Grandis Trees Research Articles

Effects of potassium and sodium supply on drought-adaptive mechanisms in Eucalyptus grandis plantations.

A basic understanding of nutrition effects on the mechanisms involved in tree response to drought is essential under a future drier climate. A large-scale throughfall exclusion experiment was set up in Brazil to gain an insight into the effects of potassium (K) and sodium (Na) nutrition on tree structural and physiological adjustments to water deficit. Regardless of the water supply, K and Na supply greatly increased growth and leaf area index (LAI) of Eucalyptus grandis trees over the first 3yr after planting. Excluding 37% of throughfall reduced above-ground biomass accumulation in the third year after planting for K- supplied trees only. E.grandis trees were scarcely sensitive to drought as a result of the utilization of water stored in deep soil layers after clear-cutting the previous plantation. Trees coped with water restriction through stomatal closure (isohydrodynamic behavior), osmotic adjustment and decrease in LAI. Additionally, droughted trees showed higher phloem sap sugar concentrations. K and Na supply increased maximum stomatal conductance, and the high water requirements of fertilized trees increased water stress during dry periods. Fertilization regimes should be revisited in a future drier climate in order to find the right balance between improving tree growth and limiting water shortage.

Effect of Thermal Modification on the Physical Properties of Juvenile and Mature Woods of Eucalyptus grandis

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment on the physical properties of juvenile and mature woods of Eucalyptus grandis. Boards were taken from 30-year-old E. grandis trees. The boards were thermally modified at 180 °C in the Laboratory of Wood Drying and Preservation at UNESP, Botucatu, Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The results showed that thermal modification caused: (1) decrease of 6.8% in the density at 0% equilibrium moisture content of mature wood; (2) significant decreases of 14.7% and 35.6% in the maximum volumetric swellings of juvenile and mature woods, respectively; (3) significant decreases of 13.7% and 21.3% in the equilibrium moisture content of juvenile and mature woods, respectively. The influence of thermal modification in juvenile wood was lower than in mature wood and caused greater uniformity in the physical variations between these types of wood in E. grandis.

Influence of potassium and sodium nutrition on leaf area components in Eucalyptus grandis trees

Recent studies showed a positive tree response to Na addition in K-depleted tropical soils. Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of K and Na fertilizations on leaf area components for a widely planted tree species. Leaf expansion rates, as well as nutrient, polyol and soluble sugar concentrations, were measured from emergence to abscission of tagged leaves in 1-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantations. Leaf cell size and water status parameters were compared 1 and 2 months after leaf emergence in plots with KCl application (+K), NaCl application (+Na) and control plots (C). K and Na applications enhanced tree leaf area by increasing both leaf longevity and the mean area of individual leaves. Higher cell turgor in treatments +K and +Na than in the C treatment resulting from higher concentrations of osmotica contributed to increasing both palisade cell diameters and the size of fully expanded leaves. Intermediate total tree leaf area in treatment +Na compared to treatments C and +K might result from the capacity of Na to substitute K in osmoregulatory functions, whereas it seemed unable to accomplish other important K functions that contribute to delaying leaf senescence.

Growth characteristics, stress-wave velocity, and Pilodyn penetration of 15 clones of 12-year-old Tectona grandis trees planted at two different sites in Indonesia

Tree improvement programs for teak (Tectona grandis) have mainly focused on breeding of trees with superior growth characteristics. However, improvement in wood quality should be included in breeding programs for high yield and high quality timber. In the present study, growth characteristics [stem diameter (D), tree height (H), and bole volume (V)], stress-wave velocity (SWV), and Pilodyn penetration (Py) were measured for 15 clones of 12-year-old teak trees planted at two different sites in Indonesia to clarify the variations in tree growth characteristics, SWV, and Py among clones, their repeatability, interaction between genotype and environment, and correlations between measured characteristics. Significant differences of all measured characteristics were found among 15 clones at both sites. Their repeatability showed relatively moderate to high values in both sites. These results indicate that these characteristics are closely related to genetic factors. Significant interaction between genotype and environment was found in all measured characteristics. In addition, SWV and Py showed lower interaction between genotype and environment than growth characteristics. No significant correlation was found between growth characteristics and SWV. These results suggest that wood properties and growth characteristics of teak trees can be improved by application of an appropriate tree breeding program.

