(Zaragoza, Spain, 22-25 September 1992)
6. The latest session of the Working Party on Poplar Diseases was held in Sapança, Turkey from 3-4 October 1994. Delegates from seven countries (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Italy, Syria and Turkey) presented and discussed seven papers. One session was jointly held with the Working Parties on Breeding, Insect Pests, and Biomass Production Systems.
7. Discussions of the Working Party were summarised as follows:
. Specialists from Holland, France and Italy have recognized or expect to detect the existence of other physiological races of Melampsora larici-populina and M. allii-populina. The rapid evolution of these races requires more attention to the selection of clones for resistance to both pathogens.
. An Argentinian member drew attention to the presence of brown spot disease, observed for the first time in that country.
. A Turkish member underlined the importance of bark diseases caused by Discosporium populinum and Cytospora.
. The members of the Working Group propose the following theme for their next meeting: "Evolution of pathogens in relation to the clonal genotype, cultivation and the environment".
8. The following conclusions arose from the joint meeting with the Working Party on Insect Pests:
. the desirability of extending the Directory of Poplar and Willow Scientists with the names of pathologists specializing in willows;
. the need to call the next meeting of the Working Party on Diseases in 1996, on the occasion of the next Session of the IPC;
. the desirability of calling the meetings of the Working Party every four years; if there were specific items for discussion in between these times then an extraordinary meeting could be called.
9. Two joint projects were prepared with the Working Group on insect pests. The first would aim to acquire systematic knowledge on the natural resistance mechanisms of poplars and willows towards insects and diseases. The second would look for possible correlations between tree susceptibility to pests and soil characteristics or other ecological factors, in order to determine the risk of damage by insects or diseases to a particular poplar or willow for a given site.
10. The latest session of the Working Party on Poplar Insect Pests was held in Sapança, Turkey from 3-4 October 1994. Members presented and discussed three papers. One session was jointly held with the Working Parties on Breeding, Diseases, and Biomass Production Systems (see above).
11. An overview of internationally important insect pests of poplar was presented, the result of an enquiry conducted among member nations in 1993.
12. Members of the Working Party agreed that close contacts and joint meetings should be promoted between Working Parties, including opportunities to meet before the 20th Session of the IPC in 1996 to organise such joint meetings. The following recommendations arose from discussions of the Working Party:
. the choice of clones to be planted in a given environment has to be based not only on short-term economic considerations of fast growth but also on the need to satisfy other requirements such as the maintenance of genetic diversity, thus offering better protection against biotic or abiotic risks (weather, disease, insects, etc) and better adaptation to local variability of the site. Strict monocultures should therefore be avoided.
. chemical products are too often used for tree protection without respect for their impact on the environment or on human health. The Working Party on Insect Pests recommends that national and international bodies should encourage decision-makers to reduce such unwise applications, and to seek the development of more efficient methods of integrated pest management.
13. The latest session of the Working Party on Breeding and Selection of Poplars and Willows was held in Sapança, Turkey from 3-4 October 1994. Participants presented and discussed 22 papers. One session was jointly held with the Working Parties on Diseases, Insect Pests, and Biomass Production Systems. Members of the EUFORGEN Populus nigra network participated in some sessions.
14. Reports were received from several countries on the situation regarding poplar and willow breeding and the conservation of natural populations in general and in relation to particular species. Several papers dealt with the situation regarding the conservation of Populus euphratica and P. nigra.
15. Members recommended meetings of the Working Party every four years, long notice of meetings and joint meetings with other Working Parties to promote better coordination of activities.
16. Members made the following recommendations to the Executive Committee of the IPC:
. to update the methodologies suitable for the conservation of the different poplar and willow genetic resources in danger of extinction;
. to prepare guidelines for the safe exchange of poplar genetic material between continents and countries;
. to promote molecular biology and its application in poplar and willow breeding programmes;
. to promote breeding of willow trees and shrubby willows;
. to prepare leaflets on different aspects of poplar and willow breeding, by specialized authors;
. to promote case studies on the conservation of poplar and willow genetic resources.
