[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate effects of application amounts of N, P and K and their ratio on tea quality components in mulberry leaves. [Method] Effects of sole application and combined applicat...[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate effects of application amounts of N, P and K and their ratio on tea quality components in mulberry leaves. [Method] Effects of sole application and combined application of N, P and K on the yield and tea quality components of spring mulberry leaves were studied by 3-factor 3-level experiment, based on previous experiments. [Result] Combined ap- plication of 3 of N, P and K was better than sole application and combined appli- cation of 2 from them. Insufficient or excessive fertilization both significantly reduced yield of mulberry leaves and contents of tea quality components, such as 1-de- oxynojimycin (DNJ), flavonoids, tea polyphenols and amino acids. With the yield of spring mulberry leaves as a target, it is advised to apply N, P and K at rates of 240, 150 and 60 kg/hm^2 , respectively. [Conclusion] This study provides reference and theoretical basis for the establishment of raw material base of high-quality mul- berry tea.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study the effect of apple-tea intercrop on the growth and yield of tea shoot.[Method] Comparing tea leaves in apple-tea intercrop garden with neighboring tea leaves,the change of tea growth ...[Objective] The aim was to study the effect of apple-tea intercrop on the growth and yield of tea shoot.[Method] Comparing tea leaves in apple-tea intercrop garden with neighboring tea leaves,the change of tea growth and fresh leaves yield in annual growth cycle was observed.[Result] There was obvious difference of tea shoot growth in intercropping and control group in various seasons.In spring,summer and autumn,intercropping tea had lower canopy temperature and higher canopy humidity compared with control tea,while there was no obvious difference of canopy temperature and humidity in intercropping and control tea in winter;the respiratory intensity of intercropping tea was very significantly lower than that of control tea,and its net photosynthetic intensity was very significantly higher than that of control tea,while there was no obvious change law in photosynthetic rate;the effect of intercrop on budding density of tea shoot wasn't obvious,but it promoted early germination of tea bud,increased leaf weight and improved fresh leaf yield.[Conclusion] Our study could provide theoretical foundation for the rational allocation of intercrop in compound ecological tea garden and the production of non-polluted tea.展开更多
[Objective] The paper was to preliminarily investigate the low yield reason of Camellia oleifera caused by fruit and flower dropping in Dehong prefecture. [Method]Pollen viability of C. oleifera was determined using I...[Objective] The paper was to preliminarily investigate the low yield reason of Camellia oleifera caused by fruit and flower dropping in Dehong prefecture. [Method]Pollen viability of C. oleifera was determined using I-KI and TTC (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) method, the germination rate of pollen was determined by in vitro culture method, the pollen tube growth was observed by the fluorescent microscope through aniline blue dyeing, and the effects of different pollination methods on fruit setting rate of C. oleifera was analyzed. [Results] The pollen viability and the quantity of pollen tube of C. oleifera with good fruiting were significantly higher than the plants with poor fruiting, but their pollen germination rate had no significant differences; cross pollination was conducive to fruiting setting of C. oleifera. [Conclusion] The growth and development condition of C. oleifera pollen had important effect on the yield of C. oleifera in Dehong prefecture.展开更多
In the study, analysis was made on present situation and development measures of geographical indications and cultural heritage protection of famous teas in Hubei Province. In addition, 8 related suggestions were prop...In the study, analysis was made on present situation and development measures of geographical indications and cultural heritage protection of famous teas in Hubei Province. In addition, 8 related suggestions were proposed as well.展开更多
Coupled with partial least squares(PLS),near infrared(NIR)spectroscopy was applied to develop a fast and nondestructive method to identify the production date of Rizhao green tea aiming at the deficiencies of the exis...Coupled with partial least squares(PLS),near infrared(NIR)spectroscopy was applied to develop a fast and nondestructive method to identify the production date of Rizhao green tea aiming at the deficiencies of the existing methods.In the modeling process,the raw spectra were first processed by five-point smoothing and first derivative.And then,moving window back propagation artificial neural network(MW-BP-ANN)was applied to select the characteristic spectral variables.After that,the calibration model was built by PLS,and the optimum model was achieved when 9 principal component scores(PCs)were included.The performances of the calibration models were evaluated according to root mean square error of predictionεRMSEP,correlation coefficient(C p)and residual prediction deviation(σRPD).The optimum results of the calibration model was achieved,andεRMSEP=19.965,C p=0.943 andσRPD=3.07.The overall results sufficiently demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy combined with PLS can be efficiently applied in the rapid identification of green tea production date.展开更多
