Author: Suwandi Suwandi
Journal: The Open Agriculture Journal
Abstract
Background:
Tapping panel dryness (TPD) is a stress-related disorder that afflicts rubber trees, contributing to yield losses in nearly every rubber-growing region.
Method:
We demonstrated the curative effects of biostimulants containing a fermented watery extract of shrimp waste-enriched compost (SWCE) on TPD in field trials. Undiluted SWCE was applied to lightly scraped bark in the first, third, and fourth trials, and applied directly without bark scraping in the second trial.
Latex flow immediately after tapping, 2 months after the first treatment with fermented watery extract of shrimp waste-enriched compost (SWCE) on scraped bark in partial tapping panel dryness (TPD) rubber trees. SWCE was applied once (C) or twice at a 1-month interval (B). Water was applied to trees as the control treatment (A)
Results:
Bark treatment significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tapping cut dryness and increased latex yield, suggesting recovery from the disorder. When SWCE was applied to pre-scraped bark, 80% and 30% of trees with partial and complete TPD, respectively, recovered from tapping dryness within 2 months. The latex dry weight of treated trees with partial and complete TPD was 77.5% and 21.1% that of healthy trees, respectively. We observed slight recovery from TPD in trees treated without bark scraping and in trees with a history of ethephon stimulation. No curative effect of SWCE was demonstrated in treated trees without a tapping rest period. These findings suggest that compost extract could be a useful treatment for partial TPD.
Bentham Open 