Effect of altitude on wood morphology characters of (Platanus Orientalis l.)‎ in Duhok provenance

Abstract EN

The timber of Platanus orientalis L.

is locally and universally desirable, characterized to be tough, dense, hard, strong and suitably for use in several wood industries.

Understanding the influence of altitude on the variation of wood properties is practical importance to know which altitude produces the best quality of wood and also for selection, breeding, wood improving and then establishment of plantations for the production of wood.

Significant differences were observed in wood characters between altitudes and between trees within altitude.

The correlations were according to the study, were significant and positive correlation between specific gravity and altitude, while weak, negative associations, but significant were fund between ring growth, earlywood, the ratio of earlywood to latewood width, fiber width and cell wall thickness with altitude; however latewood width and fiber length were not correlated with altitude.

As well as the results indicate that trees in mid-high altitude produce denser trees, while trees of a low-elevation between 605-670m were superior in annual ring growth, earlywood width and ratio of earlywood to latewood width, fiber width and cell wall thickness compared to other altitudes.

As well width latewood and length fiber were found in middle and high altitude, probably due to superior gene pool at this elevation strip.

Furthermore the results revealed that differences between altitudes contribute to object slight ratio in total variation of the compound variance between wood characters.