Abstract

Variation and relationships among dasometric parameters, chemical composition, wood anatomy, pulpability (efficacy of kraft delignification), and handsheet properties were studied in fourteen 7-year-old Eucalyptus globulus clones grown in a clonal trial in the Bio-Bio Region, Chile. Three ramets per clone were sampled and all properties were measured for each tree. Results showed variations among clones for parameters associated with wood anatomy, chemical composition, pulpability, and handsheet properties, which are the basis for the improvement of these traits through clonal selection. However, our findings showed that tree size can negatively affect other traits such as basic density and other related parameters as wood consumption, tear index, specific bulk, and Gurley air resistance. Wood density and chemical composition were the most important parameters correlated with pulpability and handsheet properties. Therefore, future efforts in tree improvement should be focused on wood properties such as density, lignin, holocellulose, and a -cellulose contents.