Breeding Hazelnuts with Dr. Thomas Molnar

The Poor Prole’s Almanac

We're joined by Dr. Thomas Molnar from Rutgers University's Plant Biology program where they're actively working with American Hazelnut genetics to breed eastern filbert blight resistance into European hazelnuts.

Thomas Molnar received his PhD from Rutgers University in 2006. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Plant Biology Department of the Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA). His research program concentrates on the genetic improvement and study of hazelnuts (Corylus) and large-bracted dogwoods (Cornus). Part of this work includes germplasm exploration, collection, and evaluation. A major aspect of his current research is developing and characterizing genetic resistance to eastern filbert blight, a fungal disease which is the primary limiting factor of hazelnut production in the eastern North America.

CHeck out the Rutgers Hazelnut research program at: https://research.rutgers.edu/agricultural-products/hazelnuts

Check out our research on the American Hazelnut here:

https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/the-american-hazelnut

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