ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Radial variation of wood properties of Sengon (Paraserianthesfalcataria) and Jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba)

Esi Fajriani • Julien Ruelle • Jana Dlouha •

Meriem Fournier • Yusuf Sudo Hadi •

Wayan Darmawan

Received: 30 September 2013 / Accepted: 19 November 2013 / Published online: 1 December 2013

� Indian Academy of Wood Science 2013

Abstract Anatomical parameters and density were mea-

sured for each segmented ring to investigate the juvenile

and mature pattern of radial variation for each property of

7 years old Sengon (Paraserienthes falcataria) and Jabon

(Anthocephalus cadamba). Observed patterns were

described using three different models: (I) linearly increase

or decrease, (II) exponential, (III) linearly equal to inter-

cept. The pattern of radial variation showed in both of

species, all properties in vessel elements (vessel frequency

and mean vessel area), fiber length and density in Jabon

had model II. Lumen diameter, cell wall thickness and

density in Jabon had model I and also for fiber diameter of

bottom part in both of species, diameter lumen of upper

part Sengon and cell wall thickness of bottom part Sengon.

Model III had found in fiber diameter of upper part in both

species and lumen diameter of bottom part Sengon.

Keywords Sengon � Jabon � Juvenile and mature

transition � Density � Vessel element � Fiber element

Introduction

The development of human civilization has caused many

problems. One of many problems is an increase of the

consentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the athmosphere.

Planting fast-growing species is one alternative that can be

used to reduce this problem. Moreover, the availability of

wood as raw materials for industry is also a problems that

can be solved by planting fast-growing wood species to

meet production needs. In Indonesia, fast-growing species

has been widely planted in community forests, industrial

plantation forests, etc. Short rotation in the fast-growing

species is feared to lead a large portion of juvenile wood in

the tree (Bao et al. 2001).

Sengon (Paraserienthes falcataria) and Jabon (Antho-

cephalus cadamba) are two kind of superior wood that can

be developed through Industrial Plantation Forest and the

Community Forest. In meeting the wood demand for

companies, industries and individuals, Indonesia has been

using Sengon and Jabon wood from plantations forest

which are generally harvested in short rotations and small

diameter. In this case, Sengon and Jabon, generally har-

vested in cutting age 5–7 years (Darmawan et al. 2013). A

great challenge for wood science to find out how much

portion of juvenile wood and mature wood contained in

fast-growing species in a particular age cut.

Juvenile wood is woody stems displays large progres-

sive changes in in cell features and wood properties from

the pith outwards (Lachenbruch et al. 2011). This empiri-

cally observed pattern of radial variations is called juvenile

and mature wood pattern (Panshin and de Zeeuw 1980).

This pattern is characterized by progressive changes. The

juvenile core is anatomically made of smaller and shorter

fibers with thinner walls and larger microfibril angles, with

a higher lignin content (and a lower cellulose content).

This article was written based on the experimental results conducted

at INRA Champenoux, Nancy, France.

E. Fajriani (&) � Y. S. Hadi � W. Darmawan

Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor

Agricultural University (IPB), Bogor 16680, Indonesia

e-mail: fajriani_esi@yahoo.co.id

J. Ruelle � J. Dlouha � M. Fournier

INRA, Centre de Nancy, UMR 1092 INRA-AgroParisTech

‘LERFoB’, 54280 Champenoux, France

123

J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117

DOI 10.1007/s13196-013-0101-z

Concerning wood properties, juvenile core is reported to be

of lower density, lower stiffness (MOE) and strength

(MOR), higher grain angle, higher longitudinal shrink age,

higher incidence of reaction wood. (Lachenbruch et al.

2011; Clark et al. 2006; Gryc et al. 2011; Koubaa et al.

2005; Adamopoulos et al. 2007; Evans et al. 2000).

