Tree growth performance and estimation of wood quality in plantation trials for Maesopsis eminii and Shorea spp.

Abstract

Plantations of tropical species are becoming an increasingly important source of wood. However, it is important that research trials focus not only on tree growth performance, but also on wood quality. The aims of this study were to assess the growth performance of six commercially and ecologically important tree species from separate plantation trials in Indonesia and to determine the relationships between tree growth and wood quality in terms of the dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOE) and wood density. Forty-eight 7-year Maesopsis eminii Engl. and thirty-five 9-year specimens (7 each of 5 Shorea spp.) were selected from two trials. The MOE, based on acoustic velocity, was indirectly measured to evaluate wood stiffness. Tree-growth performance was evaluated, and correlations between growth traits and acoustic velocity as well as density and wood stiffness properties were estimated. The growth performance of M. eminii in terms of tree volume was significantly different in three different categories of growth (i.e. fast, medium, slow). Of the five Shorea spp. studied, Shorea leprosula Miq. had the highest growth rate, as expected since it is known to be a fast-growing Shorea species. Indirect measurement of wood quality by means of non-destructive ultrasonic methods showed a weak negative correlation between tree volume and acoustic velocity and dynamic MOE. Although each fast-growing tree could reach a merchantable size faster than other varieties or species, wood traits of various species tested were not significantly different based on tree growth rate performance. The findings from this study could be used to improve selection criteria in future breeding trials; indirect measurements of the dynamic modulus of elasticity can be used in mass pre-selection of genetic materials, to choose the most-promising material for in-depth evaluation.

Keywords

Dynamic MOE / Non-destructive test / Selection criteria / Tree growth / Wood quality / Maesopsis eminii / Shorea spp.

References

[1] Ashton MS. Appanah S, Turnbull JS. Seedling ecology of mixed-dipterocarp forest. A review of dipterocaps: taxonomy, ecology, and silviculture, 1998, Bogor: Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

[2] Baar J, Tippnerb J, Rademacherc P. Prediction of mechanical properties—modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity—of five tropical species by nondestructive methods. Maderas Cienc y Tecnol, 2015, 17: 239-252.

[3] Bucur V. Acoustics of wood. Springer series in wood science, 2006, New York: Springer.

[4] Chauhan S, Kumar ANA. Assessment of variability in morphological and wood quality traits in Melia dubia Cav. for selection of superior trees. J Indian Acad Wood Sci, 2014, 11: 25-32.

[5] Chauhan SS, Walker JCF. Variations in acoustic velocity and density with age, and their interrelationships in radiata pine. For Ecol Manag, 2006, 229: 388-394.

[6] Cherry ML, Vikram V, Briggs D, Cress DW, Howe GT. Genetic variation in direct and indirect measures of wood stiffness in coastal Douglas-fir. Can J For Res, 2008, 38: 2476-2485.

[7] Chiu CH, Lin CH, Yang H. Application of nondestructive methods to evaluate mechanical properties of 32-year-old Taiwan incense cedar (Calocedrus formosana) wood. BioResources, 2013, 8: 688-700.

[8] Dzbeński D, Wiktorski T (2007) Ultrasonic evaluation of mechanical properties of wood in standing trees. In: COST E 53 conference—quality control for wood and wood products, Warsaw, 15–17 Oct 2007

[9] Evans J. Plantation forestry in the tropics, 1992 2 New York: Oxford University Press Inc..

[10] Faculty of Forestry (2005) Establishment of an ex situ conservation area and domestication of Shorea spp. and Calamus spp. Final Report ASEAN-EU University Network Programme: Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic in SE-Asia, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor, Indonesia

[11] Fleury SG, Blanc L, Picard N, Sist P, Dick J, Nasi R, Swaine MD, Forni E. Grouping species for predicting mixed tropical forest dynamics: looking for a strategy. Ann For Sci, 2005, 62: 785-796.

[12] Hanum IF, Maesen LJGVD. Prosea plant resources of south-east Asia 11: auxiliary plants, 1997, Bogor: Prosea Foundation.

[13] Hong Z, Fries A, Wu HX. High negative correlations between growth traits and wood properties suggest incorporating multiple traits selection including economic weight for the future Scots pine breeding programs. Ann For Sci, 2014, 71: 463-472.

[14] Horvath B, Peralta P, Peszlen I, Divos F, Kasal B, Li L. Elastic modulus of transgenic aspen. Wood Res, 2010, 55: 1-10.

[15] Howe GT, Jayawickrama KJ, Cherry ML, Johnson GR, Wheeler NC. Breeding Douglas-fir. Plant Breed Rev, 2006, 27: 245-353.

[16] Johnson GR, Gartner BL. Genetic variation in basic density and modulus of elasticity of coastal Douglas-fir. Tree Genet Genomes, 2006, 3: 25-33.

[17] Kang K-S, Son S-G. Growth performances of 100 open-pollinated families in an early test of Maesopsis eminii in west Java, Indonesia. For Sci Technol, 2012, 8: 173-178.

[18] Karlinasari L, Surjokusumo S, Hadi YS, Nugroho N (2005) Nondestructive testing on six tropical woods using ultrasonic method. In: Dwianto W (ed) Towards ecology and economy harmonization of tropical forest resources. Proceedings of the 6th international wood science symposium. Research & development Unit for Biomaterials Indonesian Institute of Science, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Bali, Indonesia, 28–31 Aug 2005, pp 109–116

[19] Karlinasari L, Wahyuna ME, Nugroho N. Non-destructive ultrasonic testing method for determining bending strength properties of gmelina wood (Gmelina arborea Roxb). J Trop For Sci, 2008, 20: 99-104.

