Yield Table of Teak (Tectona grandis L. f.) Plantations in Benin (West-Africa)

Abstract

Benin has a long tradition of cultivating and managing teak plantations. Silvicultural treatments in thinning and harvesting the plantations were however based on the yield tables elaborated for teak plantations in Côte-d’Ivoire and elsewhere. In order to fill the information gap on the silviculture of teak plantations, we undertook to elaborate this yield table. With that framework, data were collected for over 10 years from permanent plots. They were complemented with data from stem analysis and from temporary plots. An overall 1,026 combinations of top heights and corresponding ages were used to fit the basic yield table model. From the main results, the yield table elaborated is composed of 5 fertility classes. Their productivity indices were respectively 34, 28, 22, 16 and 10 meters as top heights at the reference age of 25 years. The first three classes are suitable for growing teak timber of good quality during a rotation period of 40 years; the fourth class is more convenient for small logs production whereas the last class is more suitable for growing alternative native species. This yield table could be a useful tool to guide the silviculture of teak plantations throughout the tropics. The comparison of the yield table with that of the sub region showed that teak plantations in Benin are more productive at early stages than those of Côte-d’Ivoire although the latter have more productivity with age. Teak plantations of Benin are found to be more productive than those reported in the provisional yield tables developed for teak plantations in Ghana