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Poplar is a globalized commercial tree species that supports humanity's economy, energy, and ecology. To evaluate the twelve hybrid Populus euramericana genotypes developed in China, a total of six locations were selected for the test, comprising four climatic types and three soil kinds. The objective of this study is to characterize the early stages of Populus euramericana growth and test locations; to identify good genotypes for stable and high yield that may be encouraged; and to offer practical experience and technical assistance for further breeding of Populus euramericana. Main research methods include the statistical description of tree heights and diameter at breast heights[DBH], the establishment of a mixed effect model to analyze the genotype and environmental interaction effect [G×E], the use of best linear unbiased prediction[BLUP] values as GGE biplots to achieve visual screening, and the calculation of genetic parameters. Results show that the genotype effect [G], the environmental effect [E], and the G×E is significant; the BLUP value has a strong correspondence with the observed value; the goodness of fit of all biplots can explain more than 85% of the variation; broad-sense heritability of tree height and DBH is 0.13 and 0.3, type-B correlation is 0.36 and 0.65; G5, G7, G4 and G9 are excellent genotypes with high yield and stability; using these four genotypes tree height and DBH can get 3.35% and 0.81% genetic gains.The study concludes as follows: Rank-change interaction and scale-effect interaction were distinctly occurred. The G, E, and G×E all had a significant effect on the growth of poplar trees during their early stage. G4, G5, G7, and G9 genotypes have favorable development characteristics. N146 is a great source of paternal genetics.

Background: The potted experiment was carried out to investigate the mechanism of nutrient metabolism and seedling growth caused by magnetic treatment (MT) following exposure to cadmium (Cd) stress. One-year-old seedlings of Populus×euramericana 'Neva' were treated with different Cd(NO3)2 solutions for 30 days. Properties of seedling growth and root morphology were promoted by MT under Cd exposure.Results: Contents of ammonium (NH4+-N), nitrate (NO3--N), and total nitrogen (TN) in leaves, also NH4+-N and TN in roots, were increased by MT combined with Cd-stress, although NO3--N content was decreased. Activities of nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) in leaves and activities of NR, GS and GOGAT in roots were stimulated by MT; conversely, NiR activity in roots was inhibited. MT improved the synthesis of cysteine (Cys) and glutamine (Gln) in leaves and reduced the contents of glutamic acid (Glu) and glycine (Gly), while contents of Cys, Glu, Gln, and Gly were increased in roots. (4) The contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were increased by MT under Cd stress in leaves, whereas content of K was reduced. In roots, contents of K, Ca, and Fe were increased by MT under Cd-stress, but the contents of Na, Mg, Mn, Zn, and Cu were decreased.Conclusions: Magnetization could regulate the uptake of mineral nutrients by roots and translocation from the roots to aboveground parts by affecting the root morphology. MT could also improve nitrogen assimilation and the synthesis of free amino acids by stimulating the activities of key enzymes.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil has become a serious worldwide environmental and health problem. Cd is easily taken up by plants and translocated to aboveground tissues. A pot experiment was carried out to explore the role of the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) cycle and endogenous hormones in enhancing Cd tolerance and promoting translocation of Cd in one-year-old seedlings of Populus × euramericana ‘Neva’. The antioxidant substances ascorbic acid (AsA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG); the activities of the antioxidant enzymes ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and dehydroascorbic acid reductase (DHAR); the levels of the endogenous hormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA3), and zeatin riboside (ZR); and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were investigated after 30 days of irrigation with half-Hoagland solution containing 0 or 100 μmol·L–1 Cd(NO3)2 under magnetic treatment (MT) or nonmagnetic treatment (NMT). The results were as follows. (i) Compared with NMT, MT increased the AsA levels in roots compared with those in leaves under Cd stress, whereas it increased the DHA levels in the leaves but decreased the DHA levels in the roots. The GSH and GSSG levels both increased by 8%–151% under MT. (ii) MT inhibited the APX activity in blades and roots, and a similar effect was observed on the foliar activities of GR and MDHAR, with a decrease of 8%–50%; however, MT increased the activation of DHAR in the blades and GR in the roots. In addition, compared with NMT, MT increased the activities of GR, MDHAR, and DHAR by 19%–285% in Populus (poplar). (iii) With the exogenous addition of Cd, the Cd accumulation and biological transport coefficient of Cd from roots to leaves (S/R) were enhanced in poplar, accompanied by increased levels of H2O2 and MDA due to MT. (iv) The levels of IAA, ABA, GA, and ZR were inhibited by 19%–95% in the leaves following MT. In contrast, the levels of these endogenous hormones were increased by 18%–203% in the roots following MT. (v) MT improved the seedling growth of poplar, with an increase of 0.4%–90%, compared with that of the NMT. The ground diameter and number of root tips showed the greatest increases, with average ratios of 29% and 87%, respectively. These results suggested a large increase in AsA and decreases in poplar antioxidant enzymes, especially in the leaves, with a high GSH level. In this review, we concluded that the antioxidant substance GSH plays an important role in the AsA–GSH cycle following exposure to a magnetic field under Cd stress. Additionally, the roots play a major role in eliminating oxygen free radicals by regulating the levels and ratios of various endogenous hormones. Moreover, magnetization could alleviate Cd-induced oxidative stress by stimulating MDHAR, DHAR, and GR activities; enhance the defense capability of the AsA–GSH cycle; and maintain normal physiological metabolism in poplar.

