1. Announcement

2. The Board

3. Liaison Officers

4. Increasing Productivity and Income of Smallholders

5. Challenges in Hevea Biotechnology

6. Planting Recommendations in the IRRDB Members Countries (1999-2005)

7. Summary of the Accounts for 2001

8. Paper Presented at the IRRDB Symposium 2001 on Biotechnology & Rubber Tree in Montpellier, France. (authors and titles)

9. Address of IRRDB Members Institutes

Role of Smallholders

Smallholders play a critical role by producing more than eighty five percent of the
world's total production of NR. It is estimated that some thirty million smallholders
and their families are dependent on NR for their livelihood. Rubber smallholders are
mainly distributed in the major NR producing countries of Asia, Africa, and to a
lesser extent, in the American tropics. They have contributed immensely to the
economic development of many countries.

With rubber cultivation being a smallholder industry, most of the production
units are small and of uneconomic size: the average smallholding in many countries
is less than two hectares. The small size and poor yield of the holdings means that
the income of the growers is low and they are not fully employed. Furthermore,
many smallholders have not adopted mixed farming, preferring to practise
monocropping, which will not maximise their income. There is a big gap in the
productivity between the estate and the smallholder sectors. The low level of
productivity of the smallholders is due to the fact that their rubber trees are of the
older low-yielding clones. The viability of the NR industry will depend on its ability
to continue to generate a sustainable income for the growers. Many smallholders are
comfortable and familiar with rubber cultivation because it can provide ready cash.
Hevea is not a demanding crop and can perform well in an average satisfactory
environment.

Many of the smallholders are locked in poverty, primarily due to the
uneconomic sized holdings, low productivity and lack of financial resources.
Another contributing factor is the ageing of the smallholders' population. In many
countries, smallholders have to supplement their income by working in nearby
plantations or manufacturing industries. This trend is common in Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia and other NR producing countries.

Importance of Hevea Wood

The NR industry is becoming increasingly important as a supplier of raw material
for the furniture industry. With the world becoming more environmentally conscious
and rubberwood being a renewable resource and environment friendly, it is not
surprising that Hevea timber is well sought after. The world timber industry, with
the concern on global warming, will be facing a growing shortage. Hevea can make
a significant contribution while at the same time providing the much-needed natural
rubber supply. The idea of planting Hevea to be tapped for 15 to 20 years and
harvested for timber at the end of a 20 to 25 year cycle is being promoted. The
establishment of rubber forest plantations in non-traditional areas such as
reforestation projects is also being encouraged.

Smallholders have not fully benefitted from the increasing demand from
rubberwood because of the low productivity of the older low-yielding clones both in
terms of latex and timber yield. Furthermore, the tree stand at the time of felling is
poor due to wind damage and root diseases. The prices obtained by the smallholders
are also low because of excessive and poor tappinngs which resulted in poor timber
quality due to damage to the cambium. The resulting wood is not suitable for
making high value furniture. The availability of the latex timber clones (LTC)
provides a golden opportunity for smallholders to replant with clones, which are
more vigorous and therefore shorter immaturity period.

Replanting is without a doubt the vehicle for the modernization and the
economic well-being of the smallholder sector. The examples of Thailand, Malaysia
and other IRRDB Member Countries where replanting has been strongly supported
by the Governments has enabled the growers to benefit from research innovations
and thus ensuring the future supply of raw materials to both rubber products and
furniture industries. Group replanting by the smallholders are also being encouraged
to ensure faster adoption of appropriate technologies and efficient utilisation of
extrension services.


Constraints to Effective Transfer of Technology

Technology generation, development and dissemination have been the major thrust
in rural development programmes to uplift the socio-economic well-being of small
farmers in the developing countries. Technologies, which are appropriate for the
estate sector may not necessarily be appropriate for the smallholding sector. Several
physical, environmental, economic and attitudinal factors may hinder the adoption
of certain technology by the smallholders. They are generally reluctant to take risks
to adopt new or improved technologies, especially those which are complex and
expensive.

It is therefore important to ensure that research activities undertaken to develop
relevant and appropriate technologies for smallholders must take into consideration
the constraints of smallholder agriculture, taking into consideration the local farming
systems and promoting demonstration on farmer's land, working closely with the
farm families to identify (heir priorities and needs. Consequently, the information
gathered through these processes of micro concerns are usually more accurate and
timely so as to ensure that research efforts and findings are implemented on a strong
foundation.

Numerous studies have been conducted by the Rubber Research Institute of
Malaysia (RRIM) relating to transfer of technology to the smallholders. It was found
that technology adoption among smallholders was low, ranging from about twenty
five percent of the total technologies adopted for old holdings to about sixty percent
for immature holdings. The trend for technology adoption among smallholders
showed a definite decrease as the age of the holdings increased.

A dynamic extension programme will have to ensure that smallholders are
aware of recent technological advances and follow the necessary agronomic
practices to achieve the desired results.

 

Strategies

The transfer of technology is a continuous process involving coordinated efforts of
the research and extension agents. It also requires technologies suited to the needs of
the rubber growers and the condition of the holdings.
An effective means by which smallholders were acquainted with new
technology was through the setting up of model and demonstration holdings.
Although such holdings promoted mature technology, they were found to be suitable
m assessing various experimental technologies under development. Such projects
included land development packages for integrated farming that incorporated the
planting of various crops alongside rubber and the raising of farm animals. These
activities were aimed at optimizing the smallholders' total agricultural productivity
and income, particularly during the immaturity period when the rubber trees were
not yet productive. The demonstration holdings served as "classroom" where other
smallholders could see for themselves how the new technology have benefited the
smallholders in terms of increasing productivity and family income. A variation of
the demonstration plot involved the evaluation of new technologies such as recently
introduced planting materials in developmental projects located in smallholdings.
The progress is closely monitored by extension agents. The performances of new
clones and tapping systems could be easily verified, thus enabling the benefits of
R&D to reach smallholders sooner.

