Abstract

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is the most preferred timber species for forest/commercial plantation programmes in the tropics including India. The main objective of teak plantation management is to produce high quality timber to meet the market demands. The term "quality" refers to the suitability of timber for particular end-uses which in the current context include sawn wood of desired dimensions for structural uses and veneer. The factors which dictate timber quality criteria of teak plantations are: tree height and diameter, boleshape (taper, buttressing, fluting, etc.), branchiness (knot size and frequency), grain angle (degree and pattern of spirality), juvenile and tension wood proportions, heartwood-sapwood ratio and heartwood characteristics(e.g. colour, extractives), proportion and arrangement of tissues including earlywood and latewood and cell dimensions. To enhance the productivity of teak plantations the choice of management techniques envisaged include: genetic selection, wide planting spacement and/or thinning, pruning, fertilizer treatment, irrigation, etc