Résumé
The dramatic reduction of high grade teak timber supplies from natural stands and the concomitant increasing worldwide demand have accounted for a greater interest in teak plantation establishment, especially from wisely selected clones for ensuring the best yield and quality returns in the shortest time. Results from fifteen years of collaborative research work between the Sabah Foundation Group and CIRAD in Sabah on genetic improvement, early selection on wood traits combined with the development of efficient nursery and in vitro propagation protocols have led to the availability of superior quality planting stock. The development of this 'package' of technologies for upgrading the clonal selection is now paying off, as evidenced by the widespread interest and demands for our clonal material 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 phenotype criteria only, can be refined by taking into account at an early stage, economically important wood characteristics (sapwood percentage, specific gravity, shrinkage, figure and 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 jointly for identifying the genetic background and 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)