Drought stress influences the growth of plants and thus grafting has been widely used to improve tolerance to abiotic stresses. Poplars possess sex-specific responses to drought stress, but how male or female rootstock affect the grafted plant is little known. To explore the mechanisms underlying changes in drought tolerance caused by grafting, we investigated the changes in growth, leaf traits, gas exchange and antioxidant enzyme activities of reciprocally grafted seedlings between Populus euramericana cv. "Nanlin895" (NL-895) (female) and Populus deltiodes cv."3412" (NL-3412) (male) under water deficit stress with 30% field capacity for 30 d. Results showed that drought stress affected adversely growth, morphological, and physiological characteristics in all seedlings studied. Grafted seedlings with male roots can effectively alleviated the inhibition of growth induced by drought stress, as shown by higher WUE, activities of SOD, POD and CAT, and lower levels of lipid peroxidation. Male seedlings with female roots were found to be less tolerance to drought than non-grafted male clones and female scions with male roots, but more tolerance than non-grafted female clones. This results suggested that drought tolerance of grafted seedlings is primarily caused by the rootstock, although the scion also affects the grafted plant. Thus, paying attention on the root genotype can provide an important means of improving the drought tolerance of poplars.

Background In reclaimed land, the growth environment for plants may be unfavorable and the initial establishment and growth of seedlings could be limited because of low nutrient and water availability. Fertilization and control of understory vegetation that competes with seedlings may be of help in ameliorating soil physical and chemical properties, resulting in better seedling growth and reclamation success. However, the amount of nutrients understory vegetation absorbs in this ecological process has been rarely studied. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of soil amendment on biomass production and nutrient uptake by weeds in the nutrient-poor reclaimed area. We applied three levels of torrefied wood chip (TWC; 0, 2.5, and 5 Mg ha−1) and two levels of vermicompost (VC; 0 and 2.7 Mg ha−1) as soil physical improvements and organic soil amendments in reclaimed land in the Republic of Korea, with Populus euramericana used as the crop tree. Results TWC did not influence weed biomass, but 2.7 Mg ha−1 VC significantly increased weed biomass by 21% compared to 0 Mg ha−1 VC treatments. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na) concentrations in weeds were the highest in control, but there was no statistical difference among treatments. However, VC treatment did marginally increase nutrient uptake in weeds, especially P, K, Ca, and Na. No treatments influenced crop tree height. Conclusion We conclude that VC can be used as an organic source of nutrients in reclaimed soil and that weed management is necessary to increase treatment effects on crop trees in this salt-affected reclaimed land.

