Transcript:
Next year, some Christmas tree growers will plant a new type of Fraser fir, which is expected to grow faster and hold its needles longer.
Bringing these seeds to market is a big milestone for the North Carolina State University researchers who developed the trees.
But Justin Whitehill, who directs the Christmas tree genetics program, says his team is already working on improvements.
Whitehill: “This first generation of seed has been under development for over 25, 30 years now … sort of before all of these concerns about climate change and pests and disease were really ratcheting up to the level that they are today.”
He says Fraser firs are vulnerable to global warming. They naturally grow high in the Appalachian Mountains, but most tree farms are at lower, warmer elevations.
Whitehill: “So the trees are already somewhat stressed … but then as temperatures increase, it sort of predisposes them even further to other threats.”
… including diseases and pests.
So Whitehill’s team is working to breed Fraser firs that better withstand these threats. And they’re trying to identify genes that make other tree species resilient so they can one day add those traits to Fraser firs and help these beloved trees thrive in a warmer world.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
