Browsing of poplar clones by wild ungulates is a widespread problem in short rotation coppice (SRC) plantations in Central Europe. We investigated the influence of poplar genotype on ungulate browsing intensity, identified the most browsing-resistant poplar clone and explored its repellent potential. Inspection of 11 poplar clones at 7 unfenced SRC plantations in the Czech Republic revealed the most avoided poplar clone by wildlife was Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii ʻMax-4’. Namely P. maximowiczii contributed to the repellent effect of ʻMax-4’ according to the analysis of impacts of individual parental poplar species on the browsing intensity of their hybrid progeny. In contrast, P. deltoides increased attractiveness of its hybrid progeny for browsing ungulates. Poplar browsing and bark stripping/fraying were not correlated. A subsequent feeding experiment with twigs of two poplar clones that had shown contrasting attractiveness for browsing in the field (intensively browsed P. × euroamericana AF24’ vs. avoided P. nigra × P. maximowiczii ʻMax-4’) demonstrated that red deer hinds (Cervus elaphus L.) bred on an experimental farm preferred ʻAF24’ over ʻMax-4’. There was no difference between consumption of fresh and wilted twigs of ʻMax-4’ suggesting the repellent compounds are stable over time. To uncover the chemical nature of repellent compounds, red deer hinds at the farm were offered grain fodder supplemented with polar and non-polar extracts of ʻMax-4’ shoots, commercial repellent (Stop Z) or empty carrier (controls). Non-polar extract of ʻMax-4’ produced transient feeding avoidance suggesting its potential as a game repellent, though optimisation of the extraction procedure and dosage is necessary.

野生有蹄类动物对杨树无性系的浏览是中欧短轮转小灌木林（SRC）种植园中普遍存在的问题。我们调查了杨树基因型对有蹄类动物浏览强度的影响，确定了最耐浏览性的杨树克隆，并探索了其驱避潜力。在捷克共和国7个无防护的SRC人工林中对11个杨树无性系进行了检查，结果发现，野生动植物最常避免的杨树无性系为黑杨 ×  P. maximowiczii'Max -4'。即P.藓到的忌避效果贡献'Max -4'根据对他们的杂种后代的浏览强度个体父母杨树物种的影响的分析。相反，P。deltoides它的杂交后代对有蹄类动物的吸引力越来越大。杨树浏览和树皮剥离/成帧不相关。随后用两个杨树无性系的树枝进行的取食实验表明，它们在田间浏览时具有明显的吸引力（集中浏览的P.  ×  euroamericana AF24'与避免的P. nigra  ×  P. maximowiczii'Max -4'）表明马鹿会阻碍（鹿L.）在一个实验农场上繁殖，比“ Max-4”更喜欢“ AF24”。食用新鲜和枯萎的“ Max-4”嫩枝之间没有差异，表明驱虫剂随时间推移是稳定的。为了揭示驱虫化合物的化学性质，向农场的马鹿提供了谷物饲料，其中补充了“ Max-4”芽的极性和非极性提取物，商业驱虫剂（Stop Z）或空载体（对照）。“ Max-4”的非极性提取物避免了短暂喂食，这表明它具有潜在的驱避作用，尽管有必要优化提取程序和剂量。