William Macalpine

Name	William Macalpine
Job title	Senior Scientific Specialist - Plant Breeder/Agronomist
Email address	william.macalpine@rothamsted.ac.uk
Department	Protecting Crops and the Environment
Research cluster	SAS-H: Agronomy and Nutrient Flows
ORCID	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9397-9243
Preferred citation	Macalpine, W. J.
Office	Harpenden

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Research outputs

Breeding for novel chemistry in willow: new hetero Diels-Alder cyclodimers based on arbusculoidin and salicortin suggest parallel biosynthetic pathways

Noleto-Dias, C., Lomax, C., Bellisai, A., Ruvo, G., Harflett, C., Macalpine, W. J., Hanley, S. J., Beale, M. H. and Ward, J. L. 2024. Breeding for novel chemistry in willow: new hetero Diels-Alder cyclodimers based on arbusculoidin and salicortin suggest parallel biosynthetic pathways. Plants - Basel. 13 (12), p. 1609. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121609

Miyabeacin: A new cyclodimer presents a potential role for willow in cancer therapy.

Ward, J. L., Wu, Y., Harflett, C., Onafuye, H., Corol, D. I., Lomax, C., Macalpine, W. J., Cinatl, J., Wass, M. N., Michaelis, M. and Beale, M. H. 2020. Miyabeacin: A new cyclodimer presents a potential role for willow in cancer therapy. Scientific Reports. 10, p. 6477. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63349-1

Phenylalkanoid glycosides (non-salicinoids) from wood chips of Salix triandra × dasyclados hybrid willow

Noleto-Dias, C., Wu, Y., Bellisai, A., Macalpine, W. J., Beale, M. H. and Ward, J. L. 2019. Phenylalkanoid glycosides (non-salicinoids) from wood chips of Salix triandra × dasyclados hybrid willow. Molecules. 24 (6), p. 1152. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24061152

Identifying drought tolerant short rotation coppice willows

Macalpine, W. J. 2019. Identifying drought tolerant short rotation coppice willows. F - Theses

Breeding progress and preparedness for mass-scale deployment of perennial lignocellulosic biomass crops switchgrass, miscanthus, willow, and poplar

Clifton-Brown, J., Harfouche, A., Casler, M. D., Jones, H. D., Macalpine, W. J., Murphy-Bokern, D., Smart, L. B., Adler, A., Ashman, C., Awty-Carroll, D., Bastien, C., Bopper, S., Botnari, V., Brancourt-Hulmel, M., Chen, Z., Clark, L. V., Cosentino, S., Dalton, S., Davey, C., Dolstra, O., Donnison, I., Flavell, R., Greef, J., Hanley, S. J., Hastings, A., Hertzberg, M., Hsu, T., Huang, L., Iurato, A., Jensen, E., Jin, X., Jørgensen, U., Kiesel, A., Kim, D., Liu, J., McCalmont, J. P., McMahon, B. G., Mos, M., Robson, P., Sacks, E. J., Sandu, A., Scalici, G., Schwarz, K., Scordia, D., Shafiei, R., Shield, I. F., Slavov, G., Stanton, B. J., Swaminathan, K., Taylor, G., Torres, A. F., Trindade, L. M., Tschaplinski, T., Tuskan, J., Yamada, T., Yu, C. Y., Zalesny, R., Zong, J. and Lewandowski, I. 2018. Breeding progress and preparedness for mass-scale deployment of perennial lignocellulosic biomass crops switchgrass, miscanthus, willow, and poplar. Global Change Biology. Bioenergy. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12566

Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil

Gregory, A. S., Dungait, J. A. J., Shield, I. F., Macalpine, W. J., Cunniff, J., Durenkamp, M., White, R. P., Joynes, A. and Richter, G. M. 2018. Species and Genotype Effects of Bioenergy Crops on Root Production, Carbon and Nitrogen in Temperate Agricultural Soil. BioEnergy Research. 11 (2), pp. 382-397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-018-9903-6

Willow: Then and now

Macalpine, W. J. 2018. Willow: Then and now. Rothamsted Research.

Cultivation and Use of Basket Willows - a guide to growing basket willows

Macalpine, W. J., Burns, H., Hammerin, A., Shield, I. F., Butcher, M., Davies, O. and Bertram, G. 2018. Cultivation and Use of Basket Willows - a guide to growing basket willows. The Basketmakers Association.

