Manual de cultivo de Populus spp. para la producción de biomasa con fines energéticos

The need to find alternatives to fossil fuels has promoted the production of energy from renewable sources in Spain. The use of specifically designed crops to obtain biomass, the so-called “energy crops”, allows the resource production to be planned and also provides an alternative to the abandonment of traditional crops in rural areas. This document aims to provide guidance on the most relevant aspects to be considered when attempting to establish a plantation for the production of biomass using species and hybrids of the genus Populus. Hence, it highlights the essential requirements for the establishment of this type of plantation and deals with the most relevant issues related to the implantation of the crop such as the choice of site, plant material, density and rotation length as well as the most relevant cultural management aspects. Finally, information is provided on the mechanization processes involved at each crop stage, including harvesting.