Segregation of pecan (<i>Carya illinoinensis</i>) wood by the radial specific gravity variation

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the age of segregation of juvenile and adult wood of walnut-pecan (Carya illinoinensis) by the radial specific gravity variation. A total of 10 mature trees were collected from two physiographic regions of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, being five trees from each region. A disc, with approximately 2 cm thick, was removed from each tree at 10 cm trunk height. A central portion of 2 cm in width was removed from each disc and this central portion was divided into two samples. Specimens measuring 1 x 2 x 2 cm were made, each in the radial direction of the disc, which were used to determinate the specific gravity and thus estimate the age of segregation of adult and juvenile wood of walnut-pecan. The segregation age was 12 years. However, the radial variation in specific gravity was not a great parameter to determine the segregation age of wood.