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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volume 8 Issue 4 October 2015 Editorial In this issue, we bring you an interesting article on “Teak plantation establishment and management for better yield: A case study from Uganda”. The article offers general silvicultural guidelines that might be of interest to growers and plantation managers and can be replicated in other countries in similar site conditions. Another report this time from Latin America, deals with soil fertility characteristics of Central American teak growing countries. A detailed soil profile had been prepared, the abstract of which is given in this issue. It is a good source of reference material for those interested to raise teak plantations in that region. Recently, ITTO published the Biennial Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situ- ation 2013-2014 with focus on tropical timber pro- duction and trade. The Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation which was published annually until 2013 is now brought out biennially. As usual, information on teak prices in inter- national market is also provided in the Bulletin. We look forward to receiving articles of interest to teak growers, traders and researchers to be shared among the teak community. With warm regards P.K. Thulasidas TEAKNET Coordinator 1 6 6 7 Management of Teak Plantations for Better Yield: An African Experience ITTO- Biennial Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 2013-2014 Soil fertility characterisation of teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) plantations in Central America Prices of Plantation Teak Imported to India Management of Teak Plantations for Better Yield: An African Experience Nelly Grace Bedijo & Walter Mapanda The Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) Plot 92 Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi P.O. Box 5244, Kampala, Uganda Email: [email protected] Teak is a valuable hardwood with excellent wood properties such as beauty, strength, durability and hardness; used in a variety of applications and stands a chance of becoming the world’s most preferred plantation species! According to FAO reports, in the past 10 years (2005-2014) there has been a significant rise in the global trade of teak roundwood volume, which was above 1 million m 3 on average per year; which is about 3% of the value of global timber trade (Walter Kollert and Przemyslaw Jan Walotek, 2015). As the supply of natural old-growth teak into the world timber market from Asian countries has been drastically reduced; plantation teak from shorter rotations finds it way to meet the rising demand for teak. Myanmar- the world’s sole supplier of natural teak imposed a ban on export of unprocessed logs and implemented forest trade reforms since April 2014. India and Thailand too have export ban and taken measures to protect their natural teak resources much earlier. Teak plantations are increasing in area across the globe, for example, countries in Africa, South America, Asia and the Pacific. To date, close to 4.346 million ha of teak plantations have been reported in the world, which is significant but given the continuous limitation in supply of natural teak, more plantations will definitely be required to meet the growing demand for teak! The positive side of plantations is the fact that growth can be manipulated and therefore a shorter rotation of 15 - 25 years for the teak became a reality. To realize this fast growth and high yields from plantations, requires dedicated effort. Emphasis should be on use of improved planting stock, and in addition, timely implementation of appropriate silvicultural treatments. Teak is a pioneer species, it does not tolerate competition and it is also a very site specific species, and will perform to full potential only if planted on the correct site. This article gives highlights of key silvicultural operations recommended for teak plantations, which growers ought to implement for better yields from their investments.

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Page 1: M a n ag e men t of Te a k P la n ta tio n s fo r B e tte ...teaknet.org/system/files/Volume 8 Issue 4_1.pdf · absorbent gel (Aquafix, Stokosorb or Aquasoil) can be explored to stretch

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Volume 8 Issue 4

October 2015

Editorial

In this issue, we bring you an interesting article on

“Teak plantation establishment and management for better yield: A case study from Uganda”. The article offers general silvicultural guidelines that

might be of interest to growers and plantation

managers and can be replicated in other countries

in similar site conditions. Another report this time

from Latin America, deals with soil fertility

characteristics of Central American teak growing

countries. A detailed soil profile had been

prepared, the abstract of which is given in this

issue. It is a good source of reference material for

those interested to raise teak plantations in that

region. Recently, ITTO published the Biennial

Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situ-

ation 2013-2014 with focus on tropical timber pro-

duction and trade. The Review and Assessment of

the World Timber Situation which was published

annually until 2013 is now brought out biennially.

As usual, information on teak prices in inter-

national market is also provided in the Bulletin.

