AgroForestryTree Database
Pinus kesiya
 Species identityEcology and distributionPropagation and managementFunctional usesPests and diseasesAdditional InfoBibliographyImages |
Species identity
TaxonomySynonym(s)
Common names
(Burmese) : tinyu
(Filipino) : Khasya pine, tapulao (Zambales)
(French) : pin a trois feuilles
(Lao (Sino-Tibetan)) : mai hing
(Thai) : chuang
(Vietnamese) : x[af] nu
Botanic description
A large tree up to 45 m tall with a bole free of branches for 15-20 m and up to 100 cm in diameter, a thick, reticulately and deeply fissured bark, and often pruinose branchlets with a waxy bloom. Needles in bundles of (2-)3(-4), very slender and flexible, (10-)12-21(-25) cm long, bright grass green. Mature cones up to 3 together, pendulous, ovoid to ovoid-conical, (4-)5-8(-10) cm long, subsessile or on a short stalk up to 10 mm long; apophysis beaked or flattened with a short, blunt, deciduous umbo. Seed small with a short, 1.5-2.5 cm long wing. The union of P. khasya and P. insularis into P. kesiya has been argued, because of their different field characteristics and products, and some authors contend that P. kesiya has not been properly described.
Ecology and distribution
History of cultivationEastern India, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China, northern Thailand and the Philippines (northern Luzon); planted throughout the tropics, in South-East Asia in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.
Natural Habitat
Benguet pine is locally common in northern Luzon, often occurring in open pure stands on steep slopes at elevations of 300-2700 m. The naturally occurring pines of South-East Asia (P. kesiya and P. merkusii) inhabit a wide range of forest and savanna habitats. They are pioneers and their natural range is extended by colonization following disturbances such as fire. They grow, for instance, scattered in fire-prone grassland and woodland. The trees are increasing in number in recently disturbed areas. They are strongly light-demanding and habitually grow in pure stands. Pines grow naturally in South-East Asia only in strongly seasonal environments.
Eastern India, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China, northern Thailand and the Philippines (northern Luzon); planted throughout the tropics, in South-East Asia in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.
Biophysical limitsAltitude: 300-2700 m; Mean annual rainfall: 700-1800 mm and a pronounced dry season; Mean annual temperature: 17-22 deg. C; Mean maximum temperature of the hottest month: 26-30 deg. C; Mean minimum temperature of the coldest month: 10-18 deg. C.
Reproductive Biology
In Sumatra ripe seeds are produced most abundantly between July and November, but viable seeds are produced throughout the year.
Propagation and management
Propagation methodsSuccessful natural regeneration is only possible where a relatively large amount of sunlight reaches the ground. In Sumatra ripe seeds are produced most abundantly between July and November, but viable seeds are produced throughout the year. Only cones that have just changed their colour from green to brown should be collected and air dried.Tree Management
Seedlings of P. kesiya may already be suitable for transplanting after 4-6 months. Field planting is carried out at spacings of 4 m x 4 m (for resin production) or 3 m x 1-2 m (for timber production). In the Philippines Benguet pine is recommended as a shade tree for coffee plantations. It is planted at a spacing of 3 m x 3 m, and after 5-7 years, when the pines have reached a height of at least 4 m, young coffee is planted. Husbandry: Weeding is necessary for about 3 years until the canopies of the growing pine and coffee have completely overtopped the grasses. P. kesiya require more weeding than P. caribaea and P. oocarpa. In Thailand weeding in P. kesiya plantations is carried out 4 times a year. The prolonged ""grass stage"" often present in young trees of P. merkusii means increased weeding requirements when compared to P. caribaea, P. oocarpa and P. kesiya. P. kesiya is the preferred species for reforestation on highland sites in Thailand.
Germplasm Management
The seeds can be stored for several years, provided they are kept dry, cold and in an airtight container. The weight of 1000 seeds of P. kesiya is 16-18 g.
Functional uses
ProductsFibre: It is used for the manufacture of particle board and pulp, but its usefulness depends on the quality of the wood. Gum or resin: Oleoresin of good quality is tapped from the trees. Timber: Benguet pine is a general purpose timber.Services
Other services: Another viable agroforestry system in the Philippines is raising goats in forest of P. kesiya at a stocking rate of 4 goats/ha.
