China’s Hainan Rubber, in collaboration with leading agricultural research institutions, has developed an advanced fertiliser management technology that significantly improves natural rubber latex yields while reducing fertiliser consumption and labour costs. The innovation has been recognised with a Second Prize in China’s National Agriculture Technology Extension Achievement Awards (2022–2024), highlighting its contribution to sustainable rubber cultivation.
The project was led by the Hainan State Farms Academy Group with participation from Hainan Rubber, the Rubber Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, and several research and production organisations. Development began in 2014 to address declining soil fertility and inefficient fertiliser use across China’s major rubber-growing regions.
The technology combines soil improvement, targeted fertilisation, organic fertiliser substitution, and controlled-release fertiliser application to optimise nutrient use and enhance plantation productivity.
According to Hainan Rubber, the system has increased dry rubber yields by an average of 111.8 kg/hectare.
The fertiliser management system has already been deployed across about 62,850 hectares of rubber plantations in Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces. During the past two years alone, it has resulted in an additional 4,263.6 tonnes of dry rubber production.
Beyond increasing latex production, the technology promotes more sustainable plantation management by improving soil fertility and reducing dependence on conventional fertilisers.
The integration of controlled-release and organic fertilisers supports efficient nutrient utilisation while helping minimise environmental impacts associated with intensive agricultural practices.