Clonal Teak Plantation for Sustainable Management of Monsoon Forest Indonesia
Abstract
Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is a premium timber species native to lowland monsoon forests.Teak plantations now exist in 65 countries, covering approximately 24% of the world's remaining natural teak forest area.Indonesia began teak breeding in 1932, and clonal testing has since identified selections with diameter growth exceeding 3 cm annually.More than 150,000 hectares of improved clones have been planted across the island of Java, Indonesia.Planting material for the development of clonal teak plantations is supplied through hedge gardens and nursery-produced cuttings.Clonal teak plantations in Java are typically established under agroforestry systems using wide spacing (10 2 m), enabling selected teak clones to support both agricultural production and teak growth.Silvicultural practices such as pruning and thinning further enhance clear bole height and final stem diameter.Thinning to approximately 160-200 trees per hectare can yield average diameters >44 cm at 20 years of age.Properly managed clonal teak plantations are expected to improve productivity and harvest yields at rotation end.