Overview

The research in my lab is focused on breeding, genetics, genomics, and physiology of shrub willow bioenergy crops. Shrub willow (Salix spp.) produce high yields of woody biomass when grown as a dedicated short-rotation crop on marginal or underutilized land. Willow stems are harvested every three years and the plants resprout after each cutback, making willow fields productive for more than 20 years. I direct the largest willow breeding program in North America and collaborate with colleagues at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on studies of willow biomass composition, willow crop management, and regional yield trials.

Research Focus

I direct an applied willow breeding program aimed at selecting new varieties that display improved yield, pest and disease resistance, and optimal biomass composition to support expansion of the commercial willow bioenergy crop enterprise. Together with Jerry Tuskan (Oak Ridge National Lab) and Chris Town (J. Craig Venter Institute), I am leading a project to have the Salix pupurea genome sequenced at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, providing a database of genetic information to speed the breeding program and expand our understanding of woody plant biology. We are developing high-throughput methods to analyze variations in biomass composition in different genotypes of willow produced through breeding and are correlating compositional characteristics with patterns of expression of cell wall biosynthetic genes. My group also collaborates with Greg Loeb (Entomology) and George Hudler (Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology) to better characterize the pests and diseases of willow.

Outreach and Extension Focus

We work with our commercial nursery partner, Double A Willow of Fredonia, N.Y. in promoting expanded cultivation of sustainable willow bioenergy crops. We have developed factsheets to describe the commercial willow varieties developed in our breeding program and common pests and diseases observed in the field. Please see our project web site, Willowpedia, at willow.cals.cornell.edu for more information. I am a faculty partner on the Cornell Cooperative Extension Energy Team and work closely with Mary Wrege of CCE of Oneida County on topics of Ag & Energy.

Instruction Focus

I teach PLBR4030 Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants in the fall semester.

Additional Links

• American Society for Horticultural Science
• American Society of Plant Biologists
• Botanical Society of America
• Cornell University Cooperative Extension Energy Team
• Double A Willow nursery
• Editorial Board for BioEnergy Research
• Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists
• New York Farm Bureau
• New York Flora Association
• Willowpedia
• Link to VIVO profile

Selected Publications

• Lin, J., Gibbs, J.P., and Smart, L.B. (2009) Population genetic structure of native versus naturalized sympatric shrub willows. Amer. J. Bot. 96: 771–785.
• Serapiglia, M.J., Cameron, K.D., Stipanovic, A.J., Smart, L.B. (2009) Analysis of biomass composition using high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis and percent bark content for the selection of shrub willow bioenergy crop varieties. BioEnerg. Res. 2:1-9.
• Purdy, J.J. and Smart, L.B. (2008) Hydroponic screening of shrub willow (Salix spp.) for arsenic tolerance and uptake. Intl. J. Phytoremed., 10:515-528.
• Teece, M.A., Zengeya, T., Volk, T.A., and Smart, L.B. (2008) Cuticular wax composition of Salix varieties in relation to biomass productivity. Phytochemistry, 69:396-402.
• Cameron, K.D., Phillips, I.J., Kopp, R.F., Volk, T.A., Maynard, C.A., Abrahamson, L.P., and Smart, L.B. (2008) Quantitative genetics of traits indicative of biomass production and heterosis in 34 full-sib F1 Salix eriocephala families. Bioenerg. Res., 1:80-90.
• Serapiglia, M.J., Cameron, K.D., Stipanovic, A.J., and Smart, L.B. (2008) High-resolution thermogravimetric analysis for rapid characterization of biomass composition and selection of shrub willow varieties. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., 145:3-11.
• Kuzovkina, Y.A., Weih, M., Romero, M.A., Charles, J., Hurst, S., McIvor, I., Karp, A., Trybush, S, Labrecque, M., Teodorescu, T.I., Singh, N.B., Smart, L.B., and Volk, T.A. (2008) Salix: Botany and Global Horticulture. Horticultural Reviews, Vol. 34, J. Janick (ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, pp. 447-489.
• Smart, L.B., Cameron, K.D., Volk, T.A., and Abrahamson, L.P. (2008) Breeding, selection, and testing of shrub willow as a dedicated energy crop. NABC Report 19 Agricultural Biofuels: Technology, Sustainability, and Profitability, National Agricultural Biotechnology Council, Ithaca, NY, pp. 85-92.
• Plant Patents with co-inventors, L.P. Abrahamson, R.F. Kopp, and T.A. Volk: Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Otisco'. U.S. PP 17,997 issued Sept. 11, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Tully Champion'. U.S. PP 17,946 issued Aug. 28, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Owasco'. U.S. PP 17,845 issued July 3, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Canastota'. U.S. PP 17,724 issued May 15, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Fish Creek'. U.S. PP 17,710 issued May 8, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Oneida'. U.S. PP 17,682 issued May 1, 2007. Fast-growing willow shrub named ‘Millbrook'. U.S. PP 17,646 issued April 24, 2007.
• Lin, J., Gunter, L.E., Harding, S., Kopp, R.F., McCord, R.P., Tsai, C.-J., Tuskan, G.A., and Smart, L.B. (2007) Development of AFLP and RAPD markers linked to a locus associated with twisted growth in corkscrew willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa'). Tree Physiol., 27:1575-83.
• Volk, T.A., Abrahamson, L.P., Nowak, C.A., Smart, L.B., Tharakan, P.J., and White, E.H. (2006) The development of short-rotation willow in the northeastern United States for bioenergy and bioproducts, agroforestry and phytoremediation. Biomass Bioenerg., 30:715-727.
• Cameron, K.D., Teece, M.A., and Smart, L.B. (2006) Increased accumulation of cuticular wax and expression of lipid transfer protein in response to periodic drying events in leaves of tree tobacco. Plant Physiol., 140:176-183.
• Cameron, K.D., Moskal, W.A., and Smart, L.B. (2006) A second member of the Nicotiana glauca lipid transfer protein gene family, NgLTP2, encodes a divergent and differentially expressed protein. Funct. Plant Biol., 33:141-152.
• Smart, L.B., Volk, T.A., Lin, J., Kopp, R.F., Phillips, I.S., Cameron, K.D., White, E.H., and Abrahamson, L.P. (2005) Genetic improvement of shrub willow (Salix spp.) crops for bioenergy and environmental applications in the United States. Unasylva, 56: 51-55.

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