• Water use efficiency (WUE), oftentimes estimated as transpiration efficiency (TE): the amount of biomass produced with regard to the water used, has not yet been used as a breeding trait to select poplar genotypes with simultaneously high productivity and conservation of water. Before its application as a selection target, evidence must be presented showing that WUE or its estimators remain constant with age and across environmental conditions. • We conducted a rainfall exclusion experiment in the field on two Populus euramericana (Moench.) and two Populus nigra (L.) genotypes, and assessed leaf-level (A/g s) and whole-plant WUE (DMT/WU as well as their components and related traits. Then, we aimed to compare these results with the same poplar genotypes grown in a glasshouse under contrasting water availability. • Despite a reduction of soil water content and whole-plant transpiration, growth was stimulated in the rainfall exclusion plot, likely as a result of an increased nitrogen assimilation. However, TE values between the glasshouse and the field were similar, and genotype ranking remained fairly constant for transpiration, carbon isotopic discrimination (∆, as a proxy for Wi) and TE. Moreover, even though the drivers of WUE in both experiments were different, increases of WUE measured as ∆ or TE was not associated with lower biomass production. Relatively good agreement was found between ∆ and TE in the field, absence of a similar correlation in the glasshouse is discussed. • These results suggest that ∆ may be a good proxy for TE, and could be used, both as a breeding target for genotype selection in glasshouses without impacting biomass production when planted in the field. However, reduced water availability modified the genotype ranking more significantly than between the field/glasshouse experiments, suggesting a diversity of poplar response to drought that should be considered in breeding strategies. ABBREVIATIONS WUE water use efficiency Wi leaf intrinsic water use efficiency measured by leaf gas exchange (A/g s) TE whole-plant transpiration efficiency (biomass production over water used, DM T /WU) ∆ carbon isotope discrimination δ carbon isotope composition A net CO 2 assimilation C i internal CO 2 concentration g s stomatal conductance to water vapor WU whole plant water use E daily whole-plant transpiration per unit area VPD vapor pressure deficit Vc max maximum CO 2 carboxylation rate J max maximum photosynthetic electron flux A max net CO 2 assimilation measured under saturating atmospheric CO 2 concentration SWC soil water content Ψ p predawn leaf water potential H tree height https://doi.

Heat treatment is an environmentally friendly and efficient way to improve the properties of wood species. These treatments alter the substrates and can influence the surface properties of the varnish coatings. This paper investigated the effects of heat treatment on the physical properties of open and close systems Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and poplar (Populus euramericana) wood, coated with water-based, polyurethane-based, and oil/wax-based varnishes. Heat treatment was applied at the temperatures of 190, 212 °C for pine and 180, 200 °C for poplar, respectively. Color, gloss, and roughness tests were carried out for each of the coatings. Higher mass loss occurred in pine samples with heat treatment as compared to vacuum-heat treatment. Gloss decreased in OIL+WAX treatment and color change increased after the heat treatment, but these results were inhibited with vacuum-heat treatment. Maximum roughness was obtained in PUR varnishes and minimum roughness in OIL + WAX samples. The low roughness values provide some advantages in application.

Effects of chemical components on wood sorption property under dynamic condition were investigated for the first time. Hemicellulose, lignin and extractive (denoted as DHC, DL and DE, respectively) were removed from Populus euramericana Cv., 20 mm in radial (R) and tangential (T) directions with thickness of 4 mm along the grain, then the wood was subjected to cyclic tests where relative humidity (RH) varied from 45% to 75% sinusoidally at 25 °C. Based on measured data automatically, the results showed that, various chemical components had different effects on dynamic sorption behaviors of wood. The DL exhibited the largest moisture content and diffusion coefficient, followed by the DE, Control and DHC. This indicated lignin or extractive removal accelerated the dynamic sorption process and improved hygroscopicity of wood, while hemicellulose removal caused opposite effects. Theoretical sorption model was further applied and the modeled curves fitted satisfactorily with experimental data. Dynamic moisture gradient distribution inside the different treated wood was investigated and amplitude of moisture showed negative relation with wood element depth, while phase lag presented an opposite trend. Amplitude of DL was the largest while its phase lag was the least. Conditioning thickness for RH was greatest for DHC, about twice as much as the minimum of DL. Keywords: Chemical components removal, Dynamic cyclic relative humidity, Sorption, Conditioning property, Wood

