The authors concluded: ‘‘without mechanical pruning
there is little prospect for this species’’. However,
there would appear to be fundamental problems in
using pruning to increase the volume of clear wood
produced by pulpwood plantings. As discussed above,
pruning must occur very early in the rotation if the
volume of clear wood is to be maximised. Typically,
this may be between ages 1 and 5 years, depending on
species and growth rates. If the decision to ‘‘convert’’
to a sawlog regime is made after this age, the benefits
of pruning in restricting the knotty core may be
limited.