The document provides information about teak trees and a study on growth differences in teak plantations in Sri Lanka. Teak is a valuable hardwood known for its strength, durability and weather resistance. The study aims to identify growth differences between two teak plantations with different climates, and investigate the impact of soil physical and chemical properties on early growth. The methodology describes comparing tree measurements, soil sampling and analysis, and climate data between the plantations to analyze factors affecting growth.

2. What you should know
about Teak…
Teak (also known as Tectona grandis):
• Is a deciduous hardwood tree indigenous to the dry and hilly
terrains of Indonesia and Southeast Asia
• Remains one of the most valuable of all hardwoods and is known
for its beauty, strength, durability and weather-resistant qualities
• Is the leading choice for marine and outdoor furniture
applications because the extremely dense wood contains natural
oils and rubber content, thereby possessing the greatest capability
of any wood to withstand the effects of the harsh outdoor
environment
• Can naturally endure the effects of sun, rain and even snow
without rotting, warping, cracking, shrinkage or swelling

3. What you should know
about Teak…
• Will naturally age to a beautiful silver-gray hew over the years or
with a periodic application of natural teak oil will maintain its
original color and richness for a lifetime.
• Prices have increased rapidly since 1986.

4. What is the Research?
• Tropical countries need to protect their forests and also satisfy their
wood requirements.
• Forest plantations that are managed in sustainable manner can be
effectively used to supply the demand of timber and related product
while protecting the valuable natural forests.
• One of the main issue faced by teak plantation owners are growth
differences and there by the timber quality and income variations.
• Therefore the findings of studies can derived in growth variation
due to the growth affecting factors can be effectively used in teak
plantation management.

5. Growth affecting factors
Soil
Climate
Physical Factors Chemical Factors
Rainfall
Temperature
Silvicultural
Management
Water Supply
Fertilizer Applications

6. Objectives of the study
• Identification of growth difference of teak in two different
geographical areas in Sri Lanka.
• Investigation of the impact of climate variation on teak
plantation.
• Investigation of the impact of selected soil physical and
chemical parameters on growth of teak at young stage.

7. Justification
• One of the biggest challenges towards the outlook of forests in
the recent times has been concerns about ‘sustainability’ of
our resources .
• In forestry plantations, there were growth differences and
there by the timber quality and income variations.
• Problems are occurs due to miss-management.
• Approaches are required over come such problems.

8. Methodology
• Kumaragama teak plantation
• Puttalam teak plantation
Site selection
Total area: 85.79 ha
7 years old: 25.29 ha
Total area: 101.98 ha
7 years old: 80.94 ha

9. Methodology cont.
Site comparison
(Department of Meteorology, 2014)
Puttalam
Plantation
Kumaragama
Plantation
Agro ecological
zone
Low country dry
zone (DL3)
Low country dry
zone (DL1)
Annual rainfall
(mm)
1696.6 1852.9
Average
temperature (°C)
24.4 22.2
Number of dry
months (Lower
than 1778mm)
7 3

10. (10m)
Methodology cont.
• Plots selection
▫ Permanent sample plots will be used for all 7 years.
• Soil sampling
▫ Debris and litter-fall will be removed
▫ From plot center up to 45 cm depth
▫ Sample will be stored in
air-tight plastic containers.
Sampling
(20m)

11. Methodology cont.
• Total tree height measurement
• Diameter at breast height
Tree measurement

12. Methodology cont.
• Soil chemical factors
▫ Total Nitrogen content – kjeldahl method
▫ Phosphorus content – Colorimetric method by using
spectrophotometer
▫ Potassium & Magnesium – Atomic absorption
spectrophotometer
Soil analysis

13. Methodology cont.
• Soil physical factors
▫ Soil texture – Sieve analysis method
▫ Soil Water Holding Capacity
▫ Soil Bulk Density
Soil analysis

14. Methodology cont.
• Climatic details
▫ Daily rainfall and temperature data are collected by
Sadaharitha Plantation Ltd at both selected plantations
from 2009
Secondary data
Other information
▫ Water supply and fertilizers application details will be
obtained from the Sadaharitha Plantation Ltd

15. Methodology cont.
• Growth comparison
▫ Quantitatively by using statistical analysis
 ANOVA will be used for the statistical comparison using
MINITAB software
▫ Qualitatively by using line graphs
Data analysis

16. Methodology cont.
• Example; Growth comparison (between plantations)
Qualitative Data analysis
Total tree
volume /m3
TimeGrowth rate comparison of two
plantations
Total tree
volume
/m3
TimeGrowth rate of
plantation 1
Total tree
volume
/m3
TimeGrowth rate of
plantation 2
Factors
affecting
growth

17. Methodology cont.
• Example; Growth comparison (within plantation)
Qualitative Data analysis cont.
Total tree
volume /m3
Time
Growth rate comparison of plantation
Factors
affecting
growth

18. Methodology cont.
Quantitative Data analysis
Examples: Minitab Statistical Software will be used to analyze survey data and
answer questions that can affect on teak growth.
2-Sample t-Test
We use the 2-sample t-test to compare the averages between two groups and
determine if there is a significant difference between them.
ANOVA
Will be used to compare group means for multiple variables.
Regression
Will be used to examine or predict how particular continuous variables affect a
particular outcome—for example, how teak growth rate correlates with soil
conditions.

19. References
Lankathilaka, M. A., & Subasinghe, S. M. C. U. P. (2012, September). Change of
nutrient contents of teak seedlings (tectona grandis linn f.) under different
compost treatments. In Proceedings of International Forestry and
Environment Symposium (Vol. 15).
Nielsen, D. R., Biggar, J. W., & Erh, K. T. (1973). Spatial variability of field-
measured soil-water properties. University of California, Division of
Agricultural Sciences.
Pandey, D., & Brown, C. (2000). Teak: a global overview. UNASYLVA-FAO-, 3-
13.
Randeni, K. R. A. H. A., & Subasinghe, S. M. C. U. P. (2012, March).
Establishment of relationships of growth at 7 years old Mahogany trees with
selected site factors in low country wet zone, using GIS as a tool. In Proceedings
of International Forestry and Environment Symposium (Vol. 14).
Subasinghe, S. M. C. U. P., & Gunarathne, W. P. K. (2012) Construction of a
precise growth model to predict the individual tree stem volume for mature
Tectona grandis lf (teak).

20. Thank You