Hevea Rubber—past and future

Summary

We have pointed out that the story ofHevea as a crop covers barely a century, and we have mentioned six great steps inHevea domestication.

• 1) Hevea transfer by Wickham from South America to the Orient, leaving SALB behind.

• 2) Development of a superior tapping method by Ridley.

• 3) Vegetative propagation by bud grafting.

• 4) Discovery and development ofHevea

• 5) Yield increases resulting from genetic improvements.

• 6) Use of chemical yield stimulants on the tapping panel.

The stage appears to be set for an eventful second century in which the crop will play an increasingly important role in the developing countries.