Teak

Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) is one of the most prized high value timber species. Industrial teak plantations have in recent times rapidly expanded due to shrinking supplies followed by a total ban on harvesting teak from natural stands. The clonal option offers an attractive means of mass producting superior quality planting stock of this species focusing on phenotypic criteria and wood properties. Protocols for large scale propagation by rooted cuttings and in vitro microcuttings of mature selected teak trees have been developed to meet the shortage of planting material. The respective pros and cons of these two techniques are reviewed in this chapter, emphasizing the comparative advantages of the efficient tissue culture procedure for meeting increasing requirements of fast growing and premium quality teak planting material in the wet tropical regions worldwide. (Résumé d'auteur