Timing of Latex Tapping and Its Impacts on Rubber Yield and Tree Physiology in Southeastern Côte d'IVOIRE Amid Climate Change

Rubber tree cultivation, the main source of natural rubber, is suffering the adverse effects of climate change characterized by a scarcity of rain, an increase in temperature and a drop in relative humidity, leading to a reduction in yields. For the purpose of solving this problem, a study was conducted in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire, in order to assess the influence of earlier tapping on rubber yield and the physiological status of rubber trees. Four rubber tree clones were subjected to two treatments (normal tapping starting at 6:00 a.m. and earlier morning tapping starting at 4:30 a.m.) in a completely randomized Fisher blocks design with 4 repetitions over a total surface area of 178 ha. The results showed that latex flow duration is greater with the tapping starting at 4:30 a.m. The gains in rubber yield caused by the tapping starting at 4:30 a.m. are 20%. Moreover, the tapping starting at 4:30 a.m. has no negative effect on the physiological status of the rubber trees. The tapping starting at 4.30 a.m. therefore appears as an alternative to reduce one of the harmful effects of climate change, namely the drop in relative humidity leading to a decrease in rubber yield.