Natural decay resistance of juvenile teak wood grown in high input plantations

The natural decay resistance of 5-year-old juvenile teak wood grown in a fertilized and irrigated stand was studied based on accelerated laboratory testing against two white rot fungi. It was found that 5-year-old juvenile wood from high input plantations is less decay resistant than the wood of 13-year-old trees and mature teak wood of forest plantations. However, it is comparable in natural durability to the inner heartwood of even mature tree. According to the ASTM classification of timbers on the basis of decay resistance, it belongs to Class II of resistant timbers as compared to the very resistant outer heartwood of mature timber attributed to Class I.