Premise:
“The use of mixed models has allowed us to analyze a large yet unbalanced dataset of shrub willow yields in order to characterize GEI. The main findings are incremental increases in yield were achieved through traditional breeding techniques, that interspecific triploid hybrids seem to express the largest yield gains, especially in warmer environments, and that the GEI allows for the identification of cultivars adapted to low and high-yielding environments. This is critical for deploying regionally adapted and high-yielding genotypes for stands expected to be productive over 20 years. As a result of this work we have identified a number of recently bred, high-yielding triploid hybrids from diverse pedigrees that will be advanced for commercialization.”