and USDA Forest Service (USFS) aims to understand host resistance in chestnut and to screen backcross trees for susceptibility to Phytophthora root rot (PRR). From 2003 to 2025, samples have been collected from 12 states, totaling 739 samples, of which 293 (40%) tested positive for Phytophthora species. Sample submissions in 2025 were limited, with only eight contributed by Cassie Stark.
Studies on host resistance involve collaborations with Clemson University, USFS, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Tennessee. Researchers including Tatyana Zhebentyayeva and Bert Abbott have inoculated seedlings in five-gallon buckets with zoospores and sampled roots at 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-inoculation. RNA analyses are used to identify genes involved in resistance or susceptibility. Research began with American and Chinese chestnuts in 2022 and 2023, expanded to F2 seedlings in 2024, and resumed in 2025 at Clemson following delays due to funding and the indefinite closure of the USDA FS Bent Creek Experimental Forest Center. Seedlings are inoculated with PRR and flooded every 48 hours, with mortality subsequently recorded.
Fungicide trials for PRR on American chestnut seedlings identified Aliette as one of the most effective products. In March 2024, Steve requested a Section 2(ee) label for Aliette use on chestnuts, which was approved by September 2024. Field trials were conducted at Warren Wilson College testing Ridomil, Reliant, and untreated controls, with three applications at three-month intervals; hurricane Helene caused a nine-month interval between treatments. A second field trial at Clemson faced challenges from deer and polyphemus caterpillars.
Research on adventitious rooting in American chestnut cuttings, led by Haiying Laing, demonstrated nearly 90% rooting in two-month-old seedlings with auxin induction. Cuttings from seedlings older than four years rooted at only 50% with auxin, likely due to age-related changes in hormones and metabolites. Maintaining high humidity (near 100%) was critical for rooting, achieved by covering cuttings with moss and enclosing them under a screen. American chestnut cuttings contained higher cytokin levels than poplar. This study shows that including a cytokinin inhibitor (100nm fluridone) enhanced the rooting rate.

VIRGNIA
The American Chestnut Foundation, Virginia chapter
Dr. Fred Hebard: Adequate levels of blight resistance in B3F2s are confined to three or four parents out of 130
Genetic analyses indicate that specific Chinese chestnut (CH) alleles persist in backcrossed populations. In the Clapper line, CH alleles are most prevalent on chromosomes 5 and 12, while in the Graves line, they are concentrated on chromosomes 7, 10, and 12. Evidence suggests that two or three major genes may be responsible for resistance within each line. When Clapper and Graves are crossed, four key alleles consistently stand out. Overall, results suggest that studying individual crosses provides clearer insights into the genetic basis of resistance. Within the B3F2 generation, individuals with Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (BLUP) scores above 40 are rare in the Clapper line. Among these, families SC80, SC169, and SC163 represent the best performers. These findings suggest that maintaining or restoring genetic diversity may require combining seed from multiple chapters, even at the cost of sacrificing local adaptation. Data from the Johns Creek reintroduction trial show that Clapper trees have lower stem index BLUPs compared to the Graves line; however, these differences may not necessarily translate to reduced resistance in their progeny. It may be fruitful to investigate the inheritance of blight resistance in B3F2s and B3F3s derived from SC169 and SC80.

Objective 2: Evaluate biological approaches for controlling chestnut blight from the ecological to the molecular level by utilizing knowledge of the fungal and hypovirus genomes to investigate the mechanisms that regulate virulence and hypovirulence in C. parasitica.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Dr. Susanna Keriö: CAES Chestnut Research Update
Elodie Eid, an independent researcher based in Massachusetts, is currently phenotyping chestnut trees, evaluating nut morphology and quality, and collecting scion wood for propagation at the Sleeping Giant orchard. Her work is supported by a grant from the Northern Nut Growers Association.
A new partnership was established this year between the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) and The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) with the relocation of TACF’s New England regional office to the CAES facility in Griswold, Connecticut.
Connecticut’s tallest known chestnut trees include a 72-foot hybrid and a 40-foot American chestnut. Results from a 2024 public questionnaire indicated a strong preference for growing American chestnuts, which inspired a new CAES hypovirulence project. This initiative received funding from the Connecticut chapter of TACF ($5,000) and the USDA Forest Service ($120,000). Project objectives include: (1) utilizing existing 50-year-old hypovirulence trial sites to identify current strains, (2) developing new hypovirulent strains for Connecticut, (3) testing these strains in both greenhouse and field settings, (4) monitoring hypovirus transmission, and (5) hosting educational workshops on biocontrol at Lockwood Farm.
This project was inspired by discussions and collaborations stemming from the NE2333 meeting last year, which motivated Susanna to pursue this line of research.

Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station
Dr. Nathaniel Westrick: Ecological Implications of Historical and Future Approaches to Chestnut Blight Biocontrol
In 1969, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) imported French hypovirulent strains of Cryphonectria parasitica. Between 1975 and 1977, CAES researchers demonstrated that hypovirus is transmissible via RNA. Hypoviridae are double-stranded RNA viruses that require a living fungal host and are spread either through hyphal fusion or via spores.
Hypovirus biocontrol has been successful in Europe but less effective in the United States. One key factor is strain selection: the U.S. initially used highly virulent strains that were unable to reproduce effectively, whereas European efforts employed mild strains that slowed disease without affecting overall fungal growth. Another factor is vegetative compatibility: the U.S. has a high diversity of vegetative compatibility groups, which limits virus spread, whereas Europe has fewer groups, making hypovirus transmission more generalizable. Ecological differences also play a role; U.S. chestnut populations are largely wild and widely dispersed, while European chestnuts are often contained in managed orchards, meaning that treating as little as 10% of stands can be sufficient for effective spread.
A reassessment of biocontrol is timely due to the development of more resistant hybrid chestnut varieties, increasing threats from beech leaf disease in northern forests, and improved knowledge of strain selection and universal donor strains capable of transferring viruses across CHVs.
At Lockwood Farm, chestnut trees planted in 1976 were treated with a slurry of eight hypovirulent strains, including some from Europe. Canker samples were collected, plated, and analyzed via PCR. Results revealed substantial diversity in phenotypes, with most positive cankers found on moderately blighted trees. Remarkably, trees continue to test positive for hypovirus more than 50 years after treatment.
Some of the large, healthy chestnut trees are consistently testing negative for hypovirus via PCR, and Cryphonectria parasitica cannot be isolated from them. However, another fungal species is repeatedly present in these trees, suggesting it may play a role in the observed phenotypes. Current investigations are focused on comparing growth and sporulation among hypovirus-infected strains to better understand interactions between the virus, C. parasitica, and other fungal species in long-term biocontrol dynamics.

GEORGIA
Reindhart University, VA TACF
Vinny Varsalona: Hypovirulence research at Lesesne State Forest in Virginia
At Lesesne State Forest (LSF) in Roseland, Virginia, hybrid and American chestnut trees were planted in 1960 and inoculated with hypovirus in the 1980s by Gary Griffin. A key research question is whether, and to what extent, hypovirus persists in this forest. To investigate, 160 samples were collected from chestnut cankers, phenotyped, and analyzed using the Zymo Quick RNA Extraction Kit. Results indicate that CHV-1 hypovirus continues to persist throughout LSF.

WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia University
Amy Metheny: WVU Update
Hypovirus infection in Cryphonectria parasitica (CP) is influenced by six unlinked diallelic genes, resulting in 64 described vegetative incompatibility (VIC) genotypes, which prevent virus replication via hyphal anastomosis between incompatible strains. Super-donor strains, developed by Zhang and Nuss (2016) using a Cre-loxP recombination system, have been designed to overcome vegetative incompatibility. However, vegetative incompatibility is not the only barrier: the vic2 locus produces mutants, requiring the use of two super-donor strains for effective virus transmission. For example, certain European strains (EU65 and EU66–74) cannot receive hypovirus from the super-donor but can pair with EU41, which likely carries both vic2 alleles. Moving-forward, they hope to perform full genome sequencing of these strains to better understand their interactions.
Endothia gyrosa, often misidentified as a superficial blight infection, has been successfully infected with both hypovirus super-donor strains, indicating that host species differences can affect virus transmission. Temperature also influences hypovirus dynamics, hypovirus isolates show rapid growth at 30°C, while virulent fungal strains perform better between 20–25°C. The fast growth of hypovirus at higher temperatures suggests impaired virus persistence, allowing the fungus to dominate.

Objective 3: Investigate chestnut re-establishment in orchard and forest settings with special consideration of the current and historical knowledge of the species and its interaction with other pests and pathogens.