Dry matter losses and methane emissions during wood chip storage: the impact on full life cycle greenhouse gas savings of short rotation coppice willow for heat

Whittaker, C., Macalpine, W. J., Yates, N. E. and Shield, I. F. 2016. Dry matter losses and methane emissions during wood chip storage: the impact on full life cycle greenhouse gas savings of short rotation coppice willow for heat. BioEnergy Research. 9 (3), pp. 820-835. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-016-9728-0

Efficient method for rapid multiplication of clean and healthy willow clones via in vitro propagation with broad genotype applicability

Palomo-Rios, E., Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F., Amey, J. S., Karaoglu, C., West, J., Hanley, S. J., Krygier, R., Karp, A. and Jones, H. D. 2015. Efficient method for rapid multiplication of clean and healthy willow clones via in vitro propagation with broad genotype applicability. Canadian Journal Of Forest Research. 45 (11), pp. 1662-1667. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2015-0055

Breeding willow for short rotation coppice energy cropping

Shield, I. F., Macalpine, W. J., Hanley, S. J. and Karp, A. 2015. Breeding willow for short rotation coppice energy cropping. in: Cruz, V. M. V. and Dierig, D. A. (ed.) Industrial crops. Handbook of Plant Breeding 9 Springer, New York. pp. 67-80

Rothamsted Research willow (Salix spp.) breeding programme: multi-site yield trial results 2014

Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F., Walsh, L. R. E., Johnston, C., Mccracken, A. R., Gilliland, J., Wilson, H., Finnan, J., Power, R., Hartmann, H., Weitz, M., White, Robin P. and Karp, A. 2014. Rothamsted Research willow (Salix spp.) breeding programme: multi-site yield trial results 2014. Proceedings 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Setting the Course for a Biobased Economy, Hamburg, 23-26 June 2014 . pp. 116-121

Seed to near market variety: the BEGIN willow breeding pipeline 2003-2010 and beyond

Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F. and Karp, A. 2011. Seed to near market variety: the BEGIN willow breeding pipeline 2003-2010 and beyond. Proceedings Bioten Conference on Biomass, Bioenergy and Biofuels, Birmingham, 21-23 September 2010 . CPL Scientific Publishing, Newbury. pp. 94-104

Rothamsted Research willow (Salix spp.) breeding programme: multi-site yield trial results 2011

Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F., Walsh, L. R. E., Mccracken, A. R., Wilson, H., Gilliland, J., Hughes, A. R., Cunniff, J. and Karp, A. 2011. Rothamsted Research willow (Salix spp.) breeding programme: multi-site yield trial results 2011. Biomass and Energy Crops IV. Aspects of Applied Biology 112 . pp. 263-270

Comparative trials of elite Swedish and UK biomass willow varieties 2001-2010

Lindegaard, K. N., Carter, M. M., Mccracken, A., Shield, I. F., Macalpine, W. J., Hinton Jones, M., Valentine, J. and Larsson, S. 2011. Comparative trials of elite Swedish and UK biomass willow varieties 2001-2010. Biomass and bioenergy crops IV. Aspects of Applied Biology 112 . pp. 57-66

Genetic improvement of willow for bioenergy and biofuels

Karp, A., Hanley, S. J., Trybush, S. O., Macalpine, W. J., Pei, M. H. and Shield, I. F. 2011. Genetic improvement of willow for bioenergy and biofuels. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 53 (2), pp. 151-165. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7909.2010.01015.x

Willow has advanced as an energy crop but is the UK reaping the benefits?

Karp, A., Macalpine, W. J. and Shield, I. F. 2010. Willow has advanced as an energy crop but is the UK reaping the benefits? Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. 171, pp. 55-61.

Mendelian inheritance of rust resistance to Melampsora larici-epitea in crosses between Salix sachalinensis and S. viminalis

Pei, M. H., Ruiz, C., Shield, I. F., Macalpine, W. J., Lindegaard, K., Bayon, C. and Karp, A. 2010. Mendelian inheritance of rust resistance to Melampsora larici-epitea in crosses between Salix sachalinensis and S. viminalis. Plant Pathology. 59 (5), pp. 862-872. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2010.02317.x

The effect of the size of the cuttings planted on the subsequent performance of three contrasting willow cultivars for short rotation coppice

Shield, I. F., Macalpine, W. J. and Karp, A. 2008. The effect of the size of the cuttings planted on the subsequent performance of three contrasting willow cultivars for short rotation coppice. Biomass and Energy Crops III. Aspects of Applied Biology 90 . Association of Applied Biologists (AAB) Wellesbourne Warwick . pp. 225-231

Overcoming barriers to crossing in willow (Salix spp.) breeding

Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F., Trybush, S. O., Hayes, C. M. and Karp, A. 2008. Overcoming barriers to crossing in willow (Salix spp.) breeding. Biomass and Energy Crops III. Aspects of Applied Biology 90 . Association of Applied Biologists (AAB) Wellesbourne Warwick . pp. 173-180

Controlling for competition in neighbouring field plots in a willow (Salix spp.) trial

Gezan, S. A., Macalpine, W. J., Shield, I. F. and Welham, S. J. 2008. Controlling for competition in neighbouring field plots in a willow (Salix spp.) trial. Aspects of Applied Biology. 90, pp. 181-187.

A genetic study of a Salix germplasm resource reveals new insights into relationships among subgenera, sections and species

Trybush, S., Jahodova, S., Macalpine, W. J. and Karp, A. 2008. A genetic study of a Salix germplasm resource reveals new insights into relationships among subgenera, sections and species. BioEnergy Research. 1, pp. 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-008-9007-9

William Macalpine

Research outputs

Projects