Sunday, November 3, 2024
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മലയാളം
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Agriculture >
Plantation Crops > Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis)
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Crop
Management
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Mulching, shading and whitewashing
Mulching or covering the plant basin is done with dry leaves, cover crop cuttings,
grass cuttings, paddy straw etc. Dried African payal (Salvinia sp.) also can be
effectively used as mulch at the rate of 5 kg/sq.m (sun dried material).
Benefits
- Improvement of water and nutrient holding capacity of the soil
- Maintenance
of the soil around young rubber plants in a cool and moist condition during summer
months
- Multiplication of microbial population of the soil, ensuring better nutrient
availability
- Protection of the soil from beating effect of heavy rainfall resulting
in soil erosion
- Control of weeds around the plant bases
November is the ideal time for mulching to protect the plant from adverse effect
of drought.
Plaited coconut leaves or used gunny bags can be used for shading purpose. The brown
bark of the young plants can be protected from the scorching action of the sun by
whitewashing the main stem of the plant from the second year of planting. This may
be continued till canopy of the plants develops and partially shades the plantation.
Whitewashing can be done using lime or china clay.
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