Growth stress is important to achieve upright growth and avoid exterior influence on living trees. However, many problems are also triggered by the release of growth stress during wood processing, such as end split of log, distortion of board and inaccurate sawing. In order to evaluate the possibility of these problems to occur in poplar clone 107, a new breeding poplar clone in China, surface longitudinal growth strain (SLGS) and internal longitudinal growth strain (ILGS) both of straight and inclined trees were measured for depicting distributing patterns of growth strain both in peripheral and radial directions. Besides that, according to one-way ANOVA analysis, individual tree and peripheral position have a significant effect on SLGS in inclined trees, whereas such effect is insignificant in straight trees. Fiber morphology and shrinkage of wood sample beneath the SLGS testing positions were determined to illustrate the relationships between these properties with SLGS. The results suggested that growth stress is a poor indicator of fiber morphology and wood shrinkage properties for straight trees but a good one for inclined trees. Both the positive SLGS and ILGS are unexpectedly found at the opposite wood side of inclined trees. It is speculated that when the reorientation of inclined trees is insufficiently supported by exerting tensile stress at tension wood side, compressive stress will be formed at the opposite wood side as a complement.

Fine roots play important roles in the allocation of forest net primary productivity. Here, to provide insights into the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the root growth, we examined the morphology and longevity of different-order fine roots in two poplar (Populus × euramericana (Dode) Guinier) plantations with contrasting forest productivities. The results indicated that the biomass of fine roots decreased significantly as the root orders increased (P < 0.05). In the plantation with relatively high productivity, the specific root length of the first- and second-order roots was significantly greater than that of the third- to fifth-order roots (P < 0.05). Observations of minirhizotrons showed that roots of the third-order and higher lived longer than the first- and second-order roots. Compared with those in the plantation with relatively low productivity, the cumulative survival rate of the first-order roots was significantly higher in the plantation with relatively high productivity, while that of the third-order or higher roots was lower. The life-span of the first-order roots correlated negatively with soil available inorganic nitrogen, while that of the second-order roots correlated positively with the soil phenolic acid content. A Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that soil conditions, root orders, season of root birth, and soil depth significantly affected fine-root longevity. These findings suggest that roots of different orders contribute unequally to the poplar plantation productivity.

To investigate the effect of lignin on moisture sorption behaviors of wood under static and dynamic conditions, Populus euramericana cultivars measuring 20 mm tangentially × 20 mm radially × 4 mm along the grain was divided into three groups: untreated, extractives removed, and lignin removed. All the samples were subjected to static sorption where relative humidity (RH) was controlled at 11%, 45%, and 75%, and dynamic sorption where RH changed sinusoidally between 45% and 75% for cyclic periods of 1 h and 24 h, both conditions kept at 25C°. Moisture changes were measured during the adsorption and desorption processes. Moisture of the samples varied rapidly at the initial stage during static sorption. The rate decreased gradually until equilibrium was reached. Moisture changes for dynamic condition were generally sinusoidal but lagged behind the imposed RH.