CONNETICUT
University of Connecticut
Zachary Placzek: Post-Fire Microbial Inoculation in American Chestnut Regeneration and Soil Nutrient Cycling
This burn study consists of two phases: an initial jack-pile burn followed by a prescribed ground cover fire to prepare the site for planting. The jack-pile burns are all that have been done thus far.
Low-intensity fires are beneficial for reducing fuel loads, controlling invasive plants, mobilizing nutrients, altering soil pH, and shifting microbial communities. Chestnut regeneration strategies can mimic red oak, with abundant sprouts occurring in areas with high light availability. However, mesophication in New England has shifted forests from fire-adapted species to fire-sensitive species due to changing climate and the historical absence of fire.
Methods included inoculation of chestnut-associated soil into reference sites by creating furrows and transplanting unburned soil containing microbes specialized to chestnuts. Key research questions focused on whether burning and soil inoculation could enhance chestnut regeneration, increase soil microbial diversity, and improve soil quality.
Results indicate that cation exchange capacity (CEC) and pH were higher in burned sites, although pH itself did not change significantly due to burning. Soil nutrients, particularly calcium, increased following the burn, and remained elevated in inoculated sites. Fungal community composition shifted in response to both burning and inoculation. These findings suggest that fire paired with soil inoculation may enhance soil fertility and microbial support for chestnut regeneration.
Future work will include a low-intensity burn this fall, followed by planting chestnuts and assessing site suitability for long-term growth and survival.

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Dr. Elizabeth Ward: Forest Health Research in Connecticut and Opportunities for Collaboration
Dr. Ward is a forest ecosystem ecologist who manages Connecticut’s Forest Health Program. Her work focuses on addressing major forest health threats such as spongy moth, beech leaf disease (BLD), and emerald ash borer, with an emphasis on strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of tree decline. One key management question she explores is how to diversify forests affected by BLD through targeted forest management practices. Recommended treatments include enrichment plantings, the installation of deer exclusion fencing, and selective removal of diseased or dominant beech trees. Because beech trees are shade-tolerant and often form monodominant stands, enrichment plantings present valuable opportunities to collaborate by underplanting American chestnuts in forested settings. Notably, Dr. Ward also has access to a 100-year forest inventory dataset—the oldest in the country—which provides a unique opportunity to study long-term forest management outcomes.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
USDA Forest Service
Isabel Munck: Effect of silvicultural treatment and forest type on survivability of chestnut seed
The objective of this study is to partner with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) to develop silvicultural treatments that support chestnut establishment and growth. Experimental treatments included forest type (oak–pine and northern hardwood) and silvicultural approach (patch cuts >2 acres, group selection ~1 acre, shelterwood, and untreated control). Key response variables measured were seedling emergence, survival, growth, susceptibility to blight, nut production, and wildlife use.
Seeds were planted in mid-May containing 3 sites per treatment, with 30 seeds per site (15 hybrid chestnuts and 15 American chestnuts). Results indicate that seedling emergence was higher in northern hardwood forests (83%) compared to oak–pine forests (34%). Among silvicultural treatments, control sites had the highest emergence, likely reflecting the influence of drought conditions during the planting season.

Annual Project Impacts
Objective 1:
Chestnut Bee Ecology
Surveys across New England confirmed persistence of the chestnut-associated bee Andrena rehni at 10 sites, improving understanding of pollination ecology and informing conservation actions that support chestnut restoration.
Low-Cost Pollination Method
A simple, low-cost pollination technique increased nut production in 4 of 5 wild American chestnuts, giving landowners and volunteers an accessible tool for conserving local genetics.
CRISPR Editing of Blight Fungus
CRISPR RNP editing produced precise mutations in all tested fungal colonies, improving the ability to identify virulence genes and accelerating development of future blight-control strategies.
Transgenic Ozark Chinquapin Progress
Transgenic hybrids showed slower canker growth and near-complete survival compared to 20% in non-transgenics, demonstrating meaningful progress toward restoring an endangered chinquapin species.
Genomic Selection for Blight & PRR Resistance
Genotyping of 3,500 trees and mapping of >70 resistance loci strengthened genomic prediction models, improving breeding efficiency and advancing efforts to produce competitive, disease-resistant restoration stock.
PRR Resistance & Propagation Advances
Aliette received approval for chestnut use following fungicide trials, providing growers a new PRR management option. Vegetative propagation studies achieved up to 90% rooting, improving capacity to clone elite genotypes.
Genetic Basis of Blight Resistance
Analysis of B3F2 families showed that only 3–4 parents contribute most resistance, enabling more targeted breeding and more efficient preservation of genetic diversity.

