Location: Floral and Nursery Plants Research
Project Number: 8020-21000-071-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 30, 2017
End Date: Sep 29, 2022
Objective:
The primary objective of this work is to develop boxwood cultivars that are tolerant of boxwood blight by collecting, evaluating, and breeding boxwood and characterizing host pathogen interactions. This project will also contribute to woody ornamental plant germplasm characterization and improvement.
Approach:
Boxwood and other germplasm will be maintained at the USNA as part of the permanent collection. Genetic diversity and relatedness of accessions will be characterized using molecular markers. Germplasm will be screened for disease resistance and ornamental traits and then used in ongoing breeding studies using controlled crosses, ploidy manipulation and other techniques.
