Rubber seedling rootstock cultivation is the first step of rubber budding propagation. However, there is still a lack of systematic studies investigating leaf phenology effect on rubber seedling nursery. In this study, leaf phenology, stem diameter, plant height and the chlorophyll parameters were observed at six periods. The results showed that bronze stage was the rapid growth and regulation stage of plant height, bronze stageⅠwas the rapid growth and regulation stage of stem diameter, and light green leaf stage was sensitive to environmental temperature. Taken together, leaf phenology affects the growth of rubber seedlings, and understanding phenological effects helps to regulate the phenological process to raise rootstock seedlings.
In China, harvest cost of natural rubber is high due to a declining rubber price, less favorable agroclimate, and skilled tapper labor shortage. Reduction in cost of latex harvest by tapping machine in a straight line will make rubber production more cost effective. To evaluate the feasibility of tapping in a straight line, a comparison of two tapping practices (horizontally/traditionally tapping and vertically/straightly tapping) was conducted in clone Reyan88-13. Compared with horizontally tapping, vertically tapping increases dry rubber content and Mg2+ content, significantly decreases initial latex flow velocity, dry rubber yield per cut length, reduces thiols content and Cu2+ content, and alters physical and mechanical properties of raw rubber and vulcanizate. Taken together, vertically tapping reduces tapping intensity, alters physical and mechanical properties of raw rubber and vulcanizate at the cost of less rubber latex yield.
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