Nondestructive wood density testing in downy birch and silver birch genetics field trial, southern Sweden

• Non-destructive testing of wood density, as is already done for Eucalyptus, can allow for earlyselection of birch trees for breeding programmes and stands for harvesting. In this work, external stemquality traits were visually assessed in a family trial of downy (Betula pendula) and silver (B.pubescens) birch in southern Sweden. A subsample of trees was measured for wood density using thePilodyn resistometer portable NDT tool. An X-ray microdensitometric analysis of the subsample oftrees was completed using the Itrax X-ray machine for increment cores taken from the south face,through the pith to the north bark at 1.3 m stem height. The Pearson’s r value for Itrax density andPilodyn density was high (0.580 for downy birch and 0.795 for silver birch), and this correlationmeans Pilodyn should provide a good estimate of average birch wood density. Neither species hadstable wood density values at age 13 and both species’ density increased over time from pith to bark.Ring width influence on stem density was minor or non-existant, and may vary between birch species

Ämnesord

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Trävetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Wood Science (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Wood Density; Pilodyn; X-ray Densitometry; Birch Families; Plantations

Forestry and Wood Technology

Skog och träteknik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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