NOTE: EXPRESSION OF BT GENE IN TRANSGENIC TEAK

Teak (Tectona grandis) is an economically important, large deciduous and semi-evergreen tree. It is predominantly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of South-East Asia (Baghel et al. 2008). It is an important species for forest plantation in the tropics and valued worldwide for its wood. Genetic improvement of teak by conventional breeding is still an obstacle due to long reproductive cycles. It takes more than a decade from the initiation of a genetic improvement programme until improved seeds are available and it needs another four to five decades before the timber from the first rotation of improved planting stock can be harvested (Suseno Wibisono 2000)