NPK content of harvested tea seeds and amendment of seed bari manuring

Abstract

NPK content in seeds (g/kg) of biclonal seed stocks TS379, TS462, TS506 and TS520 were quantified and the amount of N, P and K removed annually from soils of seed baris through harvested seeds was estimated. Nitrogen, phosphate and potash content were 16.23, 4.38 and 14.88g/kg dry mass of seeds. The total quantities of NPK removed from soils of seed baris was calculated by using these figures and considering the actual seed yield per hectare. Estimated quantities of N, P and K removed through the harvested seeds from seed bari soils of one hectare area was 18.65, 5.00 and 17.00 kg, respectively. Therefore, an extra amount of NPK may be necessary to maintain both vegetative and reproductive growth of seed trees. This will help to maintain the soil health of a seed bari for balanced vegetative and reproductive growth of seed trees. Due to variation in seed size, number of seeds per kilogram varied significantly among stocks. However, dry weight per kilogram of seeds of different stocks did not vary.