Abstract:

To determine feasibility of intensive short-rotation management of triploid hybrids of Populus tomentosa, wood basic density and chemical components were in detail investigated in 3-year-old short-rotation pulpwood plantations. The results indicated that there were extremely significant differences in wood basic densities within clones. There were also significant differences in wood basic densities within spacing. Wood basic density of 3-year-old pulpwood plantation ranged from 0.247 to 0.282 g·cm^-3. Significant differences were found in contents of pentosam, ligin, holocellulose and α-cellulose within triploid clones, and no differences in content of benzene-alcohol extractive of chemical components within spacing and interaction between clones and spacing. Content of phenol-alcohol extractive of 3-year-old pulpwood plantation ranged from 3.68% to 4.39%.Content of pentosan ranged from 12.86% to 13.47%. Content of ligin varied from 18.16% to 19.77%.Content of holocellulose changed from 74.91% to 77.61%. And content of α-cellulose varied from 40.28% to 43.49%.

Key words: triploid hybrids of Populus tomentosa, pulpwood, wood basic density, chemical component