Fibre length, microfibril angle and wood colour variation and interrelationships for two radiata pine trees with mild and severe compression wood

摘要

Growth-layer-level radial, circumferential and height variation in fibre length, a selected wood colour parameter (L~*) and microfibril angle (MFA) were determined for a nominally straight and a severely bent radiata pine. The 16-year-old trees were ramets of the same genotype grown on the same site. Visual compression wood was rated as being absent to mild in the straight tree, and being absent to severe in the bent tree. Growth-layer-level patterns of change with stem height and radial direction are strongly matched (particularly for the bent-tree) for fibre length, L~* and MFA; with increasing compression wood contents giving progressively shorter fibres, and lower L~* (darker) and higher MFA values. Correlation between the length, L~* and MFA property-residuals are weak to moderate for the control-tree, and moderate to strong for the bent-tree. A residual property value is the difference between the actual value for a given direction, growth layer, and height position and the mean property value for all measured directions of a given growth layer and height position.