Paper Details

Impact of pruning and plucking on induction of axillary buds in tea

Afshan Akbar, Azhar Hussain Shah, Abdul Waheed, Farrukh Siyar Hamid, Uzma Khan, Niaz ali, Habib Ahmad

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/5.8.237-243

Int. J. Biosci. 5(8), 237-243. October, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

Present study was designed to evaluate the effect of different strategies of pruning and plucking on induction of axillary buds in tea varieties (Qi-men and Indonesian). The tea bushes were pruned at three different levels i.e., deep, medium and top pruning from ground level and compared with control (un-pruned). Increase in plant height for Indonesian and Qi men varieties ranges from 24.987 to 26.314 cm, 27.731 to 28.831 cm, 29.889 to 31.354 cm and 10.532 to 18.190 cm for deep, medium, top pruned and un-pruned plants respectively. The difference was significant for both the varieties for all the levels/strategies of pruning Similarly top pruned plant had significantly higher number of plucking points/axillary buds (291.95, 230.75) as compared to the medium (173.14, 138.84), deep pruned (101.83, 92.74) and un-pruned plants (95.14 and 90.00) for Qi-men and Indonesian varieties respectively. Moreover top pruning showed a significant increase in leaf fresh weight (57.647 and 46.421%) and leaf dry weight (42.029 and 73.00%) for Qi men and Indonesian respectively. Plucking methods used were fine and coarse plucking by hand and shear. Hand plucking (fine) had maximum plucking rounds of 11.08 as compared to hand plucking course i.e. 9.00 for both varieties. Maximum values for shear plucking fine was 7.92 as compared to shear plucking course having value o 7.75 for plucking rounds. Hand plucking (fine and coarse) showed higher growth rate of 117.4 cm and 91.32cm as compared to shear plucking (fine and coarse) i. e. 87.14 cm and 83.56 cm. While hand plucking (fine and course) produced less fresh harves (1.40 kg and 4.2kg) as compared to shear plucking fine and course (5.3 kg and 6.9kg). It is concluded from the study that by adapting top pruning methods the maximum plant height, number of plucking points/number of axillary buds and yield can be obtained. Similarly hand plucking (fine) helps in new bud induction and increase growth and plucking rounds per season in both genotypes. On the basis of these results we recommend top pruning and hand plucking (fine) to get maximum yield in both the varieties