This study evaluated possible low-cost methods of assessing solid-wood value of plantation- grown E. dunnii trees using the tangential shrinkage properties of fixed-height increment cores. It related wood microstructure to core shrinkage properties, considered kiln-drying regimes and assessed the quality of kiln-dried, sawn boards from plantation-grown E. dunnii.
The 23-day kiln-drying schedule that was developed produced a high percentage of boards where cupping was a severe defect. Given that cupping appears to be under some degree of genetic control, there may be potential to genetically improve the E. dunnii resource so that it performs well under a similar drying schedule. Plantation-grown E. dunnii shows good potential for producing sawn timber, even from an unpruned resource, although light pruning would result in improved quality. Notably, defects such as kino and decay were uncommon.
Reference Number:
PN04.3003
