Yield and quality of young tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) o. Kuntze) with application of organic and inorganic fertilizres in arecanut garden

The investigation was conducted at Instructional plots of the Department of Plantation Crops and Processing, Faculty of Horticulture, UBKV, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India, during March 2016 to May 2017, the investigation was to observe the yield and quality of young tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) o. Kuntze) with application of organic and inorganic fertilizer in arecanut garden. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments T1 (Control), T2 (FYM@ 2.0kg+1/2 RDF), T3 (VC@ 1.0kg+1/2RDF), T4 (FYM@2.0kg+RDF), T5 (VC@1.0kg+RDF), with four replications, yield parameters were recorded from 90 to 360 days after planting. Two leaf and a bud and tender terminal shoots with leaves were plucked, total number of two leaf and a buds were harvested per plot, fresh weight was taken soon after harvest and dried in oven then took dry weight using METLER balance. Caffeine content was estimated from two leaf and a bud. Results showed that yield parameters were significantly varied among the treatments, maximum yield was recorded in T5 (VC+RDF), on number of two leaf and a buds (372.25), fresh weight of two leaf and a buds (100.49 g) and dry weight of two leaf and a buds (21.38 g), followed by T4 (FYM+RDF) and T3 (VC+1/2 RDF), whereas the minimum yield was recorded in T1 (control). Caffeine content was not statistically significant difference among the treatments. Maximum caffeine content was recorded in T3 (VC+1/2RDF) whereas minimum caffeine content was recorded in T1 (control).