A new process for extracting oil and starch from tea seed was introduced. The new process included one special link compared with all of the processes used now for tea seed oil and starch production. The link was stat...A new process for extracting oil and starch from tea seed was introduced. The new process included one special link compared with all of the processes used now for tea seed oil and starch production. The link was static fermentation by which oil bodies and starch were separated naturally from tea seeds. By the process, tea seed oil and starch which were in conformity with government standards about edible oil and starch were successfully produced with 16% and 8% of production rate, respectively. The new process has many advantages, such as more simple equipments, lower production cost and whole natural products, etc..展开更多
[Objective] This study was conducted to screen the best variety and optimum planting density for constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantation of Camellia oleifera. [Methed] This survey was carried out in ...[Objective] This study was conducted to screen the best variety and optimum planting density for constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantation of Camellia oleifera. [Methed] This survey was carried out in two demonstration bases, one for investigating the relationship between different cultivated varieties with growth and production, the other for investigating the relationship between different planting densities with growth and production. [Result] For different cultivated varieties, Cenruan 2 showed tree height, ground diameter and crown product significantly higher than other two varieties, besides, the per unit area fruit yield of Cenruan 2 was also significantly higher than other two varieties. From flower bud differentiation,the best variety was Changlin 4, which showed number of differentiated flower buds significantly higher than Changlin 27, but there were no significant differences between Cenruan 2 with Changlin 4 and Changlin 27. For different planting densities, plant height and crown product at planting density of 1.5 m×2 m were significantly higher than those of other two planting densities, but from ground diam- eter, the best planting density was 1.5 m×1.0 m, with a ground diameter significantly higher than other two planting densities. From per unit area fruit yield, the best planting density was 1.5 m×2.0 m, under which early plant growth and fruit production were better. Therefore, the best planting density is 2.0 m ×3.0 m when constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantations. For variety Cenruan 3, it's fruit production is high in the early pedod, and the best planting density is 1.5 m× 2.0 m or 1.0 m×1.5 m when constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantations, and after 4-6 years when it put into production, the plants could be transplanted.展开更多
The current situation of Pu'er tea in Yunnan was analyzed.The analysis result showed that the production output of Yunnan tea and the tea plantation area increased greatly when compared with the whole country,but ...The current situation of Pu'er tea in Yunnan was analyzed.The analysis result showed that the production output of Yunnan tea and the tea plantation area increased greatly when compared with the whole country,but the increase of Pu'er tea inclined to be stable.The restraining factors of Pu'er tea development were explored,and the corresponding countermeasures were put forward.It provided the basis for the sustainable development of Yunnan Pu'er tea.展开更多
Extraction of theanine from waste liquid of tea polyphenol production was studied in aqueous surfactanttwo-phase system (ASTP) with cationic surfactant (CTAB) and anionic surfactant (SDS). Results indicate that ...Extraction of theanine from waste liquid of tea polyphenol production was studied in aqueous surfactanttwo-phase system (ASTP) with cationic surfactant (CTAB) and anionic surfactant (SDS). Results indicate that the region of ASTP is narrow and there is only a two-phase region of cationic surfactant. The increase in concentrations of NaBr and Na2SO4 are beneficial to the formation of ASTP. Theanine concentration in the bottom phase increases with increasing concentration of theanine, whereas the Partition coefficient and extraction rate only change a littlewhen the concentration of theanine is above 0.2 g.L-'. With the increase of SDS concentration, the phase ratio and the partition coefficient decrease, while the extraction efficiency of theanine increases and the concentration of theanine changes a little in the range from 2.4/7.5 to 2.8/7.2 for SDS/CTAB ratio. The temperature has a notable ef- fect on the concentration of theanine in the bottom phase, partition coefficient and extraction rate of theanine. The increase of waste liquid decreases the phase ratio, increases the concentration and extraction rate of theanine in the bottom ohase, since the orotein and the saccharide enter the bottom nhase with theanine.展开更多
