Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Tea pp 137–172Cite as

Soils

  • Chapter

Abstract

It is considered (Mann, 1935) that among tropical crops, there is none which demands more precisely than tea, a soil with special characters if economic yield is to be obtained. Tea is however, grown in a wide range of soil types and therefore it does not mean that tea will grow economically on only a few soils. What it means is that there are certain soil characteristics which must be met by any particular soil where tea is to be grown. This chapter describes these soil characteristics which are essential for successful economic growth of the tea plant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Akhmelov, G. S. and Bairamov, B. I. (1968) Foliar diagnosis of the nutritional status of the tea plant. Fertilite, 30, 56–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya, N. G. and Dey, S. K. (1983) Role of pH and aluminium on phosphate availability of tea soils. Two and a Bud, 30 (1/2), 61–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. H. (1966) A report on tea growing potential in Kenya, Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, M. K. V. (1974) Irrigating seedling tea in Southern Tanzania: Effects on total yields, distribution of yields and water use. Journal of Agricultural Science (Cambridge), 83, 363–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, P. H., Cooper, H. K. and Harler, C. R. (1925) Soil acidity and the use of lime on tea. Quarterly Journal of Scientific Deptartment, Indian Tea Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, H. D. and Pratt, P. F. (1961) Methods of Analysis for Soils, Plants and Waters, University of California, Division of Agricultural Sciences, pp. 56–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chenery, E. M. (1955) A preliminary study of aluminium and the tea bush. Plant and Soil, 6, 174–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Child, R. (1953) The Selection of Soils Suitable for Tea. Pamphlet No. 5, Tea Research Institute of East Africa, Kericho, Kenya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chu, H. M. (1975) Studies on soil properties and their grading for tea land improvement. Taiwan Tea Experiment Station Bulletin, No. 67, 35–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clowes, M. So. J. and Mitini-Nkhoma, S. P. (1987) Copper deficiency on young clonal tea growing close to Mulanje mountain. Quarterly Newsletter, Tea Research Foundation (Central Africa) (88), 13–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dey, S. K. (1969) A study of some soils from Assam, Central and East African tea areas. Two and a Bud, 16(2), 65–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Digitarius (1963) Tea without weeds — a T.R.I, summary. Tea, 3(6), 24–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eden, I. (1976) Tea, 3rd edn, Longman, London, pp. 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flemal, J. (1960) La fumure du theier au Kivu. Bulletin Agricole du Congo, 51(4), 807–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, U. and Singh, R. (1989) Biological and chemical factors affecting replanting in tea. Proceedings of the 31st Tocklai Conference, Tea Research Association Tocklai Experimental Station, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grice, W. J. and Malenga, N. E. A. (1987) Are your prunings still being stolen? Quarterly Newsletter Tea Research Foundation (Central Africa) (86), 11–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Haan, I. and Schoorel, A. F. (1940) Potash deficiency in tea culture (in Dutch with English summary). Archief voor de Theecultur 14, 43–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harler, C. R. (1971) Tea Growing, Oxford University Press, London, pp. 34–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishigaki, K. (1984) Influence of aluminium and boron on the growth and content of mineral elements of tea plants on sand culture method. Study of Tea, 66, 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, M. L. (1960) Soil Chemical Analysis, Prentice-Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayaraman, V. (1950) Report of the soil chemist, in United Planters Association of South India Annual Report 1950–51, Cinchona, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayaraman, V. (1951) Report of the soil chemist, in United Planters Association of South India Annual Report 1950–51, Cinchona, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinoshi, S., Miyamoto, S. and Taki, T. (1985) Stimulatory effects of aluminium on tea plant growth grown under high phosphorus supply. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 31 (3), 361–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. F. (1969) The development of leaf analysis as a guide to fertilization of tea bushes. Soils and Fertilizers, 32, 1085.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, H. H. (1935) Tea Soils, Technical Communication No. 32, Imperial Bureau of Soil Science, Harpenden, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, H. H. and Gokhale, N. G. (1960) Soils of tea growing tracts of India. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Scientists, 8, 191–200.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manipura, W. P. (1972) Influence of mulch and cover crop on surface run-off and soil erosion on tea lands during the early growth of replanted tea. Tea Quarterly 43(3), 95–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oniani, O. I. (1964) Diagnosis of the potassium fertilizer requirement of the tea plant. Fertilite, 21, 20–3.