Relação da grã com algumas variáveis do crescimento e propriedades da madeira de Khaya ivorensis

Abstract

African mahogany plantations are under development in Brazil, however, there is little knowledge about wood quality and its relationship with the growth of the trees. The aim was evaluate the relationship of grain with dendrometric variables of trees, quality indexes of logs and physical and mechanical properties of wood Khaya ivorensis. Five trees were harvested at 19 years of age, in the Vale Nature Reserve in Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Commercial height and diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees were measured, previously, as well as the quality indexes of the logs. The logs were sawn in diametrical boards, and of these were prepared specimens for all the analysis of wood, according to current technical standards. To determine the grain angle, specimens of 125 cm3 were prepared, which were split radially and scanned to measure the maximum deviation angular (MAD). The relationship between MAD and the dendrometric variables, quality indexes of logs and physical and mechanical properties of wood were evaluated by Pearson correlation. We observed that there is no relationship between MAD and dendrometric variables, the quality indexes of logs and mechanical properties analyzed. The MAD had a good relationship, but not significant with the tangential shrinkage, and median with the specific gravity and longitudinal shrinkage. The radial and volumetric shrinkage increases proportion to grain deviations; an opposite situation to that observed for the anisotropic factor of wood.