Evaluating The Growth Performances of Young and Mature Tea (Camellia sinensis), Treated with Different Particle Sizes and Application Rates of Cinnamon Bio-Char

Abstract

Bio-char is one of the ideal soil amendments used for improvement of tea (Camellia sinensis) growth and productivity through enhancing the adsorption of soil nutrients. A field experiment was designed using two factor Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design to study the effect of Cinnamon bio char on the growth performances of young and mature tea plants were evaluated with three levels of particle sizes (0-2, 3-4, 5-8mm) and application rates (25, 37.5, 50 g per plant).The research was conducted from July 2022 to September 2022 at the field numbers of 10 (young tea field, TRI 2027) and 11(mature tea field, TRI-2026), Talgaswella State, Talgaswella belongs to WL1a agro-ecological zone. Young plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant and leaf chlorophyll content were measured as the growth parameters and for the yield parameter tea yield was measured in every two-week interval. The results exhibited that all growth and yield characters of tea were significantly (P≤0.05) influenced by levels of particle sizes and application rates. Within this three-month period, plants treated with the large particle size (5-8mm) and the highest application rate (50g per plant) of bio-char showed maximum growth performances of young tea. Whereas the plants treated with the minimum particle size (0-2mm) showed maximum yield of tea. Hence, it is concluded application of 50g of Cinnamon bio-char per plant with particle size of 5-8 mm showed best performance of young tea plantations and application of Cinnamon bio-char with the rate of 25, 37.5 or 50 g per plant with particle size of 0 –2 mm is best for increment of tea yield.