Influence of pruning and log height class on incidence of defects in radiata pine random-width boards

This paper describes the effects of pruning and log height class on the fre quency of defects, average defect size, and percentage of clearwood area in random-width radiata pine (Pinus radiata, D. Don) boards. Generally all de fects except resin pockets were less frequent in boards from pruned logs. R esin pockets were more frequent in these boards than in boards from unprune d logs. Similarly, average defect areas were smaller in boards from pruned logs except for resin pockets, which had larger average area in these board s than in boards from unpruned logs. Apart from a few exceptions, increasin g log height class of unpruned logs caused higher defect frequency, larger average defect size, and smaller percentage of clearwood area.