BioMatNet Item: AIR2-CT93-1678 - Improvement of Eucalyptus Management. An Integerated Approach: Breeding, Silviculture and Economics

AIR2-CT93-1678
Improvement of Eucalyptus Management. An Integerated Approach: Breeding, Silviculture and Economics

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AIR Cluster IX - Forestry : Crops for Solid Biofuels : Plant Genetics : Solid Biofuels : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Contract No	AIR2-CT93-1678
	Total Cost	1 235 000
	EC Contribution	1 025 000
	Start Date	01/11/1993
	Duration	36 months

OBJECTIVE:

Eucalyptus plantations are a successful example on use of a coppice fast growing species for production of biomass in Europe but the expansion of production areas has been limited by reduced resistance to low temperatures. Increasing the geographical basis and possibly diversifying the end use for bioenergy in addition to pulp also requires more knowledge on some aspects of the coppice management systems which have not been investigated, such as productivity and wood quality in the different rotations, stand density and competition and response of rooted cutting to environment stress, as well as a continuing breeding effort.

The capacity of acclimation to low temperature will be studied in hybrids of E.globulus with species more resistant to low temperatures. The work will involve studies under controlled conditions with clonal material to investigate the physiological processes with impact on cold resistance, these studies will orientate the following field trials. In parallel, research will be conducted at the cellular and molecular levels to understand the basic mechanisms involved in frost tolerance in order to define simple and accurate screening tests of elite clones and to establish the basis of future genetic engineering experiments.

The evaluation of provenances and species trials installed in Portugal, Italy and Greece will continue in relation to growth and wood quality. New research lines will include the study of sprouting after harvest and second rotation growth in trials at cutting age, as well as the effect of very short cutting cycles of two years in one field trial. Effects of plantation density and competition will be evaluated in established plots in relations to growth and wood quality. The response of rooted cuttings from selected provenances and hybrids will be studied in terms of growth and gas exchange parameters in a growth chamber and in a field clonal plantation.

Data on present management and use of Eucalyptus plantations will be collected in relation to installation, maintenance, harvest and transportation from various sources. Together with research data on productivities and wood quality, they will be used to develop an user's oriented economic model to simulate different management conditions and biomass uses, including environmental impact and various scenarios or eventual landuse.

Contacts

Coordinator

Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Centro de Estudos Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa / PORTUGAL

EC Scientific Officer

Alexandros ARABATZIS / European Commission DG Research Theme 1 Key Action 5.3 / BELGIUM

Participant