ABSTRACT

Teak (Tectona grandis) is a leading hardwood known for its color, strength, and durability. With rising demand for quality timber and diminishing natural resources, there is a growing focus on plantation cultivation. Growing Teak under canopy cover, whether of the same or different species, is essential for maximizing land use. To enhance initial growth and establishment, a study was conducted in the Banavasi Range of the Sirsi forest division, evaluating Teak performance under three main treatments and nine sub-treatments.
Among the three main treatments, M1 (Teak seedlings under less than 10% canopy cover) exhibited significantly better growth, with plant height (74.00 cm), collar diameter (18.39 mm), number of leaves (16.86) and leaf area (5211.10 cm²), likely due to increased light availability that enhances physiological processes. Among the nine sub-treatments, S6 (50% of S2 + FYM (2.5 kg/plant) + VAM (50 g/plant)) showed the highest growth metrics: plant height (89.26 cm), collar diameter (19.49 mm), number of leaves (16.61) and leaf area (4644.32 cm²), attributed to the rapid nutrient release from inorganic fertilizers combined with gradual release from organic and bio fertilizers. In the interaction of canopy cover and nutrient management, M1S6 achieved maximum growth, with plant height (106.96 cm), collar diameter (21.54 mm), number of leaves (20.50) and leaf area (7062.45 cm²).
This study has concluded that Teak can also thrive under a 30-40 per cent canopy cover, provided that nutrients are supplied and management practices are carried out to enhance the initial growth of Teak under the canopy of various species.