Nitrogen Use and Wood Quality: Designing Efficient, High Quality Feedstocks for Fuel

Nitrogen fertilization has been shown to improve plant growth and biomass production in many plant species. More recently it has also been shown to impact cell chemical and structural properties including chemical composition and fiber length.  Despite these findings, the mechanisms behind the interaction between nitrogen and cell wall formation remain unclear.  There is little research addressing the role of environmental factors such as nitrogen availability on cell wall formation.  The goal of our research is to investigate the impact of various nitrogen sources on xylogenesis and cell wall formation in trees to determine sources of environmental variation seen across ecosystems.  Understanding the impact of nitrogen on xylogenesis and cell wall formation will provide further insight into the apparent, but not well understood link between nitrogen availability and carbon allocation and partitioning in trees.  This research focuses on two deciduous tree species, Populus and Salix.  Both species hold potential as bioenergy feedstocks and this data will be useful in understanding how xylogenesis is controlled and how nitrogen impacts carbon allocation and partitioning in trees.  This information can then be used for the improvement of wood quality for the production of biofuels and other products.