Abstract
This study set out to determine which environmental factors of growth and silvicultural practices can affect the properties of Eucalyptus robusta coppice wood and also to study variability in those properties depending on the factors. Hundred and thirty-five coppice logs aged 2 to 10 years were collected from five zones in the Highlands of Madagascar. Wood density at 12% moisture content was measured by X-ray microdensitometry. Chemical properties, such as the total extractives, Klason lignin and holocellulose contents were predicted using near infrared spectrometry prediction models. The results significantly showed (p-value<0,001) that wood density (543 – 836 kg/m3), total extractives (3,1 – 9,8%) and Klason lignin content (24,6 – 35,3%) increased with age, with the opposite occurring for holocellulose (63,8 – 69,9%). Wood density also varied significantly (p-value<0,001) depending on the zones, which was not the case for chemical properties. The densest woods were found at the hottest zones with less acid soils. Woods were less dense in zones, charac-terized by high rainfall and a soil rich in nitrogen and organic carbon. The plantation spacing, elevation of the zone and soil texture did not significantly affect wood properties
Highlights
The fact that the genus Eucalyptus adapts to a broad range of environments offers enormous possibilities for producing multi-purpose woods to meet increasing demands worldwide (Hein et al 2012)
The extractives, Klason lignin and holocellulose rates varied from 3,1 to 9,8%, 24,6 to 35,3% and 63,8 to 69,9% respectively, but did not differ significantly between the regions (p-value>0,05)
Wood density is low in wetter zones with soils richer in nitrogen and carbon
Summary
The fact that the genus Eucalyptus adapts to a broad range of environments offers enormous possibilities for producing multi-purpose woods to meet increasing demands worldwide (Hein et al 2012). This makes this genus one of the most widely grown in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world (Gion et al 2011). According to Gonçalves et al (2004), Thomas et al (2007), Zobel and Buijtenen (2012), these properties vary depending on the growing environment and genetic factors. The environmental factors are the annual mean temperature, annual mean rainfall, elevation, along with soil chemical properties and texture, plantation spacing, and rotation length (Cutter et al 2007, Zobel and Buijtenen 2012)
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