Behavior of the Brown-rot Fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum on Thermally-modified Eucalyptus grandis Wood

In this study, we aimed evaluate the behavior of the brown-rot fungus Gloeophylum trabeum and white-rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus on thermally-modified Eucalyptus grandis wood. To this end, boards from five-year-eleven-month-old E. grandis trees, taken from the Duratex-SA company stock, were thermally-modified between 180 °C and 220 °C in the Laboratory of Wood Drying and Preservation at Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, Sao Paulo state Brazil. Samples of each treatment were tested according to the ASTM D-2017 (2008) technical norm. The accelerated decay caused by the brown-rot fungus G. trabeum was compared with the decay caused by the white-rot fungus P. sanguineus, studied by Calonego et al. (2010). The results showed that (1) brown-rot fungus caused greater decay than white-rot fungus; and (2) the increase in temperature from 180 to 220 °C caused reductions between 28.2% and 70.0% in the weight loss of E. grandis samples incubated with G. trabeum.

Sazonalidade do incremento em diâmetro do tronco de árvores de <i>Eucalyptus grandis</i> pelo uso de dendrômetros

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050987557O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a sazonalidade do incremento em diâmetro do tronco de árvores de Eucalyptus grandis e sua relação com as variáveis climáticas e de fertilização nitrogenada e com lodo de esgoto. As árvores foram plantadas no espaçamento de 3 x 2 m e fertilizadas com nitrogênio (plantio, 6, 12, 18 meses) e lodo de esgoto (plantio e 8 meses), sendo selecionadas 20 árvores de eucalipto por tratamento, de acordo com a distribuição de área basal do povoamento, instalados dendrômetros de aço no DAP e mensurado o incremento em diâmetro de fevereiro/2006 a fevereiro/2008. Os resultados permitem concluir que houve efeito das variáveis climáticas na sazonalidade do incremento em diâmetro do tronco das árvores de eucalipto, sendo observado um período de defasagem (lag) de 28 dias para a resposta das árvores em relação às variáveis climáticas. Com relação ao efeito da fertilização, determinou-se que o incremento em diâmetro do tronco foi maior nas árvores de eucalipto com tratamento de lodo de esgoto em relação à adubação mineral com nitrogênio.

Mixing Eucalyptus and Acacia trees leads to fine root over-yielding and vertical segregation between species

The consequences of diversity on belowground processes are still poorly known in tropical forests. The distributions of very fine roots (diameter <1 mm) and fine roots (diameter <3 mm) were studied in a randomized block design close to the harvest age of fast-growing plantations. A replacement series was set up in Brazil with mono-specific Eucalyptus grandis (100E) and Acacia mangium (100A) stands and a mixture with the same stocking density and 50% of each species (50A:50E). The total fine root (FR) biomass down to a depth of 2 m was about 27% higher in 50A:50E than in 100A and 100E. Fine root over-yielding in 50A:50E resulted from a 72 % rise in E. grandis fine root biomass per tree relative to 100E, whereas A. mangium FR biomass per tree was 17% lower than in 100A. Mixing A. mangium with E. grandis trees led to a drop in A. mangium FR biomass in the upper 50 cm of soil relative to 100A, partially balanced by a rise in deep soil layers. Our results highlight similarities in the effects of directional resources on leaf and FR distributions in the mixture, with A. mangium leaves below the E. grandis canopy and a low density of A. mangium fine roots in the resource-rich soil layers relative to monospecific stands. The vertical segregation of resource-absorbing organs did not lead to niche complementarity expected to increase the total biomass production.

Strategic Management of an Invasive Ant‐scale Mutualism Enables Recovery of a Threatened Tropical Tree Species

