Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes
Poplars and aspens (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> L. spp.) are undervalued options for use in managed landscapes. The genus comprises a multitude of taxa often negatively associated with disease susceptibility and short lifespans; however, it also hosts a di...
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2025-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Plant Biology |
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| author | Brandon M. Miller |
| author_facet | Brandon M. Miller |
| author_sort | Brandon M. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Poplars and aspens (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> L. spp.) are undervalued options for use in managed landscapes. The genus comprises a multitude of taxa often negatively associated with disease susceptibility and short lifespans; however, it also hosts a diverse range of abiotic stress tolerances. The objective of this study was to generate a relative scale of the predicted drought tolerance of <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> spp. to inform site and taxon selection in managed settings. Utilizing vapor pressure osmometry, this study examined seasonal osmotic adjustment and predicted leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub>) among several <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> taxa. All evaluated taxa demonstrated the ability to osmotically adjust (ΔΨ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">π100</sub>) throughout the growing season. Bigtooth aspen (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. grandidentata</i> Michx.) exhibited the most osmotic adjustment (−1.1 MPa), whereas black cottonwood (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. trichocarpa</i> Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook.) exhibited the least (−0.44 MPa). Across the taxa, the estimated mean Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub> values in spring and summer were −1.8 MPa and −2.8 MPa, respectively. Chinese aspen (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. cathayana</i> Rehder) exhibited the lowest Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub> (−3.32 MPa), whereas black cottonwood exhibited the highest (−2.47 MPa). The results indicate that drought tolerance varies widely among these ten <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> species and hybrids; bigtooth aspen and Chinese aspen are the best suited to tolerating drought in managed landscapes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-524e0f193a8348d795a32f27d96c8c3e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2037-0164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-524e0f193a8348d795a32f27d96c8c3e2025-08-20T03:24:39ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Plant Biology2037-01642025-06-011626110.3390/ijpb16020061Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient LandscapesBrandon M. Miller0Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, 1970 Folwell Ave., Saint Paul, MN 55108, USAPoplars and aspens (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> L. spp.) are undervalued options for use in managed landscapes. The genus comprises a multitude of taxa often negatively associated with disease susceptibility and short lifespans; however, it also hosts a diverse range of abiotic stress tolerances. The objective of this study was to generate a relative scale of the predicted drought tolerance of <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> spp. to inform site and taxon selection in managed settings. Utilizing vapor pressure osmometry, this study examined seasonal osmotic adjustment and predicted leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub>) among several <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> taxa. All evaluated taxa demonstrated the ability to osmotically adjust (ΔΨ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">π100</sub>) throughout the growing season. Bigtooth aspen (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. grandidentata</i> Michx.) exhibited the most osmotic adjustment (−1.1 MPa), whereas black cottonwood (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. trichocarpa</i> Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook.) exhibited the least (−0.44 MPa). Across the taxa, the estimated mean Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub> values in spring and summer were −1.8 MPa and −2.8 MPa, respectively. Chinese aspen (<i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">P. cathayana</i> Rehder) exhibited the lowest Ψ<sub data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">po</sub> (−3.32 MPa), whereas black cottonwood exhibited the highest (−2.47 MPa). The results indicate that drought tolerance varies widely among these ten <i data-eusoft-scrollable-element="1">Populus</i> species and hybrids; bigtooth aspen and Chinese aspen are the best suited to tolerating drought in managed landscapes.https://www.mdpi.com/2037-0164/16/2/61<i>Populus</i>leaf turgor loss pointosmotic adjustmenturban forest |
| spellingShingle | Brandon M. Miller Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes International Journal of Plant Biology <i>Populus</i> leaf turgor loss point osmotic adjustment urban forest |
| title | Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes |
| title_full | Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes |
| title_short | Predicted Drought Tolerance of Poplars and Aspens for Use in Resilient Landscapes |
| title_sort | predicted drought tolerance of poplars and aspens for use in resilient landscapes |
| topic | <i>Populus</i> leaf turgor loss point osmotic adjustment urban forest |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2037-0164/16/2/61 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brandonmmiller predicteddroughttoleranceofpoplarsandaspensforuseinresilientlandscapes |