Stimulant abuse kills off latex flow

THE high rubber price has prompted many smallholders to tap as much latex as possible from their rubber trees. Some smallholders have been using stimulants to get more latex from each tapping.

But those who are not educated on when and how to use such stimulants properly have found portions of their rubber tree bark dry up and not yielding latex any more.

Greenyield Bhd executive director Dr S. Sivakumaran, based in Selangor, said stimulants should only be prescribed by those who were properly trained.

Sold in liquid or gaseous form, these latex stimulants must be applied on selective portions of the tree bark at the correct dosage.

"When there is improper use or overdose of ethylene, a plant hormone, you get brown bask.

"That is when the latex vessels in the bark get clogged up and this process is irreversible.

"Rubber trees don't die from over-stimulation. But the bark portion that has been over-stimulated just stops yielding latex."

In Malaysia, rubber trees seasonally shed their leaves in the months of February to May.

"We strongly advise rubber tappers not to stimulate their trees during this time," the scientist said.

(Source: http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Story/A1Story20110110-257312.html)