• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 2014

Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of Yellow-hearted pine and Red pine were investigated. Wood color, annual ring width and latewood percentage were observed by the naked eye. Anatomical properties as the structure of three sections and cell dimensions were examined by an optical microscopy. As a result, the color of bark in Yellow-hearted pine was Reddish-grey, and Red pine showed brown or gray. The color of heartwood and sapwood in Yellow-hearted pine was deep-yellow to brown and creamy-white. And the color of heartwood and sapwood in Red pine was light-brown and light-yellow. The annual ring width of Yellow-hearted pine was narrower than that of Red pine, and the latewood percentage of Yellow-hearted pine was a little higher than that of Red pine. There was no significant difference in the anatomical characteristics between Yellow-hearted pine and Red pine.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2017

Yellow-hearted pine (YHP; Pinus densiflora for. erecta Uyeki) is one of the Red pine species and has extremely narrow growth ring and high ratio of heartwood growing in Korea. It has been used for valuable wooden constructions as palace and temple for royal family since the Joseon Dynasty period. However, scientific information on the wood properties of YHP is still very lacking. This study was carried out to investigate natural durability of YHP to fungi and termites attack. Examination of anti-fungal and anti-termite properties of YHP was performed at indoor condition using brown-rot fungi (Fomitopsis palustris), white-rot fungi (Trametes versicolor), and termite (Reticulitermes speratus). The results showed that weight loss of the heartwood in YHP after fungi and termite test was much lower than those of the sapwood in YHP. Furthermore, the highest mortality of termite was obtained from the heartwood of YHP. Consequently, it is clearly revealed that the heartwood of YHP has excellent durability against brown- and white-rot fungi and termite.