The biology of such radial patterns is not simple and

well known. Therefore there is no simple way to determine

a transition between juvenile and mature wood (as the

radial variations differ among species and wood properties)

nor to define silvicultural criteria to limit the magnitude of

radial variations (as optimal combinations of harvestability

age and annual increment). Actually, the juvenile and

mature pattern could be explained by (i) the distance

between the cambium and the living crown, (ii) the cambial

age, (iii) the distance between the cambium and the pith

(Lachenbruch et al. 2011). The juvenile and mature pattern

depends on both species and properties. Moreover radial

patterns never reveals a single nature of juvenile and

mature wood but the kinetics of the transition depends on

properties as well on individual trees and sites (Greskowiak

1997; Lachenbruch et al. 2011).

The juvenile and mature pattern limits industrial uses.

When the transition juvenile and mature occupies a large

portion of processed wood, such a heterogeneity may limit

its use, because heterogeneity is by itself undesired by

industry. Two reasons make the heterogeneity due to

juvenile and mature pattern undesired: on one hand, it will

produce sawings, pulp or veneers of non-constant quality,

on the other hand as a single sawing or veneer could

include both juvenile and mature wood with a strong gra-

dient of longitudinal shrinkage and mechanical properties,

such a gradient induces a greater propensity to distortion

when wood is dried. Moreover, the characteristics of the

juvenile core are usually weaker.

Also in the pulp industry, the presence of juvenile wood

is not desired because juvenile wood has a short fiber, so

the quality of the pulp produced is not good. In addition,

the presence of a high amount of juvenile wood limits its

lumber uses because it is considered to be less favorable

due to lower wood density and higher shrinkage.

Complementarily to Darmawan et al. (2013) who dis-

cussed a transition age between juvenile and mature wood

in order to infer an age of harvestability, this work aims at

characterizing how different properties (density and anat-

omy) change along a radius (the pronounce of the pattern

juvenile and mature, some properties stabilized earlier, the

range of variations observed in harvestable trees (of

diameter 40 cm and age 7 years old) and the consequences

for industrial uses).

Materials and methods

Sample preparation

Two trees of Sengon (P. falcataria) and Jabon (A. cada-

mba) were selected from the plantation site as representa-

tive specimens. The plantation site was located at

Sukabumi region, West Java, Indonesia. The sample trees

were obtained from a plantation forest planted by com-

munity in 2005. The sample trees of Sengon and Jabon

were 7 years old, had a height of branch-free stem range

from 8 to 11 m, and a diameter at breast height level

(1.3 m above ground level) 36 cm for Sengon and 38 cm

for Jabon.

After felling the trees, one disk from log section in

length of 2 m (bottom part) and 6 m (up part) was taken

from each tree of the tree stem. The juvenility sample disks

(Fig. 1) were cross cut from the middle part of the sample

logs and prepared from pith to bark through using a band

saw. The sample were also re-sawed in 2 mm thick from

pith to bark for specimens of density with microtomogra-

phy method (specimen A) and 20 mm for specimen of

anatomical measurements (specimen B). Considering that

distinct growth rings are absent both in Jabon and Sengon

trees, segmented ring was considered to be practically

useful for characterizing variation and patterns of variation

along the tree radius. A specified width of segmented rings

(1 cm) was made from pith to bark and numbered con-

secutively (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Sample preparation

J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117 111

123

Density measurement (Microtomography method)

Density profiles from pith to bark were measured using

X-ray densitometer from the Xylosciences platform of the

INRA-Lorraine center in Champenoux, France. The spec-

imen A were air-dried (±12 %) and scanned to estimate

the air-dried wood density for each segmented ring from

the pith to bark. Each segmented ring (1 cm from pith to

bark) was determined based on the intra-ring microdensi-

tometric profiles. In this study, wood density is expressed

in g/cm3.

Anatomical measurements

Thin sections (25 lm in thickness) were prepared by using

a sliding microtome equipped with a tungsten blade. The

juvenility test specimens were inserted into microtome

holder, and were sliced to produce undamaged thin slices.

