Gums are important non timber forest produce (NTFP) used in industries and even at domestic level. Gums are hydrocolloids obtained from the plants and are polysaccharides of more than one type of monosaccharide residue.
The gums are considered as a pathological product, produced in response to injury by a process known as Gummosis. Gum production in plants take place in response to ageing, stress, wound and injury. The process of gummosis is mediated by a hormone called wound hormone (ethylene).
The method evolved to tap gum yielding tree involves making a small incision in the trunk of a matured tree and administering 2 to 4 ml of Ethephone (2 Chloroethyle Phosphonic Acid). The wound hormone accelerates the process of gummosis in the soft tissue of the tree trunk and makes ramifying system of gum ducts. The gum ducts ooze out gum from the men made holes or natural cracks.
Result: The yield of gum in treated tree is several times more than the control (please refer table below)
Tapping & Processing: The implication of introducing Scientific Method of tapping gum yielding trees, processing it for value addition and marketing can be worked out in the following manner.
Yield of gum in traditional system ... 01X
Gains in yield using scientific method (3 times) ... 03X
Cost of gum paid in cluster approach (2 times) ... 06X
After semi processing cost is 2 times more ... 12X
Initial cost of gum = X
Final cost of gum = 12X
Technology Transfer: Technology is transferred to more than 5,000 tribal and villagers belonging to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
