In eucalypt plantations managed for solid-wood products, radial trends in wood density, microfibril angle (MFA) and stiffness (modulus of elasticity, MoE) are properties of potential commercial importance that can be affected by competition from neighbouring trees. In this study, wood properties at breast height (1.3 m) were studied on radial strips prepared from 12-mm pith-to-bark wood cores taken from 20 trees in a 22-year-old Eucalyptus nitens (Deane and Maiden) Maiden thinning trial in north-eastern Tasmania, Australia. Thinning treatments were applied at age 6 years. Trees were sampled from each of the 200, 400 stems ha -1 and unthinned control treatments. Intra-specific competition for each sampled tree was estimated using the basal area growth of surrounding trees. SilviScan™ technology was used to produce radial profiles of wood density, MFA and MoE. Results indicate a reduction in intra-specific competition through thinning of E. nitens plantations at an early age leads to a transient increase in MFA but has no significant effect on wood density or the intra-annual cycle of wood density. The correlation between the level of intra-specific competition and initial change in MFA following thinning, and a significant relationship between tree shape and mean MFA at breast height suggests the change in MFA is a post-thinning response to increased exposure and wind sway. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Forestry sciences
Research Field:	Forestry sciences not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:	Forestry
Objective Field:	Forestry not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Medhurst, J (Dr Jane Medhurst)
ID Code:	83519
Year Published:	2012
Web of Science® Times Cited:	28
Deposited By:	Plant Science
Deposited On:	2013-03-15
Last Modified:	2013-06-06
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