Evaluating the efficiency of the resistograph to estimate genetic parameters for wood density in two softwood and two hardwood species.

Abstract

Wood density is one of the most important characteristics of wood for pulp and paper and solid wood industries. In this work, the efficiency of the resistograph to measure wood density in standing trees is compared to the x-ray densitometry method for Pinus radiata, Pinus caribaea, Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus urophylla. Resistograph data was also used to estimate genetic parameters of wood density for these species and compare them to x-ray densitometry. Phenotypic correlation between resistograph resistance and wood density was moderate for all species, ranging from 0.30 to 0.78 but Type A genetic correlation was close to 1.0 in P. caribaea and E. globulus. Narrow sense heritabilities for resistograph and density traits were moderate to high, with values ranging between 0.16 and 0.64. These results indicate that it is possible to use the resistograph in genetic tests for the indirect selection of trees with desirable wood density.