CHARACTERIZING GROWTH, MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC ANATOMICAL FEATURES OF OCHROMA PYRAMIDALEFROM SECONDARY FORESTS, PERUVIAN AMAZON

The study aimed to characterize the radial growth,macroscopic and microscopic anatomical features in wood, and determine the rotation time of Ochroma pyramidale in secondary forests of the southeast Peruvian Amazon. We harvested 13 whole slabs of wood from trees of O. pyramidale. A total of 32 radii and 9 cross sections were dated and crosschecked. The study demonstrates that annual growth rings of O. pyramidale have a common growth signal in secondary forests. This species has potential for analyzing the effects of climate on radial growth. Growth rings are visible to the naked eye and demarcated by a dark-colored tangential fibre arrangement. O. pyramidale showed a high growth rate, mean diameter increment was 1.1 cm/year. The results of the selected model suggest that the rotation time or technical cutting shift of maximum production for O. pyramidale is at 12 years. However, considering the demand for softwood, we recommend that six years of rotation.