rubber plantation

RECENT ADVANCES IN

CULTIVATION AND

PROCESSING OF RUBBER

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:Dr. K. C. Mohapatra Srikanta Kumar SahuDEPT. OF FRUIT SC. Adm. No.-05FSC/14

1st Yr M.Sc(Ag)

INTRODUCTION:

Rubber is a prominent plantation crop of considerablesignificance to the Indian economy. This industrial crophas since emerged as an icon of small holders’ stake inthe plantation sector of our country. Natural Rubbertapped from the bark of the tree Hevea brasiliensisiswhich is the raw material for an industry manufacturingabout 50,000 products. The consumption pattern ofrubber in our country is highly in favour of natural rubber(76 %), quite contrary to the global consumption ofsynthetic rubber of about 53%.

Cont…

ORIGIN & DISTRIBUTION:

Rubber had long been in historicalplant. Since Columbus had discoveredAmerica in 1495 (509 yearsago), RedIndian , ancient tribe of South ofAmerica, called it ' Caoutchoue ' .Meaning is ' Crying Tree ' . The reason isthat when it is cut off with knife orsharpen tools, its natural latexautomatically comes out as a tear oftree.

A native to Brazil, rubber wasintroduced to India in 1873 and itscommercial cultivation started in 1902.

Charles Goodyear

AREA & PRODUCTION:

WORLD SCENARIO

Country Production in

lakh tonne

% share in global

production

Thailand 30.6 31.4

Indonesia 28.0 28.8

Malaysia 12.0 12.3

India 8.1 8.3

Vietnam 6.0 6.2

China 6.0 6.2

Others 6.6 6.8

World 97.3

INDIAN SCENARIO

Region Share in Area

( % )*

Share in

Production

(%)*

Traditional

Kerala & Kanyakumari

district of Tamilnadu83.64 94.14

Non Traditional

a. NE states 11.31 3.75

b.Other nontraditional

states5.05 2.11

WORLD SCENARIO

SOURCE: Rubber board, Kerla (2011-12)

IMPORTANT SPECIES:

Havea brassiliensis(para rubber)

Ficus elastica(indian rubber)

Cont…

Manihot glaziovii( ceara rubber)

Castiola elastica(panama rubber)

Cont…

Taxacum spsdandelion_rubber

Parthenium argentatuma(guayel rubber)

BOTANY

Hevea brasiliensis isa diploid (2n = 36,x = 9), perennial,monoecious andcross-pollinatedtree species. Itbelongs to thegenus Hevea andthe botanical familyEuphorbiaceae.

FLOWER:

▪ Flowers are borne in many-flowered, axillary, shortly pubescent panicles on the basal parts of the new flush.

▪ Flowers are small, scented, unisexual andshortly-stalked, with larger bell-shapedfemale flowers at the terminal ends of mainand lateral branches, and more numeroussmaller male flowers, with 60-80 males toeach female flower.

▪ Flowering takes place over a period of abouttwo weeks with some male flowers openingfirst, lasting for one day and then dropping,followed by female flowers open for 3-5 days;the remainder of male flowers then open.

▪

CONT….

▪ FRUITS AND SEEDS

▪ Only a small proportion of femaleflowers set fruit and of these 30-50% falloff after a month, and more fall off later.

▪ The mature fruit is a large, compressed,3-lobbed capsule, 3-5cm in diameter,with 3 oil-containing seeds.

▪ The capsule bursts open at the end of therainy season with a characteristic loudbang, similar to a rifle shot. The seedsare then collected for sowing in thenursery.

VARIETIES:

Tjir 1, PB 86, BD 5, BD10, PR 17, GT 1, RRII105, RRIM 600, PB28/59, PB 217, PB 235,RRIM 703, RRII 5,PCK-1, 2 and PB 260

RRII-105(HYV,80%)

SOIL:Rubber grows well in highly weathered soils consisting of

lateritic soils.

It prefers well drained porous soils which are moderateto highly acidic in nature.

