Abstract
The leaf cuticular wax composition (fatty acids,
n-alcohols,
n-aldehydes, and
n-alkanes) and biomass productivities of six
Salix clones grown under similar environmental conditions were determined. Contrary to previous studies, no relationship was found between wax composition and biomass productivity.
The leaf cuticular waxes of six
Salix clones (one
Salix miyabeana, one
Salix dasyclados, one
Salix eriocephala, two
Salix purpurea, and one interspecific hybrid of
Salix eriocephala × interior) with different biomass productivities were characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Total wax content ranged from 6.3 to 16.8
μg cm
−2, and two distinct patterns of wax were measured. The wax from leaves of
S. dasyclados ‘SV1’ differed from all other clones and was dominated by fatty acids (42%), high concentrations of
n-alkanes (25%) and
n-alcohols (28%), with low
n-aldehyde content (4%). All other clones produced cuticular wax dominated by
n-alcohols (32–51%), particularly 1-hexacosanol, with fatty acids (14–37%) and
n-aldehydes (19–26%) present in lower abundances. Clones of
Salix grown under identical environmental conditions produce noticeably different amounts of cuticular wax. In contrast to previous studies of
Salix, total wax content was independent of biomass productivity, measured as basal area, suggesting that wax production is not directly linked with woody biomass production by shrub willows under these site conditions.