We look forward to receiving articles of interest to

teak growers, traders and researchers to be

shared among the teak community.

With warm regards

P.K. Thulasidas

TEAKNET Coordinator

1 6 6 7

Management of Teak Plantations for Better Yield: An

African Experience

ITTO- Biennial Review and Assessment of the

World Timber Situation 2013-2014

Soil fertility characterisation of teak (Tectona grandis

L.f.) plantations in Central America

Prices of Plantation Teak Imported to India

Management of Teak Plantations for Better Yield:

An African Experience

Nelly Grace Bedijo & Walter Mapanda

The Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) Plot 92 Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi

P.O. Box 5244, Kampala, Uganda

Email: [email protected]

Teak is a valuable hardwood with excellent wood properties such

as beauty, strength, durability and hardness; used in a variety of

applications and stands a chance of becoming the world’s most preferred plantation species! According to FAO reports, in the past

10 years (2005-2014) there has been a significant rise in the

global trade of teak roundwood volume, which was above 1 million

m3 on average per year; which is about 3% of the value of global

timber trade (Walter Kollert and Przemyslaw Jan Walotek, 2015).

As the supply of natural old-growth teak into the world timber

market from Asian countries has been drastically reduced;

plantation teak from shorter rotations finds it way to meet the

rising demand for teak. Myanmar- the world’s sole supplier of natural teak imposed a ban on export of unprocessed logs and

implemented forest trade reforms since April 2014. India and

Thailand too have export ban and taken measures to protect their

natural teak resources much earlier.

Teak plantations are increasing in area across the globe, for

example, countries in Africa, South America, Asia and the Pacific.

To date, close to 4.346 million ha of teak plantations have been

reported in the world, which is significant but given the continuous

limitation in supply of natural teak, more plantations will definitely

be required to meet the growing demand for teak! The positive

side of plantations is the fact that growth can be manipulated and

therefore a shorter rotation of 15 - 25 years for the teak became a

reality. To realize this fast growth and high yields from

plantations, requires dedicated effort. Emphasis should be on use

of improved planting stock, and in addition, timely implementation

of appropriate silvicultural treatments. Teak is a pioneer species,

it does not tolerate competition and it is also a very site specific

species, and will perform to full potential only if planted on the

correct site. This article gives highlights of key silvicultural

operations recommended for teak plantations, which growers

ought to implement for better yields from their investments.

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 2 of 7

Site selection: Before planting teak, site selection is a requirement to ascertain the suitability of a given site for

teak. This is because teak is very site specific compared to other plantation species and will only thrive if planted on

the correct site. With teak, a slight variation in the growth conditions can result in a huge variation in

performance of trees. Site selection involves a detailed analysis of the site factors to ascertain sections of the land

that have conditions that enable teak to grow in terms of physical and chemical soil properties and climatic factors

(mainly rainfall and temperatures). A thorough site selection exercise should be conducted by persons

knowledgeable on this subject matter and teak growers should be willing to pay for this service given it determines

success or failure of teak plantations. Teak plantations should be limited to site classes I and II for a profitable

investment, where class I is highly suitable and class II, suitable.

Pre-plant operations (land preparation, lining out, and pitting): Teak does not tolerate competition. Sites to be

planted should be thoroughly cleaned. Land preparation should involve bush clearing and burning (a cool burn!) to

reduce the level of the fuel load within the site. This must be followed by a full cover chemical spray with

glyphosate. Depending on the scale of planting, lining out and pitting should start well in advance to ensure the site

is ready for planting before the onset of rains. A spacing of 3 m by 3 m (stand density of 1111 trees) is ideal since it

provides a good balance between establishment and weeding costs. Besides, the high initial stocking of 1111 trees

allows for early mortality and provides a chance for selection of trees to remain during thinning operations. Closer

spacing (for instance 2.7 m by 2.7 m) increases establishment cost (more seedlings per hectare) while a wider

spacing can be adopted where no thinning or few thinning operations are to be conducted and where planting

material is of good quality (i.e. when planting clones or improved seed.). In countries like India, closer spacing of

2 x 2 m with an initial planting density of 2500 tress/ha is the usual practice.