An undamaged thin slice was then transferred onto a slide

of 7.5 cm 9 2.5 cm that has a few drops of distilled water

by using drawing brush. Safranin 1 % and Blue astra 1 %

were used in order to easily study the cell structure.

Digital images of transverse sections were captured with

a digital camera mounted on photonic microscope and

analyzed with the ImageJ 1.47s software (http://rsb.info.

nih.gov/ij/) to determine the vessel area, vessel frequency

(vessel number per unit area), fiber diameter, fiber lumen

diameter and cell wall thickness for each segmented ring.

To measure fiber length, small pieces were prepared

from the test specimens by using cutter, for maceration

based on FRANKLIN method with Acetic acid and

Hydrogen peroxide during 48 h in oven at 60 �C. Macer-

ated fiber suspension was placed on a standard slide of

7.5 cm 9 2.5 cm. Safranin 1 % was used for staining.

Ninety fibers from macerated samples were prepared from

each segmented ring and the fiber length was determined

by using digital images of transverse sections captured with

a digital camera mounted on photonic microscope and

analyzed with the ImageJ 1.47s software (http://rsb.info.

nih.gov/ij/). All results were averaged for each segmented

rings to comprehensively record the radial variation from

pith to bark.

Data analyzing

Radial variation profiles of studied parameters were

graphically represented from pith to bark at two different

heights for each tree. Graphs representing the radial vari-

ation profile were used to check the typology of radial

variation for each property. To evaluate transition location,

3 types of model were used. These models are graphically

described in Fig. 2.

Type I, linearly increase or decrease the pattern of

properties from pith to bark showed a linear increase or

decrease. Model regression linear with form:

Y ¼ Yiþ Pi T

Type II, the pattern exhibits quick evolution in

properties in the beginning followed by stabilization that

can be described by an exponential form:

Y ¼ Ym� Ym� Yið Þ exp �T=sð Þ

where Yi is the values of properties in first ring segment,

Ym the final value of the variation curve, T = t-1, where t

is number of ring segment near pith; n is number the first

ring segment, Pi the initial slope, s is the parameter char-

acteristic of the kinetics of the transition from juvenile

wood to mature wood.

To determine the transition location in sample (t), we

assumed that 95 % of the total variability due to age was

accomplished:

Y� Yið Þ ¼ 0:95 Ym� Yið Þ;

which gives T = 3s and thus t = 3s ?1.

The type II model (Greskowiak 1997) described classi-

cally juvenile–mature transition as a first order kinetics (the

rate is proportional to the quantity) where increasing age

acts as a dashpot. Because of this mechanistic meaning,

Fig. 2 Types of models used to

determine transition location

112 J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117

123

such a model was tested as an alternative to polynomial or

two segments models sometimes used (Darmawan et al.

2013).

Type III, linearly equal to intercept, the models are no

adapted as the simplest model Y = Yi ? Pi T (where

Pi & 0) fits better to data. In this last case, the pattern of

properties can be assumed to be stable from pith to bark

with no change.

The best fitting model is selected based on R2 adjusted

criterion taking into account varying number of model

parameters. The parameters of the model (fitted by mini-

mizing the sum of squared differences) and values of R2

and R2 adjusted were calculated using the Origin software.

T-test procedure has been used to give information

about the different between upper part (6 m) and bottom

part (2 m). Amplitude variation was comparison between

the value of last segment (near bark) and first segment

(near pith) to each properties.

Results and discussion

The typology and kinetic of juvenile/mature pattern

All types of radial patterns are observed as showed in

Figs. 3 and 4.

Table 1 summarizes the different models selected for

each property, in the two species and the two different

heights. Table 2 gives the transition location when model

of type II was selected. Table 3 gives the amplitude of

variations.