Pests and diseasesPests: In the Philippines bark beetles (Ips calligraphus) may cause problems in plantations of P. kesiya, and pine shoot moths (Dioryctria rubella) in stands of P. kesiya. Pine shoot moth is effectively controlled by using the insecticides fenitrothion (0.1%) and fenvalerate (0.2%). The main pests in northern Sumatra are members of the Psychid and Geometrid families (e.g. Milionia basalis), shoot- and stem-boring Pyralids, and local squirrels.
Additional Information
DevelopmentIn early stages of growth, trees of P. kesiya are prone to fire damage. The annual growth rate of Benguet pine (P. kesiya) in the Philippines is 0.8-1.9 cm in diameter and 54-142 cm in height.Properties
Gum or resin: Oleoresin of good quality is tapped from the trees. Timber (paragraph 1): Timber of P. kesiya from the Philippines and Burma has an average density of 560 kg/m cubic at 12% moisture content. Test in Malaysia at 132% moisture content showed the following mechanical properties: modulus of rupture is 39 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 8300 N/mm cubic, compression parallel to grain 18.5 N/mm cubic, compression shear 6 N/mm cubic, cleavage radial 35 N/mm, cleavage tangential 39 N/mm and janka side hardness 2400 N. At 15% moisture content, modulus of rupture is 61 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 9300 N/mm cubic, compression parallel to grain 29 N/mm cubic, compression shear 9 N/mm cubic, cleavage radial 41 N/mm, cleavage tangential 48 N/mm and janka side hardness 2760 N. Test in the Philippines at 12% moisture content showed the following mechanical properties: modulus of rupture is 104 N/mm cubic, modulus of elasticity 14 900 N/mm¦, compression parallel to grain 51 N/mm cubic, compression perpendicular to grain 7.5 N/mm¦ and compression shear 11 N/mm cubic. The rates of shrinkage from green to oven dry 3.9% radial and 7.7% tangential. Timber (paragraph 2): The timber of P. kesiya is easy to cut into smooth, tight veneer of uniform thickness at a cutting temperature of 50-70 deg. C. During drying the veneer shows slight to moderate shrinkage and warping, and is usually split-free. To obtain an acceptable quality of veneer it is often necessary to patch or fill imperfections in the wood due to the presence of knots and localized raised grain, and then to sand the surface.
Yields
Harvesting: Several methods of harvesting the resin are practised. The resin is found in the intercellular canals in the wood (especially sapwood) and products are often termed ""naval stores"" because of their historic use for ship caulking. Living pine trees are tapped (wounded), the first cut of about 1.3 cm wide and 30 cm long being made 30-40 cm from the ground, followed by a series of chippings until breast height. A sulphuric acid solution (usually 40-60%) is applied immediately after chipping. This process yields the ""gum naval stores"", still the major source of the worlds supply of rosin and turpentine. ""Wood naval stores"" can be obtained by solvent extraction of stumps of old trees; the resin obtained in this manner is less pure. Turpentine and wood resin can also be obtained as by-products from the kraft (sulphate) pulping of pines. Turpentine is removed from the chip digester during the initial steaming and condensed from the relief gases. This method gives ""kraft naval stores"". Yield: Trees of P. kesiya are sometimes commercially tapped for resin prior to harvesting of the main product, which is timber. Trees in the Philippines older than 20 years yield an average of 1800-2450 g of resin per tree.
Genetic
Genetic resources: Natural stands of P. kesiya in the Philippines should be earmarked for seed collection and gene conservation. International provenance trials of P. kesiya has been established throughout South-East Asia and also in northern Australia; they are coordinated by the Commonwealth Forestry Institute of Oxford (UK).
Prospects
Pines are much planted trees because of their fast growth, ability to grow on comparatively poor soils and at high altitudes, and because of the detailed information available on their silviculture. The quality of the wood is, however, often very poor. The production of better quality wood from pine plantations should be a research priority.