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Poplar Varieties

Screening the Best Hybrid Poplar Varieties for Bioenergy

Goals

To improve commercial bioenergy farm performance, we are evaluating 75 clonally replicated hybrid poplar varieties for energy feedstock production traits.

Impact

Selections of elite hybrid poplar clonal varieties will ensure plantation stock is better adapted to bioenergy farm silviculture. Next-generation selections should exhibit improvements in coppicing ability, biomass density, and site adaptability leading to improvements in yield productivity and sustainability.

Status

Locally adapted sets of 75 experimental varieties were established at the Jefferson and Hayden sites in 2012, and in 2013 at Clarksburg and Pilchuck. The trials will be evaluated for their growth during a two-year establishment period, strength of coppice regeneration in the ensuing three-year period, biomass composition, and how the structure of the coppice will affect harvesting efficiency.

An example of Populus deltoids  after being pollinated by Poplulus maximowiczi.
A Populus deltoids fruiting inflorescense develops following pollination by Poplulus maximowiczi