Harnessed state-of-the-art science, technology and innovations for the benefit of the Indian rubber industry.

Combined basic science and applied research to broaden the scope of R&D activities and generate sound research findings with better practical utility in the rubber plantation sector.

Made Indian rubber industry more science-based and technology-driven, more quality and cost conscious and sensitive towards environment and sustainability concerns.

Empowered rubber growers to become more resilient to market volatility, climate change and socio-economic changes, instilling in them confidence in the future of rubber cultivation in the country.

Conceptualised and put into practice a Smart Clone Vision: to release every five years at least one genetically advanced clone with high yield, better disease tolerance and climate-resilience and fast growth rate.

Released a total of seven high yielding hybrid clones in the last 15 years as per the Smart Clone Vision, identifying their region specificity in the traditional areas.

For the first time, two cold tolerant, fast growing, high yielding and disease tolerant clones were released for exclusive cultivation in NE region.

Clones developed by RRII have never failed; their adoption is more than 99%, the highest adoption rate for any crop variety in India.

Compared to the existing clones, 16-25% more rubber production is possible in the next 10-15 years by planting the new clones.

Proposed an action plan to make India self-resilient in rubber production by 2030 through aggressive new planting and replanting of old/senile holdings using the latest clones.

The two new cold tolerant clones released for cultivation in NE region will make this region a major hub of rubber production. These two new clones will increase production 22 to 35% more as compared to the clones presently grown in NE region.

NE region’s share in national rubber production will increase from the present <10% to >35% in the next 10-15 years.

Final outcomes: (i). improved living standard of rural peasants, including the indigenous communities in NE. (ii). Boosted growers’ confidence in rubber cultivation.

Upgraded 302 primary selections into experimental pipeline.

Imported 44 best clones from 10 countries and planted a clone museum in Kerala.

A field Arboretum of wild Amazonian accessions established in Meghalaya.

Started a polycross breeding garden in Tamil Nadu.

Started the ambitious farmer-participatory clone evaluation program, planting 108 pipeline clones in 48 locations in a staggered manner; several have promising yields and disease tolerance.

Estimated the theoretical yield potential of the Hevea species (around 9 kg/tree/year).

Found existing genomic resources fast getting exploited, making release of more smart clones with yields better than the existing best yielders getting increasingly difficult (law of diminishing marginal utility).

The new polycross garden will improve efficiency of genetic improvement research and produce smart clones for future by introgressing genes from diverse genetic resources and break the yield ceiling.

Periodic release of region-specific, high yielding, disease tolerant and climate-resilient smart clones.

Genetic improvement research made more multi-disciplinary to break the yield ceiling.

A paradigm shift made from bi-parental recombination breeding to polycross breeding, molecular breeding and marker-assisted selection to break the yield ceiling.

De novo end-to-end sequencing, assembly and annotation of the whole genome of the rubber tree.

Identification and validation of molecular markers of beneficial Agronomic traits.

Will speed up development of fast growing, disease tolerant and climate-resilient smart clones breaking the present yield ceiling in rubber.

Developing clones that can be cultivated with minimal use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, paving the way for organic farming of rubber.

Refined protocols for genetic modification of rubber trees with genes of Agronomic interest, tissue culture and somatic embryogenesis. Standardisation of antibiotic resistance marker-free genetic transformation in rubber.

First in the world to produce haploid rubber plants from embryo sac and somatic rubber plants tolerant to fungal toxin. Allaying fears about antibiotic resistance and make GM rubber more acceptable to society.

Farmer-centric, cost-saving, labour and environment-friendly, site-specific agricultural practices in diverse agro-climatic regions of the country.

Zero tillage, zero pitting and precision farming techniques, reducing/skipping fertilizers and plant protection chemicals in rubber plantations, skipping of weeding.

Adapted root trainer planting technique in rubber plantations, a first in any rubber-growing country.

Reduced cost of production by almost half which empowered growers to withstand market volatility and climate change.

Ensured sustainable use of natural resources by avoiding their over-exploiting.

Improved biodiversity, reduced/avoided pollution, restored/sustained soil health; priceless outcomes.

Labour and environment-friendly root trainer technique reduced planting costs >65-70% compared to traditional polybag panting.

Developed various intercropping systems in immature and mature rubber holdings.

