Growth of teak regenerated by coppice and stump planting in Mae Moh Plantation, Lampang province, Thailand

Abstract

The current annual increment (CAI_dbh) and the mean annual increment (MAI_dbh) both for the diameter at breast height (1.3 m) were investigated to compare the differences between coppice and stump-planted teak in Mae Moh Plantation. Forty-eight sample cores were collected from a 9 yr-old teak plantation using an increment borer; annual increments were analyzed using dendrochronological techniques. The results indicated that there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the average diameter at breast height (DBH) between the coppice and stump-planted teak, whereas the total height of stump planting was significantly greater than that of coppice teak. The CAI_dbh of coppice teak was in the range 0.316-2.371 cm and continuously decreased throughout the 9 yr period. The CAI_dbh of stump planting was in the range 0.162-1.982 cm and continuously increased from the beginning of growth for 5 yr followed by a decline thereafter for 4 yr. The CAI_dbh of coppice showed rapid growth in the years 1-4 and was greater than for the stump-planted teak even in years 5-8 after planting; however, the growth of the stumpplanted teak in the ninth year was higher than for the coppice. The MAIdbh values of coppice and stump-planted teak were not significantly (p > 0.05) different. The results showed that CAI_dbh at age 5 yr can be used as a silvicultural guide to increase the yield of teak coppice.