INTERNATIONAL RE SI STANCE -TESTING OF WHITE PINES 291 



1. Sufficient economic or scientific interest in the host and at 

 least one of its pathogens to justify the allocation of personnel, land, 

 laboratories, and funds from time to time. 



2. At least one scientist who would have primary interest and 

 responsibility in the project, plus supporting personnel all of whom 

 together are well qualified to carry out required experimental procedures. 



3. A nursery for growing seedlings and, in some cases, for artifi- 

 cial exposures to pathogens . 



4. Land for experimental plantings that is in stable ownership, 

 representative of sites on which the species is to be grown after testing, 

 and conveniently located for making periodic measurements. 



5. .Any laboratory space, equipment, or supplies that may be required 

 for analyzing results. 



6. Funds for the above items, and for maintenance costs, field 

 measurements, and travel to meetings needed for planning and coordination. 



Because of the various procedures involved in resistance testing, 

 cooperation will be needed among personnel with different abilities. The 

 procedures include breeding and propagation of trees; culture of fungal, 

 insect, and possibly bacterial and viral pathogens; recognition and 

 measurement of disease symptoms; protection against spread of pathogens; 

 experimental design and analysis; genetic interpretation of results; and 

 silvicultural and economic evaluation of phenotypic variation. The 

 activities should be coordinated by a person or committee that understands 

 all facets of the work, and that enjoys the confidence of those who can 

 provide the resources. 



ORGANIZATION OF THE TESTING PROGRAM 



All of the elements required for an international resistance testing 

 program for white pines are already in existence, though not necessarily 

 at optimum levels. Considerable time, effort, and persuasion may be 

 necessary, moreover, to find the common or compatible interests shared by 

 potential participants, to develop detailed objectives and procedures, 

 and to arrange for required resources. Because of the magnitude and 

 duration of the program, I believe that an organizational structure with 

 clearly defined responsibilities of its members is a necessity. I further 

 suggest that it be developed through existing organizations, and that it 

 be kept as simple and informal as possible. The international provenance 

 tests of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) 

 and the Regional Research Projects of the U. S. Agricultural Experiment 

 Stations have provided useful experiences and guidelines for conducting 

 cooperative research. 



With these considerations in mind, I would suggest that the following 

 steps be taken in order to organize the testing program: 



1. The IUFRO Committee on Resistance to White Pine Blister Rust has 

 already started to consider an international testing program, and it is 

 the logical group to coordinate its operations. The scope of the program 

 needs to be ciearly defined in terms of tree species, pathogens, geo- 

 graphic regions, and test objectives. Considerable progress along these 



