SEED AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF TEAK (TECTONA GRANDIS LINN.F. ) FROM NATURAL STAND AND SEED ORCHARD

Abstract

A study on seed viability, seed germination and seedling growth of teak was conducted at seed orchard plot (12x12 m. and 6x6 m.) and at the teak natural stand near Maegar Seed Orchard, Phayao province. At seed orchard, seed viability (53.13%) and the average number of seed / fruit (0.58 ± 0.02) were significantly higher than those natural forest (71.3% and 0.37 ± 0.04, respectively). The number of seed/fruit of two seed sources, however, were similar; most of the fruits contained only 1 seed/fruit. There was no significantly difference on seed germination neither between both seed sources nor between two spacings; the average of seed germination was 21.4%. Observations on seedling growth between seed orchard and natural stand had been conducted up to 3 month-old seedlings. Height and diameter at root collar (DO) of seedlings from two seed sources differed significantly on each month period. The DO of 3-month-old seedlings in seed orchard (0.659 ± 0.009 cm) was significantly higher than in natural forest (0.601 ± 0.009); this results synchronized with studies on number of seed/fruit and seed viability. There was no significantly different in height and DO of seedling between 12x12 m and 6x6 m.