A study was conducted in Hevea clones(GT-1 and RRII 105) to examine the respiratory rates of the bark tissues from tapping panel dryness(TPD) affected and normal trees and relate to the carbohydrate status of the tissues. Concomitant with an increase in total sugars, sucrose and starch contents in the bark, respiration rate also increased in TPD affected once when compared to healthy bark from normal trees. Bark tissues from the opposite side of the tapping panel of the two clones showed a decrease in the respiration; however, they did not show much variation in their carbohydrate contents in healthy trees. In partially affected GT-1, sucrose and total sugar contents of the bark tissues from the latex yielding(wet) portion of the tapping panel showed a significant decrease compared to the dry portion of the same bark. Carbohydrate content and respiration of wet and dry portions of the panel from TPD trees did not vary in RRII 105 as well. It would appear that increased availability of carbohydrates and increased respiration in the bark must have led to increased biomass production at the cost of rubber biosynthesis in TPD affected Hevea trees.