Physiological and morphological responses of poplar clones to different soil moisture levels

通过为周期性干旱条件下的地区选择抗旱无性系，可以改善速生杂交杨树的集约种植。这项任务需要使用预测性测试。在本研究项目的第一部分，我们进行了受控环境研究，以确定哪些杨树的抗旱特性可以作为杨树抗旱性筛选方案的一部分。该项目拟议的第二部分将这些调查结果扩展到实地条件。在拟议的研究中，我们将使用田间滴灌系统为杂交杨树无性系提供不同土壤水分水平。我们将使用在受控环境研究中测试的无性系来确认和验证受控环境研究的结果，并确定已确定的抗性特征是否存在于更复杂的自然田间条件下。这项研究的主要目的是确定抗旱杂交杨树无性系的形态和生理属性，使这些无性系适合于缺水环境中的人工林，如阿尔伯塔省中北部和整个草原的人工林。

Intensive farming of fast-growing hybrid poplars can be improved by selecting drought-resistant clones for the areas exposed to periodic drought conditions. This task requires the use of predictive tests. During the first part of this research project, we conducted controlled-environment studies to determine which drought resistance characteristics of poplar could be suitable as part of the drought resistance screening protocols for poplars. The proposed second part of the project extends these findings to the field conditions. In the proposed research, we will use a field drip irrigation system to provide hybrid Populus clones with different levels of soil moisture. We will use the clones that have been tested in the controlled-environment study to confirm and validate the results of controlled-environment studies and to determine whether the identified resistance characteristics are present under more complex natural field conditions. The main objective of this research is to identify the morphological and physiological attributes of drought resistant hybrid Populus clones that would make these clones suitable for plantations in water limited environments such as those present in north-central Alberta and across the Prairies.