The juvenile and mature patterns

According to literature, all the measured properties are

expected to vary with typical radial patterns (see ‘‘Intro-

duction’’ section and Lachenbruch et al. 2011). For

example, Wiemann and Williamson (1988) found that

tropical pioneer angiosperm species can have very high

radial variation in wood density.

We have found typical variations in both of species of

Sengon and Jabon, for example the density near the pith is

lower than the density near the bark as in many species. In

the summary tables of radial trends in wood properties

published in Zobel and Van Buijtenen (1989), many spe-

cies are noted as having radial increases, many fewer

decreases. In this research, the results of density showed

that the density varies linearly from each segment and has a

tendency increased from pith to bark. The total vessel area

for both of species Sengon and Jabon increased from pith

to bark. This occured because in the area near the bark,

vessel cell larger with small quantity than area near bark,

vessel cell smaller but higher quantity. If we calculated the

total surface vessel area by number of vessel, we can obtain

the larger area of vessel in mature wood. That related with

Barcık et al. (2006), found out a smaller total surface area

in the juvenile wood of Populus tremula than in the mature

wood. Frequence of vessel cell for both of species

decreased from pith to bark.

Surprisingly, we found a significant number of cases

where no typical variations were observed (Type III model)

especially in cell features as fiber diameter and lumen

diameter.

Mature wood in such fast growth trees

In such fast growth species, it can be suspected that if

transition is determined by age, mature wood (i.e. wood

where property is stabilized after juvenile to mature vari-

ations) could not be observed at harvestable diameter, as

7 years old is very young. However, if it is determined by

radius, it could be. To define when a significant stabiliza-

tion is observed before the diameter of 40 cm, a criterion is

chosen as a transition location t \ D�/2 (i.e. juvenile wood

is only in the core of diameter D�) with the selection of a

type II model.

Fig. 3 Radial variation of

density for Sengon (left figure)

and Jabon (right figure). Red

corresponds to upper height and

blue to bottom height. Points

correspond to experimental

values and dashed lines to fitted

models. (Color figure online)

J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117 113

123

Taking D� = 30 cm, according to Tables 1 and 2,

mature wood is then observed:

– For all vessels properties in both species, excepted the

bottom vessel area in Sengon

– For density of Sengon,

– For cell wall thickness in upper logs of Sengon

On the opposite, typical radial juvenile and mature

patterns are observed but with a not yet reached stabiliza-

tion (Type I model or Type II model with t [ 15 cm) in:

– Fiber length for all heights and species

– Density of Jabon

– Fiber diameter of bottom logs, lumen diameter (except

bottom log of Sengon), cell wall thickness except upper

log of Sengon

In a similar study on fiber length and density at breast

height, Darmawan et al. (2013) concluded that all wood is

juvenile in 7 years old Jabon and Sengon trees. This con-

clusion agrees with our results on fiber length but not on

density as in our study, density reaches stabilization on

Sengon. Moreover, our observations on vessel cells proved

that juvenility ends early for these characteristics. More-

over, juvenile wood extent is larger in Jabon that in

Sengon.

The heterogeneity of juvenile/mature

Beyond the transition kinetics, the range of variations

between juvenile and mature wood is of great importance

for end uses. The lower the radial variations, the higher

wood quality will be, whatever the transition length. For

both species, the amplitude of variations ranges between

0.1 and 0.3 for air dried density, and between 460 and

620 lm for fiber length (Table 3). Lachenbruch et al.

(2011) reported that juvenile wood density is commonly

10–20 % lower than mature wood, whereas in some pine

species (mostly hard pines), the specific gravity of outer-

wood can be as much as double that of corewood. Indeed,

in our species, the amplitude of variations of density is

large and a further question should be to test whether it is

due to silviculture and fast growth, or to specific characters

of Sengon and Jabon. For fast growing and planted poplars

(Populus euramericana cv I214 40 cm at 22 years old),

Greskowiak (1997) mentioned an amplitude of 670 lm for

fiber length variations. Honjo et al. (2005) mentioned

variations of 500 lm for fast growing Acacia mangium.

