Variations on growth characteristics and wood properties of three Eucalyptus species planted for pulpwood in Indonesia

Abstract

Fast-growing tree species are being considered as an alternative source of timber to augment the supply in southern Asian countries. Eucalyptus is one of the most promising genus because its fast-growing characteristics and hybridization among species can produce superior characteristics valuable to both the pulp and timber industries. To evaluate the possibility of using it for timber, growth characteristics and wood properties were investigated for three nine-year-old Eucalyptus species (E. urophylla, E. grandis, and E. pellita) planted for pulpwood in Indonesia. E. pellita showed superior growth characteristics and wood properties compared to the other two species. No negative correlation coefficients were observed between growth characteristics and wood properties in any of the species, indicating that improvement of wood properties might not reduce the growth characteristics. The hybrids from E. pellita and E. urophylla might produce a next generation with better growth characteristics, resistance to pests and diseases, tolerance to low soil fertility, and relatively good wood properties. In addition, based on the obtained results, hybridization between E. grandis and E. urophylla or E. pellita might improve the relatively low wood properties of E. grandis.