Plantation Crops

Tapping Depth, Bark Consumption and Bark Renewal

Tapping Depth, Bark Consumption and Bark Renewal

• The best yield is obtained by tapping to a depth of less than one millimetre close to the cambium since more latex vessels are concentrated near the cambium. Shallow tapping results in considerable loss of crop. To obtain optimum yield, at the time of tapping care should be taken not to injure the cambium. However, minor tapping wounds which will heal in due course need not be considered as serious in the case of medium and low yielding clones.
• To restart flow from a tapping cut in a subsequent tapping, all that is needed is to cut a thin shaving of the bark along with which the plugs of coagulated latex are also removed. Latex flow ceases when latex gets coagulated, clogging the cut ends of the latex vessels in turn with minute plugs of coagulated latex.
• The rate of bark consumption will depend much on the skill of the tapper. For obtaining optimum yield, it is preferable to consume about 20-23 cm of bark annually on 1/2S d/2 system without rest period. However removing bark shaving thicker than what is necessary does not increase the latex yield but only wastes the bark.
• Bark regeneration is brought about by the activity of the cambium. The rate and extent of renewal are dependent on the inherent genetic characters of the planting materials, fertility of the soil, climatic conditions, tapping system and intensity, planting density, and disease incidence.

Time of Tapping and Tapping Task

•  It is necessary to commence tapping early in the morning, since late tapping will reduce the exudation of latex due to increased transpiration by the trees leading to lower turgor pressure in latex vessels. Such reduction is more marked in the summer months. For pre-dawn tapping, headlights are used.
• The number of trees allotted to a tapper for a day’s tapping is known as tapping task. Task size is fixed on the basis of stand of trees per ha and topography of land. Normal tapping task in India varies from 300 to 400 trees. Task size is reduced when double cut or other intensive systems are adopted.
• Economical life: About 40 years After the completion of economical life go for slaughter tapping.