Abstract
Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) are one of the available sources of renewable feedstock which can be used in the medical, chemical and power industries. The current study evaluated the usability of the bark from different SRWC genotypes as a source of bioactive compounds. The specific objectives were to determine the concentrations of six bioactive substances in bark, bark yield and potential bioactive substance yield. A two-factorial field experiment was carried out in north-eastern Poland and comprised 14 SRWC genotypes, including one Robinia genotype, five Populus genotypes, seven clones and one variety of the genus Salix and two cycles of biomass harvest: annual and quadrennial. The genetic variability had a significant impact on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the bioactive substances in the bark of the studied SRWC, whereas the biomass harvest cycle determined the quantitative concentration of individual bioactive substances. Extending the biomass harvest rotation decreased the mean concentration of the substances under analysis by ca. 20%. The highest total concentration of bioactive substances was found in poplar bark obtained from P. balsamifera. Among the six studied bioactive substances, the highest mean concentration was determined for salicin (20.61 mg g−1 d.m.), followed by salicortin (12.58 mg g−1 d.m.). A significantly lower concentration was determined for salicylic acid (2.74 mg g−1 d.m.) and salireposide (2.51 mg g−1 d.m.), whereas kaempferol and quercetin were determined in trace amounts. The total potential yield of the analyzed bioactive compounds varied significantly, both with respect to genetic variability and biomass harvest cycle.
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