Rubber farming is very very lucrative because , it is a raw produce commonly exported to other countries and it is of industrial and commercial importance.Rubber is the only popular latex crop which produces white sticky liquid used in plastic industries.Here are things you need to know about rubber farming in order to start.

Varieties

PB86,Dough garden,BD5,Harbel 1,PB5/51

Climatic and Soil Requirements.

Rubber requires a temperature of 24degreeC to 29degreeC, rainfall of 180cm-300cm per annum, bright sunshine , and a deep loamy soil which is rich in hummus and slightly acidic .

Method of propagation.

By seeds and budded seedlings(vegetative propagation).

Planting dates

Pre-nursery:August - October.

Nursery :Nine months later.

Budding:February -April.

Field :March-June the following year.

Spacing

Pre nursery:3cm by 3cm

Nursery:60cm by 60cm

Field :4m by 6m

Cultural Practices

Weeding

Mulching

Pruning

Planting of cover crops

Maturity Period
It takes three to six years after planting

Harvesting

The process of harvesting rubber i.e , collecting of the latex is called tapping .A diagonal cut is made 60cm above the ground on the bark of a tree with a tapping knife . The latex is collected with a cup below . Tapping is done early in the morning between 7 to 10am and for every two to three days. The latex from all the crops are collected together from all the rubber trees in the evening.

Tools and materials required for tapping are , tapping knife,spout ,collecting cup ,cup hanger ,collecting buckets,churns , collecting tanks, anti- coagulants e.g sodium sulphate or ammonia.
Processing of rubber  

Processing of rubber 

The latex is collected in processing tank .A little water is added to dilute it . Formic or acetic acid is added to effect the coagulation of the latex.Then the coagulated latex is cut into pieces , washed and put into rolling machine to get thin rubber sheets .The rubber sheets are then washed and treated with paranitrophenol solution to prevent mould growth .The rubber sheets are dried and put into a smoke house for further drying so that ribbed smoke sheets (R.S.S) rubber produced .Talcum  powder is applied to prevent the rubber sheets from sticking together and for proper storage.The rubber sheets are either purchased and sent to the port or to the factories e.g (tyre , plastic industries etc).

Pest of rubber

Mealy bugs

Control

Spray with insecticides.

Diseases of rubber

Tapping panel disease

White and red rot disease

Control

Disinfect tapping knives

Weed regularly

Diseased trees should be felled and destroyed

Spray the trees with copper fungicides.

Thats all you need to know about rubber farming . Its a great source of income