Since 2014 Form Ghana and Form International have been creating a large trial of teak genetics in the Tain II Tributaries forest reserve in Ghana. The objective of this trial is to test teak material that was collected in Ghana and acquired from other countries internationally.
Through our international network we were able to source over 50 different provenances and varieties of teak. These different types of teak have been planted in small blocks of 49 trees. For most types several such small blocks have been planted. The total trial now covers over 12 hectares.
Some of the varieties of teak came from places that have since been harvested. For From Ghana this trial represents a true treasure trove of genetics.
Because we had a suspicion that not all teak coming from far-off lands is unique, a genetic analysis was done to determine what the relatedness of Form Ghana’s teak is and which sources should be prioritised for further collection. The results showed that especially teak from India has a high genetic variation.
In the future Form Ghana will use the trial to select new varieties to plant on a larger scale. Already a 30 hectares clonal seed orchard has been planted with provenances selected for good shape and performance.
The results of the genetic analysis have been published in a paper in November 2021 issue of the Genetic Resources journal (read here).