Hevea - Higher yield, faster!
Since 2012 we have been micropropagating, Hevea brasiliensis in our laboratory in Belgium. More than 300 ha are already planted with this new generation of trees.
Since 2012 we have been micropropagating, Hevea brasiliensis in our laboratory in Belgium. More than 300 ha are already planted with this new generation of trees.
Our new technique includes
1) rejuvenation of the plant material
2) clonal propagation
3) in vitro pre-hardening for easier transfer to outdoor conditions
Compared to a seedling population with individuals that are all different, clonal propagation allows us to make exact copies of a selected elite mother plant that has all the desired qualities as high yield and resistance to disease.
The tissue culture technique also rejuvenates the plant material resulting in vigorous growth.
By partially acclimatizing the plants in the lab, the young trees require only a 4-month period of acclimatization in specialized greenhouses to be ready for field planting.
A major advantage of tissue culture trees is that they grow on their own roots. They have a conical trunk and grow faster than grafted ‘elephant foot’ trees. As a result, they can be harvested earlier and expected rubber yield is 15% to 30% higher.
