MASS CLONAL MICROPROPAGATION OF

TEAK PLUS TREES FOR HIGH YIELD AND

SUPERIOR QUALITY PLANTATIONS

Doreen K S Goh 1 & Olivier Monteuuis2

YSG Biotech Sdn Bhd, Yayasan Sabah Group, PO

Box 11623, 88817 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
1

2CIRAD-BIOS,

UMR AGAP, TA A-108/03 - Avenue

Agropolis 34398 Montpellier cedex 5 - FRANCE

Teak is one of the most prized high value timber

worldwide, but natural resources are dramatically
shrinking, and have become more and more protected

Rationale for planting high yield and superior quality Teak

i) Shortage in top grade quality timber and an increasing

demand
ii) Increasing land pressure
iii) Shift to smaller scale and private plantations
iv) M aximizing the returns on investments in the shortest delays

Teak plantations have traditionally been

established from seeds

`
`

Insufficient availability
T he longer the clear bole produced (thus, the
higher the commercial value), the more delayed
the onset of fruiting
H ighly unpredictable and generally low seed
germination rates (20 30%)
H igh variability among individuals, even when
genetically related, affecting traits of major
economical importance such as -

GROWTH

DIA M E T ER

B O L E SH A P E

WOOD
C H A R A C T E R IST I CS

`
`

`
`

Insufficient availability of seeds

T he longer the clear bole produced (thus, the higher the commercial
value), the more delayed the onset of fruiting
H ighly unpredictable and generally low seed germination rates (20
30%)
H igh variability among individuals, even when genetically related,
affecting traits of major economical importance such as -

A lack of information regarding the genetic

control of most of the economically-important
traits and of the genetic gain that can be expected
from sexual reproduction (seeds)

the multiplication of unlimited individuals that are

identical in every aspects to the selected original
ortet, and this
regardless of the seed production capacity of the
individuals (whether too young or due to unsuitable
environmental conditions)

For Research purposes:

-genotype X site interactions
-heritability studies
-ex- situ conservation

For operational activities:

-clonal seed orchards for

genetically improved seed

production
- plantation establishments

1993:Development of efficient methods for

mass propagating true-to-type rooted cuttings
or tissue culture selected teak trees of any age

A t the nursery level, 450 to 500 rooted cuttings can be produced

annually per m2 of stock plants from mature selected teak
genotypes applying the YSG-C irad protocols (av rainfall of
2500mm/yr without distinct dry season in M alaysia)

Requisites for cuttings production:

Reliable and good quality automatically-controlled

mist System
Container-grown stock plants intensively managed
(adapted pruning and pinching operations every 3
to 5 days)
Committed and experienced staff

L imiting factors:
Good stockplant responsiveness resulting from proper
management
Time needed (1 to 2 yr) for reactivating-rejuvenating the
mature selected genotypes
Requiring a number of container-grown stockplants
as well as space for stockplants
Staff competency
C limatic conditions (tropical humid without distinct dry
season)

F urther to the nursery method, efficient in vitro protocols were

GHYHORSHGGXULQJWKHVE\<6*-C irad for clonal mass
micropropagating any selected T E A K & A C A C I A spp.,
genotype regardless of its age

From shoot nodes

M eristem (100m) culture-issued teak tree

18 months after planting

7 yr after planting
(G irth: 55cm, , H eight: 25m)

M icrocutting technique very cost efficient (1 sole culture

medium)
E xponential multiplication rate: 3-4n (n: number of
subcultures every 6 weeks)

Ex-vitro acclimatization of plantlets:

>95% success rate

E volution of Project into Commercial subsidiary in 2003

Annual production capacity of more than 2 millions clonal plants

Advantages of the in vitro compared to nursery option:

High productivity all year round in limited space,
regardless of the outside climatic conditions
Stock plant constraints avoided: quantity and
relevant space, intensive management requirement
More profitable than the nursery option for
large productions (> 100 000 plants/yr)
Rejuvenation can be achieved more efficiently, especially by
meristematic culture with the possibility to remove endogenous
contaminants
This is the only way of exporting live plants to oversea
destinations for international exchanges or markets

Worldwide exportation of Teak plantlets

TM

O verseas plantation establishments of our clonal materials

COSTA
E C U A DRICA
OR

INDONESIA

MEXICO

AUSTRALIA

TANZANIA

BRAZIL

BRAZIL(Mato Grosso) Comparison between clonal and seedling materials

2 year-old clonal plantation established in

fertile soils and showing very good uniformity

Queensland, Australia (exports between 2002 2009)

TANZANIA

COSTA RICA

INDONESIA

7 yr-old: H : 20.5 m, D B H :
25.4 cm and clear bole length
AUSTRALIA
of 17.5 m.

The fact that Teak can be easily and clonally masspropagated true-to-type (no C-effects) from mature
selected individuals using very cost-efficient conditions
strongly justifies the clonal option

Suitably selected Teak clones can be attractive

to land owners providing:
Productivity can be increased
Rotations can be shortened,
(part of the crop can be harvested earlier)
Losses can be reduced
Wood quality improved
It can be combined to other crops
(agroforestry systems)

Peripheral planting of teak in

oil palm plantations

Selection of C P T for
mass clonal propagation
` Strong intensity of selection
`

Combining several selection

criteria
Avoiding too close geneticallyrelated genotypes

T he usual phenotypic selection

Traits of fast growth,
minimal branching, and
bole straightness

10 year-old tree
note high heartwood
to sapwood ratio

LVIXUWKHUUHILQHGE\

 Non-destructive

core sample procedures

 Board sampling
(destructive method for
genotypes represented by
several individuals - clones)

