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Effect of Different Plucking Systems on Yield and Root Starch Reserve in Two Cultivars of Tea (camellia Sinensis L.)

T. Ahmed1*,
1Bangladesh Tea Research Institute, Srimangal – 3210, Moulvibazar

W. A. J. M. De Costa2 and
2Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

M. A. Wijeratne3
3Tea Research Institute, Low-Country Station, Ratnapura, Sri Lanka

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was carried out to monitor the effect of different plucking systems on root starch reserve and yield of tea in two cultivars (drought tolerant TRI2025 and moderately drought tolerant TRI2026). Depending on the severity of plucking, four plucking systems were used as treatments namely, mother-leaf plucking, fish-leaf plucking, janam-leaf plucking and estate practice. The cultivar TRI2026 showed significantly higher yield than the drought tolerant cultivar TRI2025. Estate practice produced greater yield in TRI2025 than the other treatments, while in TRI2026 the highest yield was found in fish-leaf plucking system. Although cultivars had no significant effect on root starch reserves, however significantly different found in treatments. About one year after commencing the experiment, for both cultivars higher root starch observed under mother-leaf plucking and the lowest was in janam-leaf plucking.

Keywords: Root starch, Severity of plucking, Tea cultivar and Yield

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Tea

Objectives:

this study was undertaken to know the effects of different standard of plucking on yield and starch reserves in roots of two tea cultivars.

Methodology:

The study was carried out at the Tea Research Institute, Low Country Station, Ratnapura (6040'N, 80025'E and 30 m amsl) and data were collected about a period of one year (from March 2011 to February 2012). The experiment was consisted of a two-factor factorial treatment structure. The treatment factors were a) two tea cultivars and b) four plucking standards. The two tea cultivars, drought tolerant TRI2025 (Assam-type) and moderately drought tolerant TRI2026 (China-type) were used. The four different standard of plucking were mother-leaf plucking (shoot is plucked leaving the oldest normal leaf), fish-leaf plucking (plucking to the fish-leaf), janam-leaf plucking (plucking below the fishleaf) and estate practice. In the estate practice, about 6075% of tea crop shoots were plucked to the fish-leaf and the balance to the mother leaf (Wettasinghe et al., 1981). There were four replicate plots for each cultivar x plucking standard treatment combination. Altogether there were 32 experimental plots and each plot having 10 bushes were demarcated. So, the experimental area was laid in a randomized complete block design. Tea bushes were 11 years old with double hedge spacing (0.6m x 0.9m x 1.5m) and were in the third year of its pruning cycle. Application of fertilizers and cultural practices were carried out according to the recommendations of TRI, Sri Lanka.
Plucking was done in the morning, on weekly rounds, for estimation of the plot yield (g plot-1). For tea yield, fresh weight of each plot was multiplied by the factor of 0.2 (De Costa et al., 2007) which was the plot yield (g plot-1) and it was used to extrapolate the yield in kg ha-1. Before plucking, harvesting shoot density (No. m-2) was measured from each plot by using a wooden frame. Starch reserves (hot water soluble) in roots of about pencil thickness were measured adopting colorimetric quantifications (Krishnapillai et al., 1992). As root starch reserves are highly likely influenced with the response of different standards of plucking, root starch content in all treatment combinations were assessed at three-month intervals throughout the experimental period.

Source of Information: J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 9(2): 91-95, 2016 ISSN 1999-7361

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

For getting the higher yield of tea, selection of the cultivar and appropriate plucking system are very important. Before pruning, normally it is suggested to follow the complete resting of tea bushes for about 1-2
months to increase the starch reserves of roots. From the present study, it is observed that mother-leaf plucking is an alternate option to increase the starch reserves of root before pruning.

Knowledge Management: Journal