[20] Kasal B, Peszlen I, Peralta P, Li L. Preliminary tests to evaluate the mechanical properties of young trees with small diameter. Holzforschung, 2007, 61: 390-393.

[21] Lenz P, Auty D, Achim A, Beaulieu J, Mackay J. Genetic improvement of white spruce mechanical wood traits-Early screening by means of acoustic velocity. Forests, 2013, 4: 575-594.

[22] Millet J, Tran N, Vien Ngoc N, Tran Thi T Enrichment planting of native species for biodiversity conservation in a logged tree plantation in Vietnam. New For, 2013, 44: 369-383.

[23] Mochan S, Moore J, Conolly T (2009) Using acoustic tools in forestry and the wood supply chain. Forestry Commission Technical Note FCTN018. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/FCTN018.pdf/$FILE/FCTN018.pdf. Accessed 15 Dec 2015

[24] Moore JR, Lyon AJ, Searles GJ, Vihermaa LE. The effects of site and stand factors on the tree and wood quality of sitka spruce growing in the United Kingdom. Silva Fenn, 2009, 43: 383-396.

[25] Nguyen H, Firn J, Lamb D, Herbohn J. Wood density: a tool to find complementary species for the design of mixed species plantations. For Ecol Manag, 2014, 334: 106-113.

[26] Oliveira FGR, Sale A. Relationship between density and ultrasonic velocity in Brazilian tropical woods. Bioresour Technol, 2006, 97: 2443-2446.

[27] Oliveira FGR, de Campos JAO, Sale A. Ultrasonic measurements in Brazilian hardwoods. Mater Res J, 2002, 5: 51-55.

[28] Philipson CD (2009) Plant growth analysis of Bornean Dipterocarpaceae seedlings. Ph.D. Dissertation, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich

[29] Phillips PD, Yasman I, Brash TE, Gardingen PR. Grouping tree species for analysis of forest data in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). For Ecol Manag, 2002, 157: 205-216.

[30] Pinard MA, Davidson GW, Daning A. Effects of trenching on growth and survival of planted Shorea parvifolia seedlings under pioneer stands in a logged-over forest. Trop For Sci, 1998, 10: 505-515.

[31] Schwarzwaller W, Chai FYC, Hahn-Schilling B. Growth characteristics and response to illumination of some shorea species in the logged-over mixed dipterocarp forest of Sarawak, Malaysia. J Trop For Sci, 1999, 11: 554-569.

[32] Seng OD (1990) Berat jenis dari jenis-jenis kayu Indonesia dan pengertian beratnya kayu untuk keperluan praktek [Specific gravity of Indonesian woods and its significance for practical use). Departemen Kehutanan Pengumuman nr. 13, Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Hasil Hutan, Bogor, Indonesia

[33] Sheikh Ali IB (2006) A manual of enrichment planting in logged-over forests in Peninsular Malaysia: Malaysian-ITTO Project on sustainable forest management and development in Peninsular Malaysia: PD 185/91 Rev. 2(F) Phase 11, Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[34] Shono K, Davies SJ, Chua YK. Performance of 45 native tree species on degraded lands in Singapore. J Trop For Sci, 2007, 19: 25-34.

[35] Slik JWF. Estimating species-specific wood density from the genus average in Indonesian trees. J Trop Ecol, 2006, 22: 481-482.

[36] Sukendro A, Sugiarto E. The growth response of saplings Shorea leprosula Miq, Shorea mecistopteryx Ridley, Shorea ovalis (Korth) Blume and Shorea selanica (Dc) Blume toward sunlight intensity level. J Silvikultur Trop, 2012, 3: 22-27. (in Indonsian)

[37] Suzuki E. Diversity in specific gravity and water content of wood among Borneon tropical rainforest trees. Ecol Res, 1999, 11: 211-224.

[38] Teles RF, Del Menezzi CS, de Souza F, de Souza MR. Nondestructive evaluation of a tropical hardwood: interrelationship between methods and physical-acoustical variables. Ciência da Madeira Pelotas, 2011, 2: 1-14.

[39] Urhan OS, Kolpak SE, Jayawickrama KJS, Howe GT. Early genetic selection for wood stiffness in juvenile Douglas-fir and western hemlock. For Ecol Manag, 2014, 320: 104-117.

[40] Vikram V, Cherry ML, Briggs D, Cress DW, Evans R, Howe GT. Stiffness of Douglas-fir lumber: effects of wood properties and genetics. Can J For Res, 2011, 41: 1160-1173.

[41] Wang X, Ross RJ, McClellan M, Barbour RJ, Erickson JR, Forsman JW, McGinnis GD. Nondestructive evaluation of standing trees with a stress wave method. Wood Fiber Sci, 2001, 33: 522-533.

[42] Widiyatno, Purnomo S, Soekotjo, Naiem M, Hardiwinoto S, Kasmujiono. The growth of selected Shorea spp. in secondary tropical rain forest: the effect of silviculture treatment to improve growth quality of Shorea spp. Procedia Environ Sci, 2013, 17: 160-166.

[43] Widiyatno Soekotjo, Naiem M, Purnomo S, Setiyanto PE. Early performance of 23 Dipterocarp species planted in logged-over rainforest. J Trop For Sci, 2014, 26: 259-266.

[44] Zulfahmi. Nam SH. Genetic variation assessment of Maesopsis eminii using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker. Seed sources technology development for land and forest rehabilitation, 2007, Bogor: RSSNC (Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center).