Radial variation of fiber morphology and wood density of the commercial species Drypetes sp. and Myroxylon balsamum

Abstract

Studying the radial variation of wood density, an essential biophysical property that reflects the quality of commercial species in tropical forests, is crucial. Understanding how these variations relate to wood anatomy provides valuable insights. In this study, we evaluated fiber morphology and radial density variation using X-ray densitometry in two commercial species from southeastern Peru. Ten trees from each species, Drypetes sp. and Myroxylon balsamum (Peru balsam), were analyzed. Fiber characteristics were assessed using macerated tissue, and density profiles were obtained via X-ray densitometry. The results indicate that in Drypetes sp., density decreases from the pith to the bark, whereas Myroxylon balsamum shows no significant radial variation. These findings are important for the efficient use and processing of these species.

Keywords

• Fiber morphology
• radial variation
• tropical species
• wood anatomy
• wood density
• X-ray densitometry