Rubber Tree Cultivation In India

Vulcanization was discovered in 1839 and this led to a more widespread use of rubber.

Rubber tree cultivation in india. Cultivation of rubber trees. Rubber trees do not require much light but flourish in bright indirect light. Upto 1910 the demand for natural rubber in the world was limited. Rubber latex is extracted from rubber trees.

Brazil is among the pioneers of rubber production which started mid 19th century. The british established the first rubber plantation in india in 1902 on the banks of the river periyar in kerala. The economic life period of rubber trees in plantations is around 32 years up to 7 years of immature phase and about 25 years of productive phase. If the plant gets less light while leaves are growing the leaves will actually be larger.

In south india the annual yield of rubber is 375 kg ha from seedlings trees whereas budded plants yield 800 1000 kg ha. Rubber yield steeply increases year by year reaching a peak after 14 years of planting. It is believed that rubber trees originated from south america and especially brazil where rubber was used to play games. It is worth noting that in the 19th century brazil was the leading rubber producer in the world and it dominated the world market.

The first rubber plantations in india were set up in 1895 on the hill slopes of kerala. Rubber trees require bright sunlight for about 20000 hours 6 hours a day. Rubber tree hevea brasiliensis is a quick growing tall tree acquiring 20 30 metre height. The soil requirement is well drained weathered soil consisting of laterite lateritic types sedimentary types nonlateritic red or.

These clones are broadly classified into three categories viz primary secondary and tertiary based on the method adopted for the development of their mother trees. Many people put their rubber trees near a window where the light is filtered through a pair of sheer curtains. While your rubber tree is in its growing season. The trees demand well drained and well weathered soils.

Usually the number of tapping days in a year is about 200 to 325. The soil for rubber cultivation has to be deep and well drained. Rubber is made from the latex of a tree called hevea brasiliensis. However rubber cultivation on a commercial scale was introduced in 1902.

Rubber research institute of malaya rubber research institute of india kottayam and other institutes have developed clonal varieties. Rubber trees have an economic life period of around 32 years in plantations. The rainfall in the area for rubber plantation should be around 2000 mm annually. In the 1st year of tapping about 65 to 70 of trees become matured for operation.

There is no specific dry or wet season requirement for growing these trees. The tree gave the strange substance latex was later called the rubber tree.