Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Leaf Functional Traits and Stem Wood Characteristics Influencing Biomass Productivity of Mulberry (Morus spp. L) Genotypes Grown in Short-Rotation Coppice System

  • Published:
BioEnergy Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to obtain insights into the productivity determinant traits of mulberry (Morus spp. L.), a potential bioenergy tree crop. Our objectives were to identify leaf functional traits and stem wood characteristics that are correlated to biomass yield of mulberry. Based on the growth performance, six mulberry genotypes from different performance groups including high (Selection1 and Thaibeelad), average (Mysore Local) and poor (Triploid10, Jhoropakari and Selection1635) were selected for the study, along with a reference high-yielding genotype (Victory1). The study was conducted in Southern India for two consecutive years, covering two experimental seasons including exp season I (July 2009 to October 2009) and exp season II (July 2010 to October 2010). Mulberry trees were cultivated in a short-rotation coppice system under well-irrigated optimum farming conditions. Data were collected on biomass yield along with several leaf-level physiobiochemical characteristics and wood quality parameters. Significant genetic variation was recorded amongst the genotypes in most of the studied parameters. Fifteen out of a total of 22 traits, used in computing correlation coefficient matrix, were found to correlate with aboveground biomass yield. Light-saturated rate of photosynthesis, performance index, leaf nitrogen content, minimum leaf water potential and leaf-specific hydraulic conductance showed strong positive correlation with biomass productivity. Wood density, wood cross-sectional area and fibre cell density exhibited tight correlation with woody biomass yield. In conclusion, the identified 15 characteristics could be useful in the selection of suitable mulberry genotypes for higher biomass yield.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hinchee M, Rottamann W, Mullinax L, Zhang C, Chang S, Cunningham M et al (2009) Short-rotation woody crops for bioenergy and biofuel applications. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 45:619–629

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Karp A, Shield I (2008) Bioenergy from plants and the sustainable yield challenge. New Phytol 179:15–32

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Lu L, Tang Y, Xie J, Yuan Y (2009) The role of marginal agricultural land-based mulberry planting in biomass energy production. Renew Energ 34:1789–1794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Christersson L (2010) Wood production potential in poplar plantations in Sweden. Biomass Bioenergy 34:1289–1299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Biasiolo M, Canal DAMT, Tornadore N (2004) Micromorphological characterization of ten mulberry cultivars (Morus spp.). Econ Bot 58:639–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Sánchez MD (2000) Mulberry: an exceptional forage available almost worldwide! World Animal Review. In: Sánchez MD (ed) Mulberry for animal production. Animal Health and Production Paper No. 147. FAO, Rome

  7. Suzuki T, Kitano M, Kohno K (1988) Lateral bud outgrowth on decapitated shoots of low-pruned mulberry (Morus alba L.). Tree Physiol 4:53–60

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Dandin SB, Jayaswal J, Giridhar K (2003) Mulberry cultivation. In: Dandin SB, Jayaswal J, Giridhar K (eds) Handbook of sericulture technologies. Central Silk Board, Bangalore, pp 35–55

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bunn SM, Rae AM, Herbert CS, Taylor G (2004) Leaf-level productivity traits in Populus grown in short rotation coppice for biomass energy. Forestry 77:307–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Marron N, Dillen SY, Ceulemans R (2007) Evaluation of leaf traits for indirect selection of high yielding poplar hybrids. Environ Exp Bot 61:103–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Dillen SY, Rood SB, Ceulemans R (2010) Growth and physiology. In: Jansson S et al (eds) Genetics and genomics of Populus (plant genetics and genomics: crops and models), vol 8. Springer, New York, pp 39–63

    Google Scholar 

  12. Flood PJ, Harbinson J, Aarts MGM (2011) Natural genetic variation in plant photosynthesis. Trends Plant Sci 16:327–335

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Monclus R, Dreyer E, Delmotte FM, Villar M, Delay D, Boudouresque E et al (2005) Productivity, leaf traits and carbon isotope discrimination in 29 Populus deltoids x P. nigra clones. New Phytol 167:53–62

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jeźowski S, Głowacka K, Kaczmarek Z, Szczukowski S (2011) Yield traits of eight common osier clones in the first three years following planting in Poland. Biomass Bioenergy 35:1205–1210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Aspinwall MJ, King JS, McKeand SE, Domec JC (2011) Leaf-level gas-exchange uniformity and photosynthetic capacity among loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes of contrasting inherent genetic variation. Tree Physiol 31:78–91

