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GROWTH AND WOOD PROPERTIES OF GMELINA ARBOREA (VERBENACEAE) SEEDLINGS GROWN UNDER FIVE SOIL MOISTURE REGIMES
Author(s) -
Ogbonnaya Chuks I.,
Nwalozie Marcellus C.,
Nwaigbo Leo C.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1992.tb13628.x
Subject(s) - gmelina , verbenaceae , water content , biology , vegetative reproduction , pulp (tooth) , moisture , shoot , botany , ecophysiology , fiber , woody plant , horticulture , agronomy , materials science , photosynthesis , composite material , medicine , geotechnical engineering , pathology , engineering
The effects of different watering regimes on vegetative growth, histological properties of wood, and the derived values relevant to paper and pulp production of Gmelina arborea Roxb. were investigated. Soil moisture stress significantly retarded vegetative growth as analyzed by leaf area ratio, root shoot ratio, net assimilation rate, and relative growth rate. Moisture stress also adversely affected specific gravity of the wood, fiber length, diameter, lumen size, and fiber wall thickness, but enhanced flexibility coefficient, lowered slenderness ratio, and runkel ratio. Although water stress reduces the volume of wood produced and changes wood fiber properties, it does not significantly affect the quality of paper produced from Gmelina wood.