Association of Agrometeorologists

Productivity and radiation use efficiency of tea grown under different shade trees in the plain land ofWest Bengal

A. MUKHERJEE, S.BANERJEE and S. SARKAR

Tea is grown under shade trees at higher elevation to attain better quality and higher productivity of the leaf. Hence, a field study was carried out to study the influence the shade trees on productivity and radiation use efficiency of the tea, when grown under plain at the Krishi Ban (Tea garden) of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Gayespur, West Bengal (Latitude 220 58/ N, Longitude 880 31/ E, altitude 9.75 m amsl). Different shade trees namely Acacia auriculiformis, Albizia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo, Glyricidia sepium, Casuarina equisetifolia, Gmelina arborea and Eucalyptus hybrid were taken for screening. Observation on yield and components of Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) were taken at four periods. Each period began from one day after a plucking date and continued to the next plucking date. In total there were four periods as: Period I (7.9.01-3.10.01), Period II (4.10.01-13.11.01), Period III (14.11.01-22.2.02) and Period IV (23.2.02-19.3.02). Irrespective of periods, maximum productivity level (398.1 Kg ha-1) of tea was attained under Dalbergia sissoo and it was minimum (271.7 Kg ha-1) under Glyricidia sepium. Irrespective of periods the highest level (0. 438 g MJ-1) of radiation use efficiency (RUE) was attained under Gmelina arborea. Tea grown under Glyricidia sepium and Casuarina equisetifolia resulted lowest RUE value.

Tea, radiation use efficiency, productivity