Abstract
Weed control, which is commonly achieved by herbicides, is important in successfully establishing short-rotation coppice (SRC) of willow. In this study, we examined agricultural mulch film as a means of effective weed control and the influence of cutback practice (coppicing the first year’s shoot growth in the winter following planting) on biomass production in boreal Hokkaido, Japan. One-year-old cuttings from two clones each of Salix pet-susu and S. sachalinensis were planted in double-rows at a density of 20,000 plants ha−1. All plants were harvested three growing seasons after cutback. Average oven-dried biomass yield was 5.67 t ha−1 yr−1 with mulching, whereas it was 0.46 t ha−1 yr−1 in the unmulched control with a weed biomass of 4.13 t ha−1 yr−1, indicating that mulching was an effective weed control. However, weeds grew vigorously on the ground between mulch sheets and their dry biomass amounted to 0.87 t ha−1 yr−1. Further weeding between the mulch sheets enhanced the willow biomass yield to 10.70 t ha−1 yr−1 in the treatment with cutback. In contrast, cutback even reduced the willow yield when there were weeds between the mulch sheets. This negative effect of cutback on the willow yield resulted from nutrient competition with weeds; there was similar leaf nitrogen content and dry biomass per unit land area for the weeds and willows combined in the control and mulching treatments. These results suggest that growing SRC willow is feasible in boreal Hokkaido if combined with complete weed control and cutback, and is facilitated by using mulch film.
Highlights
Woody biomass production is an economically viable and ecologically sound solution to address increasing energy demands; it has positive effects on reducing global atmospheric CO2 and, the greenhouse effect
Mulch had a significant effect on biomass production in the first harvest cycle, three growing seasons after cutback (Table 1)
Willow biomass production increased to 5.67 t ha−1 yr−1 when mulches were used to control weeds, weeds between the rows of willows growing in the ground not covered by mulch produced about 0.87 t ha−1 yr−1
Summary
Willows (Salix spp.) are one of the best species for short-rotation coppice (SRC) in temperate climates because they are propagated vegetatively, they have a high yield potential in a few years, a broad genetic base, and they can re-sprout from their coppiced stools after harvesting [1]. Despite their general plasticity, the adoption of willows as a bioenergy production system remains a challenge in respect to high yield [2]. Development of environmentally friendly, efficient, and cheap weed control measures might be the best way forward for the establishment of SRC willow plantations
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