RESISTASH: Resistance mechanisms of ash to Ash dieback and the emerald ash borer

Switzerland’s ash trees are currently decimated by an invasive fungal pathogen causing the “Ash dieback” (ADB) disease. In addition, the emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive beetle that killed millions of ash trees in the USA and recently established in Russia, might reach Switzerland in the near future. The joint project between WSL and IAP aims to (1) establish a nation-wide ash monitoring that informs on the spread of ADB in Switzerland, (2) compare the secondary metabolite profile of ADB-resistant and ADB-tolerant trees with the goal to identify potential resistance mechanisms against ADB, (3) establish a spectroscopy-based method for the identification of ADB-tolerant ash trees, and (4) compare the spectroscopic profiles of ADB-tolerant ash trees with the results of tree performance screenings against ADB and EAB infections.