Rubber cultivation has been observed to improve the physical health of soils. An extensive soil survey in the rubber growing areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have revealed that the plantation of this commercial crop helps improve the organic matter reserves of soil and reduce land erosion due to its plant canopy.
The survey has been conducted by the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning on behalf of the Rubber Research Institute of India.
The data for preparing the soil map of the rubber growing tracts in the two states was collected through remote sensing, aerial photographs and actual field survey through collection and analysis of soil samples. The fertility status of the soil has been studied in details.
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The survey has indicated that most uplands (less than 450 metres altitude) in the two states, barring the northern parts that are amenable to prolonged dry spells, are suitable for rubber plantations.
Most of the present acreage under rubber has deep, well drained, acidic soils having good organic matter content. But several important plant nutrients are deficient in many tracts.
Deficiency of phosphorus has been observed in as much as 75 per cent of the area, while that of potassium in 62 per cent. Among the micro-nutrients, zinc deficiency has been noticed in about 41 per cent of the rubber acreage.
The information on the fertility status of soils will be used by scientists of the Rubber Institute and the Rubber Board to draw fresh schedule and dosage of fertiliser application to improve productivity of rubber plantations.