Terminalia alata - Cambodia Tree Seed Project

Terminalia alata
a) Family and species:
Species: Terminalia alata Heyne ex Roth
Synonym:
-Terminalia coriacea (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. (1834)
- Terminalia tomentosa (Roxb.) Wight & Arn (1834)
- Terminalia macrocarpa Steud. (1841)
Family: Combretaceae
Vernacular names:
Cambodia: Chhlik baty or Chhlik snaeng or Neang Phaaek
Burma: Taukyan
India: Laurel
Laos: Suak dam, Suak kieng
Thailand: Rok fa, hok fa, Chueak
b) General information
A large tree, reaching 35m height and 200cm diameter, found in fairly deciduous forests of India,
Myanmar, Indochina, and Thailand. Its wood is very hard with a density of about 1,040 kg/m 3 at 12%
moisture content, of dark gray to black color and popular for use in house construction, furniture, and
water resistant tools. The bark is used in traditional medicine against diarrhea, fruit is dry, dark brown,
and similar to star fruit. Seed is long inside the fruit, it is soft and fragile and yellowish white in colour.
Picture 1 - Natural distribution of
Terminalia alata
Picture 2 - Fruit and seed of T.alata
c) Collection
Before collection, the ground under the mother tree was cleared of weeds, and tarpaulins lain down in
order to catch the mature seed that fell when the tree was shaken. Seed viability was assessed using the
cutting test, and put into cotton bags for transportation to the seed lab.
d) Testing
In the seed lab, fruit was tested, and the results shown below.
1-Backgound:
-Collection Date: 11 January 2004
-Collection Site: Pal Hal village, Tbaing Meanchey district, Preah Vihear province.
. -Amount: 8 kg
2-Testing:
-Test Site:
CTSP Seed Lab
-Test Date: 14 January 2004
-Initial moisture content: 11.66 %
- Seed weight: 2,937.4g/1,000 seeds or 340 fruits/kg
- Cutting test: 66 %
2-1 Pretreatment test: 2 methods were applied to determine optimum conditions. Before
pretreatment, seed was de-winged. The results are shown in Table 1.

No
1
2
Moisture
content
11.66%
Table 1 - Results of Pretreatment Test
Pretreatment Test Date First germination check
Date
Germination
Soak in 60°C water
and leave to cool
over night
Soak in normal
water over night
14/ 01 /
2004
02/02/2004
(17 days after
sowing)
16% 37%
19% 46%
Germination
Picture 3 - Germination of T.alata
Picture 4 - Fruit coats swell, then seedlings develop
Conclusion: The results indicate the most appropriate pretreatment method for seed of this
species is soaking in normal water over night. This allows the fruit coat to swell during water uptake and
to release the seed.
2-2-Storage trial:
The fruit was kept in the seed lab for some days, and underwent viability tests, before being
divided into two groups, for storage under two conditions: ambient room and cool room at 10°C. Results
are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 – Results of Storage Trial
Period of storage Condition of storage Moisture content Germination Remark
(%)
rate (%)
1 month
10°C 9.98 37
Ambient 9.78 37.5
6 months
10°C 9.18 21
Ambient 10.06 20
12 months
10°C 7.61 25
Ambient 9.13 35
Conclusion: Fruit can be stored for over a year in either condition.
e) Comment for seed procurement: Fruit should be collected at the end of December and early
January. It can be collected from the ground, but if a large amount is to be collected, it is better to clear
the ground of shrubs and grass, then the tree can be shaken and mature fruit. To avoid bulky transport,
wing could be de-winged. Seed should be soaked overnight in normal water and sown into nursery beds.
Fruit can be stored in a closed plastic bag in the shade.