Open Access287 Total Biomass and Ion Accumulaton of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Hybrid Populus, and Robinia pseudoacacia Irrigated with Saline Municipal Wastewater
Author(s) -
Brenda L. Jessen,
Geno A. Picchioni,
John G. Mexal
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
hortscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.518
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 2327-9834
pISSN - 0018-5345
DOI - 10.21273/hortsci.34.3.491f
Subject(s) - clone (java method) , eucalyptus camaldulensis , biology , biomass (ecology) , botany , eucalyptus , robinia , horticulture , agronomy , gene , biochemistry
A field study was conducted in 1997 and 1998 in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico, to compare biomass production potential and ion uptake capacity of seven tree species and clones, Eucalyptus camaldulensis (4016, 4019, and 505), hybrid Populus (029, 197, and 367), and seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia irrigated with saline municipal wastewater. Total dry biomass production was greatest with poplar clone 367 (657 g) and eucalypt clone 4019 (643 g). Both clones also provided the most aboveground biomass (463 and 528 g, respectively), essentially because of their greater stem biomass (274 and 234 g, respectively). Poplar clone 367 had the highest lateral branch biomass (84 g), followed by eucalypt clone 4019 (75 g). The clones with the greatest leaf biomass were eucalypt clone 4019 (179 g), followed by eucalypt clone 505 (148 g) and poplar clone 367 (145 g). In all tree selections, Cl concentration was highest in the leaves with poplar clone 197 having the highest concentration (>2%), but the lowest subsequent winter survival at just 55%. The tree with the second lowest survival rate, poplar clone 029 (76%), also had the second highest Cl concentration in its leaves, almost 1.5% Cl. Eucalypt clones 4019 and 4016 accumulated the most total Cl in its tissues (327 and 236 g per tree, respectively) followed by poplar clone 029 (216 g per tree). Eucalypt clone 4019 accumulated the most Na in its tissues (109 g per tree) followed by poplar clone 367 (74 g per tree). In conclusion, poplar clone 367 and eucalypt clone 4019 seem to be sufficiently salt-tolerant for these saline conditions, having high survival, growth, and biomass capacity and perform well under high biomass-generating, short rotation conditions. Eucalypt clone 4019 is also an effective accumulator of Cl and Na ions and may be the most suitable tree for the remediation of salt-affected land in these experimental conditions.