AbstractMutualisms between invasive ants and honeydew‐producing insects can have widespread negative effects on natural ecosystems. This is becoming an increasingly serious problem worldwide, causing certain ecosystems to change radically. Management of these abundant and influential mutualistic species is essential if the host ecosystem is to recover to its former non‐invaded status. This negative effect is particularly prevalent on some tropical islands, including Cousine Island, Seychelles. On this island, the invasive ant Pheidole megacephala has caused serious indirect damage to the threatened native Pisonia grandis trees via a mutualism with an invasive scale insect, Pulvinaria urbicola. We aimed to suppress the ant, thereby decoupling the mutualism and enabling recovery of the Pisonia trees. We treated all areas where ant pressure was high with a selective formicidal bait, which was deployed in custom‐made bait stations designed to avoid risk of treatment to endemic fauna. In the treated area, ant foraging activity was reduced by 93 percent and was followed by a 100 percent reduction in scale insect density. Abundance of endemic herbivorous insects and herbivorous activity increased significantly, however, after the decline in mutualistic species densities. Despite the native herbivore increase, there was considerable overall improvement in Pisonia shoot condition and an observed increase in foliage density. Our results demonstrate the benefit of strategic management of highly mutualistic alien species to the native Pisonia trees. It also supports the idea that area‐wide suppression is a feasible alternative to eradication for achieving positive conservation management at the level of the forest ecosystem.

Inter-cropped perennial legumes in commercial eucalyptus spp. plantations enhance soil quality

Area planted with Eucalyptus spp. in Uruguay has largely increased in the last fi fteen years, mainly through afforestation of grasslands. Such changes in land use are known to affect soil properties, including increased soil acidity and exchangeable aluminum, decreased organic carbon content and water retention capacity, as well as changes in soil enzyme activities. The low mineralization rate of tree litter due to its high C:N ratio is suggested to be in the base of changes in soil properties. Our assumption was that the 2-year period between Eucalyptus grandis plantation and tree canopy closure allows the commercial forest to benefi t from the inclusion of an inter-cropped perennial legume. The aim of this research was to test if inter-cropping an adapted (native) legume can supply nitrogen from the atmosphere to the system, contributing to soil conservation through enhanced soil microbial activity and nutrient cycling, while improving tree growth. A fi eld experiment was carried out in a commercial forest area to assess the effects of perennial Desmanthus species ( virgatus , illinoensis and bicornutus ) intercropped between tree rows on soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities (soil quality indicators); legume shoot dry matter and total nitrogen content; and tree diameter at breast height. Enhanced soil microbial biomass, soil respiration and hydrogenase activities were associated to legume inclusion. Both D. illinoensis and D. virgatus contributed comparable amounts of nitrogen to the system when inoculated with effective rhizobia. Tree diameter 12 months after planting was 6.5 cm in average when Desmanthus spp. were intercropped and 5.6 cm when trees grew without the legume. The results indicate a direct and positive effect of intercropped legumes in Eucalyptus plantations on soil quality and early tree growth. An increase in soil microbial activities may lead to enhanced nutrient biogeochemical cycles, increased soil fertility and improved agroecosystem sustainability.

Physical and mechanical properties of thermally modified wood from E. grandis

This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of thermal treatment on the physical and mechanical properties of Eucalyptus grandis wood. Boards were taken from 5.9-year-old E. grandis trees. The boards were thermally modified at temperatures up to 220°C in the Laboratory of Wood Drying and Preservation from UNESP, Botucatu, SP, in Brazil. The results indicated that the thermal modification caused significant decreases of up to: (1) 49.3% and 10.5% in the equilibrium moisture content and in the density of wood, respectively; (2) 53.3% in the volumetric swelling; (3) 52.3% in the modulus of rupture at static bending, without changes in the compressive strength parallel to grain and the respective modulus of elasticity; and (4) 20.7% in the Janka hardness. It was found that the specific gravity and compression parallel to the grain test were not the most suitable ones for evaluating the quality of thermally modified wood.

Wood properties of teak (Tectona grandis) from a mature unmanaged stand in East Timor

The wood quality from 50- to 70-year-old Tectona grandis trees from an unmanaged forest in East Timor was assessed. The aim was to evaluate teak in mature stands that had undergone uncontrolled disturbances, e.g., fire and local community usage. Heartwood represented 91% of the tree radius at a height of 1.7 m, and sapwood contained on average nine rings. The mean ring width showed within-tree and between-tree variability. The chemical compositions of heartwood and sapwood were similar. Within-tree chemical variation occurred only in terms of extractives, which increased from the pith (8.3%) to the heartwood-sapwood transition (12.7%) and decreased in the sapwood (9.2%). Overall, the wood properties of teak from a unmanaged forest in East Timor were comparable to those reported for plantation teaks of other origin: 607 kg/m3 basic density, 3.5% and 5.2% radial and tangential shrinkage, 141 N/mm2 modulus of rupture, 10684 N/mm2 modulus of elasticity, and 50 N/mm2 maximum crushing strength in compression parallel to the grain. Disturbances on individual tree growth arising from the unmanaged status of the stand were evidenced by higher within-tree variability of ring width. However, the longitudinal and radial variations of wood density and mechanical properties were of low magnitude and in a degree that did not negatively impact on timber quality.

