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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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Natural RubberAll seasonsBudded cloneUpdated 28 August 2026

RRII 105

The Rubber Research Institute of India's most planted clone for decades and long the industry benchmark — very high yield, but slow to tap and needs a full disease-management programme.

SeasonAll seasons
Maturity periodPerennial — 6–7 years to first tapping, then tapped for ~25–30 years
Expected yieldVery high at full maturity — often 1,800–2,000+ kg dry rubber/ha/year under good management
Suitable soilDeep, well-drained laterite / lateritic loam, acidic pH 4.5–6.0

Quick facts

Crop
Natural Rubber
Type
Budded clone
Season
All seasons
Maturity period
Perennial — 6–7 years to first tapping, then tapped for ~25–30 years
Seed rate
Not a seed crop — about 445 budded plants per hectare at 4.9 × 4.9 m spacing
Expected yield
Very high at full maturity — often 1,800–2,000+ kg dry rubber/ha/year under good management
Suitable soil
Deep, well-drained laterite / lateritic loam, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
Release
Selected and released by the Rubber Research Institute of India; long the benchmark clone of the traditional belt

About this variety

RRII 105 is a rubber clone selected by the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) and for decades the most widely planted clone in the country and the yardstick against which others were measured. Under good management it has a very high yield potential, but it is slow to reach tappable girth and is susceptible to abnormal leaf fall, powdery mildew and, increasingly, Corynespora leaf fall, so it demands a disciplined disease-management programme.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeBudded clone
    MaturityPerennial — 6–7 years to first tapping, then tapped for ~25–30 years
    Yield potentialVery high at full maturity — often 1,800–2,000+ kg dry rubber/ha/year under good management
    Disease resistanceSusceptible to abnormal leaf fall, powdery mildew and Corynespora leaf fall
    SoilDeep, well-drained laterite / lateritic loam, acidic pH 4.5–6.0
    SeasonAll seasons

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeField-plant budded stumps or polybag plants with the first steady monsoon rains, roughly June–July
  • Seed rateNot a seed crop — about 445 budded plants per hectare at 4.9 × 4.9 m spacing
  • Spacing4.9 × 4.9 m (about 445 trees/ha) for normal planting
  • Sowing methodPlant into pre-dug, refilled 75 cm pits on a contour layout, with a leguminous cover crop between the rows
  • IrrigationRainfed in the traditional Kerala belt; life-saving irrigation only for immature trees in a dry non-traditional tract
  • FertilizerGraduated NPK-Mg mixtures for immature rubber in split rounds each year; a mature-rubber NPK-Mg mixture once or twice a year after opening, magnesium important on the leached laterite
  • HarvestingOpen for tapping when about 70% of trees reach 50 cm girth at 125 cm height (year 6–7); then tap on an alternate-day system, rest during refoliation, and rain-guard through the monsoon

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Deep, well-drained lateritic soils on gentle to moderate slopes
pH
4.5–6.0

Climate

Climate
Suited to the warm, humid, high-rainfall traditional belt below about 600 m; its disease susceptibility makes it a poor choice where a full spray programme cannot be run

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

Perennial — 6–7 years to first tapping, then tapped for ~25–30 years

Expected yield

Very high at full maturity — often 1,800–2,000+ kg dry rubber/ha/year under good management

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Complete the abnormal-leaf-fall prophylactic spray before the monsoon, not after symptoms
  • Where Corynespora is established, RRII 105 is a poor choice — plant a tolerant RRII 400-series clone instead
  • Do not over-tap or over-stimulate; RRII 105 pays back a disciplined tapping system

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Very high yield potential at full maturity
  • The most field-tested clone in India, with decades of grower and factory experience
  • Well understood by nurseries, dealers and processors across the traditional belt

Things to consider

  • Slow to reach tappable girth compared with the RRII 400-series clones
  • Susceptible to three major leaf diseases — not for a grower who cannot run a full spray programme
  • Some susceptibility to wind damage on exposed sites

Suitable regions

The traditional Kerala rubber belt, where its full disease-management programme can be followed

  • Kerala
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Karnataka

Frequently asked questions

Why is RRII 105 being replaced by newer clones?

RRII 105 has a very high yield potential but is slow to come into tapping and is susceptible to abnormal leaf fall, powdery mildew and, increasingly, Corynespora leaf fall. The RRII 400-series clones (RRII 414, RRII 417) tap earlier, grow faster in the immature phase and tolerate Corynespora better, so they are now preferred for new planting in most of the traditional belt.

How long before RRII 105 can be tapped?

About six to seven years, when roughly 70% of the trees in the block reach 50 cm girth measured 125 cm above the ground. RRII 105 is slower to this point than the RRII 400-series clones.

Sourced from: Rubber Board / Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board — clone recommendations. editorial policy.