Analysis of the effect of European mistletoe (Viscum album L. subsp. austriacum) on selected wood quality parameters of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)
摘要
Scots pine is a dominant species in Polish forests, providing a high-quality raw material for industry. For several years in Poland, an increasing area of Scots pine stands has been observed to be colonised by European mistletoe. There has been no research carried out in Poland to date on the impact of mistletoe on Scots pine wood, making the present study a pioneering one. The purpose was to determine how Viscum album L. affects the wood quality parameters of Pinus sylvestris L. Research was carried out on 115-year-old trees growing in a fresh coniferous habitat. The research material consisted of 10 trees: 5 with no visible signs of mistletoe infestation, and 5 with clear signs of infestation (a minimum of three mistletoe plants). The results prove that Viscum album L. subsp. austriacum affects the properties of Pinus sylvestris L. wood, but its effect does not significantly reduce the wood’s technical quality. The main effect of the presence of mistletoe is a reduction in annual ring width, which has a positive influence on the pine wood’s physical and mechanical properties. The differences in properties between healthy and infested wood are not large. In view of its nature as a pilot study, this investigation of the impact of mistletoe on wood ought to be extended to other Scots pine wood resource bases, forest habitat types, and tree age groups, using the tree classification methodology applied in this work.