Functional specialization of Eucalyptus fine roots: contrasting potential uptake rates for nitrogen, potassium and calcium tracers at varying soil depths

1. Little is known about the role of deep roots in the nutrition of forest trees and their ability to provide a safety-net service taking up nutrients leached from the topsoil. 2. To address this issue, we studied the potential uptake of N, K and Ca by Eucalyptus grandis trees (6 years of age – 25 m mean height), in Brazil, as a function of soil depth, texture and water content. We injected -15N, Rb+ (analogue of K+) and Sr2+ (analogue of Ca2+) tracers simultaneously in a solution through plastic tubes at 10, 50, 150 and 300 cm in depth in a sandy and a clayey Ferralsol soil. A complete randomized design was set up with three replicates of paired trees per injection depth and soil type. Recently expanded leaves were sampled at various times after tracer injection in the summer, and the experiment was repeated in the winter. Soil water contents were continuously monitored at the different depths in the two soils. 3. Determination of foliar Rb and Sr concentrations and 15N atom % made it possible to estimate the relative uptake potential (RUP) of tracer injections from the four soil depths and the specific RUP (SRUP), defined as RUP, per unit of fine root length density in the corresponding soil layer. 4. The highest tracer uptake rates were found in the topsoil, but contrasting RUP distributions were observed for the three tracers. Whilst the RUP was higher for -15N than for Rb+ and Sr2+ in the upper 50 cm of soil, the highest SRUP values for Sr2+ and Rb+ were found at a depth of 300 cm in the sandy soil, as well as in the clayey soil when gravitational solutions reached that depth. 5. Our results suggest that the fine roots of E. grandis trees exhibit contrasting potential uptake rates with depth depending on the nutrient. This functional specialization of roots might contribute to the high growth rates of E. grandis trees, efficiently providing the large amounts of nutrients required throughout the development of these fast-growing plantations.

An evaluation of the conical approximation as a generic model for estimating stem volume, biomass and nutrient content in young Eucalyptus plantations

Accurately and non-destructively quantifying the volume, mass or nutrient content of tree components is fundamental for assessing the impact of site, treatment, and climate on biomass, carbon sequestration, and nutrient uptake of a growing plantation. Typically, this has involved the application of allometric equations utilising diameter and height, but for accurate results, these equations are often specific to species, site, and silvicultural treatment. In this study, we assessed the value of incorporating a third piece of information: the height of diameter measurement. We derived a more general volume equation, based on the conical approximation, using a diameter projected to the base of the tree. Common equations were developed which allowed an accurate estimate of stem volume, dry weight and nutrient content across two key plantation grown eucalypt species, Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden and Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.). The conical model was developed with plantation-grown E. grandis trees ranging from 0.28 to 15.85 m in height (1.05 g to 80.3 kg stem wood dry weight), and E. globulus trees ranging from 0.10 to 34.4 m in height (stem wood dry weight from 0.48 g to 652 kg), grown under a range of contrasting cultural treatments, including spacing (E. grandis), site (E. globulus) and fertilization (nitrogen and phosphorus) for both species. With log transformed data the conical function (Vcon) was closely related to stem sectional volume over bark and stem weight (R2 = 0.996 and 0.990, respectively) for both E. grandis and E. globulus, and the same regressions can be applied to both species. Back transformed data compared with the original data yielded modelling efficiencies of 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. Relationships between Vcon and bark dry weight differed for the two species, reflecting differing bark characteristics. Young trees with juvenile foliage had a different form of relationship to older trees with intermediate or adult foliage, the change of slope corresponding to heights about 1.5 m for E. grandis and age 1 year for E. globulus. The Vcon model proved to be robust, and unlike conventional models, does not need additional parameters for estimating biomass under different cultural treatments. More than 99% of the statistical variance of the logarithm of biomass was accounted for in the model. Vcon captures most of the change in stem taper associated with cultural treatments and some of the change in stem form that occurs after the crown base has lifted appreciably. Fertilization increased N and P concentrations in stem wood and bark, and regressions to estimate N and P contents (the products of biomass and concentration) were dependent on treatment. For instance, there was a large growth response to N fertilization in E. globulus corresponding with a change (P < 0.05) in the intercept of the regression to estimate N content.

