| Abstract: | Although the first Eucalyptus tree was introduced to Thailand and planted in Bangkok as an ornamental tree over one hundred years ago, a series of research on species and provenance trials for wood production was started in 1950. Most industrial plantations focusing on Eucalyptus camaldulensis for wood chips were begun less than twenty years ago. Demands of eucalypt log for wood-chip industry in the year 2002 for 3 main categories, i.e. pulp mills, chip mills and MDF, are 3,700,000 (57.86%), 2,015,000 (31.51%) and 680,000 tons (10.63%), respectively leading to the total demands of 6,395,000 GMT. Most private plantations set up rotation length at 5 years old with an average yield of about 75 tons/ha under proper establishment and maintenances. Thus, total plantation areas required for wood chips are 426,335 ha in order to be harvested 85,267 ha/yr.In 1997, Thailand had 438,524 ha of eucalypt private plantations distributed 47.38 % in the Northeast, 28.73% in the East, 12.77% in the North, 11.07% in the Central Plains, and 0.05% in the South. New technologies were introduced to private plantations recently. Most planting stocks were produced from cutting, followed by tissue culture and seeds with the percentages of 80, 12, and 8, respectively. The spacing of 2 m × 3 m was a common practice planted after intensively mechanized site preparation. Some plantations preferred early dry-season planting in order to minimize the first-year weeding problems. Chemical fertilizers were applied periodically. Clearcutting with coppice system was carried out at 5 years old, followed by thinning the new shoots and remaining 2–3 sprouts for the next rotation. |