Our results are thus similar to those observed in planted

and fast growth trees. However fiber length variations

between 150 and 260 lm have been observed by Hosseini

(2006) for oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) in natural

forests. A further question would be to understand why

fiber length variations are enhanced by fast growth.

Comparison of transitions in bottom and upper logs

If juvenile and mature transition is determined by radius

then results of the too heights will be superimposed,

whereas the transition should be at a different radius if

juvenile and mature transition is determined by age or

distance to the crown. For vessel properties, the location t

was higher in bottom logs whereas it is lower for fiber

length. From these results, it can be concluded that the

ageing of vessel and fiber characteristics is not governed

simply by the radius, and are not controlled by the same

physiological processes. The nature of juvenile and mature

pattern is not unique.

Comparison of technological properties of Jabon

and Sengon

From our measurements, the wood quality of the two

species could be valued from (i) criteria of mean values and

(ii) criteria of variations along the radius and between

heights. Obviously, a lower quality is given by both weak

properties and great variations. Industrial uses could

require trade-off between mean values but variations. For

example, for LVL or plywood processing, a density in the

range 0.4–0.5 is allowed but above all, homogeneous

veneers are necessary.

Procedure t-test on SPSS 16.0 has been used to give us

informations about the different between upper part and

bottom part in all properties. The result showed that there is

no significant difference between upper part and bottom

part of each kind properties for both of species.

Concerning the mean values of density, Jabon had

higher density and basic density than Sengon (Table 4).

Martawijya et al. (2005) found out the density of Sengon

Fig. 4 Radial variation of cell wall thickness for Sengon (left figure).

For details on legend see Fig. 3

114 J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117

123

Table 1 Typology of radial patterns

Sengon Jabon

Vessel

VF (n/mm2) II U: R2 = 0.70 II U: R2 = 0.93

B: R2 = 0.96 B: R2 = 0.78

VA (lm2) II U: R2 = 0.90 II U: R2 = 0.95

B: R2 = 0.90 B: R2 = 0.85

Fiber

FL (lm) II U: R2 = 0.97 II U: R2 = 0.99

B: R2 = 0.94 B: R2 = 0.98

FD (lm) III U: R2 = 0.04 III U: R2 = 0.06

I B: R2 = 0.11 I B: R2 = 0.41

LD (lm) I U: R2 = 0.11 I U: R2 = 0.43

III B: R2 = 0.06 I B: R2 = 0.60

CWT (lm) II U: R2 = 0.71 I U: R2 = 0.60

I B: R2 = 0.22 B: R2 = 0.78

Density

q12 % (g/cm3) II U: R2 = 0.58 I U: R2 = 0.93

B: R2 = 0.45 B: R2 = 0.94

U upper part; B bottom part. I, II or III are the selected model

(I linearly increase or decrease, II exponential, III linearly equal to

intercept), R2 is the coefficient of determination (not adjusted), so the

part of variance explained by models I or II. Only significant R2

(p \ 0.01) are retained

Table 2 Transition location t = 3s ? 1 for type II models

Transition location (cm)

Sengon Jabon

Vessel

VF (n/mm2) U 1.1 6.7

B 4.3 9.8

VA (lm2) U 3.4 13.6

B 21.7 12.0

Fiber

FL (lm) U 37.3 165

B 18.3 40

FD (lm) U – –

B – –

LD (lm) U – –

B – –

CWT (lm) U 4.6 –

B – –

Density

q12 % (g/cm3) U 14.1 –

B 7.0 –

Table 3 Amplitude of variations

Amplitude of variation

Sengon Jabon

Vessel

VF (n/mm2) U -1.4 -5.9

B -3.0 -4.6

VA (lm2) U 19506 11973

B 33709 11012

Fiber

FL (lm) U 463 617

B 486 576

FD (lm) U –a –a

B –a –a

LD (lm) U –a -3.4

B –a -4.0

CWT (lm) U 0.42 0.96

B –a 0.73

Density

q12 (g/cm3) U 0.15 0.24

B 0.10 0.31

Amplitude of variations within the range of radius when typical radial

patterns are observed (models I or II). For all models, the amplitude is

calculated as the difference between the property predicted for the last

segmented ring and the one calculated for the first ringa Not calculated because type III