Soils must have a minimum depth of 1 m without anyintervening hard pan or impenetrable layer.

Water table should be well below 1 m to ensure goodaeration for root penetration.

Ph-4.5-6

AGRO CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS

Can be grown- 10*N to 10*S lattitude

Rainfall->2000mm

Temperature-25-28*C

Humidity-80%

Sunshine-2000hrs/year @ 6hrs/day

Weather condition-warm & moist

Cold weather & high wind speed-affect production

PROPAGATION:Prepare a raised bed bycultivating and pulverizing thesoil into fine tilth and raising itto 15 cm high from the groundlevel and 10 cm thick fine riversand or aged sawdust is addedinto it. The seeds are spread inthe seedbed. The seeds arecovered by putting a layer offine river sand or agedsawdust to a thickness ofabout 1.5 cm.

SEED PROPAGATION

Cont…STAGES OF SEED

GERMINATION

Emergence of Radicle Seed starts to develop spider roots

Emergence of stemwithout leaves

Fully developed root system and

emergence of leaves

FULLY DEVELOPED

GREEN BUDDINGSTEPS

Wipe the base of the stocks with a piece of

cloth

Make two parallel vertical cuts at the base of the rootstock stem, 7.5 cm long and 1 cm apart, and

about 3 cm from the ground.

Cont…

Join the two parallel vertical cuts by a horizontal cut either

at the upper or lower end.

Strip off bark either upward or downward depending on

where the horizontal cut was made.

Cont…

Cut away the bark leaving 1 cm as tongue to hold the

bud patch in position

Extract bud patch from the bud stickby making similar incisions made onthe rootstock but a little bit smaller tofit in. The inner side of the budpatchmust not be touched, dirtied, bent,bruised or exposed too long.

Cont…

Insert immediately the budpatch in the budding panel made on the rootstock, ensuring at the same

time that the budpatch is not places upside-down.

Secure the budpatch firmly by tying a piece of transparent budding tape of about 2 cm

wide and 30 cm in length.

Cont…

Open the budding tape 21 days after budding. Green budpatch

indicates successful budding operation whereas brown or

black budpatch indicates budding failure.

Cut-back the rootstock stem 10 cm above the end of the

budding panel seven days after opening of the budding tape.

The scion is expected to sprout in two or three weeks.

YOUNG BUDDING:

▪ In young budding technique, the seedlingstock is raised in polybags of 18 cm x 38cm lay flat dimension.

▪ When seedlings are about ten weeks oldhaving basal stem diameter of 6 mm,they are ready for young buddingoperation.

▪ The buds used are also green but muchyounger in age and smaller in size than isnormally used in green budding.

NURSERY:

▪ Nurseries are maintained for raising seedlings, budded plants and budwood. Beds are prepared 60-120 cm wide and of convenient length withpath ways laid in between to facilitate manuring, watering, weeding etc.

Spacing in the nursery according to the type of planting materials is asfollows:

▪ For raising seedling stumps: 23 x 23, 30 x 30 or 34 x 20 cm

▪ For budded stumps: 30 x 30 cm

▪ For stumped buddings: 60 x 60 cm

▪ For bud wood nurseries: 90 x 90 or 60 x 120 cm

Cont…

TYPES OF NURSERY

Bud stick multiplication nursery (ground nursery)

Budded stump nursery (ground nursery)

Budded stump in polybag nursery

Young budding nursery

High budding nursery

Core stump nursery

High density frame nursery (ground nursery)

LAND PREPARATION & LAYOUT:

▪ The area selected should be cleared of wild growth.

▪ Silt pits of dimension 120x45x60 cm may be taken along the contour at suitable intervals to check erosion and to conserve water.

▪ Square planting is suitable for level and near level lands. Rectangular system with planting lines oriented in the East West direction can be adopted in flat lands and slopes.

▪ In undulating and hilly areas, planting should be done in rows across the slope along the contour lines.

