Current issue: 58(1)

Under compilation: 58(2)

Scopus CiteScore 2021: 2.8
Scopus ranking of open access forestry journals: 8th
PlanS compliant
Silva Fennica 1926-1997
1990-1997
1980-1989
1970-1979
1960-1969
Acta Forestalia Fennica
1953-1968
1933-1952
1913-1932

Articles containing the keyword 'stem height'

Category : Research article

article id 7728, category Research article
Liam Donnelly, Sven-Olof Lundqvist, Conor O’Reilly. (2017). Inter- and intra-annual wood property variation in juvenile wood between six Sitka spruce clones. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 4 article id 7728. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.7728
Keywords: productivity; wood properties; Picea sitchensis; clonal forestry; selective breeding; stem height
Highlights: Wood property differences resulted primarily from variation in the proportions of early- and latewood in each annual ring; Width of early- and latewood bands in each ring was found to be a more important determinant of juvenile wood quality than the characteristics of the cells within each band; Wood properties differed greatly between clones, suggesting that there is potential to improve juvenile wood properties through selective breeding.
Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Increased growth rates have reduced rotation lengths, increasing the proportion of juvenile wood relative to mature wood, which may negatively affect mechanical performance of sawn timber. However, there is limited information available on the potential impact of breeding for vigour on juvenile wood in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière). In this study, the relationship between vigour (based on total height) and wood properties was investigated in six-year-old Sitka spruce clones grown in two replicated field trials in Ireland. Six clones were evaluated, two clones from each of three vigour (high, intermediate and low) classes. Discs were cut from the base of one ramet per replication for each clone to assess wood quality attributes. Radial tracheid width was significantly and positively correlated with ring width and height, and was negatively correlated with density. The wood of the most vigorous clone had significantly larger ring width with thinner cell walls and wider tracheids than all clones in the two other vigour classes, resulting in lower mean wood density. Latewood properties for all wood attributes measured differed significantly between the two sites. Wood property differences resulted primarily from variation in the proportions of early- and latewood in each annual ring. Additionally, the width of early- and latewood bands in each ring was found to be a more important determinant of juvenile wood quality than the characteristics of the cells within each band. Wood properties differed greatly between clones, suggesting that there is potential to improve juvenile wood properties through selective breeding.

  • Donnelly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: liam.donnelly@ucdconnect.ie (email)
  • Lundqvist, Innventia Ab, Drottning Kristinas väg 61, SE-114 86 Stockholm, Sweden E-mail: svenolof.lundqvist@innventia.com
  • O’Reilly, UCD Forestry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland E-mail: conor.oreilly@ucd.ie

Register
Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.
Log in
If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.
Contents alert
Sign up to receive alerts of new content
Your selected articles