Table 4 The mean value of all the properties with standard

deviations

Part Sengon Jabon

Vessel

VF (n/mm2) Upper 2.17 ± 0.489 6.13 ± 1.80

Bottom 1.80 ± 0.850 5.69 ± 1.58

VA (lm2) Upper 35321 ± 5962 18108 ± 3835

Bottom 30428 ± 11295 14960 ± 3704

Fiber

FL (lm) Upper 1096 ± 154 1288 ± 199

Bottom 946 ± 158 1379 ± 186

FD (lm) Upper 25.15 ± 0.97 23.19 ± 1.26

Bottom 25.58 ± 1.38 23.87 ± 1.26

LD (lm) Upper 21.53 ± 1.06 18.63 ± 1.67

Bottom 21.67 ± 1.33 18.86 ± 1.64

CWT (lm) Upper 1.81 ± 0.15 2.36 ± 0.35

Bottom 1.95 ± 0.14 2.50 ± 0.30

Density

q12 (g/cm3) Upper 0.314 ± 0.052 0.49 ± 0.080

Bottom 0.290 ± 0.038 0.50 ± 0.101

Properties are vessel features (VF vessel frequency, VA vessel area),

fiber characteristics (FL fiber length, FD fiber diameter, LD lumen

diameter, CWT cell wall thickness) and q12 air dried density

J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117 115

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wood range from 0.24 to 0.49 g/cm3 in the average of

0.33 g/cm3, and the density of Jabon wood range from 0.29

to 0.56 g/cm3 in the average of 0.42 g/cm3. Our own

samples are of lower value for Sengon, that could be

explained by more juvenile trees. However, our Jabon tree

is on the average. Such values classify Jabon and Sengon as

very light wood, similar to poplar (Populus sp. as a french

species).

Density is a basic industrial property which variations

could be explained anatomically: density decreases when

the fiber lumen diameter as well as the product of mean

vessel area 9 vessel frequency increase, or when cell wall

thickness decrease. In Sengon of lower density, vessel area

and fiber lumen diameter are higher but vessel frequency as

well as cell wall thickness is lower.

The fiber length of Jabon was 31 % longer than Sengon.

Additional properties of interests for pulp are cell wall

thickness which is 28 % lower in Sengon, and fiber

diameter, which are quite similar.

Criteria of fiber quality for pulp uses have been calcu-

lated (Table 5) according to Rachman and Siagian (1976).

Sengon fibers rank at the highest grade I whereas Jabon is

grade II.

Variations along the radius (juvenile and mature range)

Radial variations of properties have been widely discussed

above. For fiber length and density which are technologically

important, Jabon is more variable than Sengon (see Table 3).

Concerning fiber quality for pulp uses, in Sengon, because

fiber length decreases, juvenile wood is ranked in quality II,

even if other criteria are not changed. In Jabon, several criteria

change in juvenile wood but the total fiber quality remains

always II. Concerning air dried density, juvenile wood of

Sengon is below 0.2 g/cm3 which similar to the lightest

commercial woods as Balsa. In Jabon, density changes from

0.33 g/cm3 which in under minimal density required for

structural uses, to 0.60 g/cm3. Then, for both species, the

weaker properties of the juvenile core really depreciate wood

quality as Sengon is mainly produced for pulp and Jabon

mainly for light structural uses (plywood, LVL).

