WOOD PROPERTIES OF Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir) ANDFicus vallis-choudac (Delile) AND THEIR VARIATIONS

Abstract

The physical, chemical, mechanical and anatomical properties of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Ficus vallis-choudac were assessed. Three matured trees each of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Ficus vallis-choudac were selected from a free forest area of Longe village, Busogbooro along Ibadan/Ijebu Ode road in Oluyole local Government area in Ibadan, Oyo State located at Latitude 070 09.715`N and Longitude 0030 53.235`E. and is 122mm above sea level. Samples from the harvested trees were collected at base (10%), middle (50%) and top (90%) along the sampling heights and further partitioned into innerwood, centrewood and outerwood across the sampling radial position of both species. Investigations were carried out on the wood density, shrinkage, impact strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, compressive strength parallel to grain, shear strength parallel to grain, fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width, wall thickness, Slenderness Ratio (SR), Flexibility Coefficient (FC), Runkel Ratio (RR), Rigidity Coefficient (RC), Luce`s Shape Factor (LSF), Solid Factor (SF), percentage volatile matter, percentage ash content, carbon content, extractive content, holocellulose content, alpha-cellulose content, hemicelluloses content and Klason lignin content. The mean wood densities of Lonchocarpus sericeus and Ficus vallis-choudacat 12% moisture content were 836.63kg/m3 and 700.65kg/m3 respectively which show both species belong to high density wood category. The mean shrinkage of Lonchocarpus sericeus at radial, tangential and longitudinal direction were 2.50%, 3.99% and 0.78%respectively. The volumetric shrinkage was 6.36%. The mean shrinkage of Ficus vallis-choudac in radial, tangential and longitudinal directions were 4.83%, 4.89% and 0.55% respectively. The volumetric shrinkage was 9.73%. These relatively small shrinkage values indicated good dimensional stability. The mean impact bending strength, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, maximum shear strength parallel to grain and maximum compression strength parallel to grain for Lonchocarpus sericeus were 24.14N/mm2, 114.18N/mm2, 11276N/mm2, 12.76N/mm2 and 47.16N/mm2 respectively. The mean impact bending strength, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, maximum shear strength parallel to grain and maximum compression strength parallel to grain for Ficus vallis-choudac were 20.45N/mm2, 85.79N/mm2, 7090N/mm2, 10.68N/mm2 and 33.56N/mm2 respectively. These values show that both species are good for construction and furniture making. The mean volatile matter, ash content and carbon content for Lonchocarpus sericeus were 88.18%, 1.41% and 5.72% respectively. The mean volatile matter, ash content and carbon content for Ficus vallis-choudac were 85.09%, 2.43% and 5.66% respectively. The mean percentage values for extractive content, holocellulose content, alpha-cellulose content, hemicelluloses content and Klason lignin content of Lonchocarpus sericeus were 14.05%, 85.56%, 55.53%, 20.71% and 26.61% respectively. The mean percentage values for extractive content, holocellulose content, alpha-cellulose content, hemicelluloses content and Klason lignin content of Ficus vallis-choudac were 12.58%, 83.98%, 53.30%, 20.55% and 35.39% respectively. The mean values of the fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width, wall thickness, Slenderness Ratio (SR), Flexibility Coefficient (FC), Runkel Ratio (RR), Luce`s Shape Factor (LSF), Solid Factor (SF) and Rigidity Coefficient (RC), for Lonchocarpus sericeus were 1.29mm, 14.53μm, 7.75μm, 3.09μm, 89.99, 0.54, 0.93, 0.55, 198.40 and 0.46 respectively. The mean values of the fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width, wall thickness, Slenderness Ratio (SR), Flexibility Coefficient (FC), Runkel Ratio (RR), Luce`s Shape Factor (LSF), Solid Factor (SF) and Rigidity Coefficient (RC), for Ficus vallis-choudac were 1.37mm, 20.43μm, 12.49μm, 3.97μm, 71.67, 0.60, 0.69, 0.47, 384.92 and 0.40 respectively. These values show that the chemical and anatomical properties of both species are good for pulp and paper production.