Abstract

Selected anatomical characteristics and wood specific gravity of 8-year-old teak (Tectona grandis) trees, growing in Nilambur, India, protected from insect defoliation, were compared with those from an unprotected population. During the protection period of four years trees showed a considerable increase in ring width (growth rate) relative to unprotected trees. Although latewood width was more closely correlated with ring width than earlywood width, no significant differences were found in specific gravity, cell wall percentage and diameter and percentage of vessels, probably due to the juvenility of the wood. Furthermore, no intrinsic relationship could be established between the insect defoliation and the formation of false rings