Objective 2
Hypovirus Biocontrol Program
A new $125K hypovirus project will develop Connecticut-specific strains and reactivate long-term trial sites, expanding regional capacity for biological blight control.
Long-Term Hypovirus Ecology
Fifty-year-old treated trees still carry hypovirus, demonstrating long-term biocontrol persistence and informing modern deployment strategies.
Hypovirus Persistence at Lesesne
Sampling of 160 cankers confirmed CHV-1 remains active decades after inoculation, validating early biocontrol efforts and guiding future forest-scale applications.
Overcoming Fungal Compatibility Barriers
Work with super-donor strains clarified genetic and environmental limits to hypovirus transmission, improving strategies for more reliable biological blight suppression.

Objective 3
Fire & Soil Microbial Inoculation for Regeneration
Burning and soil inoculation increased nutrient availability and shifted microbial communities, suggesting a combined approach may improve chestnut establishment on fire-suppressed sites.
Forest Health Management Opportunities
Forest diversification strategies for beech leaf disease—such as enrichment plantings and canopy thinning—create new opportunities to integrate American chestnut into recovering

2025 Publications summary: NE-2333
Carlson, E. (2025). Advancement of Blight Tolerance Biotechnology in Chestnut and a Tissue Culture-Free Method for the Genetic Transformation and Regeneration of Populus (Doctoral dissertation, College of Environmental Science and Forestry).

Charles, M. A., Adams, R. H., Anderson, R. S., Bird, K. M., Johnson, L. R., Kelso, N., ... & McKenna, D. D. (2025). Rediscovery of the greater chestnut weevil highlights the power of digital platforms in biodiversity research and conservation. Current Biology.

Cleary, M. S., Horton, J. L., & Filgueiras, C. C. (2025). Physiological Comparison of Pure American and American-Chinese Chestnut Hybrids. Castanea, 90(1), 35-47.

Does, J., Duarte, B., Dobson, K., & Bretfeld, M. (2025). Are Leaf Decomposition and Morphology of Hybrid Chestnuts Functionally More Similar to American or Chinese Chestnuts?.

Ferguson, M. (2025). Management of an Invasive Wasp and a Native Weevil in Commercial Chestnut Orchards in Michigan (Master's thesis, Michigan State University).

Klak, Thomas, Hannah Pilkey, Virginia G. May, Dakota Matthews, Allison D. Oakes, Ek Han Tan, and Andrew E. Newhouse. "Speed breeding transgenic American chestnut trees toward restoration." bioRxiv (2025): 2025-05.

Klak, T., Travis, S., May, V. G., Tan, E. H., Chatfield, M. W., & Wheeler, M. (2025). Two-Year Field Trial of Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Reveals Greater Fungal Blight Tolerance Compared to Wild-Type Full-Sibling Trees. bioRxiv, 2025-11.

May, V. G. (2025). Speed Breeding and Fungal Blight Testing of The Darling 54 American Chestnut (Castanea dentata).

Scott, G., Morris, D., Bialonska, D., & Fadroski, K. A. (2025, March). Effect of chestnut cultivation on soil microbial communities at the Hurricane Creek Field Station. In UNG Annual Research Conference (Vol. 30, No. 1).

Westbrook, J. W., Malukiewicz, J., Zhang, Q., Sreedasyam, A., Jenkins, J. W., Lakoba, V., ... & Lovell, J. T. (2025). Improving American chestnut resistance to two invasive pathogens through genome-enabled breeding. bioRxiv, 2025-01.

Williams, M. E., Wilson, O. A., & Horton, J. L. Investigating the development and mycorrhizal communities of American, Chinese, and hybrid chestnut seedlings.

Wegner, T. M., Newhouse, A. E., Satchwell, S., & Drake, J. E. (2026). Evaluating transgenic Darling 54 American chestnuts for reintroduction: Insights from survivorship, growth, and respiration in a common garden. Forest Ecology and Management, 602, 123361.

Zarrillo TA, Stoner KA, Ascher JS. Biodiversity of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) in Connecticut (USA). Zootaxa. 2025 Feb 12;5586(1):1-138. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5586.1.1. PMID: 40174048.