Biomass Production and Quality of Twelve Fast-Growing Tree Taxa in Short Rotation under Mediterranean Climate

Sustainable production of lignocellulosic biomass for energy use can contribute to climate change mitigation. This work aims compare the twelve fast-growing woody taxa belonging Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Populus and Paulownia genera, quality their its valorizing through transformation into pellets, as well effect crop on soil. Over course two rotations, plant growth were assessed. The yield aboveground dry ranged from 9 61 Mg ha−1 year−1 (equivalent 137–867 GJ year−1). highest yields obtained Eucalyptus clones (51–61 N-fixing species Casuarina equisetifolia × euramericana (‘Adige’ ‘AF2’) also achieved high (28–33 year−1), though significantly smaller than those eucalypts. Due low wood density, fortunei was not very productive in terms (18 despite good diameter height. However, some management practices, such removing nutrient-rich poor-quality fractions (leaves thin branches) harvested crop, by taking account all nutrient inputs outputs, ensure sustainability cultivation systems improve degraded soils.