core 5 in Rubber PRoduction

1. CORE 5
HARVEST LATEX
LEARNING OUTCOMES;
 Perform pre-tapping operations
 Perform tapping
 Coagulate latex
 Perform collection activities
 Market rubber coagulum and cup lumps

2. The main economic product of the rubber
tree is the milky sap called latex found in the
bark
It is harvested by controlled wounding
called tapping
Tapping is the regular opening of the
tapping cut by removing a thin shaving of bark
carefully to open laticifer tubes which contains
the latex

3. Characteristics of Tappable Rubber Trees
 The tree must be at least 50cms in girth/circumference at
the 1.5m from the ground before tapping.
 CRITERIA FOR TAPABBLE RUBBER TREES
GROUND LEVEL SEEDLING BUDDED

4. Procedure
 Position the template at 1.5 meters from the ground of every trees with
3 dots.
 Measure the circumference of the tapable trees using a string.
 Fold the string into half to determine one half of the circumference.
 Mark front and back canals at the one half circumference of the tapable
trees and at 1.5 meters from the ground of every trees with 3 dots.
 Position the template connecting back and front canal
 Put a marked on 30 degrees of slope as measured with the used of
template for budded trees, while 25 degrees for seedling trees.

5.  Tappable Rubber Trees 50 cm
circumference at 1.5m from
stock-scion union
 Using tape measure/ string to determine
50cm circumference

6.  Using template to measure the
1.5m from stock-scion union and 30
degrees tapping cut
 Tapping can start when 70% of the
trees reach the criterion.

7. OPEN THE TAPPING PANEL
Materials, Tools and Equipment
Tools
 Tapping knife
 Sharpening stone (fine)
 Template
Materials
 Cup holder spring
 Spout
 Collecting cup

8. Depth of Tapping
Greatest number and concentration of latex vessels within the bark is
found near the cambium
To obtain the most latex yield, tapping cut should penetrate as near as
possible the cambium but never beyond the cambium which already the wood
Thickness of bark together with the cambium remained to be untouched
should be about 1 mm which can be obtained through long and constant
practice
No advantage is obtained by wounding the cambium.
Wounding the cambium results to bumpy scars on the renewing bark.
Wounding also retards the growth of the stem of the tree.

10. PROCEDURE;
1. Prepare necessary tools, materials and equipment.
2. Establish front and back canals.
3. Measure 30 degree using the template.

11. 4. Establish tapping cut
connecting front and back
canals.
5. Install the spout at 100 mm from the
tapping panel.

12. 6. Install the spring cup holder and the
cup at 100-1.50mm from the spout.
7. Open/tap the established tapping cut.

13. Tools, Materials and PPE use performing Tapping,
collecting latex and preparation of coagulants and anti-
coagulants.
 Rubber boots - feet protection against fungal infection and sharp materials that can injure
trainee.
 Head Gear - protection for the trainee against head injury.
 Googles - for eye protection while mixing coagulants/anti coagulants.
 Body/protector/jacket - for body protection/skin protection while mixing coagulant/anti
coagulants. Protection against body injury during tapping.
 Gloves – for hand protection while mixing coagulants/anti coagulants.
 Mask – to protect from inhaling undesirable odor of coagulants and anti – coagulants.
 Paint Brush – use for marking dots in identifying top able trees.
 Paint – use for marking dots in identifying tap able trees.

14.  Coagulants – are acid compound use to solidify latex.
 Tapping knife – is a specific knife used to cut the bark of tappable rubber trees.
 Spout – is made up of G.I. plain sheet used as passage or guide of latex to the
collecting cup.
 Cup holder is wire spring tied to the trunk of the rubber trees to hold the collecting
cup.
 Collecting cup is the plastic cup specifically used for collecting latex.
 Template – is made up of G.I. plane sheet attached to 1 inch x 1 inch x 1.5 meters
long.
 16. String – is made of nylon used to determine that the front and back canals are
half of the circumference of the tapable trees.

15.  Collecting pail/bucket/container – is a plastic container or
fabricated G.I. sheet used to collect latex/scrap/cuplumps.
 Balancer – is made of bamboo stick used to carry containers
with latex/scraps/cuplumps.
 Scoop – is any plastic cup used to measure the proportion of
water and coagulant/anti coagulants during the process of
mixing.

16. TAPPING KNIFE CUP
SPRING WIRE
SPOUT

17. CUP HOLDER

18. TEMPLATE
GLOVES
RUBBER
BOOTS
PROTECTIVE
JACKET

20. TAPPING TASK
 The number of trees a tapper taps everyday is called tapping task
 Tapping task depends on size of the trees, length of tapping cut, land
topography, bark conditions of the tree and prices
 On flat lands with trees at virgin bark tapping, tapped alternately in
one-half spiral cut, maximum tapping task is 600 trees
 On hilly lands a task of 400-500 trees is sufficient
On upward tapping the tapping task is 300 -400 trees
 Main influencing factor : the task should be finished within 2 hours or
earlier
 Substantial loss is incurred due to shorter time (latex flow between
tapping and latex collection) for the latex to drip

21. Time of Tapping
Pressure of latex vessels where the latex is
contained is at the highest in the early hours of
the morning before the sun rises
When the sun has risen, the pressure decreases
due to water evaporation and transpiration from
the leaves
To obtain higher yields, tapping should be as
early as possible in the morning

22. Characteristics of a Good Tapper
In good health to do the job.
Have patience, speed, precision and skills
An educated tapper is an advantage to
understand the physiology and importance of
the bark and other related functions through
trainings and seminars
Good hand pulse
Good working attitude

23. Speed of Tapping
 Usually field latex is collected 2 hours after tapping especially if
lattices are processed into marketable products such as rubber
sheets, early tapping time and earlier completion of tapping task
has greater latex collection as the trees have a longer time to drip
before latex collection. Latex collected more than 3 hours after
tapping causes field latex to coagulant naturally.
 It is important to orient tappers on the importance of early tapping.
During tapper’s training, tappers are asked to tap rubber trees at an
average of 10 seconds per tree. Tappers can tap 600 trees for 2
hours only in clean, flat lands.

24. Two types of tapping
- Downward tapping
- Upward tapping
 Downward tapping
Making correct Tapping
Cut must be from Left
to right direction

25.  Correct Angle of the Tapping Cut  Correct angle of slope

26.  Well done Downward tapping
on virgin panel
 Virgin panel on the second half

27.  Tapping on the Second panel

28. Upward Tapping
 The established marks are guide for
tapper’s bark consumption monthly
 Upward Tapping may adopt steep cut

29.  Adopting upward tapping

30. Collection of Latex
 Materials for collecting of latex must be prepared. (plastic
container/pail).
 Coagulants/anticoagulant are prepared in accordance with
the prescribed standards.
 Latex are collected and stored according to established
farm standards.
 Coagulants are applied in latex for cuplumps or coagulum
production.

31.  Collected latex  Good quality Cup lumps

32.  Good quality coagulum  Poor quality coagulum

33. END!