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Resource survey of wild sandalwood in Timor-Leste
Conference paper   Peer reviewed

Resource survey of wild sandalwood in Timor-Leste

Luis Almeida, Tony Page, Rob Williams, Mario Sacaio, Antonia Alves, Luis da Costa Patrocinio, Ida Pereira and Jacarias J Cristovão
ACIAR Proceedings 150, pp.205-213
Sandalwood Regional Forum, 2019 (Port Vila, Vanuatu, 11-Nov-2019–13-Nov-2019)
ACIAR Proceedings Series, 150, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
2021
url
https://www.aciar.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-01/ACIAR-PR150.pdfView
Published Version Open

Abstract

Sandalwood (Santalum album) is a species that is indigenous to Timor-Leste where it is found growing naturally across the country. This sandalwood species is well-known as the most valuable among all sandalwood species growing throughout the world. Historically, S. album has had a strong connection with the economic, ecological, social and spiritual life of Timor-Leste. The important role of this species in Timor-Leste society therefore cannot be overestimated. This paper reports on a resources survey of wild sandalwood in Timor-Leste that was conducted with the aim of quantifying variation and identifying mother trees for future research and plantation development. Approximately 15 trees were evaluated within each of 10 locations across 10 administrative posts. The value of the tree is based on the volume of the oil-containing heartwood at the centre of the trunk. Significance variations for the heartwood development and growth rate were observed, between and within locations. External tree diameter was a poor indicator of heartwood content. Trees with a 20-cm diameter at 0.2 m above ground level had between 4 and 16% heartwood. The average growth rate of trees was estimated at 0.7 cm/year. The study's findings offer a pathway for the selection and cultivation of S. album for Timor-Leste's future economic development. 20

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