Introduction 
The RRIMFLOW short-cut system of exploitation has been developed to overcome current constraints faced by the rubber industry, namely scarcity of skilled tappers, rising costs of production, low productivity per unit area and hence poor margins of profitability.  This system which has been under evaluation since 1991, has been adopted commercially in large hectarages.  It is currently recommended for commercial adoption on premium rubber, 15 years of age and above and on old rubber, 5 to 8 years from replanting.

Definition
The RRIMFLOW short-cut system involves tapping of one-eight spiral cut (approximately 10.2 cm length) on lower frequencies of d/3 or d/4 plus gaseous stimulation at intervals of 7 to 10 days and in combination with enlarged task sizes of 650 to 750  trees per task.
The gaseous stimulant is applied from a portable gas cylinder into a PVC applicator fixed at the desired position on the tree.  The gas is infused into the applicator with the aid of an in-flow valve which is connected to the applicator by means of a PVC tubing.   The applicator which is normally replaced once in a year is shifted to a new position at the end of this period.
 
Background
1.  The stimulation process embodied in the RRIMFLOW system is a very potent, effective and efficient method, since the
     active ingredient in the form of a gas is applied directly into the bark tissues, unlike the traditional methods (e.g. ethephon)
     where the active ingredient (gas) is released indirectly into the bark tissues from breakdown of the stimulant painted on the
     bark.
2.  It is the oldest gaseous method of stimulation on short-cuts in the rubber industry and is strongly supported by a solid
     data-base obtained on a broad range of cultivars over several years, from commercial adoption on large hectarages,
     covering over five million trees, throughout Malaysia.
 
Unique Features
1.  Trees stimulated with intermittent method of gassing in which trees are given a small pulse or dose of gas, than allowed to
     respond and recover before the next pulse or dose of gas is given to the tree.
2.  With this system the user or operator is in control because he determines the amount of crop that he wants to extract from
     the tree by adjusting the dosage or frequency of gas application.
3.  This system which involves low initial investment allows profits to be made in the first year of operation, with subsequent
     investment annually coming entirely from profits after full recovery of first year’s investment.
 
Who Should Use or Adopt This system
1.  Industry members who are currently experiencing some or all the above mentioned contraints and wish to overcome these
     to attain the desired tapper and land productivity.
2.  This system is ideal for exploitation of high panels of trees which are 15 years of age and above (premium rubber), on
     which there is a need to sustain high yield productivity and which is not possible from tapping of renewed panels.
3.  Those members who have a need to maximize crop extraction from rubber which is 5 to 8 years from replanting but are
     unable to do so because they believe that the exisiting conventional systems cannot achieve their targets or goals.
4.  Fields with young mature rubber (6 to 14 years old) which have been targeted for early felling due to various unavoidable
     circumstances.

Highlights of Yield Performance And Related Aspects
1.  This system has been found to be effective on a broad range of cultivars, which includes several of group 1 and 2 cultivars
     (based on new RRIM planting recommendation).
2.  Tapper productivity has been increased manyfold with mean yields ranging from 60 to 100 kg/task/tapping (200 to 300%
     above that of conventional systems) for task sizes ranging from 600 to 750 trees.
3.  Tree productivity (grams per tree per tapping) has been markedly increased, with the mean g/t/t values in most cases
     ranging from 80 to 100.

4.  Land productivity (kg/ha) has been enhanced with increase in yields ranging from 25 to 175% above that of corresponding
     trees tapped on conventional systems.
5.  Data obtained continuously over 4 to 5 years show that the yields on RRIMFLOW short-cut system have been sustained
     over this period of upto 4 to 5 years with appropriate manipulation  of drainage areas (tapping panels) on the trees.
6.  The DRC values of latex from RRIMFLOW tapped trees, though registering an initial decline, recover subsequently to
     stabilize at values which are only 2 to 3 units below that of conventionally tapped trees.
7.  Dryness incidence recorded over four to five year period in some of the older trials show that the incidence is within
     expected  levels and either similar or not markedly higher than that recorded in comventionally tapped trees, with normal
     methods of stimulation.
 
Economic Aspects
1.  Tapper incomes in RRIMFLOW tapped tasks has been in the range of RM800.00 to RM1500.00 per month for task
     sizes ranging from 600 to 750 trees.
2.  Income earned by individual smallholders per tapping have ranged from RM77 to RM310.00, for holdings with 500 to 700
     trees.
3.  The additional cost of production per kg of rubber produced in RRIMFLOW tapped fields based on large scale
     commercial adoption of the system (materials plus all additional labour costs) have ranged from RM00.14 to RM00.20
     (14 to 20 sen)
4.  The percentage increase in crop required on the RRIMFLOW system (above that of comventional system) for breakeven
     in ex-estate profitability (RM per ha) ranged from 10 to 20% irrespective of the crop levels obtained on conventional
     systems and at rubber selling  prices zones of RM2.50 to RM4.50 per kg.
5.  The increase in ex-estate profitability per ha on  the RRIMFLOW system relative to that of conventional systems have
     ranged from 25% to 190% for a broad range of clones.
6.  The payback period or breakeven to recover costs of materials and initial establishment costs for estates is about eleven
     tappings, while for individual smallholders with only expenses incurred on cost of materials, the payback or breakeven
     period was 3 tappings.