Inorganic fertilizer NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) (S) 25:5:5:5 is generally recommended for optimum yield and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis). Non-judicious use of this inorganic fertilizer how...Inorganic fertilizer NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) (S) 25:5:5:5 is generally recommended for optimum yield and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis). Non-judicious use of this inorganic fertilizer however acidifies the soils and pollutes the environment. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) which involves the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizer is recommended for improved crop yield and soil health. An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of enriching cattle manure with different ratios of inorganic fertilizers (OM: NPKS at ratios 1:2 and 1:4), and rates on soil nutrient status, nitrogen uptake and yield of tea in the east of Rift Valley, Kenya. Enriching manures and organic manure up to a rate of 150 kg N/ha increased the level of P mature leaf. A higher N and K level in the mature leaf was observed when NPKS was applied at higher rates. In the soil, fertilizer rate up to 150 kg N/ha showed higher pH and K where organic manure and enriched manures were applied while NPKS treatment showed higher P content throughout the soil depths. Enriching organic manures with inorganic fertilizers increased yield significantly.展开更多
The aim of this study was to identify tea varieties with less bitterness and astringency index that could be used as important sources for breeding and in the production of high quality tea. We studied 36 cultivars or...The aim of this study was to identify tea varieties with less bitterness and astringency index that could be used as important sources for breeding and in the production of high quality tea. We studied 36 cultivars or lines which had been preserved in Tea Germplasm Garden of Fujian. The contents of catechins in spring tea shoots, summer tea shoots and autumn tea shoots in 36 varieties and lines were analyzed by HPLC. Analysis of these tea varieties and lines revealed that the catechins contained in the tea shoots in different seasons are highly variable. The content of ester-catechins in spring and summer tea shoots was higher than that of autumn, while non-ester-catechins did not showed the same characteristic. The content of EGCG showed an extremely significant positive correlation with T1 (T1 = EGC + EGCG + GCG + EGC), an extremely significant negative correlation with DL-C, the content of EGC showed the same characteristic. Among them, 10 cultivars with less bitterness and astringency index (the annual average bitterness and astringency index 〈 8.0) were considered good candidates as important breeding materials tbr tea infusion quality improvement.展开更多
Biodiversity is on important concept in ecology,ogriculture and also economics.This paper examines the biodiversity problem in tea-production of Fujian province,China,and tries to improve the biodiversity in Fujian te...Biodiversity is on important concept in ecology,ogriculture and also economics.This paper examines the biodiversity problem in tea-production of Fujian province,China,and tries to improve the biodiversity in Fujian tea industry by illustrating the problem and arousing the public concern about it ,which is the main contribution and the purpose of the problem in detail at first.In the next section it analyzes some factors which contribute to the problem,mainly including natural and historical reasons,economic reasons,institutional reasons and technological reasons.Then this paper tries to propose Some suggestions to solve or alleviate the biodiversity problem in Fujian tea-production from the point of government,academic field and the producers,as it needs the joint efforts of all those participants.Econometric analyses will be made when necessary with SPSS 11.0.展开更多
A plot of 24 m × 10 m under fallow management after several years of cultivation to maize (Zea mays) was planted to tea (Camellia sinensis) cuttings at 1.0 m ×0.6 m and treated with or without fertilizer...A plot of 24 m × 10 m under fallow management after several years of cultivation to maize (Zea mays) was planted to tea (Camellia sinensis) cuttings at 1.0 m ×0.6 m and treated with or without fertilizer. The tea cuttings were applied NPK 25:5:5 (reference fertilizer), cocoa husk, cow-dung, tea fluff and poultry droppings as manures, mixtures of the manures with urea in 3:1 ratio of N contents as organomineral and the control (no fertilizer), monitored for growth performance for two years at Kusuku (6°50'N; 11 °07'E), Nigeria. The organic based fertilizers generally outperformed NPK 25:5:5 and control in all the growth parameters. Organominerals resulted in an overall higher plant height, girth, number of leaves and branches compared to the manures in the first year of establishment, while the values were higher for manure treated plants in the second year. This trend was attributed to quicker release of nutrient by the organominerals in the first year, while the manures had undergone adequate decomposition for sufficient nutrient release to the advantage of the tea plants in the second year. However, comparative cost analysis showed that organominerals were more economical to achieve optimum tea production at minimum cost in the locality.展开更多
