101,884 research outputs found
Transformation of elite white poplar (Populus alba L.) cv. 'Villafranca' and evaluation of herbicide resistance
No full textTwo clones of Populus nigra L. were tested in vivo and in vitro for their susceptibility to three different Agrobacterium tumefaciens wild-type strains evaluating number and size of resulting calluses. Strain C58 proved to be the most virulent.
Various parameters affecting Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of P. nigra clones were further analyzed using ß-glucuronidase gene transient expression. The clone Jean Pourtet proved to be more susceptible than the clone San Giorgio. A. tumefaciens strain A281 pKIWI105 proved to be the most virulent. The optimal procedure involved dipping of leaf discs into a bacterial suspension (7×108 cells/ml) for 20 min, followed by a 48 h co-cultivation period on semi-solid regeneration medium.
Leaf explants were co-cultivated with two disarmed A. tumefaciens strains. Plantlets of San Giorgio were regenerated, tested for ß-glucuronidase activity and rooted on selective medium containing kanamycin. Polymerase chain reaction analysis and Southern blot hybridization confirmed the integration of the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene into the poplar genome
Woody biofuel production from short rotation coppice in Italy: Environmental-impact assessment of different species and crop management
No full textShort Rotation Coppices (SRC) can be a suitable solution for the production of biomass, mainly due to the
easy-to-harvest good-quality feedstock. Besides technical, social and economic aspects, environmental
issues are important to be taken into account when developing SRC. Although some studies focused on
environmental sustainability of SRC were carried out only few compare different arboreous species using
primary data.
In this study, the environmental evaluation of SRC plantations carried out with 14 poplar and 6 willow
clones was performed using primary data collected during experimental field tests over 12 years.
Twelve impact potentials were evaluated using the characterization factors reported by the ILCD
method: climate change (CC), ozone depletion (OD), Human toxicity, cancer effects (HTc), Human
toxicity, non-cancer effects (HT), particulate matter (PM), photochemical ozone formation (POF), acidi-
fication (TA), freshwater eutrophication (FE), terrestrial eutrophication (TE), marine eutrophication (ME),
freshwater ecotoxicity (FEx) and mineral, fossil and renewable resource depletion (MFRD).
Both for poplar and for willow, among the different clones the environmental performance greatly
vary mainly due to the yield. The choice of the most productive clones involves a reduction of the
environmental impact of the produced biomass of about 35% (respect to the average results both for
poplar and willow). However, biofuel production from willow SRC achieves lower environmental burdens
respect to poplar SRC considering both the average biomass yield and the most productive clones
Aboveground biomass estimation for Italian poplar SRF
No full textOne critical aspect for operators of the wood energy market is the quantification of above ground
biomass production in establishing contracts before harvest. The preparation of a biomass regression equation for
individual SRF yield is expensive and time-consuming for most operators. The aim of this study is to develop
equations for a non-destructive estimation of biomass yields easy to use. The data collected were utilized to develop
exponential functions in the form W = bDC (where W is the total shoot wet or dry weight and D is the diameter at
breast height) that give a reasonable estimate of above ground biomass for individual shoots.
Keywords: biomass production, energy crops, poplar
Biomass production in mixed plantation with SRC and noble hardwoods
No full textA new model of cultivation that combines reforestation with noble hardwood species (Maple, Cherry,
Service and Wild Service Trees, etc) and Short Rotation Coppices (SRC) with poplar, willow and black locust was
studied in Italy. This paper refers the results obtained during the first 2-4 years of growth. If correctly grown, the
clones of poplar and willow selected for biomass can assure good productions up to 8-9 Odt·ha-1·year-1. The poplar
and willow clones had shown a different behavior depending on the pedological and climatic characteristics of the
sites, therefore it will be necessary to carefully choose the clones to insert in the stand. On a Piedmont sites,
characterized by marginal soil for the agriculture, also the Black Locust has given good results of growth and
production: 4 Odt·ha-1·year-1. The interaction among the intercalary SRC and the noble hardwood plants still have not
been put in evidence from the statistical analysis
Biomass production and energy balance of herbaceous and woody crops on marginal soils in the Po Valley
No full textA wealth of data and information on the cultivation of perennial biomass crops has been collected, but direct comparisons between herbaceous and woody crops are rare. The main objective of this research was to compare the biomass yield, the energy balance and the biomass quality of six perennial bioenergy crops: Populus spp., Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix spp., Arundo donax, Miscanthus × giganteus, and Panicum virgatum, grown in two marginal environments. For giant reed and switchgrass, two levels of nitrogen fertilization were applied annually (0-100 kg ha-1). Nitrogen fertilization did not affect biomass or energy production of giant reed; thus, it significantly reduced the energy return on investment (EROI) (from 73 to 27). In switchgrass, nitrogen fertilization significantly increased biomass production and the capacity of this crop to respond to water availability, making it a favorable option when only biomass production is a target. Net energy gain (NEG) was higher for herbaceous crops than for woody crops. In Casale, EROI calculated for poplar and willow (7, on average) was significantly lower than that of the other crops (14, on average). In Gariga, the highest EROI was calculated for miscanthus (98), followed by nonfertilized giant reed and switchgrass (82 and 73, respectively). Growing degree days10 during the cropping season had no effect on biomass production in any of the studied species, although water availability from May to August was a major factor affecting biomass yield in herbaceous crops. Overall, herbaceous crops had the highest ranking for bioenergy production due to their high biomass yield, high net energy gain (NEG), and biomass quality that renders them suitable to both biochemical and thermochemical conversion. Miscanthus in particular had the highest EROI in both locations (16 and 98, in Casale and Gariga), while giant reed had the highest NEG on the silty-loam soil of Gariga
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): New poplar clones allow an environmentally sustainable cultivation
No full textIn Italy 72 poplar clones ( Populus spp.) are registered for commercialization. They were selected for fast growth, stem shape and disease resistance. The new selections (named MSA) includes genotypes with very high resistance to all the main diseases and to one insect, Phloeomizus passerinii (Sign.). Fast growth and disease resistance allow to produce wood with low environmental and economic costs; for this reason in some Italian Regions the introduction of a percentage of these clones in poplar stand is mandatory to obtain funding for their establishment (Rural Development Plan). To better understand the environmental advantages deriving from the use of these clones, in comparison with the old genotypes (particularly ‘I-214’), a ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ approach was applied considering as impact indicator the CO 2 equivalent emissions; from stoolbed to commercial stand, primary data were collected from an Italian experience. Firstly with the Inventory Analysis all the raw material, energy, wastes and emissions related were collected for each cultivation phase. The Analysis showed a reduction of 9% of CO 2 eq. ha -1 emitted, growing MSA instead of ‘I-214’. Considering the emissions per volume of wood, ‘I-214’ requests 47.5 kg CO 2 eq. per m 3 , compared with MSA that request 36.6 kg CO 2 eq. per m 3
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