Thinning effects on wood quality of slash pine

Abstract

This paper deals with the effect of thinning intensities on the wood quality of Pinus elliottii Engelm var. elliottii produced in plantations located in Southern Brazil. The following properties were analized: growth ring width, basic density, late wood percentage, fiber angle, chemical composition, fiber dimensions, shrinkage and static bending strength. The results pointed out that a higher thinning intensity increases basic density, late wood percent, growth ring width, grain angle, as well as tracheid and lumen diameter. Tracheid lenght and shrinkage decreased with increasing thinning intensity. Chemical composition and cell wall thicknesses were not affected. Wood produced in plots where 25% of its basal area was thinned had the higher static bending strength.