Growth performance of <i>Tectona grandis</i> in the western Terai of Nepal

Abstract

Assessment of growth, biomass and volume of Tectona grandis (teak) was done at a 13-year old plantation established at Shankarnagar, Rupandehi district. Operations such as prunning, prunning and singling, and thinning were carried out at 4, 7.5 and 8.5 years respectively. Diameter increment was 2.3 cm within one year of thinning. Estimated average fresh wood production was 58.8 kg (87.6 tons ha-1) and 29.6 kg (16.1 tons ha-1) in thinned trees and 75.5 kg (71.4 tons ha-1) for trees after thinning. Likewise green leaf production was 5.1 kg tree-1 (7.5 tons ha-1). Above ground green biomass was 32.6 kg tree-1 (17.7 tons ha-1) for thinned trees, 63.9 kg tree-1 (95.1 tons ha-1) for trees before thinning and 81.9 kg tree-1 (77.2 tons ha-1) for trees after thinning. The mean over bark stem volume was 0.0707 m3. In thinning, 21 m3 per ha-1 volume was removed. The volume of standing trees before thinning at 7.5 years was 105.2 m3 ha-1. After thinning, per unit and mean basal area, biomass and over bark stem volume has increased considerably during 4-years from 7.5 years to 11.5 years. This rotation period could be applied for future plantations and already established teak plantations on good sites in the Terai / Inner Terai of Nepal to supply the wood for veneer and small timbers. &#x0D; &#x0D; Key words: Tectona grandis, growth, biomass, volume, rotation, thinning, Nepal &#x0D; &#x0D; Banko Janakari Vol.15(2) 2005 pp6-12

Growth performance of <i>Tectona grandis</i> Linn F. between two thinning operations at Shankarnagar, western Terai, Nepal

“…CV of diameter was 17.1% at 7.5 years, which was 27% before thinning (Thapa and Gautam 2005). As expected, uniformity in height and diameter decreased gradually due to annual variation in height and diameter growth of individual trees after 7.5 years.…”

“…Further it can increase the quality of wood and reduce the rotation period of trees. For trees prior to thinning and after thinning at 7.5 years, mean basal areas were 0.0089 m 2 and 0.0111 m 2 respectively (Thapa and Gautam 2005) whereas mean basal areas were 0.0258 m 2 0.0345 m 2 respectively at 14.5 years. The basal area is significantly higher at 14.5 years than the basal area at 7.5 years (Table 2).…”

“…At Sagarnath, Sarlahi, 5 years results and 14.5 years refer to results after thinning and before thinning respectively. Results from 7.5 to 11.5 years are from Thapa and Gautam (2005). the basal area of 22.1 m 2 ha -1 was recorded in 10.5 years old teak having its pai 2.1 m 2 ha -1 year -1 (Joshi 1982) whereas its basal area in that age at Shankarnagar was found lower (16 m 2 ha -1 ) than Sagarnath.…”

A comprehensive analysis of teak plantation investment in Colombia

“…The estimated model successfully predicted the yield of teak in Colombia. The asymptote value of 243 m 3 ha − 1 was in the range of previous studies: 200 m 3 ha −1 (Henao, 1982), 200-524 m 3 ha −1 (Bermejo et al, 2004;Pérez and Kanninen, 2005), 144-567 m 3 ha − 1 (Nunifu and Murchinson, 1999), 193-337 m 3 ha − 1 (Quintero et al, 2012), 172 m 3 ha −1 (Pandey and Brown, 2000) and 153 m 3 ha −1 (Thapa and Gautam, 2005). The MAI obtained of 27.8 m 3 ha −1 year −1 was greater than the values reported by previous studies: 15 m 3 ha −1 year − 1 (Henao, 1982), 9-25 m 3 ha − 1 year − 1 (Bermejo et al, 2004;Pérez and Kanninen, 2005), 4-14 m 3 ha − 1 year − 1 (Nunifu and Murchinson, 1999), 2.7-12.3 m 3 ha − 1 year − 1 (Pandey and Brown, 2000) and 14.5 m 3 ha − 1 year − 1 (Thapa and Gautam, 2005).…”

Modeling Height-Diameter Relationship and Volume of Teak (Tectona grandis L. F.) in Central Lowlands of Nepal

“…The strength, durability, and ease of working without cracks are some properties that make teak so popular among the regions for forestry plantations. In Nepal, the government initiated teak plantations in Chiliya of Rupandehi district in 1960 followed by a large-scale plantation in Sagarnath Forestry Development Project (SFDP), Sarlahi district and Ratuwamai Project, Jhapa district (Thapa and Gautam, 2005). In SFDP, teak forms a major component of the plantations, (Eucalyptus comaldulens is being the next); and has been able to meet almost half of the demand for teak within the nation.…”