Premise:
Yield improvement of woody bioenergy crops has been the major focus of breeding programs, but biomass quality is also important for conversion to biofuels. Using high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis, the composition of biomass samples from two shrub willow (Salix spp.) yield trial networks representing two distinct datasets were examined. Dataset 1 consisted of 12 yield trials containing 10 genotypes that mainly represented early cultivars from the US breeding program. Dataset 2 consisted of five trial locations containing 19 genotypes from later breeding efforts. The genetic variation in wood composition as well as the ability to modify composition via management, indicate that both new genetic resources and management can be used to optimize biofuel conversion efficiency.