Guidelines and procedures

for Latex Stimulation

Introduction

Modern rubber plantations employ yield stimulants to increase rubber

production. Ethephon or (2- chloroethyl phosponic acid) is currently the
most effective latex stimulant and has demonstrated its superior efficiency
in the past few decades through tapping research trials.

Studies have also shown that response to stimulation is influenced by

several factors such as agro-management, planting materials and tapping
practices.

1. Pre-Requisite to Latex Stimulation

The following conditions should be considered as pre-requisites to rubber

stimulation and are applicable to most clones:

 Proper manuring program - trees must be properly fertilized

following recommendations.

 There should be no sign of panel drying or brown bast (BB)

especially on the tapping cut.

 The trees must be healthy, vigorous and free from any diseases

 Trees should manifest good tapping with less wounding on the

tapping panel. Bad tapping with severe wounding is not suitable for
stimulation

 Stimulation should be done only during non-wintering season

 The bark must be adequately thick as thin and immature bark

especially on renewed panel (BI-1, BI-2, BII-2) will give less
response and will prove to be uneconomical for tapping.

2. Constructing an Annual Program for Latex Stimulation

The Production Manager should be required to submit an annual

stimulation program following the guidelines of application and frequencies
recommended in this manual. This should be prepared at least one year
prior to actual application to allow for a thorough review by the Plantation
Manager or Tapping consultant.

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 Guidelines and procedures
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The following information should be included in the projections:

a) Month to be applied
b) Block Number
c) Planting Year
d) Total trees
e) Clone (s)
f) Previous years' yield
g) Projected yield
h) Tapping system used. If new, justification for use
i) Other vital information.

3. Procedure of Ethrel Stimulation

3.1 The basic application methods are:

Groove Application Method (Gam)

This means that the Ethrel Latex Stimulant (ELS) is applied to the
groove with the tree lace removed. One disadvantage with this
method is the difficulty in removing the tree lace from trees having thin
or sticky tree laces. The ELS dose is measured tree by tree with an
eyedropper.

Bark Application Method (Bam)

Ethrel Latex stimulant (ELS) is applied to lightly scraped bark. The

width of the strip is approximately 1.9 cm for monthly application. ELS
dose is also measured per tree, using an eyedropper.

Panel Application Method (Pam)

ELS is applied on renewing bark just above the entire tapping cut.
This method is easy and cheap, however, a large area of renewed
bark and bigger amount of stimulant may be needed during
application.

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 Guidelines and procedures
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Lace Application Method (Lam)

ELS is applied into the tapping cut without removing the tree lace. The
stimulant must touch the inner section of renewed bark just above the
entire tapping cut. This method is the easiest and the most
economical method of application. With this method, the stimulant
stays partly on the tree lace and partly on the tapping panel.

Generally, any method of application will result to a positive response

on the yield. The most common yield trend as a result of stimulation is
when yield increases in the first one or two weeks following each
application.

3.2 Preparing Stimulant Solution

Ethrel latex stimulant is sold commercially at 10% active ingredient

solution.

The mixture of the ELS should be as follows, to reach the desired

concentration.

Procedure
Desired Concentration
ELS 10% Water
5.00% 1 part Ethrel 1 part water
3.33% 1 part Ethrel 2 parts water
2.50% 1 part Ethrel 3 parts water

3.3. Application on Tapping Systems

3.3.1. Downward tapping system.

ELS is applied onto three points of the tapping cut once at each
end and once in the middle by using an eyedropper to give
correct dosage, then brushing the ELS on to the cut, to
distribute it evenly using a paint brush. The eyedropper should
be marked (by paint) to indicate the correct dosage per tree.

Once assigned ELS applicators have developed the necessary

skills and discipline in ELS application, the use of eyedropper
may no longer be necessary.

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 Guidelines and procedures
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3.3.2. Upward tapping system.

The bark just above the cut should be scraped before ELS
application. ELS is placed on the brush with the use of
eyedropper then brushed into the scraped bark. Total ELS
applied should be measured by using calibrated eyedropper.
The brush should be attached on a long handle to facilitate
application.

Bark scraping is done with a special tool, which has a guide to

follow along the edge of the cut, and a sharp cutting edge
about 2 cm wide, which scrapes outer bark, without penetrating
deep enough to cause latex to flow. The bark should be
scraped the whole length of the tapping cut.

Normally, the width of scraped bark depends on tapping

frequency. We use different widths for d/3 and d/4 tapping, as
follows:

d/3 = 25.0 mm/month

d/4 = 20.0 mm/month

3.4. Application of Stimulants

3.4.1 ELS is applied to half tasks size on alternate basis.

3.4.2 Ethrel must be applied by a closely controlled gang of workers,

who will apply ELS to every tree, line by line, up to the middle
section of the task where ELS is due to apply.

3.4.3 Application of ELS during Wintering period must be avoided. It

must be remembered that the actual wintering period may vary
from time to time and therefore the production in-charge must
move the ELS resting dates in accordance with actual wintering
period.

3.4.4 The workers applying the Ethrel should have a standard sized
containers (e.g. ELS empty containers) which should be
sufficient for a known number of trees.

The actual amount applied per ½ task should always be

checked, to ensure that the dosage per tree is being correctly
applied. This cross-checking with the eye dropper is a useful
management control tool.

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3.4.5 Special care must be taken to avoid spillage. Ethrel is

expensive and must not be wasted. The amount of ethephon to
be applied per tree should be between 0.5 gm / tree to 1.0 gm /
tree/ application.

3.4.6 For d/3 tapping try to apply ELS two days prior to tapping. This
gives more time for ELS to work, and also gives management a
chance to reapply if a strong rain washed off the ELS, (i.e. if a
heavy rain occurs less than 2 hours after ELS application).

Table 5: Recommended Frequency of Stimulant Application

Frequency of Stimulation (rounds/year)
Relative Tapping Panel
Tapping
Tapping
System
Intensity BO-1 BO-2 BI-1 BI-2

½ S d/2 100% 2 3 4-6 6-8

½ S d/3 67% 3 4 4-6 6-8

½ S d/4 50% 4 6 6-8 8-10

½ S d/6 33% 6 8 8-10 8-10

4. Expected Yield Responses to Stimulant Application

The objective of latex stimulation is to ensure uniform and sustained yield

response of the rubber trees as it matures. This can be obtained through
controlled and judicious stimulation program on a suitable frequency of
application consistent with the age and productivity of the crop. Staggered
stimulation and periodic rest period from tapping will give more uniform
yield for each field. This will help field management lessen the problem of
yield fluctuation from the field.

The table below indicates yield responses of rubber trees from various age
and different tapping panels and concentration of ethepon used. The
percentage increase in yield represents significant improvement in
production following the stimulation regime using the conventional
approach of non-stimulated trees as control.

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Table 6: Expected Yield Responses from Different Ethephon Concentration

Panel Ethepon Concentration Expected Yield Responses

BO-1 2.5% 10-15%

BO-2 3.3% 15-25%

BI-1 5.0% 25-40%

BI-2 5.0% 45-50%

HQ 5.0% or 10% > 50%

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