▪ The planting density recommended is 420 to 500 plants per hectare.

▪ Standard pits of 75 cm3 are dug in advance and filled with top soil, 12 kg organic matter and 175 g of rock phosphate. Planting is done in the centre of the pit with shade and mulch provided.

TYPES OF PLANTING:

i. Seed-at-stake planting: Planting seeds in situ is not found very successful in the country.

ii. Stump planting: Seedlings raised in nurseries are transplanted after pruning the stem at a height of 45-60 cm from the collar.

iii. Polybag plants: These plants are raised in two ways.

(a) Raise stock seedlings in polybags and afterwards green bud them at the appropriate stage and transplant.

(b) Green budded stumps are planted in polybags of appropriate size and transplanted.In both the cases, transplanting can be done when the plants attain either 2-3 whorls or 6-7 whorls of leaves.

iv. Budded stump planting: Seedlings raised in nurseries are budded and transplanted after pruning the stem at about 8 cm from the bud patch.

SPACING:

Planting material Spacing (m) Population / ha

Budded plants

Hilly areas 6.7 X 3.4 445

Plains 4.9 X 4.9 420

Seedlings

Hilly areas 6.1 X 3.0 539

Plains 4.6 X 4.6 479

MANURING:

For immature rubber trees at pre-tapping stage

Apply 12 kg of compost or FYM and 120 g of rock phosphate in each pit before planting. Apply 10:10:4:1.5 NPK andMg as per schedule given below:

Months after planting

Period of application

Quantity per plant

10:10:4 12:12:6

3 September/October 225 g 190 kg

9 April/May 445 g 380 kg






Apply 400 kg of mixture/ha in 2 doses, once inApril/May and another in September/Octoberfrom the 5th year till the tree is ready for tapping.

Cont…

Matured rubber trees under tapping

For matured rubber trees under tapping apply NPK10:10:10 grade mixtures at the rate of 900 g/tree (300kg/ha) every year in two split doses. Add 10 kg commercialMagnesium sulphate for every 100 kg of the above mixtureif there is magnesium deficiency.

PRUNING:

▪ Pruning to a height of 2.0-2.5m allows thedevelopment of a smooth trunk without branches orlarge scars.

▪ In polybag budding; allow the plant to grow withoutbranches until 2.0- 2.5 m from union, then prune.

▪ Pruning also allows the development of a balancedcanopy.

▪ Maintain 4-5 well-spaced branches to avoid winddamage.

IC OPERATION:

Inter-cropping

In the first two years the land area is notfully occupied by the rubber plants and theinter spaces can be utilized for growinginter crops which do not interfere with thegrowth of rubber plants

▪ The common inter crops cultivated inrubber plantations are banana, pineapple,tuber crops, ginger, turmeric, vegetablesand medicinal plants.

▪ Fig:Rubber inter-cropped with cassava

Cont…

Cover cropping

▪ Cover cropping is desirable in sloppy areas as it helpsto prevent soil erosion. This practice also assists inenhancing the soil fertility, suppresses weed growthand controls the soil temperature.

▪ Although, any leguminous crop with spreading habitcan be grown, it is preferable to use 'Pueraria' whichestablishes a thick ground cover. The other legumesused are 'Calapagonium’, 'Mucuna', 'Centrosema'.

Cont…

Mulching

▪ The young rubber plants need to be mulched by spreading dry leaves, grasscuttings and cover crop loppings around the plants. This is usually done inthe month of November to protect the plants from the adverse effect of anypossible drought.

Weed Control

▪ The weeds commonly found in the rubber plantations are Eupatorium,Chromolaena, Borreria, Lantana, Mimosa, Clerodendron, Mikania, Sida,Pennisetum, Axonopus, Paspalum, Digitaria, Cynodon and Imperata.

▪ Control- Diuron, Simazina, Alachor, Paraquat and Glyphosate

DISEASES:

Abnormal leaf fall (Phytophthora meadii)

SymptomsDuring southwest monsoon period, the fruits rot.Later, infected leaves fall in large numberprematurely either green or after turning copperyred with a drop of latex often coagulated in thecentre of a black lesion on the petiole.