基金Supported by Financial Innovation Ability Improving Engineering Project in Sichuan Province(2016TSCY-006)Technological Innovation Fund for Small and Medium Technology-based Enterprises of Nanchong City(15C0009)Nanchong Science and Technology Planning Project-Special Fund for Innovation-driven Development(16CXQD0021)~~
文摘[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate effects of application amounts of N, P and K and their ratio on tea quality components in mulberry leaves. [Method] Effects of sole application and combined application of N, P and K on the yield and tea quality components of spring mulberry leaves were studied by 3-factor 3-level experiment, based on previous experiments. [Result] Combined ap- plication of 3 of N, P and K was better than sole application and combined appli- cation of 2 from them. Insufficient or excessive fertilization both significantly reduced yield of mulberry leaves and contents of tea quality components, such as 1-de- oxynojimycin (DNJ), flavonoids, tea polyphenols and amino acids. With the yield of spring mulberry leaves as a target, it is advised to apply N, P and K at rates of 240, 150 and 60 kg/hm^2 , respectively. [Conclusion] This study provides reference and theoretical basis for the establishment of raw material base of high-quality mul- berry tea.
基金Supported by National Key Technology R&D Program(2007BAD87B11)Project of Science & Technology Bureau in Xishuangbanna(YX200902)Project of National Tea Industry Technical System~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study the effect of apple-tea intercrop on the growth and yield of tea shoot.[Method] Comparing tea leaves in apple-tea intercrop garden with neighboring tea leaves,the change of tea growth and fresh leaves yield in annual growth cycle was observed.[Result] There was obvious difference of tea shoot growth in intercropping and control group in various seasons.In spring,summer and autumn,intercropping tea had lower canopy temperature and higher canopy humidity compared with control tea,while there was no obvious difference of canopy temperature and humidity in intercropping and control tea in winter;the respiratory intensity of intercropping tea was very significantly lower than that of control tea,and its net photosynthetic intensity was very significantly higher than that of control tea,while there was no obvious change law in photosynthetic rate;the effect of intercrop on budding density of tea shoot wasn't obvious,but it promoted early germination of tea bud,increased leaf weight and improved fresh leaf yield.[Conclusion] Our study could provide theoretical foundation for the rational allocation of intercrop in compound ecological tea garden and the production of non-polluted tea.
基金Supported by National Key Technology Support Program"Integration and Demonstration of Camellia oleifera High Yield Cultivation Technology of Southwest High Mountain"(2009BADB1B08)Key New Product Development Projects of Yunnan Province"Breeding of Good Varieties of Camellia oleifera"(2009BB004)~~
文摘[Objective] The paper was to preliminarily investigate the low yield reason of Camellia oleifera caused by fruit and flower dropping in Dehong prefecture. [Method]Pollen viability of C. oleifera was determined using I-KI and TTC (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) method, the germination rate of pollen was determined by in vitro culture method, the pollen tube growth was observed by the fluorescent microscope through aniline blue dyeing, and the effects of different pollination methods on fruit setting rate of C. oleifera was analyzed. [Results] The pollen viability and the quantity of pollen tube of C. oleifera with good fruiting were significantly higher than the plants with poor fruiting, but their pollen germination rate had no significant differences; cross pollination was conducive to fruiting setting of C. oleifera. [Conclusion] The growth and development condition of C. oleifera pollen had important effect on the yield of C. oleifera in Dehong prefecture.
基金Supported by Project of Scientific and Technological Innovations by Ministry of Culture(2011021)Foundation Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of Education Department (11YJA850019)Project supported by "11th Five-Year Plan" of Hubei Socia Sciences Foundation ([2010]274)~~
文摘In the study, analysis was made on present situation and development measures of geographical indications and cultural heritage protection of famous teas in Hubei Province. In addition, 8 related suggestions were proposed as well.
