Selecting and utilizing Populus and Salix for landfill covers: implications for leachate irrigation

Abstract

The success of using Populus and Salix for phytoremediation has prompted further use of leachate as a combination of irrigation and fertilization for the trees. A common protocol for such efforts has been to utilize a limited number of readily-available genotypes with decades of deployment in other applications, such as fiber or windbreaks. However, it may be possible to increase phytoremediation success with proper genotypic screening and selection, followed by the field establishment of clones that exhibited favorable potential for cleanup of specific contaminants. There is an overwhelming need for testing and subsequent deployment of diverse Populus and Salix genotypes, given current availability of clonal material and the inherent genetic variation among and within these genera. Therefore, we detail phyto-recurrent selection, a method that consists of revising and combining crop and tree improvement protocols to meet the objective of utilizing superior Populus and Salix clones for remediation applications.

Citation

Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2007. Selecting and utilizing Populus and Salix for landfill covers: implications for leachate irrigation. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 9: 497-511.