Effects of Different Tapping Rest Periods during Wintering and Summer Months on Dry Rubber Yield of Hevea Brasiliensis in Thailand

In Thailand, farmers tend to tap rubber trees as often as possible during the shortened favourable periods due to the erratic rainfall pattern and the long tapping rest during wintering/summer season, lasting for three months. Wintering pattern is well known for haying an impact on yield. This impact is related to the relationship between long term yield, climatic parameters and the physiology of the rubber tree itself: In Thailand, the long rest from tapping was questioned as it concerns both duration and period. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of different durations of tapping rest during the wintering season on latex yield. Combinations of duration and months of tapping rest were tested against latex yield over a six year period of harvesting. Decreasing the duration of tapping rest from three months to zero did not induce any significant higher yield per tree over the six years of tapping.