Treatment
of Rubber Tree Seeds
1.Mix
Sonic Bloom concentrate with water at a rate of 1/4 ounce to a gallon
of
water (10 mls to 5 Liters) to make enough product to cover all seeds
adequately.
IMPORTANT:
WHEN
MIXING SONIC
BLOOM NUTRIENT
WITH WATER FOR
PROPAGATION,
ALWAYS
FIRST SHAKE THE NUTRIENT BOTTLE VIGOROUSLY
BEFORE
POURING THE NUTRIENT INTO AN EMPTY CONTAINER. THEN ADD
WATER
WITH FORCE.
2.Place
the seed in a container and cover with a sufficient amount of the
mixture
to keep seeds covered with nutrient mixture for eight hours.
(Remember,
larger
seeds will absorb more liquid).
3.Place
containers with seeds in a dark area or under a box or container.
4.Set
a Model 1 sound unit close to the seeds, turn on sound unit and leave
on
for eight hours.
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Tree Cont.
5.After
soaking seeds for eight hours with sound, drain from Sonic Bloom
mixture
(save solution) and the seeds should then be planted immediately
in
container flats.
6.The
saved mixture and/or a new mixture of 1/4 ounce of Sonic Bloom to
one
gallon of water (10 mls to 5 Liters) can be used to water the seeds
when
planting.
7.Place
a sound unit close to the planted seeds, turn it on and leave it play
for
at least eight hours per day. Sound unit should be at full volume for 45
minutes
prior to spraying each time you spray.
8.After
plants emerge from ground spray them with a mixture of Sonic
Bloom
at the rate of 1/4 ounce per gallon (10 mls to 5 Liters) of water
twice
a week for three weeks.
9.For
the next three weeks spray them twice a week with a mixture of 1/3
ounce
of Sonic Bloom nutrient to a gallon of water (10 mls to 4 Liters)
10.Transplanting
of seedling stock to the nursery can be done anytime
throughout
this process when seedlings reach transplanting size.
ADDITIONAL
NOTES ON SEED PROPAGATION:
If
seed is to be dry before planting with machine, seeds can be laid out on
black
plastic sheeting and broomed in the sun until dry.
If
seeds are very small e.g., flower seeds, they can be planted into cell
trays,
watered
in with a mixture of Sonic Bloom at the rate of 1/4 ounce per gallon
(10
mls to 5 Liters) and sound played daily.
With
large seed in broad acre situations, a mixture of solution can be made
up,1/2
poured into top of sack full of seeds. Then seed can be tipped into
another
empty sack and the remaining amount of solution added. In this
way,
the
seeds become damp with nutrient and are easy to put into seeder.
Operate
the sound unit for 8 hours in close proximity to seeds prior to use.
The
pH for all water used with Sonic Bloom should be a pH of 6.Citric acid
can
be used to reduce the pH. Sound unit should be played daily throughout
season
where possible.
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Trees Cont.
Rubber
Tree Nursery Stock
1.After
the six-week period of spraying at 1/4 and 1/3 ounce per gallon,
continue
to spray plants once a week with the normal rate of Sonic Bloom
as
listed on the package.(1/2 ounce Sonic Bloom to a gallon of water (15
mls
to 5 Liters).
2.Be
sure the sound unit is on maximum volume at least 45 minutes prior to
spraying
and at the point of spray delivery (tractor sprayer). With backpack
type
sprayers and using a Model I sound unit, ensure that you move the
unit
as you move through the nursery for maximum absorption.
3.After
spraying, sound unit can be left running all day, if practical. If not,
then
at least run the sound unit for a couple of hours minimum.
4.Be
sure to spray according to Sonic Bloom instructions., ei., time of day,
weather
conditions, placement of sound units, etc...Also be sure to
saturate
both sides of the leaves to where the spray is just beginning to
drip
off of the leaves.
5.It
is advantageous to operate the sound unit daily, a few hours from
daybreak
to mid-morning and also in the late afternoon. Trees will absorb
nutrients
from the air during these times. If conditions are very dry,
operating
the sound unit in foggy or rainy periods can be very beneficial.
Cloning
Rubber Trees with Sonic Bloom
Producing
selected seedlings and bud grafting are avenues of propagation
complementing
one another in natural rubber breeding programmes. Seed
for
selected seedlings is collected from special isolated seed gardens,
usually
separated from other rubber trees by jungle or different crops. These
gardens
each contain a chosen group of clones, which under cross-
pollination
produce a yearly crop of seed.This is then planted as required.
Budwood
(or bark) for budgrafting is produced in budwood nurseries
containing
trees of the clone selected for further propagation. The bark is
taken
from the trees in strips, from which numbers of small dormant bud
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Trees Cont.
slips
can be obtained.
A
graft is made by binding a single slip with polythene into the space
left by
removing
a flap of bark from a young seedling stock. Once the grafted bud
’takes
’,the stem of the stock is severed a few centimeters above the bud
slip.
Growth
from the slip then forms the upper part of the new tree, largely
replicating
the characteristics of the mother clone.
Breeding
improved rubber trees is a lengthy process, where selected
seedlings
are initially derived from controlled cross-pollination of progeny
carefully
chosen for their characteristics.
Clones
These
seedlings are then screened, and those with apparently favorable
traits
cloned and checked for performance over many years in immaturity
and
maturity. The best trees are finally pinpointed, and recommended for
limited
commercial propagation and planting. Those still doing well after
some
years in this role are finally indicated as suitable for widespread
distribution.