Thus the strategies for the development of the smallholders are two pronged -
an agronomic approach to extension and advisory activities and conducting
parallel/adaptive research and development activities in the smallholding sector.
Both approaches emphasise the following:

1. Increasing Productivity

High productivity in any agricultural venture is largely determined by the
quality of the cultivars planted. There are several high yielding clones, which
have been produced and recommended by the Rubber Research Institutes in
the NR producing countries. While latex yield and tree vigour were primary
attributes sought by the plant breeders, secondary characteristics, particularly
resistance to wind damage, leaf and bark diseases and tapping panel dryness (a
condition where the tree ceased to yield latex) were also evaluated.
Many outstanding clones have been produced. The latest include the latex
timber clones, which excelled in both rubber and timber production. The dual-
purpose latex timber clones (e.g. RRIM 2000 series) which exhibit vigorous
growth with long straight boles are now recommended for planting. The use of
such clones especially in the form of two-whorl polybag planting materials
will increase productivity and reduce the immaturity period from the current
six to seven years to less than five years.
Greater emphasis must be given to the use of green budding in the preparation
of the two-whorl polybag plants. The smallholders should be supplied with

high quality planting materials if we are to succeed in reducing the immaturity
period and increase productivity of the holdings.
A dynamic extension programme will ensure that smallholders are aware of
recent technological advances and follow the necessary agronomic practices to
achieve the desired results.

2. Exploitation

The conventional tapping systems (1/2S d/2 or 1/2S d/3) is still widely
practised in both estates and smallholdings. Advances have been made with
respect to length of cuts, periodic changing of panels, stimulation methods,
puncture tapping and controlled upward tapping. The Rubber Research
Institute of Malaysia (RRIM) has introduced Sow intensity tapping systems
(LITS) and also novel techniques such as REACTORRIM and RRIMFLOW
which have been proven to improve tapper productivity and in the case of the
smallholders, both their productivity and income. However, the adoption of
these technologies by the smallholders has not been very encouraging.
The use of excessive bark during tapping is prevalent in the smallholdings. In
the case of controlled upward tapping, a system used to exploit the high panel
with chemical stimulation (using ethephon), smallholders faced the additional
problem of profuse panel spillage. The practice of daily tapping further
contributed to excessive bark consumption and ultimately poor bark renewal.
Latex spillage, due to the steep angle of cut also reduces productivity. A major
defect of excessive bark consumption is wounding of the cambium, which
could result in poor bark renewal and therefore poor quality of timber at the
time of felling. As a result, the smallholders get poor prices for their low
quality rubber wood, unsuitable for the production of high value furniture.
Generally, the smallholders seldom apply fertilizers during the mature phase.
They should be encouraged to use stimulants for the older trees and in such
cases the application of fertilizers is a necessity.

3. Farming System

Hevea trees are generally planted as a monocrop. They are versatile, adapting
well to a wide range of climatic conditions, soil types and topography. In
monocropping of rubber, the fixed planting distance and density of rubber is
necessary as the production of the tree crop gives the principle income whilst
the production of short-term crops or livestock integration (e.g. sheep) is
supplementary. Normally, during the first 2 years after planting (or replanting),
intercropping with short-term crops such as leafy and fruit vegetables, maize,
groundnut, tobacco, banana, pineapple or sugarcane in the narrow inter-row
space of less than 9 meters, is practised. This approach has been treated as the
most practical means available for income generation on immature holdings to
secure a livelihood while the opportunity exists, and is seen as an integral
component in the smallholders farming system.

However, with the uncertainty in the price structure of rubber and as momentum for integrated farming as a sustainable approach in agriculture is gaining wider acceptance in modern
fanning, attempts have been made to alter the planting pattern of the main crop
to accommodate other crops and forages, without altering the overall density of
the tree crop. To achieve the objective of integrated farming with higher
emphasis on non-rubber crops to supplement the smallholders' income,
hedgerow planting of rubber has been introduced.

Hedgerow Avenue Planting Pattern

In order to sustain long-term productivity and land use efficiency, a different
rubber planting arrangement that permits high light transmission, preferably
throughout the economic life of rubber is introduced. The hedgerow planting
pattern of rubber with wide inter-row of 18 m to 25 m maintains the economic
density of rubber at 400 to 480 trees/ha and provides a better long-term
environment in the inter-row for further increase in crop diversity. Single,
double and triple-row hedge rubber has been experimented with. The growth
performance and yield of these hedgerow rubber seemed to be slightly
affected. However, production of short and medium term food and cash crops
could be extended to more than 15 years, while early fruiting perennials such
as cocoa, coffee, guava and carambola could provide attractive and earlier cash
flow to the growers. With the additional revenue from non-rubber activities,
the returns from such effort will obviously be much higher than that from
monocropping of rubber.
The rubber tree can grow well in many of the tropical areas where poverty is a
major problem. The above farming systems provide an opportunity for
seriously considering rubber as the core crop in any poverty alleviation effort.

4. Processing and Marketing

The farm gate price received by the smallholders is, to a great extent, dictated
by the form of produce, quality and degree of competition existing in the area.
The strategies required to improve the income of smallholders include the
following:

a. Where possible and practical, smallholders should be encouraged to
sell their crop in the form of latex. This will enable the buyer to
transform the latex into premium grades.

b. In areas where latex sale is not feasible, the processing of the latex into
high quality rubber sheets can be achieved through cooperative effort
where the processing is carried out by trained personnel. This is
applicable in areas where smallholders are grouped together.

