1. LIM CHIN HOCK AND S. SIVAKUMARAN THAITEX RCP TECHNOLOGY LIMITED BANGKOK, THAILAND LIM CHIN HOCK AND S. SIVAKUMARAN THAITEX RCP TECHNOLOGY LIMITED BANGKOK, THAILAND ENHANCING RUBBER PRODUCTION TO MEET INCREASING DEMAND FOR NATURAL RUBBER

2. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 Issues of Concern Affecting Rubber Industry in Thailand  Need to Increase NR Production in Thailand to Meet Increasing Demand For Commodity  Arrest Declining Trend in National Production - 2,346,000 Metric Tonnes in 1999 to 2,207,000 Metric Tonnes in 2002  Meet The Shortage in Supply of Field Latex to Concentrate Factories in Thailand  Take Advantage of Rising Price Trends by Increasing Yield Productivity Per Rai  Need to Increase NR Production in Thailand to Meet Increasing Demand For Commodity  Arrest Declining Trend in National Production - 2,346,000 Metric Tonnes in 1999 to 2,207,000 Metric Tonnes in 2002  Meet The Shortage in Supply of Field Latex to Concentrate Factories in Thailand  Take Advantage of Rising Price Trends by Increasing Yield Productivity Per Rai

3. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 Objectives of Paper  Establish RRIMFLOW as The Most Attractive and Viable System of Exploitation For Smallholders and Plantations in Thailand  RRIMFLOW System as The Most Promising Solution for Issues Highlighted Above  Establish RRIMFLOW as The Most Attractive and Viable System of Exploitation For Smallholders and Plantations in Thailand  RRIMFLOW System as The Most Promising Solution for Issues Highlighted Above

4. RRIMFLOW SHORT-CUT SYSTEM OF EXPLOITATION FOR TREES ABOVE 11 YEARS OF AGE RRIMFLOW SHORT-CUT SYSTEM OF EXPLOITATION FOR TREES ABOVE 11 YEARS OF AGE Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03

5. YIELD STIMULATION OF RUBBER TREES To release indirectly, ethylene gas into bark tissues Induce bark tissues to form endogenous ethylene gas Breakdown in bark tissues Uptake into bark tissues Ethephon (applied on bark since 1969) Uptake into bark tissues Auxins – 2,4,D ; 2,4,5-T (applied on bark prior to 1969) RRIMFLOW System of Stimulation / Exploitation since 1990 (Direct application of ethylene gas at intermittent intervals into bark tissues) Initially Developed as RRIMFLOW Puncture System (1P d/6 + weekly gassing)

6. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 Adverse bark reactions from RRIMFLOW Puncture System Bleeding along trunk from previous puncture points Bark bursts Bark cracks, fissures etc. Puncture System not suitable for maximization of crop extraction from rubber trees Modified to RRIMFLOW Short-cut System in 1993 RRIMFLOW Puncture System (1P d/6 + weekly gassing) Oldest system of gaseous stimulation of rubber trees Mature technology which is well researched & tested, proven and widely adopted by plantations, land schemes and rubber smallholders

7. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 Pictures of RRIMFLOW Puncture Tapped trees showing adverse reactions RRIMFLOW Puncture System Bleeding from Puncture Points RRIMFLOW Puncture (Bark burst) Condition of bark after 3 years Condition of former bark burst from puncture

8. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 RRIMFLOW System of Exploitation The RRIMFLOW System involves an effective and practical method for gaseous stimulation of rubber trees which in combination with the tapping of novel mini cuts (5cm length) or of short cuts of 10cm length on reduced frequencies (d/3 or d/4), increases the yield productivity several fold above that of trees tapped on conventional tapping and stimulation systems. The method which employs several specifically designed components involves intermittent application of a pulse of ethylene gas through a one way inflow valve into a PVC applicator fixed over an area on the bark of the rubber tree adjacent or below the tapping cut. Trees tapped 24 to 48 hours after gaseous stimulation, produce large volumes of latex over several hours of prolonged flow.

9. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 A method to stimulate Hevea trees by A method to stimulate Hevea trees by direct intermittent gaseousstimulantapplicationgaseousstimulantapplication

10. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 Yields of trees tapped on the RRIMFLOW System

11. Enhancing Rubber Production To Meet Increasing Demand For NR – Thailand Sep. 03 RRIMFLOW Components PVC Applicator Contact Adhesive (For Applying Around Applicator) Water-reactive Adhesive (For Fixing of Applicator to the tree) Water- Sprayer Gas valve assembly PVC tubing Regulator Set High Pressure Tubing ‘Air Gun’ Gas Cylinder Harness