Abstract

In future, at least some of the forest-based industries will have to depend solely on fast-grown plantation timbers as the source of raw material. The utilisation potential of the two common eucalypts in Kerala, Eucalyptus grandis and E. tereticornis as plantation species, is examined. Research conducted in India and abroad shows that they have considerable potential for both pulp and non-pulp uses. While the species used and age appear to determine the pulpwood quality, wood density and extractive content are the main criteria for assessing it. Eucalyptus grandis with less dense wood, longer and thin walled fibers appears to be superior in pulpwood quality to E. tereticornis. The undesirable features noted in eucalypts are largely when used as solid wood. Kino veins, surface checks, endsplitting and collapse during drying are few such defects. There is already an indication that many of these defects can be effectively controlled by genetic manupulation. The possible role