Hevea in New Area of Thailand: Success and Growth Warunee Boonnam Pisamai Chantuma Darunee Kosaisaiwee Picheat Prommoon Background of Rubber Plantation in Non-traditional area Since year 1989; Thai government policy has expanded rubber plantation to non-traditional area Background of Rubber Plantation in 2004; expanded rubber plantations 160,00 both in the North and Northeast High price push farmers to plant rubber Blackground in 2010 Rubber planting area South 0.33 mil.ha NE 0.45 mil.ha N 1.81 mil.ha mil.ha East South 1.81 0.09 mil.ha Total area2.70 mil.ha Recent rubber planting areas (in 2004) more constraint both land and environment than rubber plantations in the past such as low soil fertility unsuitable soil physic rainfall average only 1,000-1,200 mm./year Objective To analyze and evaluate rubber plantations success in term of statistic to khow real problems to used these data for further rubber research and development Material and Methods -Surveys rubber plantations in the Northeast region : 19 provinces : 1,500 holdings Methodology appointment with farmers interview to know basic data of each farm; location, management, workers etc collected data in plantation and check some factors; cultivation, soil and water source etc Data no survival trees rubber growth soil, environment cultivation and maintenance socio-economic factors: workers girth in each area Rubber survive, variation and growth - Girth at 1.70 m from ground - 100 trees/plantation Results after ½ years Planting date : 2004 (age 1/2 years) no sample tapped Province Girth std Nakhonrachasrima 35.9 28.5 3.1 7.3 43 20 34.3 26.4 31.6 29.7 33.8 6.7 5.8 5.4 6.7 4.8 21 29 45 39 51 Chaiyaphum Udonthanee Nongbualumphu Ubonratchathanee Umnajchachoeng Sakonnakhon 7.0 4.8 8.9 15.4 - Planting date : 2004 (age 1/2 years) Province Girth std no sample Khonkaen 28.0 5.3 21 4.8 Mahasalakham 33.1 5.8 - Yasothon 32.0 5.2 40 7.5 Roiet 28.5 5.9 56 10.7 Nakhonphanom 32.9 5.4 48 18.8 Mudahan 33.9 5.2 40 7.5 Surin 31.3 5.4 40 - Srisaket 31.6 5.6 44 15.9 Loie 28.9 5.7 33 3.0 Nongkhai 33.0 4.8 45 26.7 Kalasin 32.1 6.1 43 - Burirum 36.5 5.1 41 14.6 standard girth : 38.0 cm.,at RRit experimental plots (Maemeun et al., 1994) tapped Northeast region Average girth in each provinces 26-35 cm less than standard girth (38 cm) Northeast region Rubber plantations age ½ years have been tapped 3-27% which girth average 33 cm Rubber plantation distribution varies girth average girth : 33.0 cm Tapped at ½ years 70 57 60 % 50 Tapped at years Tapped at years 40 30 26 17 20 10 38 Topography, soil and environment Topography: 75% plantations are flat land Soil texture: 73% plantations are sandy loam soil Water source: 95% plantations are rainfed area Average rain 1,000-1,200 mm Soil chemistry OM % N % 4.75.4 0.3-0.9 optimum 4.5- 1.0-2.5 area Kalasin pH 5.5 Avai P ppm Avai K ppm 0.02-0.04 1-19 7-38 0.11-0.25 11-30 >40 Nitrogen : Low Available P: Low to medium Available K: Low Management index Technology adoption: - 34% good level - 55% medium level Weed control: 48% medium level Conclusions Conclusions Rubber growth in nontraditional areas are 33 cm Conclusions We can predict - 17% of plantations can be tapped in May 2010 when age years - 57% and 26% plantations can be tapped when age ½ and years respectively Conclusions Both suitable rubber plantation area and environment are important factors to encourage rubber plantations success Moreover the knowledge, maintenance and interest, habit and behavior of farmers are more powerful to support rubber plantation success too ...Background of Rubber Plantation in Non-traditional area Since year 1989; Thai government policy has expanded rubber plantation to non-traditional area Background of Rubber Plantation in 2004; expanded... Total area2 .70 mil.ha Recent rubber planting areas (in 2004) more constraint both land and environment than rubber plantations in the past such as low soil fertility unsuitable soil physic rainfall... plantations in the Northeast region : 19 provinces : 1,500 holdings Methodology appointment with farmers interview to know basic data of each farm; location, management, workers etc collected data in