Quality pits (25 cm long by 25cm wide by 25 cm deep) will allow seedlings to establish a proper rooting system that

ensures survival during the first dry season. During pitting soils should be loosened (break all soil clods). Pits can

be left open if planting is closely following and filled back with soils if planting is to be delayed. Leaving the pits

open for a long time hardens the walls and retards root extension. Pitting can be combined with the first circle/ring

weeding.

Planting operation: Planting of seedlings or stumps can be done once rains have fallen for some time (close to

100 mm have been received in an area). Planted seedlings should be firmed to avoid air pockets forming around

roots which may led to wilting of the plants. Container

grown seedlings must be between 5 to 20 cm tall from

the root collar to the tip of the seedling, at planting time.

Stumps should be planted in an upright position (shoot

system above ground and the root system into the soil).

On sites that are dry or where there is termite problem,

stumps can be planted flush to the ground or completely

underground (1-2 cm deep). Stumps for plantation

establishment should be prepared from 6 - 9 months old

seedlings; very young and fragile stumps may not

establish well when planted out in the field. Stumps to

be planted should be graded to ensure uniformity within

the stands. In circumstances where there is a need to

start planting early (where rains are erratic) use of water

absorbent gel (Aquafix, Stokosorb or Aquasoil) can be

explored to stretch the planting window. Stumps planted flush to the ground or completely underground

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 3 of 7

Beating up operation (sometimes referred to as blanking and or gap filling) should be carried out within the same

rainy season. Teak is a fast growing species in the initial 10-15 years and to maintain a uniform stand, beating up

should be undertaken 2-4 weeks after planting. During procurement of seedlings, an extra 20% should be reserved

for this operation. Beating up is recommended at 60 - 80% survival. At percentages lower than this range, a replant

is recommended. A teak stand should be well stocked (90% survival rate) to give an opportunity for a good

selection during thinning.

Singling: This is a very important operation in stands established using stumps (vegetative propagation). Teak has

the ability to coppice; thus from a single stump many shoots sprout. It is important to carry out singling early

enough (as soon as it is possible to identify the shoots, < 2 cm). When shoot development is intercepted at an early

stage (bud stage), chances for shoots to grow back again is largely reduced. Besides, it is quite easy and cheap to

remove them at this stage. Delaying singling results in the development of a meandering pith, (the pith appearing

on the surface of sawn timber) which later lowers the quality grade of timber. In addition, delaying singling out will

necessitate cutting of shoots with machetes or axes since the shoots will be big then.

Weeding: Teak does not like competition; competition from weeds or any other species will impact negatively on its

growth – being a pioneer species. Managing weeds therefore presents a big challenge to teak growers; the rule of

thumb is 100% clean weeding till site capture. This can be through a combination of chemical and manual weeding

operations. The frequency and intensity is dependent on the type and rate of growth of weeds. In older stands, fuel

reduction (burn, slash or both) should be undertaken to minimize damage to stems in the event of wild fires.

Pruning: Pruning is a quality operation done to limit the knotty

core to 10 cm diameter. The best approach to pruning in teak is

pruning from a diameter of 10 cm, which gives room for the

wound healing process by callus formation. To avoid diameter

growth to incorporate big branches, timely pruning should be

adhered to.

Pruning in teak plantations is more intense compared to other

plantation species; in addition to pruning normal branches,

epicormic shoots from pruned areas should also be attended to as

well. Teak when under stress develops epicormic shoots as well,

which develop into branches if not pruned. A hand pruning

operation is a cost effective method of dealing with epicormic

shoots; this involves nipping off the epicormic shoots by hand, at

bud stage.

Pruning operation

Emergence of multiple shoots from teak stumps Singling

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 4 of 7

Pruning in teak must be repeated several times in the early stages of growth, clearing 1.5 to 2 cm of the stem at a

time. The table below shows the pruning regime for teak plantations. Under an intensive pruning regime, a teak

tree at a rotation of 20 years may yield over 60% of the tree volume as merchantable wood, of which over 40% is

knot-free volume when pruned up to 6 meters.

