Résumé
The dramatic reduction of high grade teak timber supplies from natural stands and the concomitant worldwide demand increase have accounted for a greater interest in teak plantation establishment, especially from wisely selected clones for ensuring the best yield and quality returns with the shortest delays. Outcomes from fifteen years of collaborative research in Sabah, East Malaysia, between the Sabah Foundation Group and CIRAD on teak genetic improvement including early selection on wood traits, combined with the development of efficient nursery and in vitro propagation methods have led to the availability of superior quality planting stock. Results of this work have enabled the development of a 'package' of technologies for upgrading the clonal selection and delivery, which is now paying off as evidenced by the widespread interest and demands for our clonal materials from buyers in Malaysia and around the world. Quality control of the planting material is essential to guarantee the reliability and the future of teak clonal forestry. The initial selection of candidate trees, traditionally based on their external features only, can now be refined by taking into account at an early stage economically important wood characteristics such as sapwood percentage, specific gravity, shrinkage, figure, natural durability. The purpose is to enhance the ultimate value of the clones planted either in the form of monoculture or agroforestry systems. Reliable DNA markers have been developed both for identifying the genetic background and the possible relatedness of the candidate genotypes for wiser and safer clonal deployment. These molecular analyses are also useful for checking the genotypic conformity of the propagated clones, as well as to ensure that trading practices comply with laws on intellectual property rights. (Résumé d'auteur)