Biomass improvement through genomics in populus

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Trees of the genus Populus are ideally suited for production of biomass on the Canadian landscape.  The genus includes poplars, cottonwoods, aspens, and their hybrids (herein collectively referred to as poplars), which are frequently the dominant broad-leaved tree species, and in some regions the only tree species, in Canadian forests. Poplars are used widely in Canada for production of pulp and engineered solid wood products. Recently, the deployment of poplars as short rotation fibre crops has been of interest in the context of global climate change, both as a means by which to rapidly sequester carbon and as a feedstock for bioenergy production. The utility of poplars in these applications is directly related to rates of biomass accumulation in plantations.  Recent analyses suggest that modest improvements in this yield are required to ensure that poplar plantations are a viable option for the production of biomass for carbon sequestration, and, more specifically, for bioenergy production. This project aims to leverage the burgeoning genomics toolbox that is available for poplars to develop tools to improve biomass accumulation.  The project will establish a research pipeline that links gene discovery via genomics with carbon fixation, and ultimately biomass accumulation.  The project is founded on recent data that show that poplar biomass accumulation is directly, and positively, correlated with the function of stomata, the dynamic pores on plant leaves that allow the uptake of CO2 while limiting water loss.  The project will explore the link between these genes, carbon sequestration and biomass accumulation in natural and engineered poplar trees.  Ultimately, the project will develop diagnostics that can be used to select trees for the collaborators tree improvement programmes for the purposes of improving biomass accumulation.