Determination of the chemical composition of Eucalyptus spp. For cellulosic pulp production

Funding Information: Funding: This research was partially supported by CAPES (Coordination for the Development of Higher Level Personnel). This work was also partially supported by Base Funding—UIDB/EQU/ 50020/2020 and Programmatic-UIDP/50020/2020 Funding of the Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM— and UIDB/00511/2020 of the Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, LEPABE—funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). This work was also supported by national funds through FCT, under the Scientific Employment Stimulus Institutional Call (CEECINST/00102/2018) and partially supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV, financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020) and IF/01381/2013/CP1160/CT0007, Investigador FCT program, with financing from the European Social Fund and the Human Potential Operational Program. T.A.S.V. is grateful to the Erasmus Mundus program.The chemical composition of wood is important to assess the quality of this raw material for the industry of cellulosic pulp production. The purpose of this work was to determine the chemical composition of Eucalyptus spp. grown for cellulosic pulp production. Ten Eucalyptus spp. clones with six years of age, located in the municipality of Itamarandiba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were used. Quantification was obtained for extractives, monosaccharides, uronic acids, acetates, lignin, ash and the phenolic composition of the extracts. In average, clones showed around 2.7% extractives, with a predominance of polar compounds soluble in ethanol and water; 27.7% lignin and 0.3% ash. Glucose was the main sugar detected (64.2%), followed by xylose (19.3%). The main components of the extractives were steroids, fatty acids and aromatic acids, followed by smaller amounts of substituted alkanoic acids, fatty alcohols, glycerol derivatives and triterpenes. The ethanol–water extracts presented total phenol contents ranging from 321.4 to 586.6 mg EAG/g of extract, tannins from 28.1 to 65.1 mg catechin/g of extract and flavonoids from 73.6 to 256.9 mg catechin/g of extract. Clones with a higher holocellulose amount and a lower lignin content showed a higher potential for cellulosic pulp production. These findings are important for the development of high-quality wood based on important traits for the pulp and paper sector.publishersversionpublishe

