The Rubber Board has developed a new system of tapping in which tapping can be done on only one-fourth the circumference of the tree, instead of the present half spiral.
By adopting this new system, a tapper can tap more trees, as the length of the tapping panel is reduced by half of the normal.
The present general recommendation of the Board is to tap on half the circumference of the tree, after the tree attains a girth of 50 cm. Rubber plants attain this girth in seven years after planting.
After initiation of tapping, the rate of growth is reduced to 2 cm in a year, even in the holdings where tapping is good.
However, in the new system, where one-fourth the circumference of the tree is tapped, and tapping takes place once in three days, growth is unaffected.
Yield stimulant (ethaphone) should be applied at 2.5 per cent concentration six times a year, so that no drop in yield is experienced, it said.
When contacted, KU Thomas, Joint Director, Rubber Research Institute of India, told BusinessLine that rubber tapping in India is carried out on a frequency of half spiral cut under once in three days frequency. To start this tapping, the tree should have at least 50 cm girth. However, growers start tapping at an early stage of 44-45 cm. But they tag on a half spiral, which leads to poor growth of the tree.
In the newly recommended practice of quarter spiral, he said trees can be opened at 45 cm. In the initial years, the tapping followed in this system does not influence the tree’s growth pattern during the immature phase. Another advantage of the new system is that the entire circumference of the tree is divided into four quarters and the recommendation is to tap once in three days. Under once in three days frequency, each panel can be tapped for seven years, which means 7×4=28 years of tapping on the virgin panel.
Longer economic life
However, in the existing model of half spiral once in 3-days frequency, virgin panel tapping is possible only for 14 years. Hence, the news system will lead to a quantum jump in the economic life of the tree, he said.
Rubber growers can contact the Board Call Centre at 0481-2576622 to get more details about this system.
