PECULIARITIES OF THE FORMATION OF THE PHYSICAL QUALITY OF QUERCUS ROBUR L WOOD IN THE UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS

The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of the physical properties of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) wood of seed and vegetative origin, growing in a fresh hornbeam stand of the Ukrainian Carpathians. The relevance of the work is due to the growing global demand for wood raw materials, increasing requirements for its quality and the need for rational use of forest resources in the context of the formation of a bioeconomy and the transition to low-carbon technologies. Particular attention is paid to pedunculate oak as one of the most valuable hardwoods, the wood of which is widely used in the woodworking and furniture industries. The object of the study was oak stands of seed and vegetative origin, located at an altitude of 500–550 m above sea level. 12 model trees were selected for the study, from which 360 samples of wood of standard sizes were made. The indicators of absolutely dry, basic and fresh-cut wood density, absolute and basic wood porosity, as well as linear and volumetric shrinkage of wood in different anatomical directions were determined. Statistical processing of the results was performed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software. It was established that oak wood of seed origin is characterized by higher values of absolutely dry and basic wood density, lower wood porosity and higher physical quality compared to wood of vegetative origin. The processes of wood drying have a pronounced anisotropic nature, with the largest values recorded in the tangential direction. It was shown that there is a close linear relationship between the basic wood density and the indicators of tangential and volumetric shrinkage, while radial shrinkage showed a weaker dependence on wood density. An inverse linear relationship between the basic wood density and absolute porosity of wood was also established, regardless of its origin. The results obtained indicate that the origin of pedunculate oak significantly affects the formation of the physical quality of wood. Wood of seed origin is more suitable for use in responsible structural and furniture products, while wood of vegetative origin can be more effectively used in impregnation and modification technologies. The results of the study have practical significance for optimizing the use of oak wood, improving its processing technologies and increasing the economic efficiency of forest management, taking into account the morphogenetic characteristics of plantations.