ControlProphylactic spraying of the foliage prior to theonset of southwest monsoon with 1% Bordeauxmixture (3000-4000 l/ha) or oil based copperoxychloride (30-40 litres of CDC-oil mixture / hamixed in 1:5 proportion) is recommended.

Cont…

Powdery mildew (Oidium heveae)Symptoms

Prominently noticed on newly formed tender flushduring the defoliation period of January-March.Tender leaves with ashy coating curl, crinkle, edgesroll inwards and fall off leaving the petioles attachedto the twigs giving a broom stick appearance. Inlater stages on older leaves white patches appear.Infected flowers and fruits shed.

ControlFor young plants, spray wettable sulphur (0.2%) orcarbendazim (0.05%) at fortnightly intervals. Formature trees, dust with sulphur 3-5 rounds atweekly to fortnightly intervals. Sulphur mixed withan inert material like talc (70:30 mixture) isgenerally used @ 11-13 kg/ha/round.

Cont…

Pink disease (Corticium salmonicolor)Symptom

The seat of infection is usually at the fork region.White or pink coloured cobweb mycelial growthsform on the surface of the bark with streaks of latexoozing out from the lesion; resulting in rotting,drying up and cracking up of the affected bark.

ControlIn the early stages of infection, apply Bordeauxpaste up to 30 cm above and below the affectedregion. Tridemorph (2%) incorporated in 1%ammoniated field latex is also effective. Tridemorph(1%) or Thiram (0.75%) in pidivyl, china clay andwater mixed in the proportion 1:2:4 by volume isvery effective.

Cont…

Bark rot (Phytophthora spp.)Symptoms

During rainy season, when trees are tapped,depressions are formed in the tapping panel due tolocalized rotting and drying bark. Black vertical linesrunning downward into the tapping bark andupwards into the renewed bark are noticed. The barkwhen renewed becomes highly uneven.

ControlThe tapping cut and nearby bark should be washedwith mancozeb (0.375%) or phosphorous acid(0.08%) at weekly intervals. The rotten bark may bescraped off and applied with fungicide and thencovered with petroleum wound-dressing compound.

INSECTS:TERMITE

Practice good sanitation in plantation.Destroy early colonies of termites.Regularly inspect termite tunnel sanddestroy them.

Cont…ROOT-FEEDING GRUBS

Do not apply insecticides since thegrubs have many natural enemies.Use polybags in raising rubberseedlings to prevent grub attack.

Cont…

MEALYBUGS

Mealy bugs are hosts to many parasiticwasps of the Family Encyrtidae. Theparasitic wasps have to be conserved inorder to optimize their role in checkingthe population of mealybugs.Newly established population ofmealybugs may be sprayed with soapsolution or natural spray oil. Banana oilmay be spread to coat the mealybugs andwill suffocate them to death.During severe infestation, dimethoatemay be spread judiciously.

Cont…

WHITEFLYTiny wasps, Encarsia sp. parasitizenymphs of whiteflies.If the population of whitefly isnewly established, soap solutionmay be sprayed underneathrubber leaves. During heavyinfestation, deltamethrin andlambdacyhalothrin may be used.

PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS:

BROWN BLAST BARK BURST

HARVESTING & YIELD:

▪ Hevea latex found in the latex vessels contains 30-40% rubber in theform of particles. Latex is obtained from the bark of the rubber treeby tapping. The tapping technique is also called as ridley.

▪ During the 6 th year the requisite trunk girth of about 50 cm will bereached. At this age the tree will be ready for tapping, the yieldsincreasing gradually upto 11th year when they will stabilise.

▪ The year wise yield parameters considered from the 6 th year to the11th year is 900, 1300, 1500, 1800 and 2000 kg per ha respectivelybeyond which the yield is the same. For working out theeconomics, the economic life of a rubber tree is considered as 25years.

