The results of conservation and development of genetic resource of rubber tree in the period 2001-2012 and orientation towards 2020

The hevea gene source has been continually researched and improved since a collection of 22 hevea seedlings were initially introduced by H. Wickham (W) to Singapore in 1877. In Vietnam, the hevea gene source, which began in 1977 on the basis of the domestic hevea breeds available at that time, has been frequently supplemented via the international cooperative programs since then, especially the hevea gene source from the original region Amazon collected by IRRDB in 1981. Up to now, Vietnam has kept a very large source of various hevea genes, which would help preserve and develop the hevea genes in order to secure the success of the long-term hevea-breeding improvement program. Currently, a total of 3,536 hevea genic types created from the initial domestic gene source and new breeds cross-breeded by Vietnam have been conserved, of which 87% gene source came from South America, 1.1% from Africa, and 2.4% from Asia. Until now, a total of 3,034 hevea accessions has been evaluated for the agronomical and morphological characteristics in several preliminary field evaluation trials which were located in several representative locations throughout the country. Quite many IRRDB'81 genetic accessions have shown very good performances on growth and wood volume ranging from 200 to 300% in comparison with those of the control clone. In the view of latex production, however, the majority has exhibited very poor performance, except for a small number of accessions shows an equivalent latex production or even higher than that of the control clone. Up to date, a total of 32 outstanding clones in Hevea germplasm have been recommended for a large-scaled cultivation for all the rubber growing areas of Vietnam, particularly for non-traditional unfavourable-climated regions such as Coastal and Northeast regions. During the period of 2001-2012, many attempts were done to exploit the Amazonian genetic source generating 2,612 progenies from 436 crosses, of which 56 Amazonian accessions were used as paternal. In early selection trials, some potential progenies exhibited very good performances on growth and latex productivity with the latex yield and girth ranging from 142.4 - 317.3% and 128.6 -167.7% in comparison with those of the control clone, respectively. Similarly, in small scale clonal trials, some promising progenies were also found out, exhibiting good performances on growth and latex productivity with the latex yield and girth ranging from 75.4 to 153.7% and 98.5 - 126.6% over those of the control clone, respectively. The gene source management has been basically improved and advanced with a data system regularly updated and supplemented according to research results.