Overview

The wood quality of pines varies dramatically with the age of the wood and the genotype of the tree. Juvenile or corewood in pines tends to have undesirable structural properties, such as high shrinkage, low strength and low stiffness. As forest growth rates increase, trees are ready to harvest at an early age, meaning that they contain a higher volume of juvenile wood. This results in lower returns for the forester and a lower grade wood product for the manufacturer. This is due to the biochemical and cellular properties of the juvenile wood - specifically low density, short tracheid length, high microfibril angle and high grain spiral. The variations in wood quality due to age and genotype are assumed to be under genetic control.

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