Poplar Trees

Scientists are hopeful that poplars can serve as a source for biofuels. Already, they have mapped its genome?, and based on the information they have gathered, poplars show great potential. The tree, which can grow 12 feet a year, matures in less than 4 years and can reach a total height of up to 100 feet. Poplar trees' fast growth means that it could be a steady source of renewable biomass in managed forests?.

Quick Facts

• The theoretical yield for a ton of biomass is around 100 gallons of ethanol. That is triple the amount made from a ton of corn; however, this figure has not been achieved in practice, yet.
• Turning wood from poplars into mixed alcohols? using gasification technology also shows great promise.
• In 2006, researchers decoded the genome of a black cottonwood poplar?, the first tree to be fully sequenced.
• Research projects on poplar as a source of biomass are active in several places across the U.S.
• Hybrid poplars? have been found to be tolerant of many insects and diseases and can withstand most harsh winter conditions.
  Poplar trees are hardwoods, which can be coppiced?.