It is important to let the smallholders know that the production of quality
rubber products, including tyres, begins with the collection of latex from the
tree and the processing into high quality raw material. Quality produce
commands better price, resulting in higher income for the producers.

5. Integrated Area Development

The impact of technology transfer can be enhanced if efforts are focused on
specific development areas. This involves an integrated development approach
with research and implementing agencies providing package deal technologies
to the smallholders. There are two main objectives for the package deal. The
first is to increase the primary source of income of smallholders through proper
management and development of their holdings by increasing yield per hectare
through implementation of latest appropriate technologies. The second is to
achieve better marketability and price of their produce.
The IRRDB Board has given the highest priority to programmes which could
result in improving the livelihood of the smallholders. For example, the focus of the
Agronomy and also the Socio-Economic Specialist Groups are to optimise land
usage and improve smallholders' adoption of technologies which will have a direct
impact on improving their productivity and income.

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Biotechnology embraces a wide range of disciplines and can be defined in many
ways. In a broad sense, it is referred to as the utilization of biochemical potential of
cells and enzymes for the production of a wide variety of useful products. The 1992
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defined biotechnology as "any
technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or
derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific uses".
Biotechnology is here taken to cover the application of tissue culture,
immunological techniques, molecular genetics and recombinant DNA techniques in
all facets of agricultural production and agro-industry. Biotechnology is therefore a
powerful toot in agricultural development with great potential.

The Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia pioneered tissue culture research in
the 1960s with the primary aim of developing a new method to propagate
vegetatively clonal planting materials. Hevea tissue culture, as with most woody
species, posed many problems to the researchers. Further progress in tissue culture
research was hampered when it was realized that this would not be a practical
approach for mass propagation of clonal materials for the rubber industry. In fact,
further advances in Hevea tissue culture research were achieved by researchers in
China.

Plant tissue culture was a crucial technology in many strategies for genetic
transformation. The gene to be transformed into the host plant was first shuttled into
a bacterium called Agrobactenum. The bacterium was then allowed to infect callus
tissue of the plant maintained in vitro. Agrobactenum had the ability to transfer the
gene into the chromosomes of the target plant cells. The successfully transformed
callus tissue could then be regenerated into a complete plantlet through tissue
culture. In genetic transformation, Hevea tissue culture found a new purpose.
Advances in molecular biology created exciting possibilities and opportunities
for Hevea biotechnology. The discovery that the DNA chain can be cut at specific
sites using enzymes and to splice together different segments of DNA to form
recombined genes enabled the genetic makeup of organisms to be altered. The
invention of the automated gene-sequencer machine which could split strands of
DNA into fragments that could be read to give the order of the bases and the
information then transferred to the computers has hastened the progress of genetic
engineering. Advances in the machines has enabled the sequencing of whole
genomes of species, including the human genome.

Genetic engineering has enabled the transformation of plants, whereby foreign
genes could be transferred into plants which would then exhibit the characteristics
controlled by the introduced genes. In the case of crop plants, transformation would
typically be with genes that confer desirable traits such as vigour and disease
resistance. Biotechnology research in the RRIM has produced the world's first
transgenic plant. It carried the gene for the enzyme p-glucuronidase and produced
this recombinant protein in its leaves and latex.

The research institutes of IRRDB Member Countries are actively involved in
different aspects of biotechnology research. The research projects undertaken could
be in the area of micropropagation, molecular genetics and physiology and, in some
cases, genetic transformation. Micropropagation, genetic transformation and related
technologies such as DNA, recombinant techniques, genomics and molecular
genetic markers are powerful tools for cell and molecular biology approaches.

Several molecular markers have been developed for the rubber tree: isozymes,
RFLPs, RAPDs, AFLPs and SSRs. Development of expressed gene markers, in
particular those related to rubber production, is underway.

Genetic studies have been conducted on the genetic diversity of wild
Amazonian gennplasm, genome organization and genetic determination, which is
now established for SALE and productivity. These technologies open the way for
applications in clone identification and paternity testing, identification of QTLs and
development of Marker-Assisted Selection, which will enable accurate and early
selection after breeding.

Rubber Biosynthesis: Increasing Rubber Content in the Latex

The rubber content in latex can vary from more than 40% in trees that are left
untapped to below 28 in trees that are tapped intensively or that have been
subjected to sustained yield stimulation. With the advent of ethylene-based yield
stimulation systems (RRIMFLOW and REACTORRIM) and the long flow duration
that ensues, occurrences of low rubber content in the latex are becoming more
frequent. There is a mounting need, therefore, to investigate approaches towards
increasing the rate of rubber biosynthesis with the view of raising rubber content in
latex harvested from ethylene-stimulated trees.

A proteinaceous stimulator of rubber biosynthesis has been found in the latex
C-serum. Several Hevea genes showing sequence homology to the eukaryotic
initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) of Medicago saliva encode for closely related soluble
proteins that stimulate the incorporation of isopentenyt diphosphate into rubber.
Seventeen cDNAs that were isolated showed more than 90% identity between
themselves. At the protein level, the seventeen cDNAs could be grouped into seven
different isoforms of eIF5A proteins of 16 to 18 kDa. Both the native protein and its
recombinant counterparts have been shown to stimulate rubber biosynthesis in vitro.

