Masami Fushitani

Changes in levels of endogenous plant hormones in cambial regions of stems of Larix kaempferi at the onset of cambial activity in springtime

The total amounts of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cytokinins, and abscisic acid (ABA) were quantified by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry (GC-SIM-MS) in cambial regions of the main stems ofLarix kaempferi during the spring season. During the sampling period, cambium in the dormant state entered the active meristematic state. The total amount of IAA did not change at the onset of cambial reactivation but increased when the active division of cambial cells became apparent. Four cytokinins —trans- andcis-ribosylzeatin (RZ),N6-isopentenyladenine (iP),N6-isopentenyladenosine (iPA) — were quantified, but no zeatin (Z) was detected. The total amount of the four cytokinins together and the total amount of isopentenyl-type cytokinins (iP and iPA) varied during the sampling period but did not appear to be specifically associated with cambial activity. The total amounts oftrans- andcis-RZ remained relatively constant during the sampling period, as did the total amount of ABA. The results suggest that there is little correlation between total amounts of endogenous plant hormones in the cambial region and reactivation of the cambium during the spring.

Mechanical Properties of Woodceramics: A Porous Carbon Material

The mechanical properties of woodceramics, which are new porous carbon materials utilizing the natural structure of wood, were investigated. The effects of burning temperature and amount of impregnated phenol resin on Youngs modulus, compressive strength and fracture toughness were measured. The fracture morphology was then observed, and simplified mechanical models of the woodceramics were discussed to explain the mechanical properties. The fracture was initiated at the cell walls that were located in vertical direction against the applied stress. The effect of impregnated phenol resin on the Youngs modulus and the compressive strength was reasonably explained by a wall-bending model.

Distribution of indole-3-acetic acid and compression wood formation in the stems of inclined Cryptomeria japonica.

Many physiological investigations have been carried out to clarify the mechanism of compression wood formation, which generally occurs on the lower sides of branches and inclined stems in conifers (Tlmell 1986). The application of a high concentration of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) to vertical stems induced compression wood formation at the application point (Balatinecz and Kennedy 1968; Blum 1970; Casperson and Hoyme 1965; Fr ser 1949; Hejnowicz and Tomaszewski 1969; Onaka 1940; Starbuck and Phelps 1986; Wardrop and Davies 1964; Wershing and Bailey 1942). The application of morphactin or 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA), which are inhibitors of the basipetal transport of IAA, to vertical stems also induced compression wood formation just above the treatment point (Phelps et al. 1974,1977; Smolinski et al. 1972; Yamaguchi and Shimaji 1980). Furthermore, auxin activity s estimated by bioassay was higher on the lower sides of stems and branches where compression wood had formed than on the upper sides (Necesany 1958; Onaka 1942).These findings suggest that a high concentration of IAA is probably correlated with compression wood formation.

Early- and Latewood Formation in Pinus Densiflora Trees with Different Amounts of Crown

The seasonal process of early- and latewood formation at different stern heights was examined in 20-year-old Pinus densiflora trees having different crown proportions. The initiation of tracheid production did not appear to vary among trees or within sterns; however, the transition to latewood formation and cessation of tracheid production began earlier at the lower stern. This tendency was more obvious in trees with smaller crowns. The duration and rate of tracheid production in early- and latewood also differed among trees with different crown proportions and within sterns. It is suggested that the quantitative distribution of latewood along the trunk are attributable not only to the date of transition from earlywood to latewood, but also to the duration and rate of latewood tracheid production.

Bending creep behavior of wood under cyclic moisture changes

This study examined the bending creep behavior in the longitudinal direction of six species under cyclic moisture content (MC) changes. For each species, tests were made at 20°C with five cyclic relative humidity changes between 65% and 95%, beginning from moisture adsorption. A load corresponding to 25% of short-term breaking load of the species was applied to the radial section of each specimen with four-point bending. The effect of MC change on instantaneous compliance was also investigated under the same condition. The quantitative relation between mechano-sorptive (MS) compliance and MC change was examined, and the material parameter KM for the relation in specific sorption was determined. Results indicated that the total compliance in the six species with different behavior increases with sorption time. As an integral part of total compliance, instantaneous compliance changes linearly with MC and influences to a greater or lesser extent the total compliance behavior. In general, with increasing MC change, the MS compliance linearly increases during the first adsorption and all desorption and decreases slightly during subsequent adsorption. The material parameterKM varies markedly not only with species but also with specific sorption. The first adsorption causes the largest deformation, followed by desorption.

Static bending strength performances of cross-laminated woods made with five species

Thirty types of three-ply parallel- and cross-laminated woods were prepared from five species, and their static bending strength performance were investigated. The modulus of elasticity (MOE), proportional limit stress, and modulus of rupture (MOR) perpendicular to the grain were increased by cross-laminating, and the extent of the increase increased with decreasing density of the species. The measured values of MOE parallel and perpendi-cular to the grain of parallel-laminated woods and perpendicular to the grain of face laminae of cross-laminated woods were approximately equal to those calculated from true MOEs of individual laminae. However, the MOE parallel to the grain of face laminae of cross-laminated woods was much lower than the calculated MOE owing to the effect of the deflection caused by shear force on the MOE. The percentage of deflection caused by shear force versus total deflection (Ys) showed high values, from 16.1% (buna) to 40.5% (sugi), and it decreased linearly with increasing shear modulus in the cross section of the core. In addition, there was an extremely high positive correlation between the MOR and the measured MOE parallel to the grain of face laminae of cross-laminated woods. The MOR was also highly dependent on the shear modulus in cross section of the core.

