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Heartwood quantity and quality

Only heartwood is naturally durable. As a tree grows, cells in the centre of its stem die after extractives are deposited to form heartwood. Extractives are the key to durability. The amount of these organic compounds varies between trees: trees with high extractive content have a good chance of being naturally durable.

Both the amount of extractives and the amount of heartwood in trees is highly variable. As only heartwood is durable, heartwood volume will ultimately determine the value of a stem.

Modelling stem properties for eucalypts

PhD student Daniel Boczniewicz is working on developing a stem taper model for Eucalyptus globoidea. His most recent fieldwork was in the Okuti Valley, Canterbury, where he worked in a 29-year old Eucalyptus globoidea stand.

Thirty one trees were harvested and their taper was analysed. In addition, 315 discs were collected. These were analysed to provide the taper data of heartwood. Finally, all the standing trees were GPS-located for future analysis of environmental effects on heartwood formation.

Back in the office, Daniel has been working on modelling taper and volume, using the collected data and statistical tools and software.

Watch Daniel's video about his work 

PhD student Daniel Boczniewicz analyses heartwood in 29-year old E. globoidea

Discs created in the field.

Corewood extraction

Our research involves developing novel techniques to extract cores from very young trees. We have designed a new coring tool with the help of the Callaghan Innovation. We have commenced sampling and analysing hundreds of samples from our breeding population. Extracted cores are taken back to the lab where we then measure the amount of extractives in each core using near-infrared spectroscopy.  This means we can identify the trees with the highest levels of extractives at a young age. This will be an ongoing process as the various species within our breeding populations get to age 6 -7 so that coring can be undertaken.

Taking cores at a trial site - photo gallery

See the new corer in action - 30 second video

 

 

PhD student Ebenezer Iyiola aking cores from E. globoidea.

 

 

 

 

Measuring levels of extractives.

Key researchers

Associate Professor Clemens Altaner leads the NZDFI wood quality research team at the School of Forestry.

PhD researchers working on aspects of wood quality are Daniel Boczniewicz and Vikash Ghildiyal.

More information

Visit the School of Forestry website to learn more about wood quality research.