Increasing rubber planting density to shade Imperata: A bioeconomic modelling approach

The profitability to smallholders of rubber production in Imperata infested areas of Indonesia was assessed using an existing bioeconomic model. An Imperata ground cover component was incorporated within the model as follows: tree girth = f(Imperata groundcover) = f(relative shading)= f(crown height, canopy width, tree spacing) = f(tree girth). The First two relationships represent extensions to the original model.