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The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of two machining processes on European oak wood surface characteristics. The relationships between wettability, free surface energy and machining methods were studied. Sawing and slicing, with or without sanding, were used to prepare surfaces prior to testing whether they produce surfaces with different characteristics. For the wood surfaces machined by slicing and sawing, there was a significant difference in contact angle measurements. This indicates that the influence of machining processes such as slicing and sawing on contact angle value is remarkable. Sanded surfaces showed good wettability and high process roughness.

Black poplar (Populus nigra L.) was thermally modified in nitrogen atmosphere. The effects of the modification process on poplar wood were evaluated for temperatures: 160 °C, 190 °C, and 220 °C applied for 2 h; and 160 °C and 190 °C for 6 h. The percentual impact of temperature and time of modification on the properties of modified wood was analysed. The study permitted the identification correlations between the chemical composition and selected physical properties of thermally modified poplar wood. The dimensional stability of poplar wood was improved after thermal modification in nitrogen. The higher the temperature of modification, the lower the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of black poplar. At the temperature of 220 °C, EMC was two times lower than the EMC of non-modified black poplar. It is also possible to reduce the dimensional changes of wood two-fold (at the modification temperature of 220 °C), both in radial and tangential directions, independently of the acclimatization conditions (from 34% to 98% relative humidity, RH). Similar correlations have been found for wood that has been soaked in water. Higher modification temperatures and longer processing times contributed to a lower swelling anisotropy (SA).

The research was conducted on five once-blooming different origin historical roses. The aims were establishing differences in the anatomical structure of shoots taken in four maturity stages and their natural ability to roots creating. There were hypothesized, that the changes in anatomical structure occur in the time of flowering and may affect the ability of rhizogenesis. Single node one leaf cuttings of chosen cultivars were cut from shoots in four maturity phases: flower buds closed, all flowers open, just after and 7-14 days after petal fall. The cuttings were planted in multipot trays in peat substrate without using rooting stimulators. The anatomical structure of shoots in the place of rhizogenesis were observed, the width of xylem layer and cambial zone, diameter of vascular cells were measured. The percentage of rooted cuttings and forming only a callus were counted. Adventitious roots appeared probably in the cambium zone, pith rays, and also in the zone of phloem and pericycle. The anatomic structure of shoots changes during the period of flowering and influences rooting percentage and the percent of cuttings which developed callus only. The width of the cambium layer of shoots influences the width of the wood layer in all cultivars. The rise of width of cambium tissue have an effect of increase of percentage of cuttings forming a callus only in 'Hurdals' and 'Maiden's Blush'. The width of the cambium layer in shoots enlarges during full blooming in four of the studied cultivars ('Hurdals', 'Maiden's Blush', 'Mousseuse Rouge', 'Semiplena') and in one it stays at the same level for the whole duration of the experiment ('Duchesse d'Angoulême'). The specifying in practice the period of taking rose cuttings, individual properties of cultivars and phenological phase of shoot should be taken into consideration.

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