Abstract
Pterogyne nitens is commonly known in northeastern Brazil as a lesser-known fast-growing species in the Caatinga biome, which is a difficult place for tree development due to the low natural fertility soils and low availability of water. Due to the importance of expanding information about the anatomical wood properties of Caatinga native species, the aim of this work was to characterize the anatomical elements, to macroscopically describe the wood and make inferences about its possible end-uses. Maceration was performed which enabled measuring fiber dimensions, pore frequency and the following technological indexes: cell wall fraction, slenderness ratio, Runkel index and flexibility coefficient. Histological sections enabled describing the arrangements of the cellular elements in different observation sections and to determine the pore diameter. P. nitens wood has anatomical arrangements characterized by confluent axial parenchyma, being diffuse-porous with the presence of tylosis and heterogeneous/stratified rays (biseriate). The fibers were classified as very short (length 0.81 mm), not flexible and Runkel index 0.82. The pores were few in number with a frequency of 32.9 pores/mm2, distributed in a diffuse format and many were obstructed by tylosis. Based on the anatomical results and considering other technological studies, P. nitens wood is most suitable for charcoal production.
Highlights
The Caatinga, the only exclusively Brazilian biome, is characterized as a developing region, as the population suffers from the social effects of having a low Human Development Index (HDI), and the people are often searching the forests for means of subsistence
The Pterogyne nitens Tul. species is known in northeastern Brazil as amendoim-bravo or madeira nova, and is considered a fast-growing species in the Caatinga
The P. nitens species has a straight trunk and elevated diameter breast height (DBH), even without any type of silvicultural development; it often has the presence of several trunks from the same root base
Summary
The Caatinga, the only exclusively Brazilian biome, is characterized as a developing region, as the population suffers from the social effects of having a low Human Development Index (HDI), and the people are often searching the forests for means of subsistence. The P. nitens species has a straight trunk and elevated diameter breast height (DBH), even without any type of silvicultural development; it often has the presence of several trunks from the same root base This species has moderate growth speed with an average annual increase of 7 m 3/ha/year, and reaches about 9 m in height at 14 years o ld[4]. Technological studies on wood are essential to subsidize future exploitation and to better use the raw material in order to develop energetic materials from forest biomass in socially and environmentally vulnerable areas. Another important consideration is to produce scientific knowledge in areas of low productive interest, where. They are places which have species with productive potential and adaptation to other regions and/or interesting technological characteristics to be better studied
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