Poplar "guinea pig": Are poplar clones, selected for their tolerance to boron and salt contamination also tolerant to metal contamination or drought stress?

Fig.1: Metal contamination in the soil leads to leaf yellowing and reduced growth	Fig.2: control treatment

Californian (USA) poplar clones were selected for their tolerance to boron and salt contamination in the soil. Cuttings from such clones grown in contaminated and control soil in California have been put into soil with and without metal contamination at Birmensdorf (CH) to test their tolerance to metal contamination. For comparison another poplar clone, selected for its sensitivity to ozone and cultivated at Birmensdorf since the 80ies, has been added.  Further samples, taken in California, are analysed for their salt accumulation at leaf, tissue and cell level together with detoxification, storage and stress reactions. If the Californian poplar clones perform well, it is planned to test also their tolerance against drought. Interesting scientific results are expected particularly in functional genetics comparing the physiological and morphological reactions with the specific genetic properties, because both ozone from the air and metal contamination in the soil induce reactions of oxidative stress.

First results from 2009 show differences in element uptake and  that leaf yellowing and growth reduction through metal contamination was stronger in the ozone sensitive than in the Californian clone.

Partners:

Gary Banuelos, US Dept. Agriculture, Fresno, CA, USA

Rainer Rees, ITES ETHZ

Rainer Schulin, ITES ETHZ

Christoph Sperisen, WSL

Pierre Vollenweider, WSL

Publications:

Rees, R., Robinson, B.H., Menon, M., Lehmann, E., Günthardt- Goerg, M.S., Schulin, R. (2011): Boron tolerance and accumulation of Poplar. Environmental Science and Technology 45, 10538-10543. dx.doi.org/10.1021/es201100b |Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 45, 10538–10543 (PDF)

Contact

• Madeleine S. Goerg-Günthardt