Abstract ID : 247

INVENTORY OF RUBBER PLANTATIONS AND IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL AREAS

FOR ITS CULTIVATION IN ASSAM USING HIGH RESOLUTION IRS DATA
Pradeep B and James Jacob
Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India
Rubber Board P.O, Kottayam- 686 009, Kerala, India
Correspondence: pradeep@rubberboard.org.in

INTRODUCTION Satellite- based acreage estimation of wastelands

suitable for rubber cultivation in Assam was about
Natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) is one of the most 24783 ha
important commercial plantation crops in India.
Area under wastelands suitable for rubber was
In India, about 7.4 lakh ha is under rubber cultivation, highest in Karimghanj district followed by Karbi
in which 70% of its area lies in Kerala and
Ground truth & field Anglong, Kamrup, Goalpara and Dima Hasao
data collection
Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu (IRS, 2013). districts.

Climate, topography and soil of North-eastern states Table 2. Satellite-derived acreage of rubber and
of India are fully or marginally favourable for rubber wastelands suitable for its cultivation in Assam
cultivation but its exact geo-spatial locations are not Figure 3. Sl Districts Rubber Wastelands % of % of total
estimated yet. Methodology of no area suitable for total wastelands
delineation of (ha) rubber rubber suitable for
Identification of existing rubber holdings and cultivation rubber
rubber and (ha)
potential areas for its cultivation in North-east India is wastelands 1 Goalpara 3388 2988 20.1 12.1
attempted using high resolution satellite remote suitable for its 2 Kamrup 1063 4525 6.3 18.3
sensing data cultivation 3 Karimganj 3453 6969 20.5 28.1
4 Cachar 167 128 1.0 0.5
OBJECTIVES 5 Dima Hasao 732 1010 4.3 4.1
RESULTS & DISCUSSION (N.C. Hills)
Rubber trees have a typical unique deep red tone during 6 Hailakandi 293 619 1.7 2.5
March-April seasons. Rubber holdings were identified 7 Karbi Angong 3872 6052 22.9 24.4
To map spatial extent of existing rubber cultivation
using spectral signature, phenology etc. Wastelands 8 Golaghat 500 98 3.0 0.4
in Assam 9 Nagaon 166 39 1.0 0.2
suitable for rubber were estimated and finalized from
10 Morigaon 70 39 0.4 0.2
Carto merged L-4 data using terrain conditions, land cover
11 Darrang 588 208 3.5 0.8
To estimate spatial extent of cultivable wastelands types etc. 12 Bongaigaon 688 195 4.1 0.8
suitable for rubber cultivation in Assam without 13 Dhubri 540 837 3.2 3.4
interfering with forests, food crops and major 14 Kokrajhar 419 178 2.5 0.7
vegetations. 15 Barpeta 19 7 0.1 0.0
16 Nalabari 7 14 0.0 0.1
17 Sonitpur 93 19 0.6 0.1
STUDY AREA: Assam state in India 18 Jorhat 564 561 3.3 2.3
19 Lakhimpur 19 0 0.1 0.0
20 Sivasagar 188 157 1.1 0.6
East longitudes 89o31'02.34"E to 96o03'41.23"E 21 Dhemaji 13 30 0.1 0.1
North latitudes 24o01'32.25"N to 28o02'03.37"N 22 Dibrugarh 0 2 0 0
Geographical area: 78470.2 Sq.km 23 Tinsukia 30 108 0.2 0.4
Total area 16872 24783

CONCLUSIONS
Figure 4. Comparison of NDVI values of dominant The study highlighted the utility of high resolution IRS
vegetations present in Assam with rubber during March- data to estimate rubber plantations and cultivable
April season. wastelands suitable for its cultivation in Assam.

Figure 1.
METHODOLOGY
Temporal and multi-resolution satellite data (IRS,
Cartosat merged LISS IV) was used for
identification and estimation of spatial extent of
rubber plantations and cultivable wastelands
suitable for its cultivation.
The total estimate of spatial extent of rubber We have estimated about 16872 ha of area under rubber
plantations three years old and above in Assam for the and 24783 ha of cultivable wastelands suitable for its
year 2011- 2012 was 16872 ha cultivation in Assam.
Area under rubber cultivation was the highest in Karbi Estimated wastelands can be further prioritized based
Anglong district. on soil fertility, climate etc for determining the extent of
suitability for rubber cultivation.
Goalpara, Kamrup, Karimkhanj and Karbi Anglong are
major rubber growing districts which accounted 69.8% The study would be a geo-spatial decision support
platform for policy makers and planners to promote
of total rubber cultivation in Assam
rubber cultivation in a sustainable way by protecting
food crops, forests, major vegetations and biodiversity
in Assam.

Mapping of wastelands suitable for rubber

cultivation was carried out without interfering food Acknowledgement
crops, protected areas, major vegetation, steep
valleys etc. Authors express sincere thanks to Dr. Dhurjati Chowdhury
(Retd. Project Co-ordinator, NE) and Mr. Mrinal Chowdhury
(former Scientist) of Rubber Boards Regional Research Station,
Table 1. Details of satellite data used in the study Guwahati, Assam for their help during field visit and ground truth
collection from the study area.

References
IRS., 2013. Indian Rubber Statistics. Statistics and Planning
(mapping accuracy of rubber: 95.2 %) Department. The Rubber Board, Kerala, Ministry of Commerce
Ground truth points collected from rubber & Industry, Govt. of India, 36, pp. 2-20.
growing districts in Assam
Figure 5. Geo-spatial distribution of rubber plantations
and wastelands suitable for its cultivation in Assam Ray, D., Behera, M. D., and Jacob, J., 2014. Indian
Rubber trees are deciduous in nature a) b) c)
Defoliation: Dec- January Brahmaputra valley offers significant potential for cultivation of
Refoliation: Feb- March rubber trees under changed climate. Current Science, 107 (3),
pp. 461-469.

RRSC and RRII., 2012. Geospatial technology for acreage

mature rubber holding estimation of natural rubber and identification of potential areas
for its cultivation in Tripura state. Collaborative project report of
RRSC, ISRO, Bengaluru and RRII, Rubber Board, Kottayam,
pp. 17- 42.

1074 points d) e) f) The 38th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing on

(GPS Garmin oregon 550) Figure 6. Spectral signature characteristics of rubber plantations in Space Applications: Touching Human Lives
satellite images of a) LISS III b) LISS IV) and c) LISS IV merged October 23-27, 2017
Cartosat. Figure d-f shows different types of wastelands suitable for NR
Figure 2. cultivation in Assam as seen in Carto merged LISS IV. New Delhi (India)