B/BE/24/V1

The 717-1B4 clone is female. There is therefore no risk of dissemination through pollen. Moreover, as flower development occurs before vegetative bud burst and leaf development, it is very easy to identify and eliminate female catkins, before their full development. But as the branches will not never be older than 3 years (they will be harvested after one, two or three years), the GM poplars are not expected to flower. Suckers are also regularly monitored and destroyed by either removing them or killing them with a contact herbicide. After a storm the site will be inspected for possible fallen branches and these will be removed. The site is designed in such a manner that fallen branches will not disperse by wind from the plot and will remain within the boundaries of a fence surrounding the trial. The field trial plot will be surrounded by a 1.80 m high wire fence to prevent accidental trespassing and accidental removal or spread of GM material.