2.3 mapping resin-rich sections in agarwood trees 

Here’s a comprehensive guide on mapping resin-rich sections in agarwood trees for harvest planning and quality control:

1. Purpose of Resin Mapping

  • Identify high-value areas for selective harvesting.
  • Minimize wastage of non-resinous wood.
  • Facilitate sustainable management and traceability.
  • Support commercial valuation for chips, oil, or luxury wood.

2. Visual & Physical Mapping Techniques

A. Visual Inspection

  • Look for dark brown to black streaks in the heartwood.
  • Check for concentric discoloration around wounds or inoculation sites.
  • Note surface cracks, resin exudates, or glossiness, which often indicate resin accumulation.

B. Olfactory Assessment

  • Gently scrape or sand small areas to detect fragrance intensity.
  • Strong, sweet, balsamic scent indicates higher resin concentration.

C. Density & Hardness Testing

  • Tap the trunk or branches: solid, dense areas often indicate resin zones.
  • Core sampling with an increment borer can measure radial depth and uniformity.

3. Mapping Process

  1. Tree Segmentation
    • Divide tree into vertical sections (base, mid-trunk, upper trunk, lateral branches).
    • Divide each section into radial zones (outer sapwood, inner sapwood, heartwood).
  2. Identify Resin Zones
    • Mark areas with visual, olfactory, and density cues.
    • Record length, width, and approximate depth of resin-rich sections.
  3. Documentation
    • Use tree tags or QR codes for reference.
    • Draw schematic diagrams showing resin zones for each tree.
    • Take photos or short videos for recordkeeping.
  4. Digital Tools (Optional)
    • Use farm management apps or GIS software to map multiple trees.
    • Color-code resin intensity (e.g., light brown = immature, dark brown = intermediate, black = mature).
    • Track harvest status and resin yield for each mapped section.

4. Harvest Planning Based on Mapping

  • Prioritize high-resin sections for early harvest.
  • Avoid immature or heavily infected zones to protect tree health.
  • Use mapping data to guide cutting strategy, manpower allocation, and transport logistics.

5. Best Practices

  • Map all commercial trees before cutting.
  • Update maps after each harvest or monitoring session.
  • Combine visual, olfactory, density, and core data for accuracy.
  • Train workers to recognize resin patterns and mark them clearly.

I can create a visual diagram of an agarwood tree trunk and branches showing resin-rich zones with color-coded intensity—this is ideal for training manuals, harvest planning, and quality control.

Do you want me to create that diagram?