DarWin Introduced

Eastern Cottonwood

In 2022, ESF scientists reported that a different promoter, win3.12 from the eastern cottonwood. Using this mechanism to drive expression of the OxO gene, OxO levels remain low in normal conditions, but increase under wound or infection. Laboratory tests showed elevated disease tolerance similar to that exhibited by the blight-resistant Chinese chestnut. This line became known as DarWin.