Teak pruning regime

Thinning: Thinning operation is done to manipulate growth, to ensure that huge volumes are achieved within the

shortest possible time. Trees within a stand interact and compete with each other and as time progresses, this

competition soon turns negative. It’s important to identify when negative competition is about to set in and carry

out timely thinning. This is because teak unlike other plantation species, does not respond well to late thinning.

Competition between trees can be measured using basal area i.e. competition can be quantified. Competition

usually sets in at basal area above 20 m2/ha. A thinning operation, should bring down this basal area to about 13

m2/ha, to create enough room for growth. In addition to the basal area, other parameters can be used to check the

readiness for thinning, for example interlocking of adjacent crowns- too small crowns and absence of light within

the compartment (too much shed in the compartment.)

All forking trees, and trees with poorly developed crowns and stems (fluting, buttressing, spiral grains, excessively

tapered and scarred stems) should be removed during thinning. Sometimes even good trees have to be removed to

create more space for growth. A combination of thinning for space and thinning for quality is recommended. A

thinning operation should leave the compartment with evenly distributed trees and small openings in the canopy

which will quickly be closed before 3 years.

Pruning intensity Removal of Branches Removal of epicormic shoots soon after

removal of branches

Pruning level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Pruning cycle (yrs) 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 3 4 5 6 7

Pruning height (m) 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9

Branch scar healed by callus formation

Some teak trees produce heavy branches, however, there are

provenances which are not heavily branched which may

reduce pruning requirements. During a pruning operation, all

pruned branches should be moved six (6) meters inside the

plantation and any cut branches/debris around the trees

should be removed to protect trees from fires. Branches

pruned should be cut close to the stem bole and the cuts

should be clean to avoid stem damage which could be entry

points for pathogens. Pruning is advisable during the active

growing season so that the wound will be healed quickly and

avoided during the rainy season to prevent fungal infestation.

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 5 of 7

Thinning regime for teak

After the trees are marked for thinning, a thinning control exercise is required. This is done to check the quality of

marking undertaken (to correct for under thinning or over thinning!). The thinning control exercise should be done

by an independent team. Teak is such a valued timber, often markets for even the small diameter material acquired

from thinning is readily available.

Coppicing: Coppice management can be taken as a way of reducing planting costs if the stocking is good and if

improved planting material was used at the initial planting. Where a decision has been made on coppice manage-

ment, use of chemicals to kill stumps should be avoided, to maintain the stumps alive for the next rotation. Big and

lower stumps (< 20 cm height) give healthier and well attached shoots.

Protection and management: Teak is resistant to fires but not fire proof. Frequent fires and or very hot fires will

affect the growth and quality of trees immensely. Forest fire management should be planned for, with a clear

strategy for monitoring and suppression. It is important to have appropriate structures, equipment/ tools, fire

towers, roads and teams for firefighting in place. Teak plantations are also very susceptible to soil erosion and

therefore plantations should be developed on undulating and relatively flat sites, any slopes greater than 12o should

be avoided for planting.

Thinning lev-

el

Age

(Years)

Dominant

Height (m)

Basal area (m2/ha)

before thinning

Basal area (m2/ha)

after thinning

Height

class

Final stand

density (s/ha)

1st thinning 3

4

8

7 to 8

7 to 8

7 to 8

20 to 22 13 to 15 Class I

Class II

Class III

650

2nd thinning 9

10

12

14 to 15

14 to 15

14 to 15

20 to 22 13 to 15 Class I

Class II

Class III

400

3rd thinning 16 20 to 21 20 to 22 13 to 15 Class 1 200 to 250

Harvesting 24 23 - 24 22 Class 1 Clear felling

Growers are advised to read relevant publications for further details on recommended teak plantation management practices, notably the Teak

Silvicultural Guidelines; electronic copies available at www.sawlog.ug

Undergrowth in teak plantation during dry months SPGS teak plantation

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 6 of 7

Soil fertility characterisation of teak (Tectona grandis L.f.)

