"A sustainable disease control strategy as pathogen pressures on SRC willow increase, due to climate change and larger areas of planting."

Alistair R. McCrackenApplied Plant Science & Biometrics Division, AFBI

Ireland’s energy needs

• Ireland imports > 91% energy

• Fossil fuels account for 96% of all energy used

• Renewable energy grew by 15% in 2006 (mainly due to wind)

Trends in energy supply (SEI)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Mto

e

Coal Peat Oil Natural Gas Renewables Net Electricity Import/Export

Biomass (energy crops + forestry))

• Currently making a small contribution

• Has significant potential

• Government incentives

• Issues of supply chain

Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow

2008• Northern Ireland

~ 950 ha• Republic of

Ireland ~ 200 ha

Stephens Croft wood burning power plant (44MWe), Lockerbie, Scotland

20% of fuel – SRC willow by 2011 which represent ~10,000 ha

Biomass is hitting headlines as DRAX announces plans to build 3 more biomass power stations in England

Why?

• To meet government targets for:– Energy from renewable sources– Reduction of GHG emissions

• To slow down climate change

2020 2060 2080

Winter

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Temperature

Winter precipitation 1961- 1990

Summer precipitation 2075

Summer precipitation 2055

Summer precipitation 1961- 1990

Winter precipitation 2075

Winter precipitation 2055

Rainfall

Climate and disease / pests

Areas of cultivation (especially if monoculture)

Climate change (temperature: rainfall: growing season)

INCREASED and / or CHANGING disease / pest pressures

Susceptible Host

Active Pathogen

Suitable Environment

DISEASEDISEASE

Disease Triangle

Willow rustMelampsora epitea

Melampsora epitea Heteroecious rust alternating on European larch (Larix decidua)

When there is not low winter temperatures -

Need for non-chemical disease control strategy

Fungicides cannot be used for:

• Economics

• Environmental

• Practical

• Renewable

Genotype selection and assessment

• European Breeding Programme (UK)

• Swedish Breeding Programme

•Yield

•Disease / pest susceptibility

•Growth form

Swedish / European / USA genotype trial

G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G GG G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x GG G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G GG G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

37 39 35 1924 7 23 30 4 16 20 33

17 36 10 3 12 5 18 34 26 32 1 25

38 28 11 29 31 6 14 8 22 13 15 21

2

9

27

By using Salix Genotype Mixtures:

• Delay in onset of infection• Slower rate of dissemination

• Lower levels of disease end of season

Significantly reduced impact of rust

Trial investigating the effectiveness of willow mixtures comprising up to 20 components for rust disease control

Mono - susceptible

20-way mixture

Rust control

Additional benefits of genotype mixtures

• Increased yield– Better site / light / resource capture

• Reduced disease pressure on individual genotypes– Important for sustainability of plantation

• Opportunity for compensation

Need for diversity in mixtures?

• Original trials were both INTRA and INTER species mixtures

“viminalis trial.”

• Mixtures comprising of up to 7 straight Salix viminalis genotypes

• Planted 2000• Cut back 2000/01• Harvested 2003/04 & 2007/08• Disease assessed May – September 2000 - 2007

Mixtures with limited diversity

• Do NOT give any yield benefits• Do NOT consistently reduce disease incidence

• Perform more like a mono-plot

• It is not recommended to plant mixtures with limited number or limited diversity of genotypes

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Mono Mixture Mono Mixture Mono Mixture Mono Mixture

05-Aug 16-Sep 03-Aug 14-Sep

2003 2004

% p

ath

oty

pe

s

LET 1 LET 2 LET 3 LET 6 LET 7 Others

Melampsora epitea PATHOTYPES

Mixtures with limited diversity do not differ significantly form mono-plots

• Plant resistant Salix genotypes– Swedish breeding

programme– European

(formerly UK) breeding programme

• Tora• Sven• Torhild• Olof• Tordis

• (Stott)• Parfit• Beagle• Resolution• Discovery• Endeavour• Nimrod

Commercial Recommendations

Planting configuration

• Totally random (commercially impossible)

• Short-runs (Step Planter)

• Line mixtures

• Mosaics

• Large blocks

Other risks

Willow beetles (Phratora vitellinae and Phratora vulgatissima)

Black willow aphid (Pterochlorus viminalis)

Conclusions (SRC willow)

• Increasing areas + climate change increases the risk of disease

• Use of genotype mixtures offers an effective, cheap, sustainable method

• There is a need for diversity within a mixture

Thank you for listening