Modification of Hevea Anatomy for Improved Latex and Timber Production

In trees, the cambium differentiates into the vascular elements comprising the xylem
and the phloem. Xylem conducts water and, as wood, it serves the tree also in
structural support. The phloem plays a parallel role in conducting nutrients required
for growth and development. In the special case of Hevea, latex vessels are
interspersed in the secondary phloem region of the bark. Hence, morphological
aspects of phloem differentiation may also have important implications in the
productivity of the rubber tree in terms of latex vessel density in the bark. A study
has been initiated in a member institute to investigate how wood and
phloem/laticifer development in Hevea might be influenced by homeotic genes
and structural genes thought to be associated with wood and phloem differentiation.
The cambial region of Hevea (clone RRIM 2025) was separated out between the bark
and the wood and cDNA libraries (9xl05 Pni) from tissue representing the cambium
and early differentiating cambial tissue adjacent to either the xylem or the phloem
were constructed. Useful genes that are identified can be candidates for
Hevea genetic transformation.

Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)

The use of ESTs could speed up gene sequencing. For example, the MRB has
initiated a project to build a catalogue of genes expressed in latex or ESTs by
sequencing cDNA clones derived from latex. This approach provides a useful tool
for profiling latex gene expression, identifying new genes and generating a pool of
genes available for further study. Of particular interest are genes encoding enzymes
of and proteins related to the rubber biosynthetic pathway and genes relating to
defence and stress tolerance.

Tapping Rubber Trees for Valuable Proteins

Plants can be converted into living factories for the production of valuable proteins
through genetic engineering.
The synthesis of commercially important proteins, particularly
pharmaceuticals, by micro-organisms (such as bacteria and yeast in bioreactors)
involve processes well entrenched in industry. More recently, DNA engineering in
animals has enabled the expression in foreign proteins (commonly therapeutic
proteins) in the milk of animals such as sheep, goats and cows. These animals
effectively become natural bioreactors that support the sustained yield of target
protein which include human hormones, enzymes, blood coagulating factors and
immunological agents.

Like transgenic animals, plants can be genetically transformed to express
protein-based pharmaceuticals and other valuable proteins. In plant transformation
gene transfer is commonly effected by the bombardment of the appropriate plant
tissue (e.g. callus tissue, embryos, etc.) with DNA of the desired protein using a
particle gun, or through mediation by Agrobacterium harbouring the gene of interest.
Plants are cheaper to maintain than animals, besides being amenable or vegetative
propagation for clonal multiplication. Grown in the field, plants require little more
than sunlight, water and basic horticultural input to thrive. As protein manufacturing
factories, plants are solar powered and ecologically friendly.

The many advantages of transgenic plants for 'biopharming' notwithstanding,
their one significant weakness is the difficulty in recovering the recombinant
protein. Unlike transgenic animals where there is continual protein production in the
milk, harvesting of the recombinant protein involves destruction of the plant or a
portion of it. As a result, protein recovery is not usually a continual process.

Taking into consideration the strengths of the transgenic animals (continual
protein production in the milk) and the transgenic plant (low cost of maintenance,
simple clonal propagation) for reoombinant protein production, it would obviously
be beneficial to have a production system that combines both advantages. The
rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, meets this requirement. Among plants the rubber
tree is unique in that it produces voluminous latex upon tapping which is a non-
destructive method of latex extraction and harvesting. The tree can be tapped every
alternate day throughout the year without pause. Hence, an appropriately engineered
rubber tree allows for continual production of the target protein. In this connection,
the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia has successfally developed transgenic
rubber plants that produce foreign proteins of potential commercial ^wmme
latex Among such routines is an antibody and human serum albumin. Antibodies
have a wide range of applications in health care, depending on the type of antibody
employed. They can be used in disease diagnostics, vaccines and for site-tragetmg
in chemotherapy. Human serum albumin is used extensively during surgery tor
blood volume replacement and trauma relief.

Cost efficient production by transgenic plants can alter the economics of
recombinant protein synthesis. For example, hitherto prohibitively expensive
chemotherapy could be brought within reach of the man in the street Commercial
proteins from transgenic plants need not be confined to high-cost pharmaceuticals
either. Moderate-value proteins such as industrial enzymes or proteins used m
personal care products may also be harvested from engineered p ants such as Uie
rubber tree. to fact, the low cost of maintaining transgenic plants make them
especially suited to high volume production of less expensive proteins that otherwise
cannot be produced cost effectively in conventional bio-reactor systems.

Formation of Specialist Group on Hevea Biotechnology

The IRRDB, recognizing the potential of Hevea biotechnology research has
established the Biotechnology Group and appointed Dr Pascal Montoro as its
Liaison Officer.

CIRAD-IRRDB Biotechnology Seminar

The above Seminar was held from 25-26 September at the J.Alliot Amphitheatre m
CIRAD-CP, Montpellier. France. This was the first time that the topic of
biotechnology had been given centre stage in the IRRDB Seminar. The ora
presentations made by Member Countries of the IRRDB covered a w.de range oj
topics such as micropropagation, transformation, gene and protein analysis
genetic mapping. Micropropagation of Hevea was discussed in the cortex of
updates on somatic embryogenesis and transformation of explants with genes of
economic value. At present, micropropagation protocols and origin of explants vary
between different laboratories and a rapid procedure of mass production of tissue
cultured planting material is not yet available.

Agrobacterium-mediated although again, the origin of explants used varies
between laboratories. The performance of several transgenic Hevea projects bearing
useful genes and the search for gene promoters to direct latex-specific expression
were reported. Studies on latex proteins were presented under the topics oi
antioxidant enzymes, effectors of latex vessel plugging and the allergemc proteins
glucanase (Hev b2) and cyanogenic glucosidase (Hev b4). The talk on latex vessel
plugging was particularly interesting as it uses laser refractometncal measurements
to monitor rubber particle coagulation in order to identify physiological effectors of
the process. A comprehensive presentation was also given on Hevea genetic
markers developed at CIRAD. Another class of potential markers, EST, was
reported by the RRIM ofMalaysian Rubber Board.

