Bark treatment with compost extract cures tapping panel dryness

What is it about?

Rubber trees affected by either total or partial tapping panel dryness (TPD) could be recovered from the physiological disorder after bark treatment with an enriched compost extract. Curative treatment is necessary to suppress TPD syndrome development. Bark treatment is more effective during the early stages of the syndrome. These findings suggest that SWCE containing amino acids has the potential to be used as an early curative treatment for TPD.

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Why is it important?

Tapping panel dryness (TPD) is a physiological disorder afflicting rubber trees resulting from stresses related to excessive recurrent tapping and overstimulation by ethylene. The disorder causes severe yield and crop losses in natural rubber-producing countries. TPD is detected early by bark dryness upon tapping, which can manifest as partial dry zones (no latex flow). Ultimately, the disease causes a complete stoppage of latex flow on the tapping cut. The disorder is difficult to recover and curative treatment is necessary to suppress TPD syndrome development.

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