Mechanical properties of porous carbon material: Woodceramics

The mechanical properties of Woodceramics which were made from medium-density fiberboard have been investigated with special reference to the effect of burning temperature on their bending Youngs modulus and bending strength. Woodceramics made from beech wood have also been tested to clarify the compressive strength anisotropy, and the role of phenol resin impregnation in strengthening the beech based charcoal.The bending Youngs modulus hardly varies for burning temperatures between 300 and 500°C, but it improves remarkably for burning temperatures between 500 and 800°C. The bending strength degrades with temperature for burning temperatures between 300 and 500°C, but it improves remarkably with increasing temperature of burning between 500 and 800°C. The bending Youngs modulus and bending strength gradually degrade with temperature for burning temperatures at and above 2000°C.The compressive strength of beech wood burned at 800°C in the longitudinal direction is greater than that in the radial direction, which in turn is greater than that in the tangential direction; this reflects the anisotropy of wood. Woodceramics made from beech wood have a compressive strength superior to beech charcoal in any of the following three directions: 4.5 times in the longitudinal direction, 3.4 times in the radial direction, and 2.0 times in the tangential direction. Both for beech charcoal and beech Woodceramics, brittle fracture is brought about by the buckling of cell wall in compression along the longitudinal direction but by the bending of cell wall in the compression along radial and tangential direction.

Bending creep behavior of hot-pressed wood under cyclic moisture change conditions

This study examined the bending creep behavior of hot-pressed wood during cyclic moisture changes. Sugi (Cryptomerica japonica D. Don) specimens were pressed in the radial direction under six combinations of nominal compressive strain (33% and 50%) and press temperatures (140°C, 170°C, 200°C). Creep tests were conducted at 20°C with three cyclic relative humidity changes between 65% and 95% under 25% of short-breaking stress. The effect of moisture content (MC) change on elastic compliance and mechanosorptive (MS) compliance was investigated. The relation between MS compliance and thickness swelling was studied. The results indicated that total compliance increased over the history of cyclic moisture changes; and its behavior was closely related to the changes in MC and thickness swelling. The total compliance increased during adsorption and decreased during desorption. Elastic compliance increased linearly with MC and was dependent on press temperature and compression. With increasing MC change, MS compliance increased during adsorption and decreased during desorption. The first adsorption led to greater MS compliance than did the subsequent adsorption with the same amount of MC change. In general, the elastic parameterKE and the MS parameterKMincreased with compression and decreased as the press temperature increased. The MS parameterKM was apparently greater than the elastic parameterKE. The MS parameterKM increased with swelling coefficient KSW of the hot-pressed specimen during adsorption and decreased with an increasing shrinkage coefficientKSH during desorption.

Derivation and application of an equation for calculating shear modulus of three-ply laminated material beam from shear moduli of individual laminae

In a detailed study of the relation between the deflection caused by shear force and the constitution of a laminated material beam, we derived an equation for calculating the shear modulus of a laminated material beam from the shear moduli of individual laminae. The validity of the derived equation was investigated using crosslaminated wood beams made with five species. The calculated shear moduli parallel to the grain of face laminae ranged from 48.3 MPa to 351 MPa, while those perpendicular to the grain of face laminae ranged from 58.0 MPa to 350 MPa. The calculated shear moduli increased markedly with increasing shear modulus in a cross section of perpendicular-direction lamina of a cross-laminated wood beam. The calculated apparent modulus of elasticity (MOE) of cross-laminated wood beams agreed fairly well with the measured apparent MOE values. This fact indicated that the apparent MOE of cross-laminated wood beam was able to be calculated from the true MOE values and shear moduli of individual laminae. The percentage of deflection caused by shear force obtained from the calculated apparent MOE (Ysc) was close to that obtained from the measured apparent MOE (Ys) and there was a high correlation between both values. From the above results, it was concluded that the derived equation had high validity in calculation of shear modulus of a cross-laminated wood beam.

Effect of L-Phenylalanine on Rooting of Shoots from Axillary Buds of Adult Larix leptolepis

Rooting of shoots derived from axillary buds was examined to establish an efficient shoot culture system of clonal micropropagation in adult tree ofLarix leptolepis Gord. (Japanese larch). Nine out of ten shoots induced calli (90%) on their shoot bases, and the two of them formed root primordia with a red pigment (20%) on the calli surface within 5 weeks after culturing on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.5 μM of indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 1.5 μM of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). However, the primordia did not elongate actively. The addition of 10 mMl-phenylalanine in the MS medium with the auxins resulted in the formation of roots at high frequency, about 80%, and they elongated actively. Although callus was formed in all the shoots cultured on the medium withl-phenylalanine, it appeared that the callus development was less as compared to the medium withoutl-phenylalanine. Consequently, the rooting might be associated with the suppression of the induced callus.