Trees are ready in about 7 years: seedling trees when the trunk girth is 55 cm at 50 cm height; budded trees at 50 cm girth 125 cm above the bud union. Tap about 1 mm from the cambium. The source describes tapping systems such as half spiral on alternate days. Fix polythene rain guards in the rainy season where yields are 700 kg/ha or more. For tapping panel dryness (brown bast), reduce tapping intensity or rest the tree for 3–12 months. (An Ethrel latex stimulant is also listed.)
Pending expert review
Source
Crop Production Guide – Horticulture Crops 2020 (Directorate of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Tamil Nadu & Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)), Rubber – Tapping; tapping panel dryness, pp. 209–210
