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Hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) adaptation to a semi-arid region: results from Northwest New Mexico (2002–2011)

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Abstract

A provenance test was initiated in spring 2002 at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Farmington to examine the adaptability of various hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) crosses to the high elevation, semi-arid conditions of this region of the Southwestern United States. Ten crosses of P. deltoides, P. maximowiczii, P. nigra and P. trichocarpa obtained from nurseries in the Pacific Northwest were grown in replicates (3 plots × 16 trees) under drip irrigation programmed to match tree evapotranspiration (ET) rates. By the end of year 10, six crosses had maintained a 90 % or higher survival rate and had an average wood volume of 246 m3 ha−1. The P. deltoides × P. nigra (P. × canadensis) clone OP-367 surpassed a ten-year commercial target of 25-cm diameter at breast height (DBH) after eight seasons, and by the end of 2011 attained a DBH of 28.0 cm, height of 19.9 m and wood volume of 473 m3 ha−1. Results suggest that hybrid poplar production is possible in this type of semi-arid environment using appropriate germplasm and drip irrigation regimes scheduled according to tree ET demand.

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  1. Mention of a trade name does not imply a product endorsement by the NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the many valuable contributions to this research made by staff of the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Farmington. We also appreciate the helpful input on clonal selections provided by Clint Shock of the Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station, Brian Stanton, Rich Shuren and associates of GreenWood Resources Inc., the late Jon Johnson of Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center, and other contributors. This research was funded in part through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the NMSU Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Western Sun Grant Initiative. Funding was also provided through the José Fernández Memorial Chair in Crop Production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Mexico State University, Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, P.O. Box 1018, Farmington, NM, 87499, USA

    Michael K. O’Neill, Samuel C. Allen, Kevin A. Lombard, Dan Smeal & Richard N. Arnold

  2. NMSU Mora/John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center, Mora, NM, USA

    Robert F. Heyduck

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  1. Michael K. O’Neill
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  2. Samuel C. Allen
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  3. Robert F. Heyduck
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  4. Kevin A. Lombard
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  5. Dan Smeal
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  6. Richard N. Arnold
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Correspondence to Michael K. O’Neill.

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O’Neill, M.K., Allen, S.C., Heyduck, R.F. et al. Hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) adaptation to a semi-arid region: results from Northwest New Mexico (2002–2011). Agroforest Syst 88, 387–396 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9694-5

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