A comparative study of the tracheid and crystalline properties of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) wood

Abstract

The tracheid and crystalline properties of earlywood and latewood within the stems of Korean-grown Dahurian and Japanese larches were studied to obtain valuable information for identifying these two species and determining their wood quality. The tracheid length and width were examined via optical microscopy, and the relative crystallinity and crystallite widths were examined using the X-ray diffraction method. The tracheid length and width were greater in the Dahurian larch compared to the Japanese larch. In both wood species, the tracheid length and width increased as the growth ring number increased but stabilized at a certain growth ring number. The relative crystallinity was higher in the Japanese larch wood compared to the Dahurian larch wood, while the crystallite width in both species was similar. Neither the relative crystallinity nor the crystallite width displayed a constant trend from pith to bark. The differences in the tracheid properties and the relative crystallinity of both species could be used to identify them and evaluate their wood quality for their effective utilization.