INCREASED PRODUCTION OF EXTRACTIVES IN WOODY PLANTS

SEVERAL EASTERN U.S. SHRUB AND SMALL TREE SPECIES HAVE A HIGH CONTENT OF ORGANIC SOLUBLE EXTRACTIVES, ARE ADAPTABLE TO ANNUAL POLLARDING, AND HAVE HIGH GROWTH RATES. SUCH SHORT-ROTATION TREES AND SHRUBS POTENTIALLY CAN YIELD CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS AND OFFER ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND ALTERNATIVES FOR THE USE OF MARGINAL LAND. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY FUNDED BY THE BIO-ENERGY COUNCIL IDENTIFIED PROMISING SPECIES AND PROVIDED AGRONOMIC EXPERIENCE AND A GERM PLASM BASE. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON THE USE OF GROWTH REGULATORS TO STIMULATE INCREASED PRODUCTION AND ACCUMULATION OF ENERGY-RICH EXTRACTIVES IN THESE SPECIES OF WOODY PLANTS. CANDIDATE PLANT SPECIES AND CHEMICAL GROWTH SUBSTANCES WILL BE TESTED AND THE MOST PROMISING COMBINATIONS WILL BE IDENTIFIED. PHASE I RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS, BACKGROUND, AND BASIC DATA NEEDED TO PERFORM DETAILED PHASE II RESEARCH. ON-GOING PHASE II RESEARCH WILL DEVELOP AND EVALUATE SYSTEMS AND REGIMES FOR USE OF GROWTH REGULATORS TO ENHANCE YIELDS OF ENERGY-RICH EXTRACTIVES AND WILL PROVIDE A GOOD BASIS FOR FOLLOW-ON PHASE III DEVELOPMENT.