1.6 Vascular Blockage & Resin Zone Development

What Are Vascular Tissues? (Very Simple)

Inside every agarwood tree are tiny “pipes” that move:

  • Water from roots to leaves
  • Food from leaves to the rest of the tree

These pipes are called vascular tissues.

When these pipes are working well, the tree is healthy.

What Is Vascular Blockage?

When the tree is wounded or infected, it does something important:

It blocks its own pipes on purpose.

This is called vascular blockage.

Why the Tree Does This

  • To stop fungi and bacteria from spreading
  • To isolate the damaged area
  • To protect healthy wood

How Resin Causes the Blockage

After stress or infection:

  1. The tree releases defense chemicals
  2. Resin starts filling the tiny vessels
  3. The vessels become blocked
  4. Water and food flow stop in that area

This blocked area becomes resin-rich wood.

What Is a Resin Zone?

resin zone is:

  • The darkened area around the wound or infection
  • Wood that is filled with resin
  • Heavy, aromatic, and valuable

It usually forms:

  • Around drill holes
  • Along infected wood fibers
  • Slowly expanding over time

How Resin Zones Develop Over Time

Time After InductionWhat Happens
0–1 monthTree blocks vessels
3–6 monthsLight brown resin zone
12–24 monthsDark, thick resin
24+ monthsMature agarwood

👉 Bigger and darker resin zones = higher value.

Why Over-Induction Is Dangerous

Too much drilling or chemicals can:

  • Block too many vessels
  • Stop water flow to the crown
  • Cause leaf drop and tree death

👉 Resin zones must be controlled, not forced.

Farmer Key Message

“The tree blocks its own veins to survive.
That blocked area becomes agarwood.”

Practical Farmer Tips

✔ Space drill holes properly
✔ Do not induce all sides at once
✔ Allow time for resin zones to expand
✔ Observe leaf health after induction