International audience; Poplar is useful in different climates for bioenergy production and carbon sequestration when planted as a single species or in agroforestry. Europe has large areas potentially suitable for poplar forestry and a bioenergy policy that would encourage poplar forestry. In this study I estimated biomass production and carbon sequestration in poplar monoculture plantation and poplar-wheat agroforestry, in the Mediterranean region of France. A single-tree harvesting method was used to estimate biomass and an empirical conversion factor was adopted to calculate sequestered carbon. Total biomass was higher in agroforestry trees (1223 kg tree(-1)) than in monoculture plantation trees (1102 kg tree(-1)). Aboveground and belowground biomass distributions were similar in both cases (89 and 88% aboveground, and 11 and 12% belowground, respectively in agroforestry and monoculture). The partitioning of total biomass in an agroforestry tree in leaves, branch, and trunk (aboveground), and fine roots, medium roots, coarse roots and underground stem (belowground) was 1, 22, and 77, and 6, 9, 44 and 40%, respectively. Except for branch and trunk, all other compartments were similarly distributed in a monoculture tree. Storage of C was higher in agroforestry trees (612 kg tree(-1)) than in monoculture trees (512 kg tree(-1)). In contrast, C storage on a per hectare basis was lower in agroforestry (85 Mg ha(-1)) than in monoculture (105 Mg ha(-1)) due to the lower density of trees per hectare in agroforestry (139 trees in agroforestry vs 204 trees in monoculture). On a per hectare basis, soil C stocks pattern were similar to per tree stocking: They were higher in agroforestry at 330 Mg ha(-1) than in monoculture 304 Mg ha(-1). Higher C accumulation by agroforestry has a direct management implication in the sense that expanding agroforestry into agriculture production areas with short rotation and fast growing trees like poplar would encourage quicker and greater C sequestration. This could simultaneously fulfil the requirement of bioenergy plantation in Europe.

Plant phenolic compounds (phenylpropanoids) act as defense chemicals against herbivores and can mediate ecosystem processes. Tropospheric ozone (O3) pollution alters concentrations of plant phenolics; however, little is known about how these phytochemicals respond to different levels of O3 exposure. Here, we investigated the effects of five different O3 exposure levels on foliar concentrations of phenylpropanoids (53 compounds in total) and antioxidative capacity in hybrid Populus (Populus euramericana cv. ‘74/76’) saplings grown in the presence of high or low soil nitrogen (N) load. Increasing O3 exposure initially increased and then decreased total concentrations of phenolic compounds, revealing a biphasic exposure-response profile (hormetic zone: 1.1–36.3 ppm h AOT40). This biphasic response pattern was driven by changes in a subset of phenylpropanoids with high antioxidative capacity (e.g. condensed tannins) but not in phenolics with low antioxidative capacity (e.g. salicinoids). The O3 exposure-response relationships of some phenylpropanoids (e.g. flavonoids and chlorogenic acids) varied in response to soil N, with hormesis occurring in high N soil but not in low N soil. Collectively, our findings indicated that plant phenolic compounds exhibit nonlinear responses to increasing O3 exposure, and that the responses vary in relation to phenolic compound class, antioxidative capacity, and soil nitrogen conditions. Our findings further suggest that the impact of O3 on ecological processes mediated by phenolics will be concentration-dependent, highlighting the complexity of the ecological effects of ground-level O3 pollution.

Two Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile bacterial strains isolated from symptomatic bark of Populus × euramericana canker in China were investigated using a polyphasic approach, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multilocus sequence analysis, and biochemical and physiological assays. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that these strains belonged to the genus Brenneria , family Pectobacteriaceae , and had the highest sequence similarity with Brenneria populi CFCC 11963T (98 %). DNA–DNA hybridization experiments revealed DNA–DNA relatedness values of 72.1–78.2 % between the new isolates and strains of B. populi , revealing that these strains belonged to the same species. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multilocus sequence analysis suggested that the two novel strains and those of B. populi are phylogenetically closely related but form two clearly separated subgroups. Based on the data, the two novel isolates represent a subspecies of B. populi for which the name B. populi subsp. brevivirga subsp. nov. is proposed with D8-10-4-5T (=CFCC 11935T=KCTC 42841T) as the type strain, with the automatic creation of B. populi subsp. populi subsp. nov. (type strain D9-5T=CFCC 11963T=KCTC 42088T).

