The Effect Of Conventional Methods Of Growing Tea On Yields

Abstract

Tea bushes are manipulated so as to form strong woody frames with the largest possible plucking surface area. Studies on dry matter production and partitioning of tea bushes have shown that the harvest index is low in old bushes and high in young bushes. The low indexes in old bushes are partly due to large amounts of wood in the primary frame which provide a large cambial sink for photosynthates. Reducing the plant size by maintaining bushes at low heights greatly increased yields per unit area of plucking surface. Thus, maintaining large bushes does not necessarily mean high yields. The impression from dry matter production and partitioning studies is the need for a thorough reinvestigation and revision of the conventional methods of growing tea which encourage the development of unnecessary large amounts of woody tissues.