Plantation of "energy willow" in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County

Abstract

One of the basic requirements for energy willow plantations in Hungary is to determine the most suitable
areas for such activity. Furthermore, it is necessary to identify the most suitable varieties for the given
circumstances and to develop the adequate crop-production technology.
3,9 % of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County arable land (282.200,00 ha) is a regularly flooded area (27 181,59
ha), of which 1,4 % is left for a fallow (3.171 ha). There are several coherent, wide expanding areas in the
county appropriate for growing “energy willow”; e.g.: the floodplains of the Upper-Tisza and the reservoir of
the Szamos – Kraszna close (see Figure 1, marked in red).
Benefits of decentralized energy production by growing this plant species may play an outstanding role in the
life of some settlements or even a whole region, thus reshuffling the attitude of inhabitants towards its
environment. However, this is in spite of the fact that most potential biomass and renewable energy resources
in general will represent only a minor role in the future of Hungary’s energy balance.
The insect damage of the “energy willow” was surveyed. What we have come to establish is that the extent of
damage caused by the green willow aphid (Aphis farinosa /syn.: A. saliceti) is variable, while the following
species shall be considered as virus vectors(!): giant willow aphis beetle (Tuberolachnus salignus GMELIN),
the willow-feeding leaf beetles (Galerucella lineola FABRICIUS), imported willow leaf beetle (Plagiodera
versicolor LAICHARTING). We may expect further pestiferous species too.
We observed that already during the second year such insect communities invaded the “energy willow”
plantations which are, on the one hand, typical to willows, and which are, on the other hand, polyphagous
insects. We also saw to appear in the plantation the natural enemies of the insect species which damage the
willow.