ABOVE-GROUND NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY, FIREWOOD PRODUCTION AND CHARCOAL PROPERTIES OF 5 TREE SPECIES

Abstract

Above-ground net primary productivity (NPP), firewood production and charcoal properties of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Debh., Leucaena Leucocephala de Wit., Cassia siamca Britt., Azadirachta indica Juss var. siamensis Valecron and Acacia auriculaeformis Cunn, aged 4 and 5 years were estimated in species trial plots at Ratchaburi Nursery Center, Ratchaburi. The NPP of E. camaldulensis. L. leucocephala, C. siamea, A. indica var. siamensis and A. auriculoeformis aged 5 years were 5.0, 3.2, 2.0, 3.0 and 2.5 t/rai/y, respectively. They increased from aged 4 years about 100 to 500 kg/rai/y. Firewood productions of the 5 species aged 5 years were 49, 58, 24, 27 and 21 m³/rai, respectively. For charcoal properties, the fixed carbon contents (81-88%), volatile matter contents (9-15%) and ash contents (2-4%) of the 5 species were similar. The beat of combustion and density of charcoal of the 5 species were higher than 7,500 cal/g and 0.40 g/cm³, except the density of the charcoal of L. leucocephala was 0.32 g / cm³