TAILORING FIBER PROPERTIES TO PAPER-MANUFACTURE - RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Opportunities for more closely matching wood and fiber properties to e nd-use requirements are manifold and have long been recognized. Until recently many approaches to capitalize on such opportunities were only hypotheses; few were being implemented. Benefits had not been realize d due to long rotations for most U.S. commercial tree species. Only ge neral approaches, e.g., plantation management, were yielding returns. Other approaches are now providing or are poised to provide increased control over wood variability and quality. For example, plantations es tablished with seed from early southern pine breeding are nearing harv est or are being harvested; stems are straighter and have finer, flatt er branches. Reduced reaction wood and greater uniformity are the resu lt. Brazilian scientists have more than doubled growth of Eucalyptus h ybrids while also adjusting specific gravity to desired levels, narrow ing its range of variability, and increasing cellulose content. This p aper describes similar developments from across the spectrum of resear ch and development. Examples range from classical breeding through sil vicultural practices to harvesting and wood preparation in the woodyar d. Possibilities for further manipulation via cloning, molecular genet ics, and genetic transformation are also reviewed.