Nine-year performance of a variety of Populus taxa on an upland site in western Kentucky
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A variety of hybrid poplars have been planted on upland sites throughout the Midwest and Midsouth regions of the United States. Very few of these clones have proven to be worthwhile due to susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Five different Populus taxa were planted on an upland site in western Kentucky as a means of assessing resistance to local diseases, especially Septoria musiva. These taxa included combinations of P. trichocarpa crossed with P. deltoides, P. maximowiczii, and P. nigra, as well as backcrosses to P. deltoides and P. maximowiczii. Age 9 results indicated that survival for all five taxa was rather low with the P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides (TD) taxon being highest at 53.9 percent and the P. trichocarpa × P. nigra the lowest at 8.8 percent. In addition, the TD taxon also exhibited the best volumetric performance for age 9 diameter and height at 4.7 inches and 27.9 feet, respectively. Clone 24, a TD clone, exhibited the best age 9 survival, diameter, height, volume, and a good disease index rating at 96 percent, 7.2 inches, 37.4 feet, 4.34 cubic feet, and 2.20, respectively. Although, the TD taxon was the overall best performing taxa through age 9, a tremendous amount of variability exists among clones dictating testing of numerous clones prior to recommendation of large-scale plantings.