基金National Basic Research Program of China(No.JSJL2016210A001)State Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology Fund(No.SKT1507)
文摘Coupled with partial least squares(PLS),near infrared(NIR)spectroscopy was applied to develop a fast and nondestructive method to identify the production date of Rizhao green tea aiming at the deficiencies of the existing methods.In the modeling process,the raw spectra were first processed by five-point smoothing and first derivative.And then,moving window back propagation artificial neural network(MW-BP-ANN)was applied to select the characteristic spectral variables.After that,the calibration model was built by PLS,and the optimum model was achieved when 9 principal component scores(PCs)were included.The performances of the calibration models were evaluated according to root mean square error of predictionεRMSEP,correlation coefficient(C p)and residual prediction deviation(σRPD).The optimum results of the calibration model was achieved,andεRMSEP=19.965,C p=0.943 andσRPD=3.07.The overall results sufficiently demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy combined with PLS can be efficiently applied in the rapid identification of green tea production date.
文摘A new process for extracting oil and starch from tea seed was introduced. The new process included one special link compared with all of the processes used now for tea seed oil and starch production. The link was static fermentation by which oil bodies and starch were separated naturally from tea seeds. By the process, tea seed oil and starch which were in conformity with government standards about edible oil and starch were successfully produced with 16% and 8% of production rate, respectively. The new process has many advantages, such as more simple equipments, lower production cost and whole natural products, etc..
基金Supported by Scientific Research and Development Planning Project of Guilin City(20130108-6-1)~~
文摘[Objective] This study was conducted to screen the best variety and optimum planting density for constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantation of Camellia oleifera. [Methed] This survey was carried out in two demonstration bases, one for investigating the relationship between different cultivated varieties with growth and production, the other for investigating the relationship between different planting densities with growth and production. [Result] For different cultivated varieties, Cenruan 2 showed tree height, ground diameter and crown product significantly higher than other two varieties, besides, the per unit area fruit yield of Cenruan 2 was also significantly higher than other two varieties. From flower bud differentiation,the best variety was Changlin 4, which showed number of differentiated flower buds significantly higher than Changlin 27, but there were no significant differences between Cenruan 2 with Changlin 4 and Changlin 27. For different planting densities, plant height and crown product at planting density of 1.5 m×2 m were significantly higher than those of other two planting densities, but from ground diam- eter, the best planting density was 1.5 m×1.0 m, with a ground diameter significantly higher than other two planting densities. From per unit area fruit yield, the best planting density was 1.5 m×2.0 m, under which early plant growth and fruit production were better. Therefore, the best planting density is 2.0 m ×3.0 m when constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantations. For variety Cenruan 3, it's fruit production is high in the early pedod, and the best planting density is 1.5 m× 2.0 m or 1.0 m×1.5 m when constructing early-bearing high-yielding model plantations, and after 4-6 years when it put into production, the plants could be transplanted.
基金Supported by the Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System
文摘The current situation of Pu'er tea in Yunnan was analyzed.The analysis result showed that the production output of Yunnan tea and the tea plantation area increased greatly when compared with the whole country,but the increase of Pu'er tea inclined to be stable.The restraining factors of Pu'er tea development were explored,and the corresponding countermeasures were put forward.It provided the basis for the sustainable development of Yunnan Pu'er tea.
基金Supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(JUSRP11205)
文摘Extraction of theanine from waste liquid of tea polyphenol production was studied in aqueous surfactanttwo-phase system (ASTP) with cationic surfactant (CTAB) and anionic surfactant (SDS). Results indicate that the region of ASTP is narrow and there is only a two-phase region of cationic surfactant. The increase in concentrations of NaBr and Na2SO4 are beneficial to the formation of ASTP. Theanine concentration in the bottom phase increases with increasing concentration of theanine, whereas the Partition coefficient and extraction rate only change a littlewhen the concentration of theanine is above 0.2 g.L-'. With the increase of SDS concentration, the phase ratio and the partition coefficient decrease, while the extraction efficiency of theanine increases and the concentration of theanine changes a little in the range from 2.4/7.5 to 2.8/7.2 for SDS/CTAB ratio. The temperature has a notable ef- fect on the concentration of theanine in the bottom phase, partition coefficient and extraction rate of theanine. The increase of waste liquid decreases the phase ratio, increases the concentration and extraction rate of theanine in the bottom ohase, since the orotein and the saccharide enter the bottom nhase with theanine.
