Studies on the Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Health of Tea (Camellia sp.)

A field trial was conducted at Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Valparai, Coimbatore district in two varieties of tea viz., Assam jat and ATK clone. On Eighteen treatments with different combinations of 100, 75, 62.5 and 50 per cent of the recommended doses of fertilizers along with DCC and biofertilizers. The DCC at a rate of three and six tonnes ha-1 and biofertilizers viz., VAM, Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria each @ 50 kg ha-1 were given annually. The soil physical properties viz., bulk density, particle density, porosity and water holding capacity, chemical properties viz., pH, EC, CEC, organic matter, soil N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn and biological properties viz., VAM infection, population of Azospirillum, Phosphobacteria, bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi were greatly improved by the treatments consisting DCC 6 tonnes and biofertilizers along with full or reduced level of recommended dose of the estate practice.