The Challenge - To Produce IRRDB Clones

One of the most important research achievements of the NR industry is breeding
Genetic improvement of Hevea started with the introduction of the plant from Brazil
in 1876 by Henry Wickham to Sri Lanka through Kew Gardens in the United
Kingdom The "Wickham Gene Pool" was the basis of the genetic variability for
rubber planted extensively in South-East Asia. The variability in Malaysia is
attributed to 22 seedlings introduced originally in 1877.

The Dutch scientists working in Java and Sumatra initiated the first steps in
Hevea breeding. They demonstrated the variability of yield from tree to tree and
introduced clonal propagation by budding. The production of superior seedling
progeny from open-pollinated seed gardens where mixed superior clones are grown
was then widely practiced as propagation technique. With the introduction of bud-
grafting technique, breeding took an accelerated phase and resulted in the preference
to plant a few superior clonal lines over the genetically diverse seedlings.

The Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia stated its breeding programme in
1928 and since that time has played a prominent role and contributed significantly to
the introduction of high yielding clones such as RRIM 2000 series. Today most of
the IRRDB member countries are actively involved in breeding and allocating a
significant portion of their research expenditure for this purpose.
Most of the commercial planting today utilizes clones which are produced
from selective hybridization of superior hybrids and their derivatives. This approach
resulted in promoting recombination between elite genotypes and the desirable result
of much improved latex yield.

The IRRDB has been instrumental in promoting international collaboration in
breeding resulting in the exchange of genetic materials between member countries^
In a way this has contributed to the broadening of the base of genetic variability and
enabled breeding for disease resistance and drought to be accelerated. The tear ot
South American Leaf Blight has to a large extent intensified effort to produce
disease resistant clones.

Over the past two decades, there were two highly successful gene prospecting
expeditions to the Amazon by scientists. The first expedition in 1981 was organized under the auspices of the International Rubber Research and Development Board.
Scientists from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Nigeria, Cote d'lvoire and
host country Brazil trekked through the jungles of three west Brazilian states of Acre
Rondonia and Matto Grosso in search of wild Hevea. The expedition was highly
successful, collecting almost 65,000 Hevea seeds that were distributed to the RRIM
and to germplasm centers in Brazil and Cote d'lvoire. RRIM was entrusted with the
task of maintaining the pool of 14,000 seedlings that germinated and survived from
the 24,000 received. This gennplasm has since been successfully used in crosses
with the cultivated Wickham materials.

The second Amazon expedition in 1995 was essentially an RRIM effort in
collaboration with Brazil as (he host country. This venture took researchers to the
western fringes of me Amazon close to the border with Colombia. More .man
100,000 seeds were collected altogether, although poor germination struck that
number down tojilsato'ver 50,000 (hat were successfully raised. Besides brasiliensis,
seven other Hevea species - benthamania, camargoana, guianensis, nitida,
pauciflwa, rigidifolia and spruceana - were collected. By me tune the 1995 gene
prospecting expedition was underway, the rubber industry was already looking to
the tree for more than just its yield of rubber. Hevea was past establishing itself as a
valuable timber tree. Gene prospection on this occasion had therefore me objective
on increasing not only the yield of rubber, but also that rubberwood.

Rubberwood production is now an important aspect in the rubber growing
industry. The commercial utilization ofrubberwood began in 1970s and since then
rubberwood has been accepted as alternative timber to the natural forest species for
manufacturing into wood-based products. With the remarkable growth in
rubberwood product manufacturing, the rubber breeding programme in the IRRDB
Member Institutes has focussed on the development of clones with both high yields
of latex and timber.

The yield performance of clones can be seriously curtailed by the adverse
influence of environmental constraints, .prevailing in a particular lubber-growing
region. The important environmental factors which must be considered are extreme
severity of wind, high incidence of major diseases, suitability of soil types and also
steepness of terrain. Considciflition ^lould also be given to non-traditional areas of
rubber cultivation where altitude, temperature, rainfall, wind, sunshine and misty
days could have adverse effect on ?0 growth and performance of the Hevea clones.

In the 1970s the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC)
organised the Multilateral Clone Exchange programme involving six countries. This
programme enabled some 22 clones to be grown and observed in different locations
in participating countries. What has been expected by the plant breeders were
confirmed on these trials when clones performed differently in me different
environment and countries.

It is now opportune to consider the development of IRRDB clones, utilizing
the expanded gene pool from the 1981 IRRDB Amazon collection. Satisfactory
progress has been achieved by the breeders in Member Countries with the utilization
of the germplasm. Further progress would certainly require time and financial
inputs which many Member Countries could ill afford.

The challenge before the breeders is to produce high performance IRRDB
clones in terms of latex and timber yields and also other desirable characteristics like
wind and disease resistance.

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The IRRDB Member Countries revise clone recommendations on a regular basis.
We have included the latest clonal recommendations for the IRRDB Member
Countries covering (he period of 1999 - 2005.

Malaysian Rubber Board

1. Group I

Consist of clones with known track records based on at least five years yield
data and observations of secondary characteristics in large scale trials e.g.
Large Scale Clone Trials, Monitored Development Prefects (MDP) or
commercial planting.

Group I clones are recommended for planting in estates and smallholdings
without any restriction imposed on size of planting.

Group I comprises 15 clones of which eight we latex-timber clones and the
rest are latex clones:

Latex-Timber Clones
RRIM 908, RRIM 911, RRIM 921, RRIM 936, PB 260. PB 350, PB 355 and
PB359

Latex Clones
RRIM 901, RRIM 937, RRIM 938. RRIM 94<tPB 28©. PB 366 and PM 10

2. Group II

Consist of newly released clones which-are promising in me preliminary trials.
These clones are selected based on-five years yield data and other secondary
characteristics from trials in limited scale, i.e. Small Scale Clone Trials. The
performances of these clones in different climatic, soil wad environments are
not yet available. Therefore, '.with the limited data, these clones are
recommended for large scale planting only under close supervision through the
monitored development projects.

