Species Trials of 8 Dipterocarpaceae Species at Thong Pha Phum Silvicultural Research Station, Kanchanaburi Province

Abstract

Species trials of 8 Dipterocarpaceae species were carried out at the Thong Pha Phum Silvicultural Research Station, Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi province. The objectives of the study were to assess the growth performance and biomass production of the species and to select those suitable for planting on this site by using a randomized complete block design with 8 tree species, 4 blocks, 27 trees/treatment and 2 x 4 m spacing. The trial blocks were divided by slope.

The tree data were measured at 14 years of age, all parameters were found to be highly significant difference among tree species, except leaf area index (LAI).  Trees with a high mean survival rate were Dipterocarpus tuberculatus and Shorea siamensis, with 95.37% and 94.44%, respectively; D. alatus showed high values of mean diameter at breast height (DBH), total height (H), mean annual increment of DBH and mean annual increment of H with figures of 19.09 cm, 17.60 m, 1.36 cm.yr^-1 and 1.26 m.yr^-1, respectively.  High total aboveground biomass and mean annual increment of total aboveground biomass were recorded for D. alatus and D. tuberculatus with respective values of 22.5044, 21.0545 t.rai^-1 and 1.6075, 1.5040 t.rai^-1.yr^-1.  S. obtusa had the highest mean LAI of 2.1233.

Based on the present study, it could be concluded that suitable tree species for this site were D. alatus and D. tuberculatus because they showed better growth and biomass production than the other species.

Keywords:  Dipterocarpaceae, Kanchanaburi province, Species selection, Species trials