Shaping the multifunctional tree: the use of Salicaceae in environmental restoration

Poplars and willows (and other fast growing tree species) form an important component of agroforestry systems, providing a wide range of ecosystem services and products. The workshop held in Capracotta (6th and 7th June 2012) has communicated the latest research on poplars and willows in the field of environmental restoration conducted in Italy, providing a condensed overview on their basic response to pollutants and use in environmental monitoring, highlighting future challenges of phytotechnology issues. In the frame of the project MIUR-PRIN 2008 “Molecular, physiological, and agronomic analyses for selecting and managing Salicacee in phytoremediation”, 17 talks were delivered to an audience of more than 50 researchers. Prominence was given to stress biology and the importance of poplar and willow breeding in meeting the needs of ecological restoration. The aim of this review is provide a timely account of the questions related to phytotechnology in shaping the multifunctional tree, particularly with regard to tree responses to environmental pollution. While the question is scientifically challenging, progress may be achieved by exposing the different environmental restoration models and underlying guiding principles to tests against experimental data and each other. Research and development should focus simultaneously on maximizing the yield of multipurpose tree plantations, while preserving or restoring ecosystem services of close-to-nature willow-poplar stands (e.g., riparian forests). We hope that this review will stimulate further studies in this interesting area of tree biology.