Adaptive potential and productivity of two Salix viminalis L. clonal varieties grown in North Central Bulgaria

Abstract

Salix viminalis L. is a broadly cultivated willow species that has been intensively used for breeding purposes, particularly in selection of clones and hybrids for biomass production. The present study aimed to explore and compare growth and adaptability of two basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) clonal varieties - rubra and purpurea - at the specific edaphic and climate conditions and cultivation practice presented in an experimental plantation in North Central Bulgaria. The influence of spacing, genotype, root age and rotation on their productivity were also investigated and allometric relationships for non-destructive estimation of woody plant biomass were suggested. The trial plantation was established in the spring of 2018 as 4 sectors of a Nelder wheel plot with 15 nearly-square spacings, ranging from 0.25 to 9.80 m2 (40000–1020 plants per hectare). The two varieties were arranged in 4 four-spoke sectors (2 sectors per clone). Data collection took place from 2018 to 2020 and comprised 1- and 2-year rotations. The study showed that Salix viminalis var. rubra was more susceptible to desiccation-causing adverse climatic changes, poorly adapted to the specific conditions of the study site and gradually died out during the second and the third year. Salix viminalis var. purpurea exhibited steady survival rate (97 - 77%) and annual biomass productivity varying from 3 to 17 Mg/ha/year across the densities, sectors and years. During the first year of growth purpurea variety had a significantly higher plant weight and sprout number than rubra variety. Growing space affected positively the number of shoots and tree dendromass, and sprouting was reinforced by coppicing that doubled the shoot number during the subsequent rotation. This was reflected in the development of the stump-level allometric models that were differentiated according to rotation. The stump-level allometric model of higher predictive power was based on the main shoot length and shoot number. An exponential relationship to the breast-height shoot diameter was also suggested for biomass estimation of each sprout separately.