SMIARC Technoguide

A publication of Department of Agriculture RFU XI

Southern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center
Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, Davao City
Brochure No. 17

November 2007

RUBBER NURSERY
ESTABLISHMENT

n the culture of rubber, the raising of the seedlings in

nurseries tending them carefully until the plants are ready
for transplanting or budding and planting in the field is widely
recognized. This has been viewed as more economical and
convenient than direct field planting.

Nursery Site Selection

1. The area should be near a source of water.
2. Level with a loose, friable and fertile soil. It should be well drained
with a water table of 1/2 meter below the surface.
3. The area is not shaded, it should be convenient and if possible passable
with transportation.
4. The site of nursery is near the area to be developed or planted.
5. Availability of source bush for scion.
6. Availability of manpower and propagator.
7. Market or demand of the planting materials.

Source and Selection of Rubber Seeds

Seeds can be obtained from accredited rubber
plantation and
available during the months of August-October. Maximum seed viability is
from 6-8 weeks, if packed in a damp mixture of charcoal powder and sawdust. Seeds should be heavy, fresh and shiny and the
recommended
clones for rootstock are TJIR 1, GT 1, PR 107, RRIM 501, and RRIM 605.
Management of Germination Beds
A. Preparation of Germination Beds
Prepare a well cultivated garden bed at least 1 meter wide raised to
15 centimeter above the ground surface to facilitate drainage. Use fine
river sand as germinating
medium or aged sawdust to minimize root
damage during transplanting. A one square meter of the germination bed
needs 1,000 seeds.
B. Seed Sowing
Arrange the seeds in the single layer with flat grooved side facing
downward. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of the material of the bed.
Water the seeds at least once a day. Establish shading to the newly
germinated seeds. Seeds start to germinate within 5-7 days.
C. Transplanting
Transplant germinated seeds before the young root is 2.5 cm long
and prior to any shoot development. Carefully uproot the seedlings by hand
and make sure that the cotyledons are intact. Place uprooted seedlings
in a pail filled with water to avoid damage before transplanting to the 2

polybags.
Maintenance of the Nursery
A. Watering - Water the plants regularly. The availability of the constant supply is important both ground and polybag nurseries.
Germination Stages of Rubber Seedling
1. Ungerminated Seed
2. Stage A A radicle has just emerged
3. Stage B Seed have develop spider root
4. Stage C - (needle like) Fully
system but still without leaves
5. Stage D - It has leaves
6. Stage E - Seedling with cotyledon

developed

root

B.

Manuring - Apply fertilizer mixture two months from

transplanting until 3-4 months before budding. A total
of 1,000 kg NPK fertilizer mixture apply in 2-3 split
doses for 1 hectare nursery is sufficient for optimum
growth.

C.

Weeding - Regular and careful weeding should be

undertaken at least once a month during the first few
months.

D. Spraying - Spray chemicals when necessary.

E. Budding - The brown and green budding are the two
types of budding which are in current use.
Steps in Budding
1. Wipe the base of the seedling stock. Make 2 parallel vertical incisions at 6 mm apart, 5 cm long and 2.5 - 5 cm from the ground.
2. Connect the bottom or top portion of lower upper of the parallel
incisions with a horizontal cut.
3. Open the resulting flap. Partially cut the lower portion leaving onehalf of the flaps.
4. Insert the bud patch immediately and hold it firmly.
5. Got a bud patch from the bud stick that is smaller than the flap of
the stock. Slowly strip the flap leaving the bud eye at the middle.
6. Do not expose the incisions. Wrap the incision starting from
3

the lower cut going upward using 0.2 mm plastic budding tape with 23 cm width. Make sure that the edges of the tapes overlap each other.
7. Open the tape after 21 days. A green bud patch which can be seen
through the tape indicates successful
budding. It is not successful
when patch becomes black.
F. Cutting Back
1. Cut back successfully budded plants at 3-5 cm from the bud eye (slide
cutting) three weeks after budding.
2. Apply paint to the newly cut seedlings.
3. The bud often bear shoots at 7-10 days.
4. Second storey of growth will begin 6 weeks later.
5. A 6-8 week old budded seedlings (3 leaf storey) are ready for transplanting to the field.
Budwood Multiplication Nursery Establishment
Generally, the purpose of establishing a budwood nursery is for the multiplication of budwood for production of quality rubber planting materials.
A. Site selection
1. The land should be chosen in the same way as that of the seedling
nursery.
2. Preferably flat with a loose friable fertilized soil.
3. Near to water source.
4. Well drained with a water table of 1/2 m.
B. Land Preparation
The land should be cleared of all stumps, large roots and stones.
Cultivate to a depth of 60 cm and prepare beds which allow 4 rows
spaced 1 meter apart, leaving a 60 cm margin on both sides.
C. Distance of Planting
1. Prepare beds/blocks with 4 rows spaced 1 meter at 120 cm apart between blocks.
2. The rows are spaced 1 meter apart and the planting points marked 120
cm apart preferably on the quincunx system. Such system may facilitate point to point attention and budwood cutting.
3. In case of a temporary nursery for a single crop of budwood, a distance
of 30 cm x 30 cm or 60 cm x 60 cm according to the area available
4
can be adapted.