Group II consists of forty clones comprising thirteen clones from me RRIM
900 Series (Second Selection) and twenty-seven clones form me RRIM 2000
Series (First and Second Selection).

Latex Timber Clones

RRIM 928, RRIM 929, RRIM 2001, RRIM 2002, RRIM 2008, RRIM 2009,
RRIM 2014, RRIM 2015, RRIM 2016, RRIM 2020, RRIM 2023, RRIM 2024,
RRIM 2025. RRIM 2026 and RRIM 2027.

Latex Clones

RRIM 924, RRIM 926, RRIM 927, RRIM 930, RRIM 931, RRIM 932 RRIM
933, RRIM 934, RRIM 935, RRIM 942, RRIM 943, RRIM 2003 RRIM 2004
RRIM 2005, RRIM 2006, RRIM 2007, RRIM 2010, RRIM 2011, RRIM 2012'
RRIM 2013, RRIM 2017, RRIM 2018, RRIM 2019, RRIM 2021 and RRIM
2022

3. Planting Materials for Timber Production

The planters are encouraged to plant proven clones with high production of
timber and latex. The recommended clones are RRIM 908, RRIM 911 RRIM
921, RRIM 936, PB 260, PB 350, PB 355 and PB 359 from Group 1' RRIM
928, RRIM 929, RRIM 2001, RRIM 2002. RRIM 2008. RRIM 2009 RRIM
2014, RRIM 2015, RRIM 2016, RRIM 2020. RRIM 2023, RRIM 2024 RRIM
2025, RRIM 2026 and RRJM 2027 from Group II. These clones are also
suitable for planting in the rubber forest plantation

Rubber Research Institute of India

1. Category I

Comprises of those clones approved for large scale planting. However it is
recommended that these may be used to cover only 50 of the total rubber
area.

RRII 105 and PB 260 (Also RRIM 600 and GT 1 in non-traditional areas)

2. Category II

Comprises clones, which have very well shown their merit in this country over
long or medium terms. Three or more of these cultivars may be used to plant
upto 50 percent of the total area of any holding.

RRIM 600. GT 1, PB 28/59, PB 217 and RRIM 703

3. Category III

Cultivars are divided into (a), (b), (c) and (d). Those under division (a) are the
ones which have held out promise of good performance in small scale trials,
and over short term in some large-scale trials in India or abroad. So these are
approved only for experimental planting. Those under division (b) are old
selections having promising localized performance or having desirable
secondary attributes, hi regions, where theses clones are showing very good
performance no restriction in planting is insisted. Modem clones with
moderate scale performance are included in division (c). Other experimental
clones of promising yield and/or desirable secondary characters with limited
data are included in division (d). Selections from any of these are approved for
every small scale planting not to exceed 15 per cent of the total area, in
aggregate.

a) RRII 5, RRH 203. PR 255, PR 261. PB 235, PB 280 and PB 311
b) Tjir I, PB 86, GI 1,PR 107, PB6/9 and PB 5/51
c) RRIM 605, SQQM 623, RRIM 628, RRIM 701, RRII 118, RRII 208 and
poly seeds form approved source
d) RRH 50, RIUI 51, RRH 109, RRII 114 RRH 176, RRII 300. RRII 308.
RRIM 722, RRIM 728, PB 255, PB 312, PB 314, PB 330, RRIC 36. RRIC
100, RRIC 102, RRIC 104, RRIC 105, ?0 130, Nab 17, KRS 25, KRS
128, KRS l<y, SCATC 88-13, SCATC 93-114, Haiken 1, IRCA 109,
IRCA 111, IRCA 130, IRCA 230, BPM 24, RRII 414. RRII 417, RRII
422, RRII 429, and RRII 430.

Rubber Research Institute of Vietnam

1. Class I

The class I refers to clones which have been tested and grown widely, their
yield performances for at least five years in' large scale trials and/or in
commercial planting are approved. It is recommended that these may be used
to cover only 50 - 55 of the total rubber areas and each may be used to plant
only 15-20 of the total rubber areas.
RRIV 4 (LH82), RJUV 2 (LH82/156). PB 255, PB 260, GT1 and RRIM 600

2. Class II

The class n refers to clones, which have well shown their merit but limited
information on yield and other characteristics. The class II also comprises the
clones of former class I, which currently occupies more than 20 of me total
rubber areas. Each clone (form class U could-be planted around 10 and all
class-II may be planted up to 49%.

RRIC 121, RRIM 600, RRIV 3, (LH 82/158), VM 515, GT1, PB 255, RRIC 100, RRIV 2
(LH 82/156), RIV 4 (LH 82/182), RRIM 712 and PB 260.

3. Class III

The class III comprised clones showing very good performance in small scale
trials, but limiting data. They should be tested in large scale trial or planted up
to 5-10 ha per clones per site.

RRTV 1, RRIV 5. LH 82/75. LH 8M2, LH 83/85, LH 83/152, LH 83/283, LH
83/290, LH 83/732, LH 88/61. LH 88/72, LH 88/236, LH 88/241, IRCA 130,
IRCA 230, IRCA 331, PB 312, PB 324, PB 330 and other clones approved by
GBRUCO (General Rubber Corporation of Vietnam)

Indonesian Rubber Research Institute

1. Class I

Commercially Recommended Clones
Latex Clones
BPM 24, BPM 107, BPM 109, PB 217, PB 260, PR 255, PR 261, IRR 104

Timber-Latex Clones
AVROS 2037, BPM 1, PB 330, RRIC 100, IRR 5, IRR 21, IRR 32, IRR 39,
IRR 42, IRR 118

Timber Clones
IRR 70, IRR 71, IRR 72, IRR 78

2. Class II

Promising Clones
PB 340, IRR 24, IRR 33, IRR 41, IRR 54, IRR 64, IRR 68, IRR 107. IRR 111,
IRR 220

3. Clones Classifications

Clones as latex yielder
These clones have very high latex yield but medium wood potency.