Dynamic wood sorption and hygroexpansion by different cyclic hygrothermal changing effects were investigated. Poplar ( populus euramericana Cv.) specimens, 20 mm in radial (R) and tangential (T) directions with two thicknesses of 4 and 10 mm along the grain, were subjected to three rounds under control of these two factors. In the first round, relative humidity changed sinusoidally between 75% and 45% with temperature constant at 20°C. In the second round, temperature changed sinusoidally between 5°C and 35°C with relative humidity constant at 60%. In the third round, relative humidity changed sinusoidally between 75% and 45%, simultaneously temperature changed between 5°C and 35°C. In each round, three sinusoidal change cyclic periods were operated: 1, 6, and 24 h. The measurement of moisture and dimensional responses showed the following results: (1) moisture and dimensional changes were both presented generally in sinusoidal mode. Their amplitudes were lower for thicker specimens exposed to shorter cyclic period. (2) Comparing with the effect brought by changing a single parameter, that is, changing relative humidity or temperature alone, changing relative humidity and temperature together brought greater impact on the specimens. Under a typical air-dry condition at 20°C and 60% relative humidity, this comparison was more obvious, especially for dimensional changes. (3) When the amplitudes resulted in changing relative humidity and changing temperature were superposed, its value was higher than which brought by changing relative humidity and temperature together with the maximum ratio of 1.48. (4) Moisture-content change (ΔMC) and variation of T-dimensional change (ΔT) were all linearly correlated with treating time. Less time was needed to reach a given ΔMC or ΔT, namely, larger ΔMC or ΔT could be attained within the same time by changing relative humidity and temperature together, where the greatest average rate of wood sorption and hygroexpansion could be observed. All these results indicated that in practice, sinusoidally controlling the changes in relative humidity and temperature together was most efficient to adjust the moisture content and deformation in wood processing and application.

The effects of magnetized water irrigation on the growth and ionic movements of one-year-old potted seedlings of Populus × euramericana ‘Neva’ were investigated. A magnetic treatment device was used to treat the plants. The contents of K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+in leaves and roots were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), and the fluxes of K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and H+in mesophyll cells and in meristematic zones were measured using a noninvasive micro-test technique (NIMT) after 30 days of treatment. After 90 days, the plants were harvested, and their growth indices and root morphology were measured. The results showed that (i) compared with nonmagnetic treatments (NMT), the magnetic treatments (MT) led to higher K+and Mg2+contents and lower Ca2+content in roots and leaves, while the Na+content was lower and the K+/Na+ratio was higher; (ii) MT enhanced Na+efflux, increased H+influx, and decreased K+and Mg2+efflux compared with NMT; (iii) MT resulted in greater height, diameter, and leaf area of the plants and increased the length, surface area, and number of root tips compared with NMT; and (iv) stomatal conductance (Gs), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intercellular CO2concentration (Ci), and water use efficiency (WUE) were increased in MT, whereas both transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal limiting value (Ls) were decreased compared with NMT. The results indicate that the use of magnetized water can promote plant quality and regulate the ion absorption, transpiration, and distribution. Thus, MT is conducive to the re-establishment of ionic homeostatic mechanisms via ion-selective absorption and transportation under salt stress.

We isolated five novel bacterial strains from symptomatic bark tissue of Populus × euramericana canker that were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. Growth occurred at 10–41 °C and at pH 5.0–7.0, with optimum growth at 30 °C and pH 7.0. Additionally, growth occurred in conditions of 0–5 % (w/v) salinity, but not above 7 % NaCl. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the novel strains shared the highest similarity with Sinorhodobacter ferrireducens SgZ-3T (97.1 %). The average nucleotide identity values between the novel strains and two type strains (S.inorhodobacter ferrireducens CCTCC AB2012026T and ‘ S inorhodobacter hungdaonensis’ CGMCC 1.12963T) were 78.4–78.9 %, which were lower than the proposed species boundary cut-off (95–96 %). The main polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified lipid and phosphatidylcholine. The main respiratory quinone was Q-10, and major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c. Based on data from a polyphasic taxonomy study, the novel strains represent a novel species of the genus Sinorhodobacter , for which the name Sinorhodobacter populi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is sk2b1T (=CFCC 14580T=KCTC 52802T).

