DUTT, BHUPENDERHEENA2018-12-222018-12-222018-10http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810086243ABSTRACT The present research entitled “Physico-chemical evaluation of wood of, (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) provenances from Himachal Pradesh” was carried out in the Laboratory and Wood Workshop in the Department of Forest Products, College of Forestry, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. The study revealed significant variation between physical, anatomical and chemical characteristics of Ban oak wood from different provenances of Himachal Pradesh. The maximum bark (16.31 %), wood (89.79 %),, (32.40 %) and heartwood (68.17 %) were recorded in Barog, Andretta, Nandli and Bahadurpur provenances, respectively, whereas, the minimum bark (10.21 %), wood (83.69 %), sapwood (24.81 %) and heartwood (57.87 %) in Andretta, Barog, Seog and Nandli provenances, respectively(on diameter basis). The maximum bark (29.96 %), wood (80.63 %), sapwood (46.29 %) and heartwood (43.53 %) were noticed in Barog, Andretta, Nandli and Andretta, respectively and the minimum bark (19.37 %), wood (70.04 %), sapwood (35.01 %) and heartwood (31.79 %) in Andretta, Barog, Bechar ka Bag and Nohradhar provenances, respectively (on basal area basis). In case of altitudinal variations, bark and wood per cent were found to be significant on both diameter as well as on basal area basis, while sapwood and heartwood per cent was observed as non-significant. The highest values for moisture content (57.58 %), maximum moisture content (154.92 %) and specific gravity (0.765) of sapwood were reported in Nandli, Sarahan and Bahadurpur and the lowest mc (43.43 %), mmc (141.04 %) and specific gravity (0.629) in Ghanahati, Andretta and Bechar ka Bag, respectively. The highest MC (46.60 %), MMC (148.27 %) and specific gravity (0.796) for heartwood were observed in Jari, Barog and Kala Pul and the lowest MC (38.76 %), MMC (131.84 %) and specific gravity (0.734) in Bahadurpur, Bechar ka Bag and Jari, respectively. In case of altitudinal variations, sapwood mc and mmc were found to be significant, while sapwood specific gravity, heartwood mc, mmc and specific gravity were observed to be non-significant. The longest (0.820 mm) and shortest (0.608 mm) fibres were recorded in Sarahan and Naao. Maximum Fibre width (0.016 mm) was found in Naao and the minimum (0.009 mm) in Kuhasari. The maximum (0.161 mm) and the minimum (0.118 mm) vessel diameter were recorded in Badi Dhar and Bechar ka Bag, respectvely. The maximum (35.33 /mm2) and minimum (24.46 /mm2) vessel frequency were observed in Kuhasari and Banikhet. Maximum ray height (0.36 mm) was noticed in Banikhet and Nohradhar, whereas, maximum ray width (0.014 mm) in Badidhar, Naao and Nohradhar. The minimum ray width (0.009 mm) was found in Banikhet. The maximum (89.80 /mm2) and minimum (34.02 /mm2) ray frequency were recorded in Panarsa Jari. In case of altitudinal variation, non-significant variation was noticed for all the anatomical parameters. Among the chemical properties, the maximum cold water (4.60 %), hot water (7.20 %), alcohol benzene (8.59 %) and NaOH soluble extractives (8.88 %) were noticed in Padhar, Kala Pul, Sarahan and Kuhasari, The maximum holocellulose (71.30 %) and the minimumlignin (20.48 %) were found in Barog and JibhiProvenances, respectively. The ash content was observed to be maximum (3.35 %) in Nandli and minimum (2.02%) in Andretta. In case of altitudinal variation, all the parameters were found to be non-significant. Highly significant positive and negative correlation coefficients for physico-chemical and anatomical characteristics of wood of Ban oak provenances were noticed between heartwood per centvs sapwood specific gravity (0.414), fibre widthvs ray frequency (0.26) and ray heightvs sapwood per cent (0.264). Significant and negative correlation coefficient values were recorded between heartwood per centvs ray height (-0.334), fibre lengthvs ray width (0.334) and heartwood specific gravityvs ray height (-0.369) bark per centvs hot water soluble extractives (0.251), lignin contentvshot water soluble extractives (0.293) and alcohol benzene soluble extractivesvs holocellulose content (0.267).ennullThesis