4. Wherever necessary a 30 cm wide drainage canal can also be provided adjacent the 60 cm margin.
D. Planting
1. Planting the budwood nursery should be undertaken during the
months of July-October.
2. Budded stumps/high stumps or sprouted seeds can be used as planting materials.
3. It is highly essential that the budwood from the nursery should be
certified planting materials.
4. Important precautions to be undertaken.
a. Only certified materials should be used for the
initial introduction of a clonal material of the
budwood nursery.
b. Blocks of each clonal material are demarcated with
the display of permanent boards showing the
correct nomenclature of the clone.
c. It is also necessary to prepare plan of the
nursery with the planting points of each clone
correctly numbered and keep safely for

future reference.
E. After Care of Bud Graft
1. If the nursery is planted with germinated seeds for later
budding, the young seedlings in the nursery should be
cared until the plants are ready for budding.
2. All shoots emerging from the stocks should be pinch-off
while still in a tender stage.
3. Pinched off lateral shoots up to height of 2 meters.
4. Maintenance of soil fertility by adequate manuring and
protection of the plants from pests and diseases are the
most important cultural operations required in budwood
nursery.
F. Fertilization
1. The aim of manuring budwood nurseries is to develop the
maximum quality of good budwood per plant during the period of 10-20 months.
2. For young rubber trees (3-12 months after transplanting),
the use of 65 grams of complete fertilizer (14-14-14) is
recommended.
3. During the 2nd year, use 125 grams of 14-14-14 applied
every 6 months or 2-3 months after cutting back of the
budwood.
4. Apply fertilizer on the soil layer within 7.5 cm depth at 1540 cm from the base depending on the age and size of the
tree.
G. Weed Control
1. Clean-weed the budwood nursery at regular intervals in
order to avoid competition between the plants and weeds.
2. Mulch the nursery with dried cutting weeds and other dry
plant materials after every round weeding.
H. Pests and Diseases Control
No pests or diseases of serious nature requiring control

However, if pests or diseases has been observed, it is

essential to identify the pest or to diagnose the diseases with
the help of experienced planters or technicians to take steps in
protecting the plants.
I. Harvesting of Budwood
1. A 2.5 to 4 cm in diameter budsticks with brown bark an
sufficient development of corky tissue that gives mature
appearance are the best for convenient and successful
bud grafting.
2. Cut off the leaves at the base of the leaf stalk about one
week before cutting the budwood.
3. Normally, budwood is cut when brown bark reaches height
of two meters
4. Cut budwood at 45 degree with a saw within 25-30 m of
the union making sure that there will be 2-3 buds within a
10-15 cm of the cut and from which growth may be renewed.
5. Treat the cut end wit a tar or any disinfectant.
6. Allow two buds to develop an opposite side from the cut
end of the stem after the first crop of budwood has been
taken.
7. Do not allow the branches to grow under 2 meters height
from the point of regeneration.
8. Allow about 15 cm length of stem to grow from the point of
the last regeneration to become the next crop of the
budwood.
9. Allow only one shoot to develop to have quality budwood
to be maintained for 5-6 years. After this period, the
nursery should be replanted with new rubber clones.
J. Cutting Back of Budwood Nursery
In Mindanao, budding can be done best from April to
September. Old budwood are cut back for regeneration of
fresh budwood.

References:
Rubber Nursery Establishment brochureDA RFU 9 Zamboanga Peninzula

For more information, please contact

Dr. Alfredo M. Cayabyab
Chief, Research Division
DA-SMIARC, Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, Davao City
Telefax: (082) 293-0109 or (082) 293-0136
E-mail : smiarc@yahoo.com
Produced by :
Knowledge Management-Farmer Information and Technology Service
Center (KMFITS),DA SMIARC, Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, Davao
City

Department of Agriculture XI is a member of

Southern Mindanao Agriculture and Resources
Research and Development Consortium