Stem respiration is an important component of the carbon budget in forest stands. Some data for temperate and boreal zones were available, while stem respiration in rubber plantation was not found. In the present study, we made in situ chamber measurements of the stem respiration for 4 ages (7, 15, 27, and 40year-old) of rubber plantations in Xishuangbanna using an infra-red gas analyzer (IRGA) method. LI-820 CO2 gas analyzer was connected to a custom-built polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chamber. The chamber was fastened to the stem surface using thin neoprene gaskets with a strap at sampling time. The stem respiration rates of rubber were measured in the south and north sections at 1.3 m and 2.0 m height from March 2004 to February 2005. Measurements were taken once every month. Temperature at 1 cm depth of stem and air temperature in plantations were recorded concurrently. The tendencies of stem respiration in 4 plantations were in remarkable single-peak patterns with high rates during wet season and low rates during dry season. The stem respiration rates for 7, 15, 27, and 40year rubber were (2.299±0.129), (4.989±0.278), (4.678±0.268), and (3753±0205) μmol·m-2·s-1, respectively. Respiration rates were significantly higher for 15a and 27a trees than 40a and 7a tree (P<0.05), and it significantly higher in 40a tree than that in 7a tree. The stem respiration rates of rubber were similar at the same height in north and south sections and it also similar at 1.3 m and 2.0 m of the same section. Relationship between stem respiration rates and temperature were analyzed. There was an exponential correlation between stem respiration rate and stem temperature (P<0.01). The Q10 values for stem respiration of 4 age trees varied from 1966 to 3.127, and the average Q10 value of 4 ages trees was 2.452, which was high compared with the range of Q10 values (1.60-2.38) reported in previous studies in tropical trees and were close to other trees in China (1.96-3.33). Annual stem respiration rates (except branches) of 7, 15, 27, and 40year-old forests were estimated and they were 174, 554, 7.53, 7.59 t C·hm-2·a-1, respectively.