In 2006, a new canker was observed on trees of Populus × euramericana ‘74/76’ and P. × euramericana ‘Zhonglin 46’ in the Henan and Shandong provinces of China. The disease, which is characterized by canker with white exudates dripping from the bark, occurred mainly in the summer. A particular gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium was repeatedly isolated from the infected samples and proven to infect trees of P. × euramericana by Koch's postulates. Through a polyphasic taxonomic approach using sequence, DNA-DNA hybridization, chemotaxonomic, and phenotypic data, the poplar isolates were identified as Lonsdalea quercina subsp. populi, a subspecies very recently described based on isolates from oozing bark canker of poplar (P. × euramericana) trees in Hungary.

Element content and expression of genes of interest on single cell types, such as stomata, provide valuable insights into their specific physiology, improving our understanding of leaf gas exchange regulation. We investigated how far differences in stomatal conductance (g(s)) can be ascribed to changes in guard cells functioning in amphistomateous leaves. g(s) was measured during the day on both leaf sides, on well-watered and drought-stressed trees (two Populus euramericana Moench and two Populus nigra L. genotypes). In parallel, guard cells were dissected for element content and gene expressions analyses. Both were strongly arranged according to genotype, and drought had the lowest impact overall. Normalizing the data by genotype highlighted a structure on the basis of leaf sides and time of day both for element content and gene expression. Guard cells magnesium, phosphorus, and chlorine were the most abundant on the abaxial side in the morning, where g(s) was at the highest. In contrast, genes encoding H+-ATPase and aquaporins were usually more abundant in the afternoon, whereas genes encoding Ca2+-vacuolar antiporters, K+ channels, and ABA-related genes were in general more abundant on the adaxial side. Our work highlights the unique physiology of each leaf side and their analogous rhythmicity through the day.

In order to understand the physical and mechanical properties of poplar clones, and explore a method for their quick evaluation, the air dry density, modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and compressive strength parallel to grains of three new bred poplar clones were explored and the prediction models with the highest accuracy were established by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRs). Clone 50 (Populus deltoides CL. ‘55/65′) had the highest air dry density, MOR, MOE, and compressive strength parallel to grains in the three clones. For clone 50 and 108 (Populus euramericana cv. ‘Guariento’), the mechanical properties of sapwood were better than those of heartwood, and the sapwood of clone 50 also had a better air dry density than that of heartwood. There were significant positive correlations between the air dry density and mechanical properties, with correlation coefficients above 0.68. Prediction models with better effects could be obtained by using information on the cross section for the air dry density and mechanical properties. First derivative+ Savitzky–Golay (S-G) smoothing methods were employed for the air dry density and MOR, and multiple scattering correction (MSC)+ S-G smoothing methods were used when establishing prediction models of MOE and compressive strength parallel to grains.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile bacterial strain, 7Y-4T, was isolated from bark tissue of Populus × euramericana. The isolate was able to grow between 10 and 37 °C, with optimal growth occurring at 28-30 °C. Strain 7Y-4T was positive for oxidase and catalase activities, but did not reduce nitrite from nitrate. Positive reactions were observed for the activities of β-galactosidase, urease and β-glucosidase, but negative reactions for the activities of gelatinase and the production of indole, acetoin and H2S. Citrate was not utilized. The major fatty acids of strain 7Y-4T are iso-C15 : 0 (28.6 %), C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c (31.8 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (23.3 %).The major polar lipids of the novel isolate include phosphatidylethanolamine, three unknown phospholipids (PL1-3) and six unknown lipids (L1-6), and the predominant menaquinone is MK-7. The DNA G+C content is 41.7 mol%. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the novel isolate shared the greatest sequence similarity with Sphingobacterium hotanense XH4T (93.50 %). On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, strain 7Y-4T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobacterium, for which the name Sphingobacterium populi is proposed. The type strain is 7Y-4T (=CFCC 11742T=KCTC 42247T).