Growth and nutrition efficiency in pioneer tree and non pioneers

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar a produção de biomassa, os parâmetros morfológicos da parte aérea e raízes, a partição de nutrientes minerais, a eficiência de absorção e utilização de macro (N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S) e micronutrientes (Mn, Cu, Fe e Zn), bem como os parâmetros cinéticos (Vmax e Km) de absorção iônica para P, N, Ca e Mg, em espécies leguminosas arbóreas nativas pertencentes a diferentes grupos de sucessão ecológica. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e câmara de crescimento do Departamento de Solos da Universidade Federal de Viçosa (MG), utilizando-se mudas de seis leguminosas arbóreas pertencentes a diferentes grupos de sucessão ecológica (Pioneiras: Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia e Senna multijuga / Não pioneiras: Anadenanthera peregrina, Apuleia leiocarpa, Hymenaea courbaril e Machaerium nictitans), cultivadas em solução nutritiva. Os tratamentos, representados por mudas das seis espécies, foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Foram determinados a produção de biomassa; os parâmetros morfológicos de parte aérea e raízes; os teores e acúmulos nutricionais; a eficiência de absorção, translocação e utilização; e os parâmetros cinéticos. Para produção de biomassa, quando agrupadas em função do grupo ecológico, as espécies pioneiras destacaram-se em relação às não pioneiras, esse comportamento também foi observado para área foliar, comprimento radicular e área de superfície radicular. Não foi observado distinção entre grupos de sucessão ecológica quanto à partição de nutrientes minerais, entretanto houve distinção entre as espécies. Para eficiência nutricional, foram identificadas diferenças na eficiência de absorção, translocação e utilização dos nutrientes em relação às espécies, contudo foi identificado distinção para os grupos de sucessão ecológica somente para eficiência de utilização. Dentre os parâmetros cinéticos de absorção iônica somente Vmax de P, N, e Mg variaram entre espécies e nutrientes, não apresentando relação contrastante de acordo com grupo de sucessão ecológica, enquanto que o Km apresentou-se estatisticamente distinto entre espécies somente para N. Apuleia leiocarpa destacou-se entre as demais leguminosas arbóreas por apresentar maior eficiência de absorção, maiores influxos e poder de absorção (α), fato este que pode estar correlacionado às maiores áreas foliares e radiculares específicas apresentadas por esta espécie. Foram confeccionados diagramas para as relações entre eficiência de absorção e eficiência de utilização, assim como para Vmax e Km, permitindo a classificação das espécies quanto a eficiência nutricional e cinética de absorção iônica. As diferenças identificadas no presente trabalho em leguminosas arbóreas nativas pertencentes à diferentes grupos sucessionais na fase de mudas, sugere a possibilidade de seleção de espécies para diferentes condições de sítio, possibilitando um melhor manejo da adubação de acordo com demandas nutricionais das espécies vegetais.The objective of this study was to evaluate the production of biomass, morphological parameters of shoots and roots, the partition of nutrients, the absorption efficiency and utilization of macro (N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S) and micronutrients (Mn, Cu, Fe e Zn), well as the kinetic parameters (Vmax and Km) of ion absorption to P, N, Ca and Mg in native legume species belonging to different groups of ecological succession. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse and growth chamber of the Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Viçosa (MG), using six leguminous plants belonging to different groups of ecological succession (Pioneer: Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia e Senna multijuga / Non-pioneer: Anadenanthera peregrina, Apuleia leiocarpa, Hymenaea courbaril e Machaerium nictitans), cultivated in nutrient solution. The treatments were represented by six species of seedlings were distributed in a completely randomized design with four replications. Biomass production, morphological parameters of shoots and roots, nutritional contents accumulations; efficiency of absorption, translocation and utilization and the kinetic parameters were determined. For biomass production, when grouped according to the environmental group, the pioneer species stood out in relation to non-pioneer, this behavior was also observed for leaf area, root length and root surface area. No distinction between groups of ecological succession considering mineral nutrient partitioning, however there is distinction between species. For nutritional efficiency, differences in the efficiency of absorption, translocation and utilization of nutrients in relation to species were stated, however was identified distinguish groups of ecological succession for efficiency of utilization. Among the kinetic parameters of ion absorption, only Vmax of P, N, and Mg varied between species and nutrients, showing no contrast ratio according to group of ecological succession, while the Km was statistically different only for N and different species. Apuleia leiocarpa stands out among the other tree legume due to its higher absorption efficiency, greater inflows and power absorption (α), a fact that can is correlated with higher specific leaf and root areas shown by this species. Diagrams were made from the relationships between absorption efficiency and utilization efficiency, and Vmax and Km, allowing classification of the species as the nutritional efficiency and kinetics of ion uptake. The differences identified in this study in native leguminous trees belonging to different successional groups in the seedling stage, suggests the possibility of selection of species for different site conditions, allowing better management of fertilizer according to nutrient demands of the plant species.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Selection of superior clones of Corymbia hybrids based on wood and charcoal properties

The use of fast-growing trees is a good economic strategy for charcoal production. Wood with adequate chemical and physical properties generally is positively correlated with charcoal quality. The objective of this research was to evaluate wood quality from fast-growing hybrids for charcoal production. Three Corymbia citriodora x Corymbia torelliana and four Corymba torelliana x Corymba citriodora hybrid clones were evaluated. Parameters used to evaluate wood quality were wood basic density, elemental and structural chemical composition, energy efficiency and thermogravimetric analysis and the parameters evaluated for charcoal quality were apparent relative density, gravimetric yield, high heating value, proximate analysis and energy efficiency. All clones had wood basic density superior than 0.5 g cm-3 and ash inferior than 1%, which are desirable for a good quality of charcoal. Lignin content did not differ among clones with an average less than the 28% recommended for energetic use. Besides clones differed in wood parameters, as dry matter, high heating value, energy density, total extractives, holocellulose content, it did not reflect in charcoal quality differences. Wood from all clones had equal and satisfying high heating value of charcoal and energy efficiency quality for charcoal production and differed in apparent relative density and ash content