Wood Quality of Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum Trees, State of Acre, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Currently, there is great demand for timber from tropical tree species, such as Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum, but there is little information in the literature on the conditions related to the growth and quality of wood of this species. The purpose of this research was to examine the anatomical structure and radial profile of density of timber from Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum trees from the ‘Catuaba’ Experimental Reserve (CER) and the Zoobotanical Park (ZP) at the Federal University of Acre - UFAC. Timber samples from tree trunks were extracted for the performance of the following analysis: wood anatomy, X-ray densitometry and age determination. Results indicated that the wood from Schizolobium amazonicum trees collected in area of the ZP showed higher proportion of mature wood compared to the juvenile wood from the CER site (10-18 years), due to older age (22-33 years) and larger trunk diameter. Anatomical characterization and delineation of the area of adult-juvenile wood from the trunk of trees allowed for the indication of multiple and sustained use of its timber.

Keywords:
wood anatomy; X-ray densitometry; juvenile and adult wood.