Variations between upper and bottom parts

For both Jabon and Sengon, the value of density does not

vary between upper part and bottom part. Jabon and Sen-

gon are kind of diffuse-porous species. Based on Okkonen

Table 5 Fiber quality

Sengon Jabon

Mean First ring

bottom

Last ring

bottom

First ring

upper log

Last ring

upper log

Mean First ring

bottom

Last ring

bottom

First ring

upper log

Last ring

upper log

FL (lm) 1015 522 1100 766 1269 1333 974 1596 915 1543

FD (lm) 25.38 25.38 25.38 25.38 25.38 23.53 23.53 23.53 23.53 23.53

LD (lm) 21.61 21.61 21.61 21.61 21.61 18.754 21.19 17.27 18.75 18.75

CWT (lm) 1.89 1.89 1.89 0.90 1.87 2.43 2.07 2.81 1.70 2.73

Grade FL 50 25 50 25 50 50 25 50 25 50

Runkle ratio 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.08 0.17 0.26 0.20 0.33 0.18 0.29

Grade 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 50 100 50

Felting power 40.0 20.6 43.3 30.2 50.0 56.7 41.4 67.8 38.9 65.6

Grade 25 25 25 25 25 50 25 50 25 50

Flexibility ratio 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.80 0.90 0.73 0.80 0.80

Grade 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 50 50 50

Coeff rigidity 0.074 0.074 0.074 0.036 0.074 0.103 0.088 0.119 0.072 0.116

Grade 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 50 100 50

Muhlstep ratio 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 36.5 18.9 46.2 36.5 36.5

Grade 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 50 50 50

Total grade 475 450 475 450 475 300 450 300 350 300

Quality I II I II I II II II II II

Values of fiber quality indices for Sengon and Jabon. The first columns represent mean properties, other present the variations of quality, for the

first and the last ring, and for bottom and upper logs. Fiber indices are Runkle ratio = 2 CWT/LD, Felting power = FL/FD, Flexibility

ratio = LD/FD, Coeff Rigidity = CWT/FD, Muhlstep ratio = 100(FD2–LD2)/FD2; grades are calculated from indices; Total grade is the sum of

grades for each indices and is used to determine quality (three classes I, II, III) (Rachman and Siagian 1976). Models have been used to assess

variations of properties FL, FD, LD, and CWT

116 J Indian Acad Wood Sci (December 2013) 10(2):110–117

123

et al. (1972) for most diffuse porous species, specific

gravity does not change with height.

Fiber length varies differently in the two species: in

Sengon wood, the fiber length in up part was higher than

the bottom part. Whereas in Jabon wood, the fiber length

bottom part was higher than the up part. As we knowed,

within the tree fiber properties gradually increased from

base to top to certain height and finally decreased at the

top. Bath et al. (1990) reported that fiber lenght of Euca-

lyptus grandis increased from stump level to 25 % of tree

height level and then decreased toward to the top. Other

fiber criteria do not vary with height.

Conclusion

Density, vessel area and fiber length increase from pith to

bark for both species. On the contrary, vessel frequency

decreases, and the variable more stable are fiber diameter,

lumen diameter and thickness cell wall. Stabilization was

observed in vessel area, vessel frequency and in density,

but not in fiber length which continued to increase quite

linearly. So, as already emphasized by other authors (La-

chenbruch et al. 2011) there is no unique nature of juvenile

wood that allows to define a single transition age or loca-

tion. Moreover, juvenile and mature patterns at different

heights depend on species and properties, so that it could

not be concluded that juvenile mature transition is gov-

erned by age or distance to crown.

Based on fiber quality, Sengon is the highest quality for

pulp. In both case, juvenile core depreciates strongly

quality class. Further research should investigate whether

wood quality could be control by silviculture, for instance

by tree breeding programs or fertilization. Moreover,

studies of larger tree samples according to climate or soil

will be useful to know what conditions would be more

favorable. Other solutions in wood industries would be to

promote sorting of veneers or chips into different catego-

ries according to position (core or outer wood). Then

homogeneous quality could be produced. The lower core

quality could be improved by treatments, as impregnation.

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