Abstract

Mechanical testing of 15-year-old Eucalyptus grandis grown in low and high altitudinal localities in Kerala showed that no statistically significant differences existed in bending and compression (parallel to grain) strength properties, while air dry density varied significantly between these two localities. Also these properties did not vary significantly between the trees of a given location. Radial patterns of variation in mechanical properties revealed that the property values increased initially from the pith to the periphery but started decreasing near the bark region. The results imply that strength property differences between the varieties of this species, which have adapted to high and low altitudes, are not of practical value in utilisation