Cuttings provide clones of the trees from which they are taken, while breeding generates seeds that grow new trees not identical to either parent. Four field trials are being conducted to determine the fastest growing and most disease-resistant cottonwood varieties. With cottonwood's ability to propagate by cuttings, you can find the best individuals and multiply them many times. By collecting and breeding trees, researchers are trying to preserve the genetic diversity that exists and find the best cottonwoods for a variety of uses. A primary goal is to develop a fast-growing source of cellulose that can be converted to fuels.
Ethanol is an alternative, renewable source for fuels.
Land said there is a growing demand for ethanol, especially in light of the recent surge in crude oil prices reminiscent of the oil crisis of the 1970s. It may cost 10 to 20 cents more at the gas pump to use ethanol, but the process for producing it is clean for the atmosphere and is not affected by international politics. The traditional fuels of oil and coal are non-renewable. As they burn, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Trees are renewable and although they release carbon dioxide when burned, they use more of this gas from the atmosphere as they grow.