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Breeding Willow for Short Rotation Coppice Energy Cropping

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Industrial Crops

Part of the book series: Handbook of Plant Breeding ((HBPB,volume 9))

Abstract

Willow (Salix) is a diverse and adaptable genus that has served human beings well for many thousands of years. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (AD 23–AD 79) advised on willow planting in the Roman Empire. However, it has only recently been subjected to controlled breeding (twentieth century). Willow breeding has been able to benefit from the knowledge and technologies developed by plant breeders across the globe. The breeding exploits the tremendous genetic diversity and specifically the rapid growth rates observed in response to coppicing on a 2–4 year cycle. Willow breeding cycles are short and commercial exploitation rapid via vegetative propagation of the F1 progeny. The latest molecular genetics techniques are being deployed in Europe and North America to advance and accelerate crop improvement. Willow is now being rapidly improved and deployed for production of woody biomass, much of it for energy, but also for pulp, potentially specific high value extracts, and applications associated with the multifunctionality of the crop such as bioremediation. Most northern temperate latitude areas have an interest in willow cropping.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cropping Carbon, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK

    Ian Shield, William Macalpine, Steve Hanley & Angela Karp

Authors
  1. Ian Shield
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  2. William Macalpine
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  3. Steve Hanley
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  4. Angela Karp
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ian Shield .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS, Boston College Carroll School of Management, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    Von Mark V. Cruz  & David A. Dierig  & 

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Shield, I., Macalpine, W., Hanley, S., Karp, A. (2015). Breeding Willow for Short Rotation Coppice Energy Cropping. In: Cruz, V.M.V., Dierig, D.A. (eds) Industrial Crops. Handbook of Plant Breeding, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1447-0_4

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