The response of tea to foliar and soil applied copper: a case study of Luiga and Lugoda tea estates in Mufindi tea growing areas.
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Date
2002
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A study was conducted in Mufindi district to determine the response of tea to copper
application. Low levels of copper in the soils and in tea leaves in Mufindi which has
been reported previously prompted this study to be carried out to determine the
effect of foliar and soil copper application on quality and yield of tea. Five levels of
copper; 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 kg Cu/ha as copper sulphate (25% copper) applied on
the foliage and 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 kg Cu/ha applied to the soil were used to test
the effect of copper application on tea quality and yield. Copper application
generally improved the fermentation of tea leaves and quality of made tea.
Improvement of both fermentation and quality of made lea increased with increasing
foliar and soil copper application rates. The effect of foliar copper application on
fermentation and quality of made tea lasted for about three months. While that of
soil application was found to last longer. The highest quality score was obtained at
application rate of 6.0 and 5.0 kg Cu/ha for foliar and soil application of copper.
respectively. Foliar copper application generally decreased tea yield non
significantly at site one and two except at application rate of 4.5 kg Cu/ha which
increased tea yield non significantly at site one by 5.41 percent. The decrease in
yield was probably due to difference in the size of tea plants, different pruning
intensities and application rates that could have not been uniform..Soil application of
copper increased tea yield by up to 26.89 and 15.45 % for site one and two,
respectively. At site two application of 5.0 kg Cu/ha gave the highest response.
Foliar and soil application of copper significantly (P < 0.05) increased leaf copper
concentration in both third leaf and shoots when compared to the control. Soil application of copper sulphate at a rate of 5.0 kg Cu/ha is recommended to correct
copper deficiency at both sites.
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Dissertation