Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) principally is grown in Kerala state, where warm humid climate prevails duriing most part of the year. All the potential areas in the traditional region have been brought under rubber plantation and further expansion is not feasible. Hence, the rubber cultivation is being extended to other regions like Orissa, where high summer temperature and severe soil moisture deficits are the constraints curtailing the growth and productivity of rubber. The objective of the study was to find out the early performance of elite clones (RRII 105, RRIM 600 and GT 1) and polyclonal seedlings of rubber in the lateritic soils of Orissa. At 9th year after planting highest mean girth was recorded in RRIM 600 (43.0cm), GT 1 (40.6cm) and the lowest mean girth was recorded in RRII 105 (38.1 cm) whereas, at the age of 8th year of polyclonal seedlings mean girth was 61.5 cm. Annual growth rate during immaturity was highest in polyclonal seedlings (7.7 cm) followed by RRIM 600 (4.7 cm) and GT1 (4.5cm). Similarly, at the 8th year after planting polyclonal seedlings had 50;tappable trees, whereas at the 9th year after planting RRIM 600, GT 1 recorded 30;and 27;tappable trees, respectively. The lowest tappable trees was observed in RRII 105 (12;). The incidence of wind damage was highest in GT 1 (31.4;) followed by RRII 105 (20.5;), RRIM 600 (15.9;) and the least was in polyclonal seedlings trees (1.8;). The studies on initial mean yield of rubber (2nd year after tapping) revealed that RRIM 600 recorded highest cuplump yield (28.8 g/tree/tap) closely followed by RRII 105 (26.5), polyclonal seedling (22.7) and the lowest was in GT 1 (21.3). Among these four clones RRIM 600 recorded highest dry rubber yield (786 kg/ha). Thus, RRIM 600 and polyclonal seedlings may be considered more suitable in respect of growth, establishment and adaptability to the drought prone condition under lateritic soils of Orissa.