Leaf functional traits such as leaf mass per area (LMA) and nitrogen and chlorophyll content are potential indicators of tree growth performance because they reflect leaf physiological traits including photosynthetic capacity and are influenced by environmental stress. However, our knowledge of the leaf traits associated with growth is limited in teak (Tectona grandis). We investigated the relationship between leaf functional traits and growth rate in four Malaysian teak stands varying from 14 to 46 years of age. We measured the height and diameter of 11−13 teak individuals in each stand. Sun-exposed leaves from each tree were collected and assessed for nitrogen content, LMA, single leaf area, and SPAD value, which is an indicator of chlorophyll content. SPAD values were positively correlated with diameter growth in all stands, with height increases found in three of four stands. Nitrogen content and single leaf area were positively correlated with height and diameter growth in one forest stand each, whereas LMA did not exhibit a significant relationship. After pooling the data for all stands, we examined the relationship between leaf functional traits and stand age, diameter and height via multiple regression analysis and found a significant positive correlation with SPAD value, but weaker correlations with the other three leaf traits. Because leaf chlorophyll content decreases with environmental stresses such as reduced soil nutrient availability and drought, trees with lower SPAD values may decrease their photosynthetic production and thus grow more slowly. Our results suggest that the SPAD value is a simple growth indicator of teak, regardless of their age and size.

Deep-container seedlings (DCSs), which are grown in deep containers, are expected to promote reforestation in drylands. To examine the suitability for DCS cultivation in terms of vertical root development, we grew seedlings of five tropical dry forest species common in Myanmar (Azadirachta indica, Tamarindus indica, Hesperethusa crenulata, Tectona hamiltoniana, and Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in deep multi-stage adjustable rolled (M-StAR) containers (8-cm diameter, 60-cm depth). The M-StAR container is a new type of cylindrical polyethylene container with a ribbed sidewall. While these five species showed different leaf phenology and rooting strategies, all five species developed roots reaching the bottom of the containers and showed Dickson Quality Index values >2.4 at the end of the cultivation period. In all species, total and specific root lengths reflecting the root density increased with container depth, with the deepest section (50−60 cm) mainly filled with fine roots (ϕ<1 mm), suggesting that tropical dry forest species adopt the common adaptive strategy to exploit water in the deep layer. Seedlings of the five tropical dry forest species with different leaf phenology and rooting strategies grew successfully in M-StAR containers. These results suggest that the DCS technique could also be applied for reforestation with other tropical dry forest species.

This study examines the role of subsistence crops in contemporary food culture in rural communities with diversified livelihoods. The study was conducted in eight households in the campesino community in the tropical region of Panama, using 4-month dietary records of highly consumed staple and protein foods, including consumption frequency of each crop, acquisition, and cooked menu. Household surveys, participant observation, and interviews were also conducted to examine food practices. Rice, grown or purchased, is an essential staple food, and verdura foods, such as tuber and banana, are particularly consumed simmered at lunch. Verdura is acquired from different land use types, including swidden, agroforestry, and homegardens, as well as purchased from village markets and gifted from other households. The habit of verdura consumption that allows households with different livelihoods to exchange resources through the village markets has enabled effective land use in the village. Maize and poultry, although grown within the village, are mainly acquired from outside. However, the specific value of taste connected to the harvest is recognized and sought after for special meals eaten on specific occasions. The current food culture, which allows for positive selection of food obtained through land and village markets, links households with different livelihoods, regardless of their degree of subsistence, to local food production. As lifestyles change, initiatives are needed to maintain residents’ positive perceptions of local foods to maintain food security in the area.

The growth traits (stem diameter at 1.3 m above the ground and tree height), stress-wave velocity of the stems, and log characteristics (taper and dynamic Young’s modulus of logs) were examined for 54 trees from 18 half-sib families planted in a seedling seed orchard of the first-generation Neolamarckia macrophylla (11-year-old) in Wonogiri, Central Java, Indonesia. The mean values for stem diameter and tree height were 20.2 cm and 20.0 m, respectively. The stress-wave velocity of the stems was 3.76 km s^－1. Meanwhile, the taper and dynamic Young’s modulus of logs were 0.57 cm m^－1 and 8.13 GPa, respectively. The heritability values of each trait were 0.412, 0.365, 0.101, <0.001, and 0.092 for the stem diameter, tree height, stress-wave velocity of stems, taper of logs, and dynamic Young’s modulus of logs, respectively, suggesting that the improvement of all traits is possible for the next generation, with the exception of the log taper. The 18 half-sib families could be classified into three groups for different potential uses based on the principal component analysis and cluster analysis results.