LATEX:LATEX VESSELS

These are found in the tree’s soft bark. They are modified sieve tubes (cells formed by thecambium and coalescing when the dividing cell walls disintegrate) running anti-clockwise inconcentric cylinders at an angle of approximately 30° to the vertical axis of the stem (which iswhy tapping is done invariably from top left to bottom right in order to cut the vessels at a rightangle). Matrola(latex meter) used to measure % of rubber.

COMPOSITION OF LATEX

Rubber particles (25-40% of total latex volume), variable in shape, but usually pear-shaped orspherical, and about 6 nm to 5 micron in size;

Lutoids (10-20%), 0.5 nm to 3 micron in size, having an impact on the stability and flow of thelatex;

Frey-Wyssling particles (5%) which play probably a role in the coagulation and oxido-reductionprocesses;

Other elements like proteins, resins, sugars, glycosides, tannins, alkaloids, mineral salts, andsecondary metabolites.

TAPPING:TAPPING DIRECTION & SLOPE

Latex vessels run spirally low left to high right at an inclination of 3.7 - 5° from thevertical. Latex will flow out of the bark, only if the latex vessels are severed or cut. Forbudded plants, the slope of cut is recommended at an angled of 30°, while the clonalseedlings at 25° from the horizontal.

Cont…

▪ SPEED OF TAPPING: A rubber tree with a trunk circumference of 50 cm can be tapped using half spiral for a maximum of 10 seconds only.

▪ DEPTH OF TAPPING: As the number of latex vessel rings aregreater towards inside, tapping must be deep enough to severeas many latex vessels as possible. However, to avoid damage tothe cambium, 1 mm of the bark should be left untapped.

▪ TIME OF TAPPING:The best month to open new areas fortapping is March. It is necessary to commence tapping early inthe morning as late tapping reduces the exudation of latex.

Cont…TYPES OF TAPPING

S/2 d/2 (half spiral, alternate day for 6 months and

rested for 3 months)

100% Intensity

S /2 d/2

6m /9

(half spiral, alternate day for 6 months and rested

for 3 months)

67 intensity

S /2d/3 (half spiral, third day) 67 intensity

S/2 d/3

1m/2

(half spiral, daily for one month and rested for

next

month)

100% intensity

S /1 d/4 Full spiral, fourth day 100% intensity

V /2 d/2

12m/16

Half circumstances and cut alternate day for 12

months and rested for the next 4 months

75% intensity

PROCESSING:COLLECTION OF LATEX

DILUTON & STANDARDIZATION:

The separation of fine sand particles and dirt from field latex by stirring alone isfound to be impractical due to high viscosity. By dilution with water, the fluidity ofthe latex increases and separation of fine sand and dirt will be facilitated.

Cont…

COAGULATION

The latex is coagulated inmetal pans using a diluteacid. This pan is filled with asoft cake of coagulatedlatex. As many as 20-30rubber trees were tapped tofill this pan.

Cont…

ROLLINGAfter coagulation, the cake of rawrubber must be rolled to removethe water and washed to removethe acid. A worker uses awooden roller to compress therubber and squeeze out the acidicwater. The metal covered tableslopes so the water runs off awayfrom the worker. Later the cakewill be squeezed through rollersto finish the process

Cont…

DRYINGAfter rolling is completed, the sheetof raw rubber is dried on a rack andsmoked(40-60*) over a woodfire. Here a sheet of raw rubber driesnext to a sheet of smoked rubber(left). Smoking stablizes the rubberand in this form it is sold andtransported to manufacturers ofrubber products.

Cont…SORTING, BALING, AND PACKAGING

▪ Upload dried sheets from trolleys.

▪ Fold the unloaded sheets and place them in the working area. Dried sheets should not be laid down over cement floors to reduce dirt contamination.

▪ Cut trim the undried portion of the rubber sheets for further drying.

▪ Sort according to color.

