Teak

Distribution and Habitat

Teak occurs in natural forests in India, Myanmar, Laos People's Democratic Republic and Thailand. Teak is observed naturally in the States of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur.

Uses

One of the most versatile timber species, used for heavy and light construction work, house building, carpentry, woodcarvings etc. Considered one of the primary timbers of India.

Botanical Description

Teak is a deciduous tree with an average height and DBH (diameter at breast height) of 20 to 35 m and 29 to 54 cm in 50 years, respectively. Teak sheds its leaves from November to January (India) and remains leafless for long time (3-4 months). The new leaves appear from April to June according to locality. The fruits ripen from November to January and fall gradually, some remaining on the tree throughout the hot season. The fruits are yellowish and brownish in colour and the number varies from 1150 to 2800 per kg. Fruits in moist areas are heavy compared to drier areas. The fruit attains its full size in approximately 50 days, but it is not mature until 120-150 days after fertilization. A sign of maturity is that fruits can be shaken from the tree, or fall to the ground naturally. Most fruits produce only one fully developed seed.

Planting Stock

Generally, stumps or seedlings are used as planting material. For stump preparation, the seedlings have to be maintained in the nursery for about one year. Then the seedlings are uprooted, all the leaves and secondary roots are removed and stumps (4 to 6 cm length with 15 to 20 cm taproot portion) were prepared. Stump planting is generally preferred and it is easy for transport. For seedling plantation, young seedlings are shifted to polythene bags containing soil mixture and maintained in the nursery for 3 to 6 months.

These stumps are produced from fruits collected from identified seed sources, such as seed orchards. However, inherent problems of teak like asynchronous flowering in orchards, low fruit production, emptiness of fruits and poor germination limits planting stock availability. Thus, alternative methods like vegetative propagation can supply limited quantities of good quality planting stock.

In order to overcome the limitations of planting stock production through conventional methods, the Institute has developed micropropagation protocols for plantlet production from apical buds and nodal segments of seedling explants of teak to produce true to type material. Identified clonal material of teak has been mass propagated through micro propagation.

Mass propagation is being undertaken for ~20 clones. The multiplication rate achieved is 1:4 with a subculture interval of 45 days. The plantlets, when they attain a height of ~ 8 cm are transferred for ex vitro rooting (in the vegetative propagation complex) enabling 90-95 per rooting. As a means to raise awareness among farmers on the cultivation of teak plants raised through tissue culture, demo trials of teak have been established in different field stations of IFGTB and in farmers’ fields.

Plantation Management

A suitable land with good soil and rainfall of >1200 mm may be selected for raising teak plantation. The land should be ploughed thoroughly and prepare pits ( 45 x 45 x 45cm) in 2 x 2m or 3 x 3m or 3 x 4m spacing before rainy season. Farmyard manure with soil mixture has to be prepared and filled in pits. Seedlings are planted in the pits during rainy season. For stump planting crowbar may be used and pitting is not required. Soil around the plants should be consolidated tightly.

Water requirements: Irrigation of teak plantations is a crucial step in maintenance. Teak is one species for which irrigation has to be carried out judiciously. If irrigated profusely, the tree grows faster, sapwood content increases, wood becomes weak resulting in serious wind damage. Water blisters develop in trees which are profusely irrigated. Such trees develop heartwood rots, which provides an environment for easy infection by fungi, rapid growth resulting in the death of the tree and a blow on the investment.

In the initial stage the plants have to be watered weekly, and regular weeding and pruning have to be done. The branches have to be removed periodically without affecting the main stem. Drip irrigation is beneficial in farmlands. Irrigation reduces the rotation period and also enhance the productivity.

Application of 50g of urea and 30g of super phosphate after six months and 75g of urea and 60g of super phosphate after 24 months of planting increases the growth rate. The fertilizers are effective for enhancement of growth in young teak trees than mature trees.

Thinning (removing alternate rows) is done 5 years and 10 years after planting in plantation raised with closer spacing (2 x 2m). Mechanical thinning is also needed. The interval of thinning cycle is at age of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 for 60 year rotation, in Kerala.

Teak can also be planted in bunds in south and north direction in such way the agricultural crops get sufficient light. It was found that there was no significant variation in wood properties of young (25 to 30 years old) and mature teak (50 to 60 years old).

