Can fertilization be a driver of rubber plantation intensification?

•We set-up a split-plot experiment with 4 fertilization doses and 2 tapping systems.•Fertilization significantly increased dry rubber yield in the 3rd year.•Increased yield was linked to the higher inorganic phosphorus content of latex.•Technological properties of latex and dry rubber were not affected by fertilization.•Effect of fertilization was similar in the 2 tapping systems. Improving the productivity of existing rubber plantations is necessary to cope with the growing demand for natural rubber (NR) while limiting the environmental and social impacts linked to the expansion of rubber cultivation at the expense of natural ecosystems and food crops. The effect of fertilization on NR yield is still unclear and is poorly documented particularly in Thailand, the world leader in NR production. Hence, the main objective of this study was to re-assess the possible effects of fertilization on the yield of intensively managed rubber plantations in Thailand. Our main hypothesis was that the effect of fertilization would be higher with intensive latex harvesting practices (high tapping frequency with ethylene stimulation). To test this hypothesis, we set-up a split-plot experiment with four fertilization doses (T1, no fertilization, T2, T3, T4, respectively low, medium and high doses of NPK fertilizer) and two tapping systems (S/2 d2 with and without ethylene stimulation). Here, we present the results of the first three years on dry rubber yield, latex metabolism assessed with the latex diagnosis method, and latex and rubber properties related to their technological properties. Our results showed a positive effect of fertilization on yield from the first year, but the effect was only statistically significant (p