Fiber morphology of juvenile rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis) according to height portions and difference between sapwood and heartwood / Khairiyah Ayub

Fiber morphology of Rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis) was studied according to height portions and between sapwood and heartwood. The longest fiber was in the base sapwood (1.51mm) and the shortest fiber found in the middle heartwood (1.19 mm). Similar trend of greater values at the sapwood was observed for cell wall thickness, runkle ratio and felting power where the biggest value was found at the base sapwood. But it is different with Coefficient of Suppleness where the highest value for fiber was found at the heartwood. These portions of Rubber wood in sapwood could lead to more meaningful utilization if one is looking for longer fiber and greater values of runkle ratio and felting power. If these criteria met the end use of fiber production, then the potential of Rubber wood as the raw materials for wood industries especially in pulp and paper should be considered.