The
clones are not clones in the genetic engineering sense as
considerable
genetic variability remains within the rubber clones.
Cloning
Rubber Trees with Sonic Bloom
If
possible, the plant from which cuttings are to be taken should be sprayed
with
SONIC BLOOM and sound applied a day or so prior.Rot stock that is
being
used for the graft should also be sprayed a day or two prior to
beginning
of the grafting process when possible. A SONIC BLOOM-treated
parent
plant normally produces superior cuttings.
As
with seeds, a 500:1 (one-half label rate) solution of SONIC BLOOM
Nutrient
and water should be made up (l0 mls SONIC BLOOM per 5 liters
water).
Cuttings
should be sprayed at least once a week-preferably twice a week-
until
they are established.
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Trees Cont.
Once
established a 250:1 (label rate) solution mix can be sprayed every 7 to
14
days. The frequency of spraying can be altered to suit the propagator
depending
on what rate of growth or health maintenance program desired.
Transplanting
with Sonic Bloom
Sonic
Bloom treated seedlings, cuttings and even mature plants and trees
generally
will transplant much more successfully. Plants and trees are quick
to
re-establish themselves and are not usually acceptable to disease.
1.As
with all plants and trees, they should be sprayed with Sonic Bloom
nutrient
mixture prior to transplanting. They need to be sprayed for three
weekly
sprayings prior to transplanting.
2.Tree
root balls and seedling trays can be soaked in a 1/4 ounce per
gallon
(10 mls to 5 Liters) Sonic Bloom and water mix prior to planting
out.
Preferably, the
night before.
3.Sonic
Bloom and water solution can be watered in when planting trees
and
shrubs. Orchardists have been able to successfully transplant young
and
old sensitive trees out of season using this technique of spraying
trees
before removal and watering in when replanting.
Adolescent
Rubber Trees
For
rapid accelerated growth and earlier production, trees should be sprayed
during
non-dormancy periods for maximum effect. Spray as follows:
1.Spray
the Sonic Bloom mixture dilution of 1:330 (10 mls Sonic Bloom
nutrient
per 4 Liters of water) for twice a month for the first two months
after
transplanting and once a month after that. Spraying a sufficient
amount
for coverage on both sides of the leave surface is all that is
required.
Sonic
Bloom is ideally suited to high pressure spraying.
2.Sound
unit should be on 45 minutes prior to spraying, and a tractor model
should
be on the sprayer unit when spraying.
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Trees Cont.
Mature
Trees
A
mature tree is considered to be a tree that is over one (1)year old.
These
trees
need to be sprayed with at least 1/3 ounce per gallon of water 1:330
(10
mls Sonic Bloom nutrient per 4 Liters of water).
Maturity
Mature
Hevea trees on rubber plantations are 20-30 meters high, with
graceful
upwards-extending branches and a relatively slim trunk. Such trees
flower
once a year, and after insect cross-pollination produce large fruits
containing
several thimble-sized seeds with hard outer coats. If satisfactorily
germinated
and planted within 2-3 weeks, seeds grow to produce seedling
plants.
Depending
on conditions, the latter then take 5-10 years to reach
’maturity
’,which is defined as the stage when tapping can be started. In
practice,
this
is the time when the trunk has about 500 mm circumference at
1
metre above ground level.
Wintering
At
least once a year the leaves of the tree, which are the sites of
carbohydrate
formation, die and fall off in wintering, and new leaves are
formed.
During wintering, which lasts for sixteen weeks, the metabolism of
the
tree and the constitution of its latex are substantially affected. The
yield
is
also reduced, and this, together with other climactic factors, accounts for
marked
seasonal variations in NR production in producing countries.
Rubber
Tree Spray Programs
Since
the rubber tree maintains it s leaves for nine months, a nine month
spray
program would be recommended. A seven spray program is listed as
the
minimum of recommended sprays. The spray program can started at any
time.
The
two spray programs below are listed for the beginning of a new
cycle
for the trees after the leaves are formed. Again, the spray program can
start
at any time throughout the cycle and will benefit the rubber trees.
Sonic
Bloom Procedure for Rubber Trees Cont.
Minimum
Schedule of Spraying Rubber Trees
(Seven
Spray Method)
Recommended
Schedule of Spraying Rubber Trees
(Nine
Spray Method)
1.Spray
1/3 oz. per gallon water 1:330 (10 mls Sonic Bloom nutrient per
4
Liters of water) just prior to flowering.
2.Then
at full bouquet (full flowering).
3.Additional
spray one month after full flowering.
4.And
again one month later.
5.Continue
spraying at five week intervals until a total of seven sprays
are
complete.
Remember:
This
is the minimum of sprays for rubber trees. The recomended times to
spray
is nine as listed in the program below.
1.Spray
1/3 oz. per gallon water 1:330 (10 mls Sonic Bloom nutrient per
4
Liters of water) just prior to flowering.
2.Then
at full bouquet (full flowering).
3.Additional
spray one month after full flowering.
4.And
again one month later.
5.Continue
spraying at one month intervals until all nine sprays are
complete.
Remember:
The
recommended times to spray is nine, which is the number of months
that
the rubber tree maintains it s leaves. The spray periods during
flowering are important for good seed production.