The long‐term survival of Phytophthora cinnamomi in mature Banksia grandis killed by the pathogen

SummaryThe ability of Phytophthora cinnamomi to survive long dry periods is the key to its persistence in the south‐west of Western Australia. It has been proposed that dead Banksia grandis are a significant long‐term reservoir for P. cinnamomi inoculum. To test this, 36 healthy B. grandis trees were inoculated in April 1999, and the presence of viable propagules in planta was determined between 2 and 34 months after tree death. By 10 months after inoculation, 75% of the trees had died, with the remaining seven trees dying by 22 months. The pathogen was more commonly recovered from bark than from wood, except from those trees that died at 22 months, and more commonly from above‐ground trunks than below‐ground trunks and roots until 8 months after plant death. In trees that died 12 months after inoculation, P. cinnamomi was recovered from 60% of trunk and root core samples at 3 months, declining to 33% at 10 months, 5.5% at 12 months and 0.1% at 34 months after tree death. In trees that died at 22 months, P. cinnamomi was recovered from 87% of trunk and root samples 2 months after tree death, decreasing to 0.5% by 33 months. This study suggests that the pathogen does not have a saprotrophic phase within dead B. grandis tissue, and B. grandis is unlikely to be a long‐term reservoir for P. cinnamomi. However, the manipulation of the density of B. grandis and the use of fire to facilitate the breakdown of dead Banksia trunks in the Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) forest may reduce the spread and impact of P. cinnamomi.

AVALIAÇÃO DO PERFIL RADIAL DO LENHO DE ÁRVORES DE TECA (Tectona grandis L.f.), ATRAVÉS DA TOMOGRAFIA DE IMPULSO

Tomography constitutes one of the most important non-destructive methods of non-destructive analysis, evaluating the velocity of mechanical waves through the wood and producing images of the radial profile of teak wood by means of impulse. In this paper, the impulse tomography was applied in the wood of 20 Tectona grandis trees and the images were analyzed. The results showed: i) the generation of mechanical waves in wood with mean speed of 1,087 m/s; ii) the variation coefficient of 19.81%, with low variability, demonstrating the effectiveness of the method; and iii) the internal defects in wood detected in tomography images through color difference.

Crescimento em diâmetro do tronco das árvores de Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill. ex. Maiden e relação com as variáveis climáticas e fertilização mineral

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o incremento em diâmetro do tronco de árvores de Eucalyptus grandis por 24 meses e sua relação com as variáveis climáticas e fertilização mineral. As árvores foram plantadas no espaçamento de 3 x 2 m e fertilizadas com potássio e sódio (plantio, 6 e 12 meses). Foram selecionadas 20 árvores de eucalipto por tratamento, de acordo com a distribuição de área basal do povoamento e instaladas faixas dendrométricas na altura do DAP. Os resultados indicaram efeito da sazonalidade climática no incremento em diâmetro do tronco das árvores, com períodos de máximo e de mínimo crescimento e uma defasagem (lag) de 28 dias, em função da resposta da atividade cambial às variações climáticas. A aplicação de potássio em relação ao sódio e controle promoveu maior taxa de incremento acumulado do tronco das árvores, com valores de 4,14; 3,28; e 3,08 cm, respectivamente.

Estimation of inside-bark diameter and heartwood diameter for Tectona grandis Linn. trees using artificial neural networks

The objective of this study was to obtain neural networks that would precisely estimate inside-bark diameter (dib) and heartwood diameter (dh) and compare to the results obtained by the Taper models. The databank was formed so as to eliminate inconsistent and biased data, and stratified: minimum dib of 4, 6 and 8 cm and minimum dh of 10, 15 and 20 cm. The adjusted Taper model used was the Kozak model. For the fitting of artificial neural networks (ANN), tests were performed to identify the independent variables and the database scope level, i.e., the following input variables were tested: diameter at breast height (dbh), total height (H), height at diameter dib or dh (h) and outside-bark diameter at h (dob), bark thickness at 1.3 m and project, and the scope at database level or project level. The estimates obtained by the neural networks and Kozak model were evaluated by residual graphs in function of the respective diameter observed and graph of the observed versus estimated values. ANN were found to be more efficient in estimating inside-bark and heartwood diameters for Tectona grandis trees than the Kozak model. The variables that must be used to fit the networks are dbh, H, h and dob. Stratification by project results in precision gain, with precision being higher for wider commercial diameters. Thus, linear-type artificial neural networks can be efficient in describing the taper of Tectona grandis trees.