Clones as timber-latex yielder
These clones have high latex and high wood potency.

Clones as timber yielder
These clones have low latex yield but very high wood potency.

Rubber Research Institute of Thailand

1. Class I

Refers to clones which are suitable for large scale planting:
RRIT 251, Songkhia 36, BPM 24, PB 255, PB 260, PR 255, RRIC 110, RRIM
600

2. Class II

Refers to clones which have some limited information. The planters should not
plant this class more than 30 of the total planted area and each clone should
be planted not less that 7 rai or 1 task (1 ha = 6.25 rai).
RRIT 226, RRIT 250, BPM 1, PB 235, RRIC 100, RRIC 101

3. Class III

Refers to clones which have more limited information. Clones in this class are
currently under studied for additional characteristics. The planters should not
planted any cones under mis class more than 20 of the total planted area and
each clones should be planted not less than 7 rai or 1 task.
RRIT 163. RRIT 209, ROT 214, ROTTO, RRIT 225. Haiken 2. PR 302, PR
305, RRIC 121

Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS)

1. Group I

For large scale planting, occupied 65 or more of me total rubber planting
area of a plantations in current year.
RRIM 600, PR 107, Haiken 2. Reken 1-26, Wenchang 217, Wcnchang 11,
Reyan 7-33-97, Dafeng 95, Yunyan 77-2. Yunyan 77-4, GT1, 93-114.

2. Group II

For moderate scale planting, occupied 25 or less of-the total area under
rubber planted in current.

IAN 873, Boating 235, Baling 64.36-101, Nanfeng 37,PB 260, Boating 3410,
Daling 68-35. Wenchang 33-24, PR 302, Boating N1, Reyan 7-18-55,
Wenchang 7-35-11, RRIC 110. Dafeng 117, Haiken 6, Reyan 8-333, Yunyan
73-46, Baoting 032-33-10, Hongxing 1, Reyan 8-79., Reyan 88-l3.

3. Group III

For small scale planting, occupied 0 or less of the total area under rubber
planted in current year, include 30 cloneSu6.seedlirigs and 2 three-part-trees.

Clones

BPM 24, PR 261, RRIC 100, RRIM 703, Boating 1-285, Boating 933, Dafeng
318, Dafeng 78-138, Dafeng 78-14, Dafeng 78-184. Dafeng 78-25, Dafeng 78-
50, Dafeng 99, Daling 17-155, Daling 64-21-65. Daling 798. Nanfeng 70,
Reyan 2-14-39, Reyan 4, Reyan 541; Reyan 78-3-5, Wenchang 217,
Wenchang 65-8-502, Wenchang 8-32-9, Xvyu 140-2, Xvyu 141-2, Yunyan 73-
477, Yunyan 75-11, Zhanshi 312-4, Zhenxuan 1

Seedlings

Wenyan 172, Zhanshi 366, Boating 79-017. Daling 76-1, Nanfeng 3,
Qiongyans-01

Three Port Trees
93-114/GT1. GT1/PR 107

Rubber Research Institute of Cambodia

1. Class I

Clones offering a high level of performance and security. These clones can be
planted on more than 15 of the industrial project area.
GT1,RRIM600,PB235

2. Class II

Clones presenting the high performance, but also their known disadvantages or
the limited knowledge. These clones ought not to be planted on more than 10
of industrial project area.
KV4 (VM515), RRIC110, RRIC121, PB217, PB310, PB324, PR107

3. Class III

Promising clones expected with regard to their performances, but they have a
little been known in the country. These clones are limited to grow within a
small block planting from 5 to 10 ha.
PB255, PB260, PB230, PB330, RRIC100, RRIM712, IRCA18, IRCA41,
IRCA 130, IRCA2

4. Class IV

Interesting experimental clones, which are available in Cambodia and should
be tested in large-scale clone trials.

Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka

1. Group I

Clones for large scale planting with proven track records. Each clone to be
planted up to 10 of the extent.

RRIC 100, RRIC 102. RRIC 121, RRIC BO'-PB 217"''PB 28/59"'
* PB 217 and PB 28/59 are not recommend for areas having more than 3 750
mm of rainfall

2. Group II

Relatively new clones which are found promising in preliminary trials. Each
clone to be planted up to 3 of the extent.

RRIC 117, RRIC 131, RRIC 133. RRISL 201, RRISL 202, RRISL 203,
RRISL 205, RRISL 206, RRISL 210. RRISL 211. RRISL 215, RRISL 217, PB
2351,PB260t,BPM24

3. Group III

Clones have limited amount of information and estates axe advised to plant
them in collaboration with the RRI as Estate / RRI collaborative clone trials
(ECTs). This group of clones will include unregistered clones along with new
introductions form other countries. Each clone to be planted up to 2 ha.

RMSL 200. RRISL 204, RRISL 208, RRISL 218, RRISL 219, RRISL 220,
RRISL 221, RRISL 222, RRISL 225, RRISL 226, RRISL 227. GPS 1. RRIM
717, PB 255, PR 255, PR 305, RRII 105, RRISL 2QOO, RRISL 2001, RRISL
2002, RRISL 2003, RRISL 2004, RRISL 2005. RRISL 2006.

Classification of Rubber Tree Clones In Cote d’Ivoire


1. Class I

Clones used at Industrial scale for more than 15 of planted areas.
GT 1, IRCA 18, PB 217., IRCA 41 and PB 254

2. Class II

Clones used at industrial scale for less than 10 of planted areas.

