Zero-burning in rubber replanting

Leong T.T., . and Kannan K., . (1997) Zero-burning in rubber replanting. [Proceedings Paper]

During replanting of rubber trees it was common practice in the past to burn the remnants of the trees after felling prior to land preparation. Such action often carried out on a wide scale during the dry months of February March and April. The results of this open burning is the emission of large quantity of CO2 into the atmosphere. Continuous accumulation of this gas can intensify the greenhouse effect and raise global temperature. There is a need to discard this environmentally damaging habit and replace it with environmental friendly one and at the same time preserve our sense of sosial and civic responsibility. In plain words there should be no burning during replanting. Trials on no burning were conducted and results have shown that a part from being environmental friendly there was also substantial reduction of cost inputs. For example there was saving of about RM60/ha in not carrying out the burning operation. Additional savings of about RM 140/ha came from land preparation manuring weeding and legume establishment. In all a cost reduction of about 17 was achieved in the zero-burning technique. After ploughing and harrowing the land is usually exposed to heavy rain which is highly erosive. With the zero-burning technique where stacking the branches and stumps along every alternate inter-rows is practised the loss of top soil from surface run-off containing essential plant nutrients and organic matter minimised. Reducing top soil is one of the characteristics of good soil management. The other characteristic i.e. reducing siltation of waterways thereby minimising occurence of flash foods was also achieved. Open burning on the other hand produced burnt ashes which when exposed to the weather could be easily washed away by surface run-off. These ashes are rich in minerals namely phosphate which could lead to eutrophication a process which end in the death of water body. In zero burning technique large quantities of plant nutrients were recycled into the soil through decomposition of wood residues. Such return of organic matter to the soil helps to restore and improve soil fertility. Finally results of one year of experiment showed no differences in the growth of the rubber trees or increase in root disease incidence between burnt and zero-burnt plots.

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Abstract

During replanting of rubber trees it was common practice in the past to burn the remnants of the trees after felling prior to land preparation. Such action often carried out on a wide scale during the dry months of February March and April. The results of this open burning is the emission of large quantity of CO2 into the atmosphere. Continuous accumulation of this gas can intensify the greenhouse effect and raise global temperature. There is a need to discard this environmentally damaging habit and replace it with environmental friendly one and at the same time preserve our sense of sosial and civic responsibility. In plain words there should be no burning during replanting. Trials on no burning were conducted and results have shown that a part from being environmental friendly there was also substantial reduction of cost inputs. For example there was saving of about RM60/ha in not carrying out the burning operation. Additional savings of about RM 140/ha came from land preparation manuring weeding and legume establishment. In all a cost reduction of about 17 was achieved in the zero-burning technique. After ploughing and harrowing the land is usually exposed to heavy rain which is highly erosive. With the zero-burning technique where stacking the branches and stumps along every alternate inter-rows is practised the loss of top soil from surface run-off containing essential plant nutrients and organic matter minimised. Reducing top soil is one of the characteristics of good soil management. The other characteristic i.e. reducing siltation of waterways thereby minimising occurence of flash foods was also achieved. Open burning on the other hand produced burnt ashes which when exposed to the weather could be easily washed away by surface run-off. These ashes are rich in minerals namely phosphate which could lead to eutrophication a process which end in the death of water body. In zero burning technique large quantities of plant nutrients were recycled into the soil through decomposition of wood residues. Such return of organic matter to the soil helps to restore and improve soil fertility. Finally results of one year of experiment showed no differences in the growth of the rubber trees or increase in root disease incidence between burnt and zero-burnt plots.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
AGROVOC Term:	HEVEA BRASILIENSIS
AGROVOC Term:	RUBBER CROPS
AGROVOC Term:	RUBBER
AGROVOC Term:	REPLANTING
AGROVOC Term:	LAND CLEARING
AGROVOC Term:	BURNING
AGROVOC Term:	CONTROLLED BURNING
AGROVOC Term:	SOIL SICKNESS
AGROVOC Term:	SOIL MECHANICS
AGROVOC Term:	PLANT NUTRITION
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16194

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