Impact of rehabilitating the tea growing soil prior to replanting with special emphasis on the soil physico-chemical properties, growth and yield of tea

Abstract

Following the removal of old tea bushes, a rehabilitation crop is often planted for around two years. In Northeast India, this crop is primarily Guatemala grass. The main goal of this is to shatter the monoculture that has been created by years of tea cultivation. In addition to contributing organic matter, Guatemala rehabilitation grass is believed to address some negative consequences of monoculture because it is eriodically lopped during growth and then cut and put into the soil after two years. On the other hand, it has occasionally been asserted that the rehabilitation phase might be skipped if organic materials could be introduced externally. This long-term study was conducted at the Borbheta Tea Estate between 2012 and 2021 to assess the effects of various alternative methods of soil rehabilitation compared to grass rehabilitation for one or two years on the development and yield of tea as well as certain soil attributes.The findings of this study showed that a two-year rehabilitation using Guatemala grass greatly increased the development of young tea plants by 12-23% and increased tea yield by 15-16%. During the two- year rehabilitation, soil aggregation increased (3.6%) and soil compaction decreased. Under the two years of rehabilitation, the status of organic carbon, soil available phosphorus and potassium improved considerably to the extent of 3.5-10.0, 4.5-15.0, and 2.1-7.7%, respectively. The pH of the soil was not much affected, but it was still maintained within the desired range for tea cultivation. It was concluded that, in order to restore the soil after old tea is removed and before new tea is planted, two years of soil rehabilitation under Guatemala grass is essential. This is not a substitute, but a requirement to improve the physico-chemical properties, growth and yield of tea.

Keywords: Guatemala, tea soil, physico-chemical properties, rehabilitation