文摘Inorganic fertilizer NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) (S) 25:5:5:5 is generally recommended for optimum yield and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis). Non-judicious use of this inorganic fertilizer however acidifies the soils and pollutes the environment. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) which involves the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizer is recommended for improved crop yield and soil health. An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of enriching cattle manure with different ratios of inorganic fertilizers (OM: NPKS at ratios 1:2 and 1:4), and rates on soil nutrient status, nitrogen uptake and yield of tea in the east of Rift Valley, Kenya. Enriching manures and organic manure up to a rate of 150 kg N/ha increased the level of P mature leaf. A higher N and K level in the mature leaf was observed when NPKS was applied at higher rates. In the soil, fertilizer rate up to 150 kg N/ha showed higher pH and K where organic manure and enriched manures were applied while NPKS treatment showed higher P content throughout the soil depths. Enriching organic manures with inorganic fertilizers increased yield significantly.
基金This research was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Fujian (No. 2009J01063). Determination of catechins was finished in Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and in Tea Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, Ministry of Agriculture.
文摘The aim of this study was to identify tea varieties with less bitterness and astringency index that could be used as important sources for breeding and in the production of high quality tea. We studied 36 cultivars or lines which had been preserved in Tea Germplasm Garden of Fujian. The contents of catechins in spring tea shoots, summer tea shoots and autumn tea shoots in 36 varieties and lines were analyzed by HPLC. Analysis of these tea varieties and lines revealed that the catechins contained in the tea shoots in different seasons are highly variable. The content of ester-catechins in spring and summer tea shoots was higher than that of autumn, while non-ester-catechins did not showed the same characteristic. The content of EGCG showed an extremely significant positive correlation with T1 (T1 = EGC + EGCG + GCG + EGC), an extremely significant negative correlation with DL-C, the content of EGC showed the same characteristic. Among them, 10 cultivars with less bitterness and astringency index (the annual average bitterness and astringency index 〈 8.0) were considered good candidates as important breeding materials tbr tea infusion quality improvement.
文摘Biodiversity is on important concept in ecology,ogriculture and also economics.This paper examines the biodiversity problem in tea-production of Fujian province,China,and tries to improve the biodiversity in Fujian tea industry by illustrating the problem and arousing the public concern about it ,which is the main contribution and the purpose of the problem in detail at first.In the next section it analyzes some factors which contribute to the problem,mainly including natural and historical reasons,economic reasons,institutional reasons and technological reasons.Then this paper tries to propose Some suggestions to solve or alleviate the biodiversity problem in Fujian tea-production from the point of government,academic field and the producers,as it needs the joint efforts of all those participants.Econometric analyses will be made when necessary with SPSS 11.0.
文摘A plot of 24 m × 10 m under fallow management after several years of cultivation to maize (Zea mays) was planted to tea (Camellia sinensis) cuttings at 1.0 m ×0.6 m and treated with or without fertilizer. The tea cuttings were applied NPK 25:5:5 (reference fertilizer), cocoa husk, cow-dung, tea fluff and poultry droppings as manures, mixtures of the manures with urea in 3:1 ratio of N contents as organomineral and the control (no fertilizer), monitored for growth performance for two years at Kusuku (6°50'N; 11 °07'E), Nigeria. The organic based fertilizers generally outperformed NPK 25:5:5 and control in all the growth parameters. Organominerals resulted in an overall higher plant height, girth, number of leaves and branches compared to the manures in the first year of establishment, while the values were higher for manure treated plants in the second year. This trend was attributed to quicker release of nutrient by the organominerals in the first year, while the manures had undergone adequate decomposition for sufficient nutrient release to the advantage of the tea plants in the second year. However, comparative cost analysis showed that organominerals were more economical to achieve optimum tea production at minimum cost in the locality.