UMN commercializes new variety of fast-growing tree

Bayfield, Wisc./Duluth, Minn. – The University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) in Duluth, Minn. is hosting a launch event for a new tree variety on Friday, July 28, 11 – 2 p.m. at Hauser’s Superior View Farm in Bayfield, Wisc. The event will honor the retired NRRI breeding team who devoted much of their careers to this new tree variety.

By volume, InnovaTree™ grows 64 percent faster than leading commercial varieties. Under good conditions, it grows 5-8 feet per year, reaching up to 35 feet in less than 5 years. InnovaTree is NRRI’s first poplar variety on the market and one of many high-performing trees that the hybrid poplar team developed. Beyond a fast-growing landscaping tree for homeowners and conservation plantings, commercial uses include wood chips, pulp, lumber products and pollution remediation.

The patent-pending InnovaTree is the result of over two decades of cross pollination of native cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and European black poplar (Populus nigra).The combined traits increase both growth rate and disease resistance. It will be sold at Hauser’s nursery this summer and expanded to other nurseries next spring.

“For over twenty years, our NRRI team used natural selection and breeding to develop hundreds of poplar varieties in extensively replicated Minnesota and regional field trials,” said Bernard McMahon, NRRI’s now-retired Hybrid Poplar Program Tree Breeder. “I’m eager to see the InnovaTree reach the commercial nursery market, as well as broader use in traditional and innovative research plantings.” 

NRRI’s breeding program, managed by John Du Plissis, Forest and Land Research Group Leader, currently has over 500 varieties archived in a nursery germplasm bank from 1,672 varieties and 115 families in 27 field tests at nine sites in Minnesota, as well as several trials in other states through cooperators. 

“To our knowledge, this collection is among the largest in the United States, and perhaps the world,” said Du Plissis. “It represents a unique and invaluable resource to allow further genetic improvement and development of new markets in an emerging bioeconomy.”

These trees are being evaluated for research and commercial applications in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Research underway includes:

• testing as a phytoremediation tool for removing harmful chemicals and heavy metals from soils and water in a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Research Station. Another test of phytoremediation potential is underway in Canada with four poplar varieties.

• testing of 42 of the NRRI varieties is underway by a commercial wood manufacturer in Europe. The goal of this project is to test the trees for OSB production to reduce the product price.

Since its start in 1996, the program has been supported by the Department of Energy Sun Grant Regional Biomass Feedstock Development Program, DOE Idaho National Laboratory, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the State of Minnesota, the Laurentian Energy Authority, and the forest industry.

More information can be found at.innovatree.umn.edu.