EVALUATION OF XYLEM MATURTATION PROCESS AND EFFECTS OF RADIAL GROWTH RATE ON CELL MORPHOLOGIES IN WOOD OF BALSA (OCHROMA PRYAMIDALE) TREES

The radial variations of cell morphologies (cell lengths, vessel diameter, vessel frequency and cell wall thickness of wood fibers) were investigated for 7-year-old Ochroma pyramidale trees planted in East Java, Indonesia by developing the linear or nonlinear mixed-effects models. In addition, xylem maturation process based on the cell morphologies and effects of radial growth rate on cell morphologies were discussed. The mean values of cell morphology were as follow: vessel element length 0.59 mm, fiber length 2.16 mm, vessel diameter 221 µm, and fiber wall thickness 1.03 µm. Radial variations of cell length and vessel diameter were well explained by Michaelis-Menten equation: values increased from pith to certain position and then it became almost stable. Vessel frequency, wood fiber diameter, and wood fiber wall thickness was expressed by the formula of logarithmic formula, quadratic formula, and linear formula, respectively. Variance component ration of category was 66.8%, 46.1%, 31.4%, 1.5%, and 33.7% for vessel element length, wood fiber length, vessel diameter, vessel frequency, and wood fiber wall thickness, respectively, suggesting that many cell morphologies influenced by the radial growth rate. Smaller values of mean absolute error obtained in the models in relation to distance from pith were found in all cell morphologies, except for vessel frequency and wood fiber diameter. Thus, xylem maturation of this species depended on diameter growth rather than cambial age. Boundary of core wood and outer wood was 5 to 10 cm from pith in which increasing ratio of cell length reached less than 0.3%. Core wood was characterized as lower wood density and mechanical properties with shorter cell lengths and thinner wood fiber walls, whereas outer wood was characterized as higher wood density and mechanical properties with longer cell length and thicker wood fiber walls

Rapid Detection of Infestation of Apple Fruits by the Peach Fruit Moth, Carposina sasakii Matsumura, Larvae Using a 0.2-T Dedicated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus

Infestation of harvested apple fruits by the peach fruit moth (Carposina sasakii Matsumura) was studied using a dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus equipped with a 0.2-T permanent magnet. Infested holes on the three-dimensional (3-D) images tracked ecological movements of peach fruit moth larvae within the food fruits, and thus in their natural habitat. Sensitive short solenoid coil and surface coil detectors were devised to shorten measurement times. The short solenoid coil detected infestation holes at a rate of 6.4 s per image by the single-slice 2-D measurement. The multi-slice 2-D measurement provided six slice images of a fruit within 2 min taken by the two detectors. These results indicate that the 0.2-T MRI apparatus allows one to distinguish sound fruits from infested ones, and also as a means for plant protection and the preservation of natural ecological systems in foreign trade

Wood Properties of Three Fruit Tree Species Planted in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

The objective of this study was to evaluate the properties for wood utilization of fruit trees planted in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. A total of 9 jambu bol (Syzygium malaccense), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), and durian (Durio zibethinus) trees were randomly selected from the plot (20 by 30 m) and measured for stem diameter, tree height, stress-wave velocity (SWV), and Pilodyn penetration of the trees. Mean values of stem diameter were 11.8, 15.9, and 29.3 cm for S. malaccense, N. lappaceum, and D. zibethinus, respectively. Mean values of stress-wave velocity were 3.16, 3.95, and 3.63 km/s for S. malaccense, N. lappaceum, and D. zibethinus, respectively. Core samples (5 mm in diameter) were collected from these trees to investigate the wood properties [basic density (BD) and compressive strength parallel to grain (CS)], anatomical characteristics [vessel diameter (VD), cell wall thickness (CWT) in wood fiber, and cell length (CL) of wood fiber and vessel element], and amounts of chemical components. In VD, CWT in wood fiber, and CL in wood fiber and vessel element, almost the same radial variation patterns were found in the three species. Relatively higher values in SWV, BD, and CS were found in N. lappaceum, suggesting that its wood can be used for construction lumber. On the other hand, S. malaccense and D. zibethinus had relatively thicker CWT in wood fiber, longer CL in wood fiber, and lower Klason lignin content. It is considered that the wood of these two species may be suitable for pulpwood