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Pliura A, Zhang SY, MacKay J, Bousquet J (2007) Genotypic variation in wood density and growth traits of poplar hybrids at four clonal trials. For Ecol Mang 238:92–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Brodribb TJ, Feild TS (2000) Stem hydraulic supply is linked to leaf photosynthetic capacity: evidence from New Caledonian and Tasmanian rainforests. Plant Cell Environ 23:1381–1388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Peek MS, Russek-Cohen E, Wait DA, Forseth IN (2002) Physiological response curve analysis using nonlinear mixed models. Oecologia 132:175–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Strasser RJ, Srivastava A, Tsimilli-Michael M (2000) The fluorescence transient as a tool to characterise and screen photosynthetic samples. In: Yunus M, Pathre U, Mohanty P (eds) Probing photosynthesis: mechanisms. Regulation & Adaptation. Taylor & Francis, London, pp 445–483

    Google Scholar 

  20. Tyree MT (2003) Hydraulic limits on tree performance: transpiration, carbon gain and growth of trees. Trees-Struct Funct 17:95–100

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ryan MG, Bond BJ, Law BE, Hubbard RM, Woodruff D, Cienciala E et al (2000) Transpiration and whole-tree conductance in ponderosa pine trees of different heights. Oecologia 124:553–560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhang JL, Cao KF (2009) Stem hydraulics mediates leaf water status, carbon gain, nutrient use efficiencies and plant growth rates across dipterocarp species. Func Ecol 23:658–667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hacke UG, Sperry JS, Pittermann J (2000) Drought experience and cavitation resistance in six shrubs from Great Basin, Utah. Basic Appl Ecol 1:31–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Thomas DS, Montagu KD, Conroy JP (2006) Effects of leaf and branch removal on carbon assimilation and stem wood density of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings. Trees-Struct Funct 20:725–733

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Bhattacharya S, Ghosh JS, Sahoo DK, Dey N, Pal A (2010) Screening of superior fiber-quality-traits among wild accessions of Bambusa balcooa: efficient and non-invasive evaluation of fiber developmental stages. Ann For Sci 67:611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Curtin F, Schulz P (1998) Multiple correlations and Bonferroni’s correction. Biol Psychiatry 44:775–777

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Perneger TV (1998) What’s wrong with Bonferroni adjustments. Brit Med J 316:1236–1238

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Nogueira A, Martinez CA, Ferreira LL, Prado CHBA (2004) Photosynthesis and water use efficiency in twenty tropical tree species of differing succession status in a Brazilian reforestation. Photosynthetica 42:351–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gong JR, Zhang XS, Huang YM (2011) Comparison of the performance of several hybrid poplar clones and their potential suitability for use in northern China. Biomass Bioenergy 35:2755–2764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Jiang Q, Roche D, Monaco TA, Hole D (2006) Stomatal conductance is a key parameter to assess limitations to photosynthesis and growth potential in barley genotypes. Plant Biol 8:515–521

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Marino G, Aqil M, Shipley B (2010) The leaf economics spectrum and the prediction of photosynthetic light–response curves. Func Ecol 24:263–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Tjoelker MG, Oleksyn J, Reich PB (1999) Acclimation of respiration to temperature and CO2 in seedlings of boreal tree species in relation to plant size and relative growth rate. Glob Chang Biol 5:679–691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Stirbet A, Govindjee (2011) On the relation between the Kautsky effect (chlorophyll a fluorescence induction) and photosystem II: basics and applications of the OJIP fluorescence transient. J Photochem Photobiol:Biol 104:236–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Wu YY, Liu CQ, Li PP, Wang JZ, Xing D, Wang BL (2009) Photosynthetic characteristics involved in adaptability to Karst soil and alien invasion of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent.) in comparison with mulberry (Morus alba L.). Photosynthetica 47:155–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Hermans C, Smeyers M, Rodriguez RM, Eyletters M, Strasser RJ, Delhaye JP (2003) Quality assessment of urban trees: a comparative study of physiological characterisation, airborne imaging and on site fluorescence monitoring by the OJIP-test. J Plant Physiol 160:81–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Kenzo T, Ichie T, Yoneda R, Kitahashi Y, Watanabe Y, Ninomiya I et al (2004) Interspecific variation of photosynthesis and leaf characteristics in canopy trees of five species of Dipterocarpaceae in a tropical rain forest. Tree Physiol 24:1187–1192

