Early prediction of wood properties using wave propagation in young trees

Abstract

The PhD research project, developing in Brazil, addresses the important issue of early prediction of wood properties to be produced by the tree. This question is current and has great importance for the forestry sector, because the resources used in breeding clones or in processing timber could be directed more objectively, considering the quality of the material versus the wood application. Briefly, the main proposed of the research is to search and to validate a model involving the velocity of ultrasonic wave propagation and other parameters measured in the young tree, which associated would allow predicting the quality of the wood produced by older tree. Considering that our partner in this research is the International Paper Company, which work in the pulp and paper sector, ages eligible for study were 3 months (seeding - before planting) and trees of 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years and 6 years (cutting age). Although under these conditions the research is of great interest to companies of paper and pulp, the results can hardly be extrapolated to other forest industries, that use wood from older trees (mature wood). In Brazil, because of the use of wood in buildings is still low, we could not get support from forestry companies in which were available wood species from seedling to adult ages to test. In addition, for this study, wood species at different ages need to be from the same family or clones derived, which is even rarer in our country except in pulp and paper sector. Thus, the stage of the student in Spain aims to validate the proposed model based on the database obtained in Brazil in two different samples, one of them close to that performed in Brazil (wood aged up to 6 years) and other using older trees, in both cases seeded and not cloned trees. Additionally we highlight the opportunity that the student will have to discuss his results, with researchers with wide experience in breeding area, as is the case of Dr. Esther Merlo, and wood structures, as is the case of the professor Manuel Guaita. (AU)