Microsatellite
locus name

Accession
EMBL Database Alleles

CIRAD1TeakA06
CIRAD1TeakB03
CIRAD1TeakF05
CIRAD1TeakG02
CIRAD1TeakH10
CIRAD2TeakB07
CIRAD2TeakC03
CIRAD3TeakA11
CIRAD3TeakB02
CIRAD3TeakD09
CIRAD3TeakF01
CIRAD4TeakD12
CIRAD4TeakH09

AJ968929
AJ968930
AJ968931
AJ968932
AJ968933
AJ968934
AJ968935
AJ968936
AJ968937
AJ968938
AJ968940
AJ968941
AJ968943

215
248
268
168
228
143
280
274
237
207
217
143
226

227
248
276
168
228
145
280
280
251
209
229
143
228

Initial origin
Tracing of
initial origin
traceability
G enetic relatedness
C lonal identification
Property rights issues

Better characterization of our materials

G athering and further enriching our teak genetic resources to

be wisely managed as base, and then breeding populations,
has been, and remains, our priority

T he company cur rently owns the

ZRUOGV richest teak gene pool that can
be used for genetic improvement as
well as for commercial transactions

A fter several decades of expectation, teak clonal forestry

has become a reality and is rapidly expanding.

T his success is due to the development of efficient

and simple nursery and in vitro methods adapted
to the true-to type mass clonal propagation of
teak plus trees of any age.

RELEVANT PAPERS (CHRONOLOGICALLY LISTED)

Monteuuis O (1995) Recent advances in clonal propagation of teak. In: Proc. of the International Workshop of BIO-REFOR, Kangar,
Malaysia, Nov. 28 - Dec. 1, 1994, 117-121
Monteuuis O, Vallauri D, Poupard C, Hazard L, Yusof Y, Wahap Latip A, Garcia C, Chauvire M (1995) Propagation clonale de
tecks (Tectona grandis) matures par bouturage horticole. Bois et Forts des Tropiques, 243, 25-39
Bonal D, Monteuuis O(1997) Ex vitro survival, rooting and initial development of in vitro rooted vs unrooted microshoots from
juvenile and mature Tectona grandis genotypes. Silvae Genetica, 46 (5), 301-306
Goh D, Monteuuis O (1997) Vegetative propagation of teak. ITTO Tropical Forest Update, 7 (2), 13
Monteuuis O, Bon M-C, Goh DKS (1998) Teak propagation by in vitro culture. Bois et Forts des Tropiques, 256:43-53
Monteuuis O, Goh D (1999) About the use of clones in teak. Bois et Forts des Tropiques 261: 28-38
Monteuuis O (2000) Propagating teak by cuttings and microcuttings. In: Proc. of the international seminar 6LWH technology and
productivity of teak SODQWDWLRQV FORSPA Publication N24/2000, Teaknet Publication N3, 209-222
Goh D, Monteuuis O (2001) Production of tissue-cultured teak: the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory experience. In: Proc. of the
Third Regional Seminar on Teak: 3RWHQWLDO and opportunities in marketing and trade of plantation Teak: Challenge for
the New Millenium. July 31 Aug. 4, 2000, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 237-247
Goh DKS, Alloysius D, Gidiman J, Chan HH, Mallet B, Monteuuis O (2005) Selection and propagation of superior teak for quality
improvement in plantations: case study of the ICSB/Cirad-Fort joint project. In: Proc. of the international symposium
held in 2003 on Quality Timber Products of Teak from Sustainable Forest 0DQDJHPHQW (KM Bhat, KKN Nair, KV
Bhat, EM Muralidharan and JK Sharma eds), Kerala Forest Research Institute, India and International Tropical Timber
Organization, Japan. 390-399
Goh DKS, Monteuuis O (2005) Rationale for developing intensive teak clonal plantations, with special reference to Sabah. Bois
et Forts des Tropiques 285:5-15
Goh DKS, Chaix G, Bailleres H, Monteuuis O (2007) Mass production and quality control of teak clones for tropical plantations: The
Yayasan Sabah Group and Forestry Department of Cirad Joint Project as a case study. Bois et Forts des Tropiques
293: 65-77
Monteuuis O, Matre HF (2007) Advances in teak cloning. ITTO Tropical Forest Update, 17 (3): 13-15
Chaix G, Monteuuis O, Goh DKS, Bailleres H, Boutahar N (2008) Quality control and mass production of teak clones for tropical
plantations. In: Proc. of the international symposium held in 2007 on 3URFHVVLQJ and marketing of Teak wood
products of planted IRUHVWV (KM Bhat, M Balasundaran, KV Bhat, EM Muralidharan and PK Thulasidas eds), Kerala
Forest Research Institute, India and International Tropical Timber Organization, Japan. 146-157.
Goh DKS, Monteuuis O (2009) Status of the <6* %,27(&+ program of building teak genetic resources in Sabah. Bois et Forts
des Tropiques 301:33-49
Chaix G, Monteuuis O, Garcia C, Alloysius D, Gidiman J, Bacilieri R, Goh DKS (2011) Genetic variation in major phenotypic traits
among diverse genetic origins of teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) planted in Taliwas, Sabah, East Malaysia. Ann For Sci
68:10151026
Monteuuis O, Goh DKS, Garcia C, Alloysius D, Gidiman J, Bacilieri R, Chaix G (2011) Genetic variation of growth and tree quality
traits among 42 diverse genetic origins of Tectona grandis planted under humid tropical conditions in Sabah, East
Malaysia. Tree Genetics and Genomes 7:1263-1275
Goh DKS, Monteuuis O (2012) Behaviour of the <6* BIOTECH TG1-8 teak clones under various site conditions: first
observations. Bois et Forts des Tropiques 311:5-19

THANK YOU