Role of the Gelatinous Layer (G-Layer) on the Origin of the Physical Properties of the Tension Wood of Acer sieboldianum

J Wood Sci, in press (accepted April 12, 2004)International audienceThe tension wood (TW) properties of a 70 year-old Acer sieboldianum Miq were analyzed by using the G-fiber model which was proposed in our previous paper. The roles of the G-layer on the origins of (1) a high large tensile growth stress, (2) a large longitudinal Young's modulus, and (3) a high longitudinal drying shrinkage in the tension wood xylem were discussed on the basis of the simulations using the G-fiber model. The results suggest that the G-layer generates a high tensile stress in the longitudinal direction during the xylem maturation; the longitudinal Young's modulus of the green G-layer becomes significantly higher than that of the lignified layer; furthermore, the G-layer tends to shrink extraordinarily higher than that of the lignified layer during the moisture desorption