▪ Pile the dried rubber sheet and weigh to 33.33 kg per bale. Segregate two to three sheets to bundle the piled sheets and form a bale.

▪ Wrap the bale with transparent plastic sheet showing the name of owner; bales ready for sale are stored in dry place.

GRADES: INDIAN STANDARD NATURAL RUBBER (ISNR) / BLOCK RUBBER

Characteristic ISNR 3CV ISNR 3L ISNR 5 ISNR 10 ISNR 20 ISNR 50

Dirt percent by mass (Max) 0.03 0.03 0.05 0.10 0.20 0.50

Volatile matter, percent by mass(Max)

0.80 0.80 0.80 0.80 0.80 0.80

Ash, percent by mass (Max) 0.50 0.50 0.60 0.75 1.00 1.50

Nitrogen, percent by mass, Max >0.60 >0.60 >0.60 >0.60 >0.60 >0.60

Initial plasticity Po (Min) As agreed tobetween thepurchaser andthe supplier

30.00(Min)

>30.00(Min)

30.00(Min)

30.00(Min)

30.00(Min)

Plasticity retention index, PRI(Min)

60.00 60.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00

Colour (Livibond scale) - 6.0 - - - -Mooney viscosity (1+4) at 100 C 60+5

-- - - - -

Accelerated storage hardeningPo (max)

8.00 - - - - -

Colour code Black Black Green Brown Red Yellow

SYNTHETIC RUBBER:

▪ synthetic rubbers are made in thechemical plants, using the raw materialsmostly from the petroleum industry.

▪ Important raw materials being used forthe production of synthetic rubber arebutadiene, styrene, isoprene,chloroprene, isobutylene, acrylonitrile,ethylene, and propylene.

Cont…

▪ Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)

▪ Polybutadiene Rubber (BR)

▪ Polyisoprene Rubber (IR)

▪ Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPM and EPDM)

▪ Butyl Rubber (IIR)

▪ Nitrile Rubber (NBR)

▪ Chloroprene Rubber (CR)

▪ Silicone Rubber (Q)

▪ Polysulfide Rubber (T)

▪ Polyurethene Rubber (EU/AU)

▪ Chlorosulphonated Polyethylene (Hypalon) Rubber (CSM)

▪ Acrylate Rubber (ACM)

▪ Fluro Rubbers (CFM)

▪ Ethylene – Vinyl Acetate Rubber (EVA)

▪ Thermoplastic Rubbers (TP)

COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT SYNTHETIC RUBBER

PROCESSED PRODUCTS FROM RUBBER

CONT….

CONT…

CONT….

ORGANISATIONAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARRANGEMENTS

The Rubber Board with its head office at Kottayam inKerala coordinates the implementation of rubberdevelopment programmes and provides technicalservices for new planting, replanting, productivityimprovement, modernisation of processing, exploitationof large byproducts to augment plantation economy,marketing, promotion of collective self help amongstsmall holders, training, labour welfare financialassistance in the form of grants and necessary inputs likeimproved planting material and supervision.

FUTURE THRUST

Productivity enhancement of existing plantations throughadoption of appropriate agro-management practices,

Quality upgradation of natural rubber through communityprocessing,

Modernisation of rubber and rubber wood processing factoriesand effluent treatment,

Promoting group approach in planting, tapping, processing andmarketing through Rubber Producers Societies and SpecialProgrammes for doubling rubber area in North East, with theinvolvement of concerned state government and North EasternCouncil.

CONCLUSION:Rubber has been used for centuries as the favoured material forthe manufacturing of many products. Manufacturing methodshave evolved considerably towards achieving a greater efficiency,and overall volume of rubber. Hevea brasiliensis is still a majorsource of the world's rubber, raised and harvested in manyplantations centred mainly around Malaysia, Indonesia, andThailand. Although petroleum is now by far favoured as the mainsource for rubber manufacture, it is a non-renewable resourcewhich will eventually become depleted. Hevea brasiliensis maytherefore become more important in the future.

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