Evaluating the potential for timber production of young forests of Eucalyptus spp. clones used for bioenergy: wood density and mechanical properties

ABSTRACT

The Brazilian bioenergy industry is well developed and has numerous highly productive Eucalyptus spp. clones, the wood of which may suit the timber industry. We screened the mechanical wood properties of six bioenergy Eucalyptus spp. clones from young forests to find ones suitable for the timber industry. We evaluated shear strength, parallel compressive strength, strength and stiffness on static bending, and wood density. Eucalyptus camaldulensis clones had low strength and stiffness for their wood density and are less suitable for timber products. However, clones from E. urophylla and E. urophylla × E. grandis had specific strength and stiffness close to the values reported for mature Eucalyptus wood. Their average density ranged from 0.54 g cm⁻³ to 0.68 g cm⁻³ and, while the lightest wood had properties close to those of mature Pinus elliottii trees, the clone with the densest wood produced material similar to mature E. urophylla. We conclude that these clones have distinct wood properties, each with different potential applications. With better understanding of this timber source, young clonal Eucalyptus forests could be an asset to the timber industry in Brazil, substituting pine wood and providing raw material close to the main consumer markets.

KEYWORDS:

• short-rotation forestry
• juvenile wood
• wood density
• specific strength
• specific stiffness

Acknowledgements

We thank ‘Fazenda Dourada’ and its staff for all the support with the study, Ms. Laís Muniz for the great help with the manufacture of the map, and anonymous reviewers, the comments of whom greatly improved this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).