17. Members of the Working Party made the following recommendations to the Executive Committee of needs concerning Populus euphratica:
. the enlargement of fundamental knowledge of P. euphratica, particularly in the fields of its ecology, physiology and genetics;
. the conservation of natural stands in areas where they are diminishing seriously;
. the establishment of at least one Populetum euphraticum for in situ conservation;
. preparation of a monograph on the species.
18. Members proposed the following theme for the next meeting of the Working Party on Breeding and Selection of Poplars and Willows:
Methodology for the conservation of poplar and willow genetic resources and guidelines for safe exchanges of poplar and willow genetic material.
19. The latest session of the Working Party on Logging and Utilization of Poplar Wood was held in Sapança, Turkey from 3-4 October 1994. Twelve participants from eight countries (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Turkey) reviewed presentations concerning poplar and willow utilization in those countries.
20. It was noted that Chile had achieved considerable success with the application of agro-forestry systems in the production of poplar wood, concentrating on the production of special and high value products. In North America, strong growth in poplar utilization is occurring in the production of oriented strand board (OSB). It was noted that the reduction in wood technology research had reduced the stimulus for industrial utilization of poplar wood in Turkey. It was reported that Argentina had considerable experience in the growing of willows for pulp production. Turkey had developed extensive information and a data base on the growth and yield of poplars, enabling the optimal spacing and rotation cycle to be identified for different clones. In Belgium wood quality research on different poplar clones is receiving priority. Information was exchanged on plantation subsidies, taxation, trade barriers, environmental concerns, global wood supply and technology.
21. The Working Party recommended that more joint sessions should be held between the working groups of the IPC in future, in order to achieve greater coordination of research, development and the transfer of technology. Two joint sessions were proposed for the 20th Session of the IPC on the following themes:
. Willow growing - an alternative for the future (involving all working parties);
. Wood quality - the link between breeding, production and utilization (involving the breeding, biomass and utilization working parties).
22. The Working Party on Logging and Utilization of Poplar Wood proposed to develop mechanisms for the greater involvement of the private sector in future activities of the group through the organization of a technical forum for industry experts from different countries to share knowledge on technologies for the processing and utilization of poplar and willow resources. One session of the forum would deal with the technology of manufacturing various products, another with the marketing and economics of poplar and willow products.
23. The Working Party also recommended that the Executive Committee should investigate ways of promoting student exchanges between member countries and student participation in technical and scientific meetings of the working parties.
24. The latest session of the Working Party on Biomass Production Systems for the Salicaceae was held in Sapança, Turkey from 3-4 October 1994. Eighteen participants from nine countries reviewed country reports and seven papers presented to the meeting. One session was jointly held with the Working Parties on Diseases, Insect Pests, and Breeding.
25. The following conclusions and recommendations were presented to the joint session of the working parties:
. there was need for the working parties to pay attention to environmental issues relating to poplar and willow cultivation and utilization;
. in general, working parties considered only single aspects of growing or utilisation. Working parties should discuss such matters in a holistic sense, and more time should be spent on joint discussions;
. conferences should be organized with invited speakers on topics of joint interest;
. all working parties should deal with willow as well as with poplar, and should consider the role of poplars and willows as multi-purpose species;
. poplar and willow breeders should work cooperatively with other disciplines towards meeting specific needs in planting stock for different growing systems and end products.
26. Members of the Working Party presented the following conclusions and recommendations to the Executive Committee:
. a Working Party was required that dealt with poplar and willow production systems in an integrated manner. The Biomass Production Systems Working Party was already fulfilling this function, which was broader than its original mandate. It is recommended that the 20th Session of the IPC be asked to change the name of the Working Party to Production Systems for the Salicaceae;
. it is recommended that a report be prepared on the modelling of production systems in the Salicaceae, for presentation at the 20th Session of the IPC;
. a cost-benefit analysis of biomass production systems compared to other land uses has been initiated in Turkey; the results of this study will be of wider interest to Working Party members;
. the importance of poplars and willows to social forestry in Turkey and other countries is recognized; member countries should investigate the opportunities for technical assistance to support such programmes;
. activities of the working parties should include studies of the specific requirements for the growth of poplars and willows in the more northerly regions, including Scandinavia, and the northern parts of North America and China.
