Wood density and tracheid length of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) grafts in relation to cambium age and growth rate

Abstract

Wood density, tracheid length and growth rate were measured in Aleppo pine scions, 21-23 years old, and in Brutia pine rootstocks. In regard to the relationship between cambial age and dry density the results showed that the density increased with cambial age in both scions and rootstocks while the differences between Aleppo pine and Brutia pine were small. The relationship between cambial age and tracheid length showed an increase of tracheid length with cambial age. Differences between scions and rootstocks were small. From the last relationship it can be extracted that juvenile wood is produced in both scions and rootstocks although the Aleppo pine branches which were used for grafting were genetically matured. Between ring width and dry density and between ring width and tracheid length no statistical correlations were found either in scions or in rootstocks. The tracheid length in mature wood was higher than in juvenile wood. An increase of tracheid length with ring width was observed only in the case of juvenile wood.

Keywords

• wood quality
• juvenile wood
• mature wood
• scions
• rootstocks