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A
field trip to the top of Nui Giai mountain provided the participants
of the First International Agarwood Conference the opportunity to
see Aquilaria trees growing in plantations and to view
the results of our agarwood inducement techniques. Here Professor
Blanchette is describing methods used to induce agarwood. |
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Trees
from two different experiments were harvested during the conference
field trip to demonstrate how much resin was formed 6 months or
17 months after wounding and treatment. These trees were 4 to 5
years old when treated. |
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Sections
of the trees were cut for the conference participants and some of
the resinous wood was burned to demonstrate the fine aroma produced
by the cultivated agarwood. In this photo Joel Jurgens from the
University of Minnesota is displaying wood with resin from the experimental
trials. |
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A
cross section of an Aquilaria tree that was wounded but
not treated is shown in the photo. This control tree shows clear
white wood and no agarwood formation when it was cut 17 months after
wounding. |
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This
tree was wounded and treated in May 2003 and cut during the conference
field trip (6 months later). A relatively large area of dark resinous
wood can be seen within the tree. The highest concentrations of
resin occur at the edges of the dark zone. |
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A
cross section from a tree treated in June 2002 and cut in November
2003 (17 months) showing large masses of dark resin. The dark black
zone has the greatest concentration of resin. Note that in 18 months
the tree has produced a considerable amount of new wood that appears
white. |
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Cross section from a very fast growing
tree with high vigor that had also been treated in June 2002 (cut
17 months later). The resin production is more localized in this
tree than the section shown above but very thick bands of agarwood
were produced. These results show the great potential for cultivating
agarwood in young plantation grown trees and the success of the
methods used.
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The conference was
an excellent opportunity for people from around the world to discuss
the sustainable production of agarwood for the future. Professor Blanchette
is with Japanese incense and fragrance experts Mr. Masataka Hata (Shoyeido
Incense Co.) and Mr. Kyozaburo Nakata (Baieido Co.) in an Aquilaria
plantation. |
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View of mountains in Vietnam where experiments
are underway.
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Links to:
General information on our agarwood research
Additional
photographs of Aquilaria and agarwood formation
Information
on field research locations
Cultivated
agarwood project in Bhutan
Cultivated
agarwood project in Papua New Guinea
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