Developed rubber-based homestead farming systems integrating various crops, animal husbandry and fish farming.

Shift from traditional pure monoculture of estates to a more grower and environment-centric rubber farming system best suited to rubber smallholdings.

Paved the way for rubber-based organic homestead farming which improves and sustains biodiversity and soil health. Best suited for small growers who constitute almost 99% of the growers in the country.

Online fertilizer recommendation or rubber soil information system (RubSIS) by combining principles of Soil Science and Agronomy with Geospatial and GIS techniques (https://rubsis.rubberboard.orgin/)

Landslide zonation portal of rubber plantations (https://rubsis.rubberboard.org.in/app/lsz/).

Complete Rubber Information System Portal (https://rubsis.rubberboard.org.in/app/crisp/)

Online Rubber Clinic (http://clinic.rubberboard.org.in/)

Online publication of Rubber Science, a peer-reviewed scientific journal (http://111.rubberscience.in/)

Allows for site-specific, need based fertilizer use, resulting in cost savings and avoiding pollution.

Provides prior knowledge about landslide risks in a rubber plantation and practices to reduce the same.

Offers site-specific total information about scientific rubber farming.

Enables grower to do self-diagnosis and manage pests/diseases of rubber.

Journal with three issues per year, for documenting and disseminating latest experimental results.

Mathematical and Ecological Niche Models indicated the following:

Climate change, particularly rising temperatures already impacting rubber cultivation and will force major spatio-temporal shifts in the rubber landscape of the country.

Traditional rubber growing regions and all non-traditional regions other than NE will be adversely affected.

NE region will benefit from climate change.

Satellite-based remote sensing to monitor spatio-temporal changes in rubber cultivation in the country due to climate change.

Developed RRII 430, a relatively more climate-resilient smart clone with ability to tolerate high temperature and drought that are predicted to become increasingly severe in traditional regions.

The two newly released clones for exclusive cultivation in NE region and the beneficial effects of global warming on rubber cultivation will give a major impetus to rubber production in this region.

Geo-referenced digital mapping of rubber distribution in the country and soil fertility of the entire rubber plantations in the country.

Near-real time monitoring of abnormal leaf fall disease and impact of extreme weather events on rubber cultivation. Located rubber cultivation inside forests blocking wildlife corridors.

Helped develop mobile Apps and web based ICT tools for supporting extension activities.

Monitoring long term impact of rubber cultivation on soil health.

Identified new areas for extending rubber cultivation without causing deforestation and conversion of food crops.

Identified climate change, particularly rising temperatures and occurrence of severe drought as major limiting factors in traditional areas and non-traditional areas other than NE.

Developed high yielding clones with better ability to tolerate climate change and give good yields in diverse agro-climatic regions of the country.

Models showed rubber production capacity in the country declining from 2030 onwards if status quo continues and deficit will increase in future.

Estimated the rising share of old/senile rubber trees which is responsible for decline in rubber production capacity.

Chalked-out an action plan for aggressive replanting of old/senile holdings with latest region-specific high yielding climate-resilient clones to increase domestic production, decrease dependence on imports and improve income of growers.

Created a robust database of rubber tappers, adoption of clones, commercial yields of clones, cost of production, foreign trade and trade agreements, including impact of RTAs and FTAs on Indian rubber industry.

Recommended appropriate policy strategies and advised the government.

Assessed the socio-economic benefits of rubber cultivation in Kerala.

Over the decades, rubber cultivation expanded in Kerala, now occupying nearly 16% of the geographic area and 22% of the gross cropped area of the state. Presently rubber contributes nearly 0.98% of the GSVA and 24% of the Agricultural crops GVSA. At the peak of rubber production and price these were more than 4% and 43%, respectively.

Studied the socio-economic impact of rubber cultivation by rural peasants and indigenous communities in some of the least developed regions in the country, particularly the NE region.

This model was extended to other regions of the country where agro-climatic conditions will favour rubber cultivation. Gave the required R&D support in terms of identifying suitable areas and developing region-specific clones and good agronomic practices.

Natural rubber cultivation led to remarkable economic development and social integration of marginalised indigenous communities in NE and other tribal areas of the country.

Economic empowerment through rubber cultivation reduced anti-social activities in certain sensitive areas in the NE region.