plantations in Central America

Jesús Fernández-Moya, Alfredo Alvarado, Rafael Mata, Helga Thiele, Jose Manuel Segura, Ed-

win Vaides, Alfonso San Miguel-Ayanz and Miguel Marchamalo-Sacristán

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is an important species in the worldwide quality tropical hardwood sector, which has

gained significance in Central America since the first large plantations were established in the 1980s. The present

work is a descriptive study that aims to: (1) analyse and characterise the general soil patterns which may be

influencing teak plantations in Central America; (2) assess differences between countries and sub-regions; (3)

create a global framework to help contextualise the soil fertility analyses conducted at sub-regional or farm level,

and (4) determine the main problems associated with soil fertility in the region. Soil fertility was measured at 684

sites in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama. Although teak is considered to be a species with high soil nutrient

requirements, and high fertility is usually assumed in teak plantations, the results show that this species has been

planted in a wide variety of soils, including many with serious fertility problems (e.g. Ultisols and perhaps Oxisols)

or with added difficulties due to their physical properties (e.g. Vertisols). The present analysis reveals a general K

deficiency in the Central American teak plantations, where P deficiency and acidity toxicity are also relatively

common problems. These soil fertility problems probably stem from poor site selection by forest managers in the

80s and 90s. Hence, although soil fertility is carefully evaluated when most teak plantations are established today,

managers have to deal with soil fertility deficiencies in many sites where teak was established some years ago.

To know more about this paper you can visit the below link Read More

ITTO- Biennial Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 2013-2014

ITTO has published the Biennial Review and Assessment of the World Timber Sit-

uation 2013-2014, providing the most up-to-date and reliable international sta-

tistics available on global production and trade of timber, with an emphasis on

the tropics. It also provides information on trends in forest area, forest manage-

ment and the economies of ITTO member countries.

This Review reports on developments in the global timber sector and wood

markets, with a focus on tropical timber, in 2014. It contains data on production

and trade for 2010- 2014 although the year 2013 is used as the base for all glob-

al comparisons and ITTO summary totals. This is the latest year for which rea-

sonably reliable data for most countries were available at the time of

preparation.

To know more about this report, visit the below link Read More

New Releases

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Teaknet Bulletin 8(4):2015 Page 7 of 7

Prices of Plantation Teak Imported to India

Courtesy: ITTO TTM Report : - September

Editorial Committee

Dr. P.K. Thulasidas

Dr. Mammen Chundamannil

Dr. E. M. Muralidharan and

Dr. S. Sandeep

Teaknet Bulletin is a quarterly electronic newsletter of TEAKNET brought out through its website. It is intended for

circulation among the members of TEAKNET and other stakeholders of global teak sector. The views expressed in

the newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization. The readers are

welcome to express their opinions or pass on information of value to teak growers, traders, researchers or others

concerned with teak. However, TEAKNET reserves the right to choose the contributions for publishing and also to

make necessary editorial modifications in the articles in consultation with the authors.

Address all communications to:

TEAKNET Coordinator

Kerala Forest Research Institute

Peechi-680 653, Thrissur, Kerala, India

Tel: +91 487 2690396

Fax: +91 487 2690111

Email: [email protected]

Country of Origin

Logs US$ per cu.m C&F

Angola 459-574

Belize 350-400

Benin 285-775

Brazil 375-724

Cameroon 401-510

Colombia 262-796

Congo 451-710

Costa Rica 320-780

Côte d'Ivoire 277-552

El-Salvador 345-934

Ghana 255-757

Guatemala 360-655

Guyana 300-450

Kenya 515-600

Laos 300-605

Liberia 265-460

Malaysia 323-516

Nicaragua 350-596

Panama 253-630

PNG 443-575

Sawn wood / Squares

Benin sawn 530-872

Brazil squares 370-680

Ecuador squares 313-858

Nigeria squares 367-418

Variations are based on quality, lengths of logs

and the average girth.