Abstract: The present study was conducted on straight trees of P. kesiya at breast height selected from natural stands of Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya), NE India. The main objective was to study tracheid length variation across different types of annual rings (narrow, medium and large) and around the circumference with the aim to evolve a sampling procedure for tracheid length comparison among trees. Three patterns of tracheid length variation (gradual increase, steep increase and steep decrease from earlywood to latewood) across rings were common among annual rings of both juvenile and mature wood. Pattern 4 (steep decrease in earlywood before increasing towards latewood) was observed in mature medium and large rings. There was localized increase in tracheid length in each false latewood zone and decrease in earlywood zone in double and multiple rings. But, there was localized decrease in tracheid length in compression zone. Both gradual and abrupt transitions were present in annual rings of Khasi pine. The first few layers of earlywood in all rings were free from growth related defects. The tracheid length exhibited statistically non-significant variation around the circumference.
Keywords: P. kesiya, Tracheid length, Earlywood, Latewood, Annual ring, Transition.
Title: Intra-Ring Tracheid Length Variations in Khasi pine (Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon) at Breast Height
Author: B. R. Gogoi, M. Sharma, C. L. Sharma
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
Research Publish Journals
