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Indented growth-rings (hazel wood) deserve more attention

2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 79; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.dendro.2023.126073

1612-0051

Simcha Lev‐Yadun, Vladimír Račko, Monika Kardošová, Jaroslav Ďurkovič,

Plant Reproductive Biology

The occurrence of indented growth-rings, commonly known as hazel wood, is rare in nature and the biology of its formation has not been studied much. Here, we review the current understanding and update on the issue of indented growth-rings formation in trees. We propose distinguishing between internally induced indented growth-rings, and externally induced ones as the outcome of cambial wounding (following fires, rockfall, various human activities, by insects, mammalian herbivores, and pathogens). Indented growth-rings are known to be endogenously induced by genetically-based imbalances in the hormonal regulation in the cambial zone in Karelian birch, and because of unknown reasons in Cryptomeria japonica. In some Pinus species it can be induced artificially by longitudinal (axial) parallel scratches of the active cambium with sharp razors. Indented growth-rings display remarkable aesthetic properties, and also may possess superior acoustic characteristics when used for constructing musical string instruments. Deeper understanding of indented growth-rings' formation mechanisms is needed in order to exploit the possibility of its regular artificial induction by cambial wounding or via tree breeding for potential commercial and scientific purposes.