The weeping tree, the history of its discovery, and its many uses

Weather of Arabia - The weeping tree or rubber tree is one of the tropical trees that is famous for producing natural rubber. This tree is an important part of the global industry, as natural rubber is used in a variety of products, such as tires, shoes, clothes, toys, and many more. Other industrial products. In this article, we will learn about the weeping tree and the natural rubber that is extracted from it.

General specifications of rubber tree

The rubber tree , also known as the Ficus rubber tree or rubber fig, belongs to the Ficus genus in the Moraceae plant family, and its native range extends to parts of South and Southeast Asia.

These plants belong to the banyan group, which means that their seeds often need to grow above the ground, and on the branches of other plants, in order for them to grow successfully. Once their seeds have grown, the rubber tree develops roots either beneath the host tree, or is planted in the soil.

Rubber trees are characterized by large, broad, oval-shaped, bright green leaves that grow from narrow stems. When they reach maturity in the wild, these plants can reach a height of 100 to 130 feet (and up to about 200 feet in rare cases), and are characterized by a trunk... They reach a thickness of 6 to 7 feet, and in the home environment, rubber trees can reach a height of about 10 feet, keeping their stems relatively slender.

Like other plants in the fig family, the rubber tree produces flowers and fruits, but these features are not particularly attractive to attract a variety of pollinators. Instead, they rely on an exclusive interaction with a specific fig wasp that specifically pollinates them.

History of the discovery of natural rubber

As early as 1600 BC, the peoples of Mexico and Central America began using liquid rubber in medicines, rituals, and paint, but the use of rubber did not reach the Western world until after the discovery of America; The opportunity to discover rubber came in the early 1590s, when explorer Christopher Columbus led his voyages and later, in 1615, Fray Juan de Torquemada documented the use of rubber by indigenous and Spanish settlers in South America in the manufacture of shoes, clothing, and hats by dipping fabrics in latex. However, they had challenges, as the rubber would become sticky in warm weather, and harden and crack in cold weather.

One century later, Charles Marie de la Condamine headed to South America on an expedition. There, he discovered two different trees that contained latex: Hevea brasiliensis , which comes from the Amazon region. This discovery was a paradigm shift in economic terms, as natural rubber became It is extracted from the latex produced by this type of tree. In addition, the Hevea tree (Hevea brasiliensis), thanks to its connected system of latex tubes, helped facilitate the rubber harvesting process. In contrast, the Castilian tree was not able to provide this system, making rubber harvesting more difficult.

Development of the rubber industry

In 1839, Charles Goodyear developed the process of vulcanization, which means treating rubber with sulfur and heat to strengthen it and maintain its elasticity. This invention solved many problems associated with rubber, as it prevented melting in the summer and cracking in the winter. A few years after this important discovery, in 1888 , Dunlop invented the air-filled rubber tire, which made rubber a vital raw material around the world, and led to It became a basic material for the industrial revolution.

From 1850 until 1920 , there was a great desire among businessmen and merchants to increase the production of rubber extracted from Amazon trees, and the Brazilian Amazon was the main source of rubber during this period, as prices were high due to merchants’ control over it and with the development of the industry in Europe and the United States. More uses for rubber were discovered, and rubber was such a vital material for the Brazilians that they banned the export of rubber seeds and seedlings. However, in 1876, H. A. Wickham managed to smuggle 70,000 rubber seeds hidden in banana leaves to England, and 12 years later, rubber production began Malaysia's plantations are as competitive as the Amazon, and these plantations have become the world's main supplier of natural rubber.

Henry Nicholas Ridley was a scientist and director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1888 who discovered the first 11 rubber trees planted in Malaysia. He began encouraging the establishment of rubber plantations and later developed a revolutionary method of harvesting latex from the hevea tree using the tapping technique, a process of removing latex. From the tree, this important discovery greatly increased latex yields and made rubber an essential material for Singapore's growth.

As the collection of rubber from wild sources in tropical America declined dramatically from the end of the nineteenth century until World War I, the United States, Germany, and Russia began looking for alternative sources of rubber, whether natural or synthetic, as the Amazon trees were not able to meet the demand. After the war The supply of rubber from Malaysian farms began again, and the need to search for new rubber sources disappeared.

Currently, Asia produces about 90% of natural rubber, and Thailand and Indonesia top the list of the world's most important rubber suppliers, providing more than 60% of total natural rubber production.

Uses of rubber

There are many and varied uses for natural rubber, which go beyond simple and common uses such as rubber balls, rubber bands and balloons. Natural rubber is distinguished by its properties such as elasticity and durability, which make it suitable for many applications in various industries.

Here are some of the main uses of natural rubber:

• Tires: Natural rubber is used in the manufacture of automobile and aircraft tires because of its ability to improve performance and endurance.
• Automotive parts: Rubber is used to make seals and gaskets for automobile parts such as brakes and water seals.
• Airbags: Rubber is used to make airbags that protect passengers in the event of accidents.
• Flooring: It is used in construction floors in gyms, commercial kitchens, animal shelters and rubber playgrounds for its advantages in terms of flexibility and slip resistance.
• Clothing: Natural rubber is used to make clothing such as wetsuits and cycling shorts.
• Natural rubber gaskets: used in mechanical parts to prevent leakage and fill spaces between parts.
• Erasers: Used to erase marks made with pencils on paper.
• Waterproof Shoes: Rubber has been used to make waterproof shoes in the past.
• Adhesives and Coatings: Rubber can be used as an adhesive or protective coating.
• Rubber Gloves: Used to keep hands safe and clean.

This is a brief list just a sampling of the uses of natural rubber. Other uses not mentioned continue to evolve as technology and research advance. This list shows the importance of natural rubber as a versatile material in a variety of industries.

Problems and challenges

Despite the importance of the weeping tree and its products, there are environmental challenges facing this industry. These challenges include issues such as destroying rainforests to grow the weeping tree and exploiting its resources sustainably. These challenges come in light of the increasing interest in preserving biodiversity and preserving the environment.

Natural rubber production suffers from serious environmental and social challenges. The industry's problems are the deterioration of natural rubber prices globally, making it difficult for latex producers to achieve a sustainable income. In addition, there are documented cases of poor working conditions in this sector, which includes failure to implement... Inadequate safety standards, inappropriate use of toxic chemicals, and their use poses a threat to the health and well-being of persons involved in natural rubber production and manufacturing processes.

The weeping tree and its natural rubber play an important role in global industry. Rubber is used in many products that we use in our daily lives. However, we must be careful in how we use these natural resources to preserve the environment and maintain biodiversity in the areas where the weeping tree grows. .

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Sources:

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