Boxwood Breeding & Selection for Blight Resistance

Dr. Katrijn Van Laere • September 14, 2021

Boxwood (Buxus L. spp., Buxaceae) are popular woody landscape shrubs grown for their diverse forms and broad-leaved evergreen foliage, with an estimated $141 million economic impact in the U.S. alone. Boxwood plants grown in temperate zones worldwide are threatened by a blight disease caused by the ascomycete fungi Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae. While the disease can be mitigated somewhat through cultural practices and fungicides, the most sustainable long-term solution is the development of disease-resistant boxwood cultivars.

This session delves into interspecific breeding and selection of boxwood towards resistance to Calonectria pseudonaviculata.

Learn from Belgian researcher Katrijn Van Laere, who will share the creation of new boxwood cultivars resistant to boxwood blight, based on interspecific hybridisation and an efficient selection bio-assay.

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Herbal Distancing: Keeping Boxwood in Your Nursery Free from Blight

By Dr. Jerry Weiland • January 30, 2026

Learn how your nursery production practices can impact boxwood blight risk and your potential for outbreaks. Whether you’re currently dealing with this disease or working to prevent it, understanding key risk factors is essential for protecting your entire boxwood inventory. Join plant disease expert Jerry Weiland as he examines real-world case studies demonstrating how boxwood blight enters nurseries and spreads via common production activities. This webinar will cover critical factors that influence disease development and spread, including plant size and spacing, cultivar selection, environmental conditions (temperature and moisture), and fungicides. You’ll leave with practical management recommendations and actionable strategies for preventing and controlling boxwood blight in your operation.