Unraveling Ash Dieback: Genes and Traits

A fungus named Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is devastating Europe's common ash trees, causing a disease called ash dieback. Scientists want to know how some trees resist this fungus better than others. They studied ash trees in six European countries, looking at both their tolerance to the disease and their autumn leaf color. They found that trees with more intense autumn colors were less affected by the fungus. This suggests that there's a link between these traits, but they're controlled by different genes. Using advanced methods like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and machine learning, they pinpointed specific genetic markers that could help breed or save trees that are better at fighting this fungus. This is important because the disease can wipe out entire forests, and understanding the trees' genetic responses could help protect them.