Subclass a-Promising new clones for class 1
Subclass b - Old well-known clones limited by some bad traits

PB 235, PR 107, RRIC 100, AVROS 2037 and PN 260.

3. Class III

Promising clones used m monoclonal areas from 5 to 5O ha.

RRIM 600, IRCA 19, IRCA 109. TCA 145, BCA 209. IRCA 230, IRCA
317, IRCA 331, PB 255, RRIM 703 and RRIM 712.

4. Class IV

Introduced clones
Clones created in Cote d’Ivore.

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The papers are published as a Proceedings by CIRAD-CP, but the authors and titles
are listed to show the range of-material presented.

Sobha S., Sushamalcumari S., iRckha K-, Jayashree R.. Kala R.G., Kumari Jayasree
P., Asokan M.P.. Sethuraj M.Rt. Dandckar A.M. and Thulaseedharan A.: Abiotic
Stress Induced Over-Expression of Superoxide Dismutase Enzyme in Transgenic
Hevea brasiliensis.

Kong-See Chow, E.Sunderasan, Siang-He Tan, K. Harikrishna and Hoong-Yeet
Yeang: Analysis of Latex Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) in Hevea brasiliensis.

Marie de Lattre-Gasquet and Jerome Sainte-Beuve : Biotechnogy and Rubber Tree.

Peng Shiqing, Wu Kunxin, Fu Xianghui and ChewShoucai: Cloning and Expression
Of cDNA encoding 43 KD Rubber Particle Membrane Protein of Hevea brasiliensis.

H.Y. Yeang and K.S. Chow: Cloning of latex ß-1, 3 glucanase cDNA and
characterisation of the recombinant protein.

Charbit E., Legavre T., Lardct L., Ferriere N. and Can-on .M.P. : Differential Display
as Tool for Screening Sequences Related with early Somatic Embryogenesis in
Rubber Tree.

Unakorn Silpi, Pisamai Chantuma, Jirakom Kosaisawe, Sornprach
Thanisawanyangkura and Eric Gohet: Distribution Pattern of Latex Sucrose and
Metabolic Activity in Response to Tapping and Ethrel® Stimulation in Latex
Producing Baric of Hevea Brasiliensis Mull. Arg.

P. Kumari Jayasree, S.S. Sunitha and A. Thulaseedharan: Effect of cytokinins on in
vitro germination of Hevea somatic embryos.

H.Y. Yeang, P. Arokiaraj, H. Jaafar, S.A.M. Arif, S. Rajamanikam, J.L. Chan, J.
Sharib, R. Leelavathy and S. Hamzah: Expression of a functional recombinant
antibody fragment in the latex of transgenic Hevea brasiliensis.

P. Venlcatachalam, R. Sailasree, P. Priya, C.K. Saraswathyaroma and A.
Thulaseedaran: Identification of a DNA marker associated with dwarf trait in Hevea
brasiliensis (Muell.) Arg. Through random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.

P. Arokiaraj and H. Jones: Identification of regulatory sequences in the 5’ upstream
region of hevein and rubber elongation factor genes from Hevea brasiliensis.

E. Simderasan. K.S. Chow, M.A. Ward and H.Y. Yeang: Isolation and
characterisation of latex cyanogenic glucosidase in Hevea brasiliensis.

H.Y. Yeang, C.H. Lau, S.A.M. Arif, Y.H. Loke, J.L. Chan, S. Hamzah and R.G.
Hamilton: Hev b 1. Hev b 2 and Hev b 3 content in natural rubber latex and latex
gloves.

Chrestin Herve, Kongsawadworakul Panida, Lawent Jean-Yves and Michel Noirot:
Laser Diffraction: a new tool for identification and studies of the physiological
effectors involved in aggregation-coagulation of rubber particles from Hevea latex.

Seguin M., Gay C., Xiong T.C. and Rodier-Goud M.: Microsatellite markers for
genome analysis of rubber tree (Hevea spp.).

B. Vignes: Natural Rubber and Tyres.

Lise Jouanin: Poplar Biotechnologies.

Lin Weifa, Jiang Jusheng and Chen Qiubo: Production and consumption of natural
rubber in China at the 21s' Century.

Pascal Montoro, Wiparat Rattana, Nongluk Teinseree, Sukuntaros Tadakittisam,
Valerie Pujade-Renaud, Nicole Michaux-Femere, Yupa Monkolsook, Reena
Kanthapura and Saisunee Adunsadthapong: Production of transgenic callus lines in
Hevea Brasiliensis -via. Agrobactenum Tumefaciens.

Anne Clement, Thierry Joet, Vincent Dubois and Pisamai Chantuma: Purification,
characterization and possible role of enzymes linked to the antioxidant system from
rubber tree latex.

Chen Xiongting, Wang Zeyun, Wu Hudie and Zhang Xiujuan: Selection of
optimum planting material of Hevea brasiliensis: Self-rooting Juvenile Clone.

P. Arokiaraj and H. Jones: Sequence characterisation of homeobox gene isolated
from the cambium xylem tissue of Hevea brasiliensis.

M.P. Carron, L. Lardet, J. Julien and C. Boko: Somatic embiyogenesis in Hevea
brasiliensis (Mull. Arg.); current advances and limits.

Valeric Pujade-Renaud, Pascal Montoro, Christine Sanier, Natsuang Phuangkosol,
Panida Kongsawadworakul and Herve Chrestin: Specific promoters for genetic
engineering of rubber tree.

P. Arokiaraj, Florian Rueker, H. Jaafar, Shamsul Bahri and H.Y. Yeang: The
production of human serum albumin in transgenic Hevea brasiliensis.

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