Hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) adaptation to a semi-arid region: results from Northwest New Mexico (2002–2011)

A provenance test was initiated in spring 2002 at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Farmington to examine the adaptability of various hybrid poplar ( Populus spp.) crosses to the high elevation, semi-arid conditions of this region of the Southwestern United States. Ten crosses of P. deltoides , P. maximowiczii , P. nigra and P. trichocarpa obtained from nurseries in the Pacific Northwest were grown in replicates (3 plots × 16 trees) under drip irrigation programmed to match tree evapotranspiration (ET) rates. By the end of year 10, six crosses had maintained a 90 % or higher survival rate and had an average wood volume of 246 m 3 ha −1 . The P. deltoides × P. nigra ( P. × canadensis ) clone OP-367 surpassed a ten-year commercial target of 25-cm diameter at breast height (DBH) after eight seasons, and by the end of 2011 attained a DBH of 28.0 cm, height of 19.9 m and wood volume of 473 m 3 ha −1 . Results suggest that hybrid poplar production is possible in this type of semi-arid environment using appropriate germplasm and drip irrigation regimes scheduled according to tree ET demand.