The effect of nitrogen and copper on characteristics of wood tissue in Pinusradiata

Abstract

Seedling form, biomass production, and wood characteristics were examined in Pinusradiata D. Don seedlings grown in a glasshouse under the influence of high or low nitrogen concentrations and with or without copper treatments. Environments with low amounts of copper resulted in severe stem deformation associated with low foliar copper concentrations and low lignification of wood. High-nitrogen treatments resulted in an increase in foliar biomass production and stem deformation and a reduction in root biomass but did not increase stem height. Stem lignin concentrations were positively correlated with foliar copper concentrations. Low lignification of wood was found to be responsible for an inability to recover from deformation rather than an increased susceptibility to deformation. Similarly, the high-nitrogen treatment was associated more with impairing seedling recovery than with increasing susceptibility to deformation. Reductions in the net microfibril angle in the wood cell wall were positively correlated with stem lean but were not associated with any treatment effects.