Growth and yield performance of Hevea brasiliensis under various planting density

Rubber growing in Malaysia predominantly a smallholder’s industry with contributed about 93.1% (2013) of the total rubber production in Malaysia. Although there is an important contribution by the rubber smallholders sector, the majority of them to be plagued by persistent low productivity and income largely due to uneconomic size of holding, planting of non-recommended clones, low adoption of technology, capital deficiency and unstable of rubber price in the past. With the low yield of rubber (average 1400 kg per hectare, 2013) from the rubber smallholders, several approaches have been developed in Malaysia to increase land productivity and income. One of the approaches is through adopting high density planting. A study on the effect of high density planting on growth and yield of rubber was conducted in FELDA Jenderak Utara, Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia, on Durian and Gajah Mati soil series, started in February 2000. The treatments study were (i) Planting densities, i.e. 500 trees/ha (4m x 5m), 700 trees/ha (4m x 3.6m), and 1000 trees/ha (4m x 2.5m) and (ii) rubber clones i.e. RRIM 2025, RRIM 2016 and RRIM 2001. The treatments were arranged according to the Split Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results found there were significant effects of planting density and clone on growth (girth) of rubber, 63 months and 151 months after planting. For instance, the densities of 500 trees and 700 trees/ha had higher growth (girth) compared to density of 1000 trees/ha with mean of 47.4 cm = 47.2 cm > 44.1 cm, respectively, 63 months after planting. A similar result was found, 151 months after planting. Clone RRIM 2025 had higher growth (girth) compared to RRIM 2016 and RRIM 2001 with mean of 48.3 cm > 46 cm = 44.6 cm, respectively in the same period. The densities of 500 and 700 trees/ha produced higher tree productivity (g/t/t) at the second year of tapping compared to the density of 1000 trees/ha with means of 64.9 g/t/t = 64.2 g/t/t > 52.9 g/t/t, respectively with tapping system of 1/2S D3 SEN(8x/year). However, there was no significant effect of clone on tree productivity during the same period of tapping (RRIM 2025 = RRIM 2001 = RRIM 2016 with mean of 64.7 g/t/t = 60.3 g/t/t = 59.0 g/t/t, respectively). Survey on bark thickness was conducted, 151 months after planting. The result found, the density of 500 and 700 trees/ha had thicker bark thickness compared to the density of 1000 trees/ha with means of 10.9 mm =10.1 mm > 9.4mm, respectively. Density of 1000 trees/ha produced higher crotch height compared to the density of 700 trees/ha and 500 trees/ha with means 6.0 m > 4.4 m = 4.2m, 151 months after planting. However, no significant were found for the treatment clone and interaction of clone x density on crotch height. Clone RRIM 2025 produced higher clear bole volume compared to the clone RRIM 2016 and RRIM 2001 with means of 0.16 m3/tree > 0.13 m3/tree = 0.11 m3/tree, respectively.

Text 2nd ICSAE-1.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (79kB)

Actions (login required)

View Item