General Information :

• Heveabrasiliensis is a quick-growing tree with conical crown.
• Bark surface smooth, grey to pale brownwith abundant white latex
• Leaves alternate greenish in color.
• Flowers small, greenish-white in color
• Fruits are three lobed, each holding three seeds.

Distribution :

• Kerala and the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu together constitute the traditional rubber growing regions of the country

Habitat : Tropical Evergreen Rainforest

Soil : Red, Red loamy and Lateritic soils.

Soil pH : 4-8

Altitude :300-500 m (MSL)

Rainfall :1500-3000 (max. 4000) mm

Temperature : 23-35° C

Terrain : Plains/gentle slopes

Tree Characteristics :

• Fast-growing tree, and resistant to wind.

Habit : Evergreen Tree

Natural Regeneration :

• Naturally propagated by seeds.

Artificial Regeneration :

• Propagated by Green budding, Brown budding, and crown budding.

Seed collection and Storage :

• The best season for seed collection is May-June.
• The ripe heads are dried in the sun to separate the seed.
• Seed viability is very low.
• Seed rate 10000/Kg

Seed Treatment :

• No Seed treatment is required.

Nursery Technique :

Mother bed of Size

• 60-120 cm width and of convenient length are prepared with loamy soil with FYM.
• Seeds are broad casted in the mother bed and covered with 5m of river sand.
• Germination starts within 5-7 days.

Spacing:

• Seedling stumps – 23 x 23 cm, 30 x 30 cm and 34 x 20 cm
• Budded stumps – 30 x 30 cm
• Stump budding – 60 x 60 cm
• Bud wood nursery – 60 x 90 cm or 60 x 120 cm.

Plantation technique :

• Pitting Size adopted 30 cm3

  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

Care & Disease Control :

• Growing of cover crops, incorporation of cover crops and weeding are important operations.

Recommended Harvest :

• 20 -25 years.

Yield :

• The annual yield of rubber is 375 kg/ha from seedlings trees, whereas budded plants yield 800 - 1000 kg/ha.

Agro Forestory :

• Intercropping with coffee or cocoa

Major uses :

• Rubber tree is mainly cultivated for its Latex.
• Rubber wood is mostly used as fire wood and match veneer and splints.
• It is also used for rubber wood furniture and panel products.

Other uses :

Food,Fodder,Apiculture,Fuel,Fiber,timer,lipids,poison, Rubberwood waste is an excellent medium for the growing of mushrooms.

Market details :

• Approximately Rs.2800 to Rs.3000/ ton.