Latex Diagnosis at the Whole Trunk Level under Different Tapping Systems in Young-tapping Rubber Trees
Background: Numerous rubbers tapping systems have been developed to increase latex yield. The objectives were (i) to test the efficiency of stimulation tapping systems and (ii) to describe the sucrose balance between supply and demand in the latex-producing bark of the rubber tree.Methods: The experiment was conducted at Thepa Research Station in Songkhla province. Eleven-year-old of RRIM600 clone was investigated. The experiment was designed as One Tree Plot Design (OTPD) with 4 tapping systems (Treatment; T) and 4 replications. Treatments were T1: S/3 2d/3, T2: S/6 d3, T3: S/6 d3 with RRIMFLOW and T4: S/6 d3 with LET. Result: S/6 d3 with RRIMFLOW tapping system in young-tapping rubber tree provided significantly highest averaged latex yield per tapping. The average cumulative latex yield was no significant difference comparing with the traditional tapping system. Rubber girth increment had no significant difference among treatments (P greater than 0.05). An averaged sucrose distribution in the trunk level of none stimulation treatments were high to very high sucrose values; however, it was medium sucrose values in the stimulation treatments. Inorganic phosphorus distribution in the trunk level showed medium to high values. Hence, the finding indicated that the use of ethylene stimulation together with tapping system should be considered for rubber tree and to control the balance of sucrose content in the trunk level of rubber tree.