Therefore teak plantation raised with good quality planting material or clones in good soil with limited irrigation and dry period with silivicultural practices can be harvested within 20 to 25 years. In Brazil and Malaysia teak is harvested at the age of 15 to 20 years.

Yield

The average productivity of teak in Nilambur teak plantations was 2.85 m ha yr in 53 years rotation period. In Indonesia the MAI at the harvest age (40 to 90 years) was 2.91 m ha yr (FAO, 1986). The productivity in moist semi deciduous forest in Ghana was 8-10 m ha yr (Oteng-Amoako and Sarfo, 2005) while in Central America it was 8-12 m ha yr (Arias, 2005). Recent studies conducted on teak growing in farmlands with irrigation, fertilizer application and management revealed the possibility of reducing the rotation period to 25 years with increase in productivity. The trees that grow in farmlands grow faster and produce more biomass when compared to plantations in the forest areas. The quality of teak timber in farmland at 12 years was found to be similar to that of 20 years in forest land.

NABARD MODEL SCHEME - Cost of Cultivation:

The cost of cultivation will depend upon the extent of the area to be planted. The cost of cultivation for a unit area of one ha. at an espacement of 2 x 2 Mt.. i.e. 2500 plants/ ha has been worked out at Rs. 40000 which is shown below.

Espacement : 2m X 2m

Casualty Replacement : 20 %

Wage Rate : Rs.50/Md

Survival/Ha. : 2000

No.Of Trees/Ha. :2500

Cost : Rs. Per Year

#	Particulars	Unit	1	2	3	4	Total
1	Site Preparation	12 MD	600				600
2	Initial Ploughing	LS	900				900
3	Alignment & Staking	5 MD	250				250
4	Digging of Pits & Refilling of pits @30 pits/MD & 100 pits/MD	108MD & 22 MD	5,400	1,100			6,500
5	Cost of FYM @ 3kg /pit	Rs.150 / ton	1,125				1,125
6	Cost of Fertiliser @ 100gm/plant	Rs.4 / kg	1,000	1,000	1,000		3,000
7	Cost of inseticides	LS	500	500	500		1,500
8	Cost of Plants	Rs. 2.50 / plant	6,250	1,250			7,500
9	Planting & Replanting	25 & 5 MD	1,250	250			1,500
10	Weeding (3,2,1)	16 MD / weeding	2,400	1,600	800		4,800

11	Soil Working (3,2,1)	16 MD / working	800	1,600	1,600	1,600	5,600
12	Irrigation	Rs. 250 / irrigation	1,000	1,000	1,000		3,000
	Sub Total	Rs.	21,475	8,300	4,900	1,600	36,275
	Contingency	10%	2,148	830	490	160	3,628
	Total	Rs.	23,623	9,130	5,390	1,760	39,903

Controlling Pests and Diseases

Teak defoliator, Hyblaea puera and leaf skeletonizer, Eutectona machaeralis are considered to be the major pests in teak. These insects are known to occur on seedlings in nurseries and also in grown up trees in plantations. H. puera feeds on tender foliages during the early part of the growth season and E. machaeralis feeds on older foliage towards the end of the season. Make regular pest surveillance in young plantations, particularly during rainy season when there is a new flush formation. This helps to detect the occurrence of the pest and destruction of larvae if the population is less. If the pest attack is severe it can be controlled by spraying the foliage with the chemicals like Monocrotophos or Endosulfan 0.05-0.075% or neem based formulations (Neem aza 1%) at fortnightly intervals. A virus (NPV) based formulation (biocide) is also available for management of the defoliator. Root rot caused by Polyporous zonalis is common disease in teak plantations. Cankers and bark flaking is caused by Pink diseases fungus. Powdery mild dew caused by Olivea tectonae and Uncinula tectonae results in premature defoliation. Good health of the trees can be ensured by undertaking prophylactic and control measures.

Availability of Planting Stock

IFGTB carries out systematic tree improvement programmes to produce genetically improved planting stock. This material is propagated and supplied to farmers from its state-of-the-art nursery facilities. Mass propagation is presently being undertaken for teak clones from selected germplasm through tissue culture. The cost per plant is Rs. 25/-. As a means to raise awareness among farmers on the cultivation of teak plants raised through tissue culture, demo trials of teak have been established in different field stations of IFGTB and in farmers fields. Early growth performance of these plants in farmlands shows promising results.