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Santiago LS, Goldstein G, Meinzer FC, Fisher JB, Machado K, Woodruff D et al (2004) Leaf photosynthetic traits scale with hydraulic conductivity and wood density in Panamanian forest canopy trees. Oecologia 140:543–550

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Woodruff DR, Bond BJ, Meinzer FC (2004) Does turgor limit growth in tall trees? Plant Cell Environ 27:229–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Pontailler JY, Ceulemans R, Guittet J (1999) Biomass yield of poplar after five 2-year coppice rotations. Forestry 72:157–163

    Google Scholar 

  40. Pearson CH, Halvorson AD, Moench RD, Hammon RW (2010) Production of hybrid poplar under short-term, intensive culture in Western Colorado. Ind Crop Prod 31:492–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Zhu XG, Long SP, Ort DR (2010) Improving photosynthetic efficiency for greater yield. Annu Rev Plant Biol 61:235–261

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Madan M, Sharma S (1999) Biomass yield of hybrid varieties of mulberry in a non-moriculture area. Biomass Bioenergy 17:427–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Feng Y-L, Fu G-L, Zheng Y-L (2008) Specific leaf area relates to the differences in leaf construction cost, photosynthesis, nitrogen allocation, and use efficiencies between invasive and noninvasive alien congeners. Planta 228:383–390

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Tilman D, Cassman KG, Matson PA, Naylor R, Polasky S (2002) Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices. Nature 418:671–677

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Chave J, Coomes D, Jansen S, Lewis SL, Swenson NG, Zanne AE (2009) Towards a worldwide wood economics spectrum. Ecol Lett 12:351–366

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Aguilar-Rodríguez M, Abundiz-Bonilla L, Barajas-Morales (2001) Comparación de la gravedad específica y características anatomicas de la madera de dos comunidades vegetales en México. An Inst Biol Univ Nac Autonoma Méx Ser Bot 72:171–185

    Google Scholar 

  47. Preston KA, Cornwell WK, Denoyer JL (2006) Wood density and vessel traits as distinct correlates of ecological strategy in 51 California coast range angiosperms. New Phytol 170:807–818

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Jacobsen AL, Pratt RB, Ewers FW, Davis SD (2007) Cavitation resistance among 26 chaparral species of southern California. Ecol Monogr 77:99–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Jacobsen AL, Ewers FW, Pratt RB, Paddock WA, Davis SD (2005) Do xylem fibres affect vessel cavitation resistance? Plant Physiol 139:546–556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Martínez-Cabrera HI, Jones CS, Espino S, Schenk HJ (2009) Wood anatomy and wood density in shrubs: responses to varying aridity along transcontinental transects. Am J Bot 96:1388–1398

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Guidi W, Tozzini C, Bonari E (2009) Estimation of chemical traits in poplar short-rotation coppice at stand level. Biomass Bioenergy 33:1703–1709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Baltzer J, Gregoire DM, Bunyavejchewin S, Noor NSM, Davies SJ (2009) Coordination of foliar and wood anatomical traits contributes to tropical tree distributions and productivity along the Malay-Thai Peninsula. Am J Bot 96:2214–2223

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Slot M, Poorter L (2007) Diversity of tropical tree seedling responses to drought. Biotropica 39:683–690

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The Senior Research Fellowship from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India, to A. Guha is gratefully acknowledged. Facilities through the FIST grant to the Plant Science Department from DST, New Delhi, are acknowledged. Plant materials were provided by Central Sericultural Germplasm Resources Centre (Hosur, India) and Regional Sericultural Research Stations (Anantapur and Salem, India). Thanks are due to Dr. T. Sujatha for facilitating leaf nitrogen analyses. We acknowledge the Central Instruments Laboratory (CIL) of the University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India, for help on Scanning Electron Microscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. We thank K. M. Sekhar and B. S. K. Chaitanya for their technical assistance. We also thank our field assistants L. Lakshman and K. Vinod for the raising and maintenance of the mulberry plantation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Attipalli Ramachandra Reddy.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 323 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guha, A., Reddy, A.R. Leaf Functional Traits and Stem Wood Characteristics Influencing Biomass Productivity of Mulberry (Morus spp. L) Genotypes Grown in Short-Rotation Coppice System. Bioenerg. Res. 6, 547–563 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9270-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9270-7

Keywords

Navigation