Wood Utilization Prospects of Neolamarckia cadamba Based on Age and Axial Dependent Fibre Morphology

Abstract

The present study investigates the anatomical characteristics of Neolamarckia cadamba wood with emphasis on age-wise and axial variations in fibre morphology. Wood samples were collected from trees of five different ages (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years) and analyzed for fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width and cell wall thickness using standard microscopic techniques. The results revealed significant variation in fibre morphology with age. Fibre length increased from 1509.00 µm at 2 years to 1854.16 µm at 10 years, indicating improved fibre development with maturity. Fibre diameter also showed a gradual increase, whereas lumen width increased up to 6 years and declined thereafter. In contrast, cell wall thickness increased substantially at older ages, suggesting enhanced fibre strength. Axial variation within the tree indicated that fibre length decreased significantly from base to top, while fibre diameter, lumen width and wall thickness showed non-significant variation along the stem. The findings highlight that age has a stronger influence than axial position on fibre characteristics. Neolamarckia cadamba exhibits favorable fibre properties, particularly at intermediate ages, making it a promising species for pulp, paper and other wood-based industries