**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AMONG THE MANY TYPES OF VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION (CUTTINGS, GRAFTING, BUDDING, LAYERING, STOOLING, MICROPROPAGATION, ETC.), STEM CUTTING IS THE MOST USED METHOD TO FIX AND MAINTAIN DESIRED GENOTYPES IN MANY WOODY SPECIES. THIS IS DUE TO FEATURES SUCH AS EASE OF OPERATION AND A LOW SKILL REQUIREMENT. SOME SPECIES, LIKE WILLOWS AND POPLARS, CAN BE EASILY PROPAGATED WITHOUT HORMONE INDUCTION VIA CUTTING, WHILE OTHERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY RECALCITRANT, INCLUDING CASTANEA DENTATA, THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT (AC). THIS RECALCITRANCE IS DUE TO THE DIMINISHED ABILITY OF THE SPECIES TO FORM ADVENTITIOUS ROOTS. WHY THIS IS SO IS LARGELY UNKNOWN. AN EFFICIENT ROOTED CUTTING SYSTEM WILL ALLOW RAPID AND CLONAL PROPAGATION OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT, A HERITAGE SPECIES ONCE DOMINATING THE EASTERN DECIDUOUS FORESTS OF THE USA. THIS WILL ACCELERATE THE BREEDING PROCESS AND FACILITATE GERMPLASM CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE DETERMINANTS LEADING TO THE RECALCITRANCE TO ADVENTITIOUS ROOT FORMATION, SO THAT INNOVATIVE AND EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE DEVELOPED FOR ROOT INDUCTION. THE PROJECT EMPLOYS AN INTEGRATED APPROACH THAT COMBINES HISTOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY, TRANSCRIPTOMICS, AND METABOLOMICS, AND COMPARES AMERICAN CHESTNUT WITH EASY-TO-ROOT WOODY SPECIES.