Characterisation of natural rubber latex from mistletoes infested Hevea trees of NIG 804 clones.
2005
Akpaja, E.O. | Aigbodion, A.I. | Bakare, I.O. | Akinlabi, J.O. | Akinlabi, A.K.
This paper reports on the effects of mistletoes infestation of Hevea rubber trees on the physico-chemical parameters of natural rubber latex. Hevea brasiliensis trees of NIG 804 clones infested by mistletoes were identified and + grouped as low, medium and highly infested trees. The latex from each of the grouped trees were tapped and collected over a period of twenty-four months using ½S d/2 tapping method without stimulation. During tapping, the plugging index, intensity of + plugging and flow rates were determined. Thereafter, the latices were characterised using the following test parameters: total solid content, dry rubber content, nitrogen content, mechanical stability time and volatile fatty acid. The study revealed that+ there is a relationship between the level of infestation and the quantity of latex exuded from the trees whereas no relationship was noticed between the level of infestation and the quality of natural rubber latex. Above all, it was observed that the + results obtained from the mistletoes infested trees were well compared in relationship to practical application of the natural rubber latex from uninfected Hevea rubber tree.
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