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Othieno, C. O. (1973a) Physical characterisation of soils, in Annual Report, Tea Research Institute of East Africa, Kericho, Kenya, pp. 38–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Othieno, C. O. (1973b) Effect of organic mulches on yields and phosphorus utilization by plants in acid soils. Plant and Soil, 38, 17–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Othieno, C. O. (1979) Estimates of removal of N, P and K by a clonal tea plant. Tea in East Africa, 19 (2), 11–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Othieno, C. O. (1980) Effects of mulches on soil water content and water status of tea plants in Kenya. Experimental Agriculture, 16, 295–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Othieno, C. O. and Laycock, D. H. (1977) Factors affecting soil erosion on a field of young tea. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad), 54(4), 323–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prillwitz P. M. H. (1932) Bemestingsproeven bij de theecultur. l. Proeven op jongvulcanische gebergtegronden. Archief voor de Theecultur, 6, 1–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritula, Z. V. (1967) Diagnostic of the nutrition of the tea plant under the conditions of the Krasnodar region. Soils and Fertilizers, 30, 941.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan, V. (1970) Genesis of fertilizer recommendation in tea. Bulletin of United Planters Association of South India Tea Scientific Department, 28, 39–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan V. (1976) Annual Report of the Chemistry Division United Planters Association of South India Tea Scientific Department, Tea Research Institute Cinchona, India, pp. 39–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan, V. (1979) Annual Report of the Chemistry Division, United Planters Association of Southern India Tea Scientific Department, pp. 46–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan, V. and Natesan, S. (1985) Potassium nutrition of tea, in Potassium in Agriculture, (ed. R. D. Munson), Agronomy Society of America, pp. 981–1022.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan V. and Natesan, S. (1987) Manuring of tea — recommendation for high yielding tea fields, in Handbook of Tea Culture, United Planters Association of South India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, E. W. (1973) Soil Conditions and Plant Growth, 10th edn, Longman, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandanam, S. S., Krishnapillai, S. and Sabaratnam, J. (1978) Nitrification of ammonium sulphate and urea in an acid yellow podzolic tea soil in Sri Lanka in relation to soil fertility. Plant and Soil, 49, 9–22.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, R. M. (1962) Summary of the soil survey observations on the Sambret valley. East African Agriculture and Forestry Journal, 27 (special issue), 22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaxson, T. F. and Hall, J. N. (1968) Handbook of Recommended Practices for Conservation of Water and Soil in the Tea Areas of Malawi, Tea Research Foundation (Central Africa), Mulanje, Malawi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sivasubramaniam, S. and Talibudeen, O. (1971) Effect of aluminium on growth of tea and its uptake of potassium and phosphorus. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 22, 325–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sivasubramaniam, S. and Talibudeen, O. (1972) Potassium exchange in acid soils I. Kinetic. Journal of Soil Sciences, 23(2), 165–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sombroek, W. G., Braun, H. M. H. and Van der Pouw, B. J. A. (1982) Exploratory Soil Map and Agro-climatic Zone Map of Kenya 1980, Ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi, Kenya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tea Research Association Annual Report (TRA) (1979/80) Tocklai Experimental Station.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) (1986) Tea Growers Handbook, 4th edn, Kericho, Kenya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Templer, J. C. and Machega, J. S. E. (1978) Replanting tea land to Guatemala grass. Tea, 18(1), 16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. S. (1941) Some lessons from a tour of the tea districts of India. East African Agriculture and Forestry Journal, 7, 24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolhurst, J. A. H. (1972) A re-appraisal of leaf analysis as a guide to fertilizer programmes. Tea, 13(1), 17–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolhurst, J. A. H. (1973) Zinc Deficiency in Tea. Pamphlet 21/73, Tea Research Institute of East Africa, Kericho, Kenya.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willson, K. C. (1966) Hutsites. Tea, 7(2), 22–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willson, K. C. (1967) Forms of nitrogen. Tea, 8(3), 11–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willson, K. C. (1969) The mineral nutrition of tea. Potash Review, 27, 49, 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willson, K. C. (1972) Paraquat, mulch and the mineral nutrition in tea. Outlook on Agriculture, 7(2), 74–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. C. O. Othieno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, University of Liverpool, UK

    K. C. Willson (Consultant in Tropical Agriculture) (Consultant in Tropical Agriculture)

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, UK

    M. N. Clifford (Leader, Food Safety Research Group) (Leader, Food Safety Research Group)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Othieno, C.O. (1992). Soils. In: Willson, K.C., Clifford, M.N. (eds) Tea. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2326-6_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2326-6_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5027-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-2326-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation