Energy potential of poplar plantations in two spacings and two rotations

Abstract

The article presents the results which are related to the biomass yield of five poplar clones in the testing phase: P. deltoides cl. 'B-229', P. deltoides cl. 'B-81', P. deltoides cl. '182/81', P. deltoides cl. 'PE 19/66', and Euramerican poplar P. × canadensis cl. 'Pannonia, in experimental plantations of seven years, with planting space of 6×6 m (278 plants ha-1) on two soil types. Also, the analysis of the biomass yield of the same clones that were established as dense plantations, by sprouting one shoot per stool after harvesting in the experimental plot at the Institute with the planting space 16667 plants ha-1 (1.5 m between rows and 0.4 m within rows). The energy that could be obtained by biomass combustion, on base of wood calorific values for the examined clones has been estimated. It was found that the maximum (annual) weight of biomass, and thus also the energy in SRF plantations, are obtained by the clone 'PE 19/66' - 7.236 tha-1, and 134.556 GJha-1, respectively. However, clone 'B81', which achieves the maximum values in the SRC plantations (6.617 tha-1 and 121.523 GJha-1), has the least oscillations in all experiments and is very close to maximum values in SRF plantations.