Poplar (Populus euramericana Cv.) specimens, 20 mm in radial (r) and tangential (t) directions with thicknesses of 4 mm and 10 mm along the longitudinal direction, were subjected to cyclic environmental conditions, in the course of which the relative humidity (RH) changed sinusoidally between 75% and 45% at 20°C (condition A), or the temperature (T) was changed sinusoidally within 5–35°C at 60% RH (condition B). Moisture content (MC), as well as the t- and r-dimensional changes were measured as a response to the dynamic environmental conditions. The measured data also changed sinusoidally but they lagged behind the triggering original RH or T data. This effect was much higher under condition A than under condition B. The observed equivalent RH and T changes at different ΔMCs or Δts served for comparison of the responses to RH and T, and the former were less pronounced than the latter. MC and t-dimensional changes per unit change of RH were greater than those per unit change of T but still lower than static values. In summary, the effects of dynamic RH change are larger than those of T, especially concerning MC responses compared to dimensional changes.

Modelling allometric equations for saplings of hybrid poplar clone produce a highly accurate estimate of pure productivity and C sequestration, leading to better sales and determination of the capacity of cellulose resources and bio-energy pools. Twenty five cuttings with 25 cm length were planted within a 1×1 m2 area in the Talookola nursery, Sari, in 2011. Ten saplings were selected from the two diameter classes (0-1, 1.1-2 cm). After separating the roots and stems, they were oven-dried at 85ºC for 48 hours. According to the diameter distribution, 24 and 6 saplings, respectively, from each diameter class were uprooted. Collar diameter and height were the twe variables used to model allometric equations. Carbon factor was obtained directly by exposing the wood samples in the oven and was estimated based on organic carbon to organic material ratio. Collar diameter and height were the variables to model allometric equations. The results of allometric modelling showed that multivariate linear model including natural logarithm of diameter, logarithm of height and diameter logarithm square with mean C factor of [C] = 0.44 is the optimal equation (R2adj = 0.732 CF = 1.056) for C sequestration of superior saplings.

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Five non-spore-forming, aerobic and Gram-stain-positive bacterial strains, 10-107-8T, 1C-4, NHI3_6, 4107_1_2, and 3D-3, were isolated from Populus×euramericana bark collected in Puyang City, Henan Province, PR China. The isolates grew at 15–40 °C and pH 5–10. The optimum temperature and pH for growth were 30 °C and pH 8.0, respectively. Chemotaxonomic features included MK-10 and MK-11 as major menaquinones (type strain); predominating iso- and anteiso-branched cellular fatty acids; diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol as major polar lipids (type strain); ornithine as the principal diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan (type strain); glycolyl type as cell-wall acyl type; and DNA G+C content of 66.8–67.6 mol%. These features were consistent with classification in the genus Microbacterium . Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence data indicated that the five isolates belonged to the genus Microbacterium and were closely related to Microbacterium halotolerans . A high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 96.97 % to M. halotolerans YIM 70130T was observed. The five isolates showed less than 96.20 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the other species of the genus Microbacterium with validly published names. DNA–DNA relatedness of the five isolates with M. halotolerans JCM 13013T ranged from 35.62 % to 44.36 %. Considering the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the physiological and biochemical characteristics, we propose that the five strains should be assigned to a novel species of the genus Microbacterium . The name proposed for the five strains is Microbacterium populi sp. nov., and the type strain is 10-107-8T ( = CFCC 11275T = KCTC 29152T).