An analysis of growth patterns of Hevea clones

Abstract

Four girth measurements collected over four years, before tapping from ten Hevea clones grown in two sites have been analysed to study the growth pattern. Year to year variation in both sites was mainly due t linear component of growth. Growth of individual clones too was mainly due to linear effect. But some clones in one site showed significant quadratic and or cubic component. This was due to non linear growth of plants in some plots. Ten clones have been groued (a) according to the when averaged over four years so that clones within a group have the same average girth and (b) on the gradient of the regression fitted to the girth measurement increasing over the four years. RRIC 52 had the fastest growth in both sites. RRIC 103 had the same growth rates in both sites suggesting that it has a greater stability to local environmental changes.