Rambutan is popularly grown in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines. Several cultivars are recommended for commercial culticvation. In Malaysia, only six red varieties (R99, R134, R162, R170, R191, and R193) and only one yellow variety are recommended for commercial cultivation .

R 99 (Plate 1) is a vigorous clone, growing to a height of 7m. The fruit size is about 25g, oval in shape with a red skin. The aril is thick – about 45% recovery, dry, crunchy and sweet with total soluble solids of 19%.

Plate 1 : Rambutan clone R99

R 134 (Plate 2) is also a vigorous clone but smaller than R 99. The plant can grow to a height of 6m with a spreading canopy of approximately the same width. The fruit size is about 30g, nearly roundish in shape, with a red skin and green spinterns (hairs). The aril recovery is about 40%. The flesh is sweet (TSS 21%), firm and juicy.

Plate 2: Rambutan clone R134

R 156 or Muar Gading (Plate 3) is a moderately vigorous clone, growing to a height of 5-6m, with a canopy diameter of about 6-7m. The fruit is roundish in shape and yellow in colour. The average fruit size is about 37 g. The aril is thick with a recovery of about 57%, juicy, firm and sweet (TSS 22%).

Plate 3: Rambutan clone R156

R 162 or Ong Heok (Plate 4) is vigorous with a roundish canopy shape and grows to a height of more than 7m. The fruit is big with an average weight of about 36g. The aril is thick, firm, dry and sweet. The aril recovery and TSS are about 54 % and 22% respectively.

Plate 4: Rambutan clone 162

R 170 or Deli Cheng (Plate 5) is a vigorous clone, growing to a height of 7m. The fruit is oval in shape. The skin is red with long hairs. The fruit is about 38g. The aril is dry and sweet (TSS 20%). The aril recovery is about 40%. The testa is moderately detachable from the aril .

Plate 5: Rambutan clone R170

R 191 or Anak Sekolah (Plate 6) is also the most popular clone in Thailand , originating as a seedling from Penang , Malaysia . The plant is moderately small in size. The fruit shape is ovoid-roundish with red skin and green hairs. The fruit size is about 30 g. Aril recovery is high, about 50% ,and sweet (TSS 18%). The aril is firm and moderately juicy.

Plate 6: Rambutan clone R191

R 193 or Deli Baling (Plate 7) is the latest registered clone. It is a vigorous clone, growing to a height of 6m. The fruit is roundish. The skin is red with long hairs. The fruit is about 35 g. The aril is sweet (TSS 20%) with a recovery of about 42%.

Plate 7: Rambutan clone 193