Decay resistance of thermally-modified Eucalyptus grandis wood at 140 °C, 160 °C, 180 °C, 200 °C and 220 °C

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment on the biological resistance of Eucalyptus grandis wood to the decay fungus Picnoporus sanguineus. Boards from 5 years and 11 months old E. grandis trees, taken from the stock possessed by the Duratex-SA company, were thermally-modified at 140 degrees C, 160 degrees C, 180 degrees C, 200 degrees C and 220 degrees C in the Laboratory of Wood Drying and Preservation from UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Samples of each treatment were treated according to ASTM D-2017 (1994). The experiment tested the accelerated decay caused by the decay fungus P. sanguineus on a system of soil-block wood. The results of thermal treatment showed that an increase of temperature of 180-220 degrees C caused reductions of between 15.7% and 82.4% in the weight loss in the samples from E. grandis incubated with P. sanguineus.

A high-density Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) microarray for genome-wide genotyping in Eucalyptus

BackgroundA number of molecular marker technologies have allowed important advances in the understanding of the genetics and evolution of Eucalyptus, a genus that includes over 700 species, some of which are used worldwide in plantation forestry. Nevertheless, the average marker density achieved with current technologies remains at the level of a few hundred markers per population. Furthermore, the transferability of markers produced with most existing technology across species and pedigrees is usually very limited. High throughput, combined with wide genome coverage and high transferability are necessary to increase the resolution, speed and utility of molecular marker technology in eucalypts. We report the development of a high-density DArT genome profiling resource and demonstrate its potential for genome-wide diversity analysis and linkage mapping in several species of Eucalyptus.FindingsAfter testing several genome complexity reduction methods we identified the PstI/TaqI method as the most effective for Eucalyptus and developed 18 genomic libraries from PstI/TaqI representations of 64 different Eucalyptus species. A total of 23,808 cloned DNA fragments were screened and 13,300 (56%) were found to be polymorphic among 284 individuals. After a redundancy analysis, 6,528 markers were selected for the operational array and these were supplemented with 1,152 additional clones taken from a library made from the E. grandis tree whose genome has been sequenced. Performance validation for diversity studies revealed 4,752 polymorphic markers among 174 individuals. Additionally, 5,013 markers showed segregation when screened using six inter-specific mapping pedigrees, with an average of 2,211 polymorphic markers per pedigree and a minimum of 859 polymorphic markers that were shared between any two pedigrees.ConclusionsThis operational DArT array will deliver 1,000-2,000 polymorphic markers for linkage mapping in most eucalypt pedigrees and thus provide high genome coverage. This array will also provide a high-throughput platform for population genetics and phylogenetics in Eucalyptus. The transferability of DArT across species and pedigrees is particularly valuable for a large genus such as Eucalyptus and will facilitate the transfer of information between different studies. Furthermore, the DArT marker array will provide a high-resolution link between phenotypes in populations and the Eucalyptus reference genome, which will soon be completed.

Influence of section lengths on volume determination in eucalyptus trees

The aim of this work was to assess the influence of different section lengths on the determination of eucalyptus tree stem (with bark) volumes and its implications in forest inventory procedures. The 40 Eucalyptus grandis trees used, all from the municipality of Viçosa, Minas Gerais state, were 77 months old. The volume of the stems (with bark), whose maximum diameter was 3,0 cm, was obtained through the Smalian formula, with sections 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 m long. Longer sections lead to overestimations of the volume of the trees' basal part and, consequently, of their total volume. Different statistical tests led to different conclusions regarding the similar volume estimates resulting from experiments using different section lengths4. Volumetric equations adjusted with longer sections may introduce bias errors in forest inventory procedures.