Non-structural Purposes Research Articles

Prospects for improvement by site amelioration, breeding, and protection

Five characteristics of wood that greatly effect its technical properties for joinery, structural and non-structural purposes are density, texture, grain direction, size and number of knots and fibre characteristics. These are influenced by rate of growth, straightness and taper of the stem, distribution of dry matter between foliage, branches, stem and roots and the resistance of trees to the damaging effects of wind, insects, disease and animals. The prospects for improving the yield and technical properties of wood depend mainly on climate, soil, methods of cultivation, supplementary nutrition, spacing and thinning, knowledge of genetical and physiological factors and control of insect pests, diseases and animals. There are numerous pathways to improvement and gains of 30 % over current norms appear practicable.