Energy Use Efficiency as a Basis for Selecting Increased Productivity in Crops

Selecting crop and forestry plants based on growth performance is a very slow process, requiring as much as 5 to 10 years of observation under field conditions. This process limits the rate that a plant breeder or nursery person can select cultivars or clones with superior growth performance, adapted to particular climates and/or stress conditions. Our methodology employing heat conduction calorimetry offers the opportunity to predict plant growth potential in specific environments in a matter of days. For full proof of concept of our ability to make short-term predictions of long-term growth rates of trees, we must examine additional species. For this purpose we will focus our studies on hybrid poplar and willow trees being raised for intensive agricultural production of biomass. Completion of these Phase I studies will validate the model and its feasibility for general application to a broad range of forestry, agronomic and horticultural crops in Phase II. The team of scientists on this project have unique experience in studying plant responses with calorimetry.