Estimating solid wood properties using Pilodyn and acoustic velocity on standing trees of Norway spruce

• Key message: Strong genetic correlations were observed between Pilodyn measurement and wood density, and between acoustic velocity and MFA. Combination of Pilodyn penetration and acoustic velocity measurements from standing trees can provide reliable prediction of stiffness of Norway spruce for breeding selection.Context: Traditional methods for the estimation of solid wood quality traits of standing tree such as wood density, microfibril angle (MFA), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) are time-consuming and expensive, which render them unsuitable for rapidly screening a large number of trees in tree breeding programs.Aim: This study aims to evaluate the suitability of using Pilodyn penetration and acoustic velocity (nondestructive evaluation) to assess wood density, MFA, and MOE for Norway spruce.Methods: Pilodyn penetration and Hitman acoustic velocity, as well as wood density, MFA, and MOE using benchmark SilviScan were measured on 5618 standing trees of 524 open-pollinated families in two 21-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies) progeny trials in southern Sweden.Results: Strong genetic correlations were observed between Pilodyn measurement and wood density (rg = −0.96), and between acoustic velocity and MFA (rg = −0.94). Combination of Pilodyn penetration and Hitman acoustic velocity measurements (Formula presented.) obtained from standing trees showed a genetic correlation with benchmark MOE of 0.99. This combined MOE(Formula presented.) had higher selection efficiency for benchmark MOE (92 %) compared to 58–60 % using acoustic velocity alone and 78 % using Pilodyn penetration alone.Conclusion: Combination of Pilodyn penetration with Hitman acoustic velocity provided very high selection efficiency for the three most important quality traits for wood mechanical properties in Norway spruce.

Ämnesord

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

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

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

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

Nyckelord

Microfibril angle

Modulus of elasticity

Nondestructive evaluation

Norway spruce

Wood density

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)