Space Planting, Competition, and Productivity of a Seven-Year-Old Clonal Teak Plantation in the East Java Monsoon Forest Area

Abstract

Tree breeding of teak results in selected clones with high growth. Intensive silviculture is required to support a large-scale clonal teak plantation. Appropriate spacing is one of the methods to increase forest plantation productivity. Research of teak clone spacing was conducted on a seven-year-old clonal teak plantation with randomized completely block design. The treatments tested in this study were four plant spacing distances, namely, 3 m × 3 m, 6 m × 2 m, 8 m × 2 m, and 10 m × 2 m. Results show that spacing had significantly different effects on diameter, height, bole height, branch angle, crown area, crown projections, volume, and competition index. However, the height growth did not exhibit any significant differences. The 10 m × 2 m spacing produced the best diameter growth, crown area, and competition index, but has a low volume per hectare and the lowest height of free branch and branch angle. Meanwhile, the 3 m × 3 m spacing will increase bole height and stand volume per hectare. This result suggests that spacing could improve the growth of teak clone but must be followed by intensification of proper maintenance to reduce branch angle and increase bole height.

Effect of spacing on growth, carbon sequestration, and wood quality of 8-year-old clonal teak plantation for sustainable forest teak management in Java Monsoon Forest, Indonesia

“…Competition between trees was related to the density of stands, where their closeness can increase the competition between them. The increase in planting density significantly affected the diameter of the canopy (Rahmawati et al 2021) and DBH (Charlton et al 2020). This confirmed that teak was intolerant of competition between trees .…”

“…The diameter increased with the wider spacing due to a lower stand density (Vigulu et al 2019). Wide spacing produces a larger DBH (Rahmawati et al 2021), and an initial stand density has a more substantial influence on tree diameter than height (Isaac-Renton et al 2020). The wider spacing could increase crown, and root density due to less competition among trees in the forest area (Zahabu et al 2015;Rahmawati et al 2021).…”

“…Wide spacing produces a larger DBH (Rahmawati et al 2021), and an initial stand density has a more substantial influence on tree diameter than height (Isaac-Renton et al 2020). The wider spacing could increase crown, and root density due to less competition among trees in the forest area (Zahabu et al 2015;Rahmawati et al 2021). Competition between trees was related to the density of stands, where their closeness can increase the competition between them.…”

“…3 m x 3 m and 6 m x 2 m, has a higher bole height than the wider spacing (8 m x 2 m and 10 m x 2 m). The wide spacing not only reduced the bole height but also increased the branching angle (Rahmawati et al 2021). This would affect larger wood defects, thereby reducing the wood quality due to increasing branch and knot diameters (Isaac-Renton et al 2020).…”

“…selected clonal teak, will produce high productivity, but they require the most suitable plant types and spacing arrangements (Sopacua et al 2021). Research showed that the spacing increased the diameter growth and the branching angle (Zahabu et al 2015;Rahmawati et al 2021) but decreased bole height (Rahmawati et al 2021). It indicated that the wide spacing would probably increase the tree's wood volume, and carbon sequestration, but it can decrease the wood quality (Yunianti et al 2011).…”