The due period-(November - February)
a). Removal of the entire trees of the land
If it is a replanting land, points of the died trees of the old stand should be demarcated before removing the trees.
The trees must be uprooted enabling to curtail the risk of spreading the white root disease to the new planting.
b). Soil Conservation Measures and Construction of Fences.The trees must be uprooted enabling to curtail the risk of spreading the white root disease to the new planting.
In line with the location of the land, one or a certain number of following soil conservation measures should be adopted.
Agricultural Practices – Contour Planting.
Weeds on embankments and on areas close to the fences should not be completely removed and they should be kept under control..
The due period-(January - March).
c). Biological Practices
Cover Cropping – Cover Crops such as Mucuna, Pueraria, Desmodium are suitable for this purpose.
Citronella grass can be grown thickly along the Contour Hedges.
Mulching – Paddy straw or Crotalaria, Flemingia and Gliricidia as green manure can be used for this purpose.
d). Mechanical Practices Construction of Drains - Normally, natural drain lines already indicated in the land can be used as main drains and the distance between two drains should be approximately 60 m. The lateral drains should be on the Contour lines with a slope of 1 in 120. The spacing of lateral drains can bring the drain lines within 1.5-1.8 of the planting rows..
Construction of Stone Terraces – It is opportune to construct contour stone terraces on very rocky land, where it is impossible to cut continuous lateral drains. In the construction of stone terraces, the upper side of the terrace should be on a perfect Contour and the lower side of the terrace should be wider than the top.
Normally, around 510-520 rubber plants per hectare can be planted.
The due period-( March).
Planting Distances- Avenue type planting 3.5 x 5.5 m.
Square planting 4.3 x 4.5 m.
The above second method should be followed, if intercropping is to be undertaken. Further, changing the planting distances between replanting cycles and disuse of holes of the old rubber stand for replanting has helped to reduce the incidence of White Root disease in the replanting.
Planting should be done with the onset of the monsoon rains. The major rainy season falls in May-June. In the Districts of Monaragala, Badulla, Ampara and Hambantota, planting is undertaken during the period of North-East rainy season that falls in October.
The due period- (May - June),(October - November)
a). Selection of a suitable plant
It is more opportune to plant young buddings. Because, it shows a rapid and fast growth as the root system of the plant is not damaged in the events of production and planting of young buddings. The budded rubber plants with 2 leaf whorls including a hardened top whorl are suitable for planting.
b).Planting in the Field
Prior to planting the polybag plant, a part of the filled soil of the planting hole should be removed, and the polybag plant should be brought to the planting hole and the base of the polybag should be removed. Then, the plant should be lowered into the planting hole carefully positioning the graft union a 2 inches below the ground level. If the graft union is not hardened ( If it is green in colour), the graft union should not be filled with soil. The remaining 2 inches of the hole should be allowed to settle naturally. Since the green graft union may be rotten when the water collected in the hole, a small drain should be made to take the water collected in the hole away.
If it is envisaged to grow an intercrop or a mixed crop with rubber, the spacing of planting crops is 2.5 x 7.75m and the intercrops or mixed crops should be planted leaving a gap of 8 feet for rubber. If Tea is grown as a mixed crop with rubber, two spacing systems have been introduced. The first spacing is 2.4 x 12m. Accordingly, 7 rows of tea may be interplanted between 2 rubber rows. The second spacing is 2.4 x 18m. Accordingly, 12 rows of tea may be interplantd betwen 2 rubber rows.
The due period- (May - June),(October - November).
Crops suitable for intercropping at the immature phase of rubber are Banana, Pineapple, Passion fruit, Sugarcane, Annual and Seasonal crops, Medicinal Plants.
Crops that can be grown without compromising on the rubber density in unit land area – Coffee, Cocoa
Crops that can be grown changing the rubber density in unit land area – Tea, Cinnamon, Pepper.
Crops suitable for intercropping at the mature phase of rubber are Cardamom, vanilla, Rattan, Anthuriam.
In addition, Poultry farming and Apiculture on rubber lands are other potential sources for income generation.
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