FAO did a survey on Teak growing worldwide and presented results at the recent Teaknet conference in Costa Rica. An interesting slide summarizes Teak growing in various continents. Several people I spoke to found the figures to be unreliable, but it certainly shows a wide variance across the world. The low MAI and high rotation underscores the need for good genetics.
A common question I get is how to care for T.C. plants. Since we ship out Stage III plants (with roots, freshly deflasked) that are not acclimatized yet, they need some extra tender loving care before they can grow like other plants in greenhouses.
What does extra care entail? There are two main ingredients:
1. Low light — about 2 x 50% shade. I’ve heard more, but I’ve also seen people get away with less. Two weeks of low light, then slow gradual increase of light is needed.
2. High humidity — close to 100%. I’ve seen this done two ways. Some people put a cover over the plants to keep humidity in. This is rather risky as gases can build within the cover and kill the plants. I’ve seen it work, but not always. Other people just keep misting very frequently with sprays close to the plants. You don’t want to overwater because the plants will become susceptible to fungal infection — remember, these plants are not acclimatized to climate and outside microorganisms.
Other factors to consider are fungicide & fertilizers. Neither is recommended during this early stage, but conditions vary.
Since every greenhouse is different, trial and error is needed to get the right mix of conditions for optimal growth. Different varieties will require varying levels of coddling during this early stage.
Teaknet is holding an international conference Oct 31 – Nov 5, 2011. Dr. Pai from TOL will be attending with some representatives from Thailand. He will also be presenting his recent work at the conference.
More information at: http://web.catie.ac.cr/conferencia_teca/home_ing.htm
To schedule a meeting, please contact josephg@tolusa.com
