Studies on Anatomical Variations in Different Clones of Populus deltoides

Anatomical parameters of wood quality such as fibre characteristics, vessel frequency and diameter and proportion oftissues were examined in 8 year old trees of six Populus deltoides clones growing in plantations. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine clonal variations and effect of age on anatomical properties. The analysis indicated significant clonal variation in specific gravity, fibre length vessel length, fibre diameter, lumen diameter, vessel frequency and vessel diameter. The specific gravity, fibre lengt.h and vessel length also show an increase with age. The specific gravity has been found to be positively correlated with fibre length in all the clones but with vessel diameter only in 4 clones. A relative correlation was also observed between vessel area and specific gravity. Cell type percentage was not found to be significantly different among the clones but increase in fibre percentage is found to be related to the decrease in vessel percentage. The variation in wood quality parameters studied offers possibilities for selection of breeding stock with desirable wood quality.