AN OFFICIAL from the Forest Research Institute at Yezin in Mandalay Division participated last month in a conference on dendro-chronology, or the scientific dating of trees based on the analysis of tree-ring growth patterns.

The First Asia Dendrochronology Conference and Workshop, which was held from September 9 to 15 in Bangkok, was attended by researchers, professors and post-graduate students from China, India, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Mongolia, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and the United States.

Organisers said the conference was aimed at fostering cooperation among researchers in the field of growth patterns of teak trees, and at researching the role that natural forests play in climate change and environmental protection work in Asia.

The participant from Myanmar, Dr Nyi Nyi Kyaw, told The Myanmar Times that a total of 50 research papers were presented that covered a wide range of topics related to dendrochronology, including global climate and environmental changes, forest management, soil, botany and physiological processes.

“Because it was the first conference on dendro-chronology held in Asia, it was a good opportunity for participants to learn about research being conducted in one another’s countries,” said Dr Nyi Nyi Kyaw, who is the deputy director of the institute.

During the conference Dr Nyi Nyi Kyaw presented a research paper titled “The Effect of Rainfall on the Radial Growth and Long-term Growth Pattern of Teak (Tectona grandis Linn.F) in Natural Forests in Myanmar,” which was based on research conducted from 2000 to 2003 with help from Dr R Mittöhner and Dr Martin Worbes from Göttingen University in Germany.

He said the research involved exploring the relation between rainfall duration and the radii of tree rings, and estimating growth rates by analysing the annual rings of teak trees.

“The research was conducted in the Taungoo, Kantbalu and Mabein areas (in Bago and Sagaing divisions and Shan State respectively) and found that the growth rates of teak trees differ depending on their location,” Dr Nyi Nyi Kyaw said.

“I found that the radii of annual rings and the rainfall during the rainy season (from May to October) are interdependent,” he said.

He said the research indicated that teak trees in the Taungoo area had the highest growth rate in terms of volume while those in Kantbalu grew the slowest.