Poplar breeding for the purpose of biomass production in short rotation periods in Germany: Problems and first findings

Abstract

Investigations so far on the suitability of poplars for biomass production in short rotation periods in Germany were conducted almost exclusively with clones conceived for conventional cultivation. To introduce improved plant material, a special breeding program was implemented in Hann. Miinden. It takes into consideration the most important criteria of suitability for the new form of land utilization. A report is given on findings so far from the realization of this program. Comprehensive basic plant material is available for European, North American and East Asian species from the sections Aigeiros, Leuce and Tacamahaca. Interspecific crossings are being carried out mainly in order to make the best possible use of combination and heterosis effects. A period of at least 20 years is necessary to develop new cultivars with high yield performance and yield stability. First results are presented on hybrids of species which are site-tolerant, resistant and particularly fast-growing at the juvenile phase. Plans to produce multiclonal varieties, each with 5 to 10 suitable clones with the same growing rhythm are in place. Special cultivation recommendations advocate clonal mixtures for each of the most important site units and for different rotation periods of from 2 to 5, 6 to 10 and more than 10 years. Objectives and InvestigationsIn Germany, as in some other countries, the surplus of important agricultural produce has long been the reason for seeking new, economically reasonable and attractive possibilities for utilizing land. Chances for alternative forms of cultivation exist in particular when renewable raw materials which are utilisable in industry can be successfully incorporated into the farming enterprises' range of products. We attach considerable importance to lignicellulose in this connection.More than 15 years of investigations have been carried out in our country on the cultivation of fast growing tree species in short rotation periods of 2 to 12 years on land previously used for agricultural purposes. However, the focus of the research is based on only a few projects. Site requirements, growing behaviour and regenerative ability of poplars and willows have been tested, technical methods of piduction have been tried and the ecological consequences of this form of land utilization have been assessed (Muhs 1984; Weisgerber 1984Weisgerber , 1990 Dimitri 1988;Makeschin et al. 1989;Bohnens 1990).More information in areas such as timber harvesting (Loffler et al. 1988; Wippermann 1991), marketing and utilising the raw material produced (Patt et al. 1989;Buchholzer 1992) or concerning the economical, agropolitical and legal framework is clearly needed before large scale recommendations on the new cultivation form can be made. Most field results of production and utilization refer almost exclusively to already known products from the conventional cultivation of fast growing tree species.The yield potential of the most suitable poplar and willow clones under temperate climatic conditions in many countries is repo...

Breeding progress and preparedness for mass‐scale deployment of perennial lignocellulosic biomass crops switchgrass, miscanthus, willow and poplar

“…(Stanton, ). Various cross combinations of P. maximowiczii , P. trichocarpa, P. nigra and P. deltoides have led to new cultivars suitable for deployment in varietal mixtures of five to ten genotypes of complementary stature, high productivity and phenotypic stability (Weisgerber, ). The current priority is the selection of cultivars for high‐yield, short‐rotation biomass production.…”

Generalized Allometric Regression to Estimate Biomass of Populus in Short-rotation Coppice

“…It should also provide new perspectives for the recessive agricultural sector in Europe (Tiefenbacher 1991, Christersson et al 1993, Weisgerber 1993, Labercque 1995. Poplar species and their hybrids have been one of the most studied forest trees in short-rotation coppice.…”