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Mikko Havimo (email), Juha Rikala, Jari Sirviö, Marketta Sipi

Distributions of tracheid cross-sectional dimensions in different parts of Norway spruce stems

Havimo M., Rikala J., Sirviö J., Sipi M. (2008). Distributions of tracheid cross-sectional dimensions in different parts of Norway spruce stems. Silva Fennica vol. 42 no. 1 article id 266. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.266

Abstract

Distributions of three cross-sectional dimensions: radial and tangential tracheid width, and cell wall thickness in different timber assortments of Norway spruce were investigated. Wood samples from a mature stand were measured with SilviScan. In the analysis, virtual trees were constructed from measurement data, and divided into three assortments: whole stem, top pulpwood and sawmill chips. Average values and distributions of the properties were calculated for all assortments, and distributions divided into earlywood and latewood across the whole tree assortment. There was considerable variation within latewood in all three cross-sectional dimensions, but variation in earlywood was slight in radial width and cell wall thickness. In earlywood, tangential tracheid width showed considerable internal variation, and the difference between earlywood and latewood in tangential width was small. Within-assortment variation of all three properties was larger than between assortments. We may conclude that only a moderate difference in pulp properties can be achieved by sorting raw material into sawmill chips and top pulpwood. Pulp fractionation into earlywood and latewood seems to be a more efficient method, since it gives classes with small within-class variation and distinct average properties. However, it should be kept in mind that the results are valid only in mature stands, where growth rate variation and juvenile wood content are small.

Keywords
Norway spruce; cell wall thickness; earlywood; latewood; tracheid dimension; tangential width; radial width

Author Info
  • Havimo, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail mikko.havimo@helsinki.fi (email)
  • Rikala, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail jr@nn.fi
  • Sirviö, KCL, P.O. Box 70, FI-02151 Espoo, Finland E-mail js@nn.fi
  • Sipi, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Resource Management, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail ms@nn.fi

Received 13 June 2007 Accepted 5 November 2007 Published 31 December 2008

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Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.266 | Download PDF

Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 4.0

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Havimo M., Rikala J. et al. (2009) Tracheid cross-sectional dimensions in Scots pin.. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 4 article id 188
Havimo M., Rikala J. et al. (2008) Distributions of tracheid cross-sectional dimens.. Silva Fennica vol. 42 no. 1 article id 266