International Forestry

andEnvironment

Symposium 2009

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A Comparative Evaluation of A Comparative Evaluation of Sustainability Indicators of VP Sustainability Indicators of VP and Seedling Tea in Nahavilla and Seedling Tea in Nahavilla

Organic ProjectOrganic Project

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G.D.O.C.KumarasiriDepartment of Plantation ManagementFaculty of Agriculture & Plantation ManagementWayamba University of Sri LankaMakandura Gonawila

Global awareness of health and environmental issues is spreading in the recent years

Also, sustainability in production has become the prime concern in agricultural development

Organic farming ensure air, water and soil around us

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IntroductionIntroduction

Definition of organic agriculture Definition of organic agriculture

Sustainable farming system where the cultivation is carried out without the use of chemically synthesized products such as pesticides, herbicides, hormones and activators

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Tea is comparatively a new entrant in the field of organic products

Sri Lanka was the first introduce organic tea to the world

Organic tea cultivation was first taken up in Sri Lanka in 1983

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Sri Lanka is the second major organic tea producer in the world

Total extent under organic tea production less than 1%

Organically grown tea fetches a 4 to 5 fold higher price than conventional tea

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Commercial estates growing Commercial estates growing organic tea organic tea NeedwoodIdalgashinna Bio tea ProjectKoslandeThotalagalaVenture Biofoods

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Sustainable parameters in organic tea has been reported and important in certification

Such information during in-conversion is scarce

present study was planned to compare and contrast the growth performance of tea during in-conversion to organic

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ObjectiveObjective

Evaluate shoot growth, yield and post prune recovery of VP and seedling mature tea during in-conversion period in organic tea project and see organic is sustainable during in-conversion period

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LocationNahavilla estate (In conversion Organic)

and Newburgh estate (Conventional) in Uva province IU3 agro-ecological region

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Materials & MethodsMaterials & Methods

CharacteristicsElevation 1420 m above mean sea levelThe soil is Red Yellow PodsolicSoil series MahawalatennapH ranges from 4.6 to 5.2CEC ranges from 2 to 8 c mol c kg-1

Conversion to organic in Nahavilla estate commenced in July 2007

20 months have been completed when research started

Nahavilla estate: International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) recommendations

Newburgh estate: crop and pest management guided by the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (TRISL)

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Following parameters monitored Following parameters monitored

1. Shoot growth

2. Yield

3. Foliar pests and diseases

4. Post prune and tipping

Crop responses of VP and seedling tea of Nahavilla and Newburgh estates monitored during April – June 2009

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VPCultivar TRI 2025Planted in year 1978Third year after pruning

Seedling fieldsOver 100 years oldSecond year after pruning

1.1. Shoot growth Shoot growth From each field, 15 bushes were selected

Shoots were marked using small aluminum tags

Length of shoot measured once a week initially and twice a week when the growth is rapid

The measurements were taken until it reached the pluckable stage

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2.2. Yield Yield

Take the fresh weight of each pluck

50 g was oven dried over night at 80 0C

Compare the difference between estates average yields and experimental yield

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3.3. Pest and disease incidence Pest and disease incidence in foliagein foliage

Number of total shoots

Healthy shoots

Tea tortrix and blister blight affected shoot counted separately

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4.4. Tipping data post prune Tipping data post prune

Field No. “4 VP” of Nahavilla in fourth prune was selected to assess the tipping measurements

Ten bushes of each selected plot from pruned field and evaluate post prune recovery

Tipping data were taken 20 weeks after pruning

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Results & DiscussionResults & Discussion

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Weather Weather

During the study period, a mean rainfall of 185 mm month-1 was received

Standard deviation of monthly rainfall was 23.39 mm month-1

That is represented weather in Uva during this spell

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1.1. Shoot growth VP Shoot growth VP

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Shoot growth seedling Shoot growth seedling

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2.2. Yield VP Yield VP

24Means with same letters represent non-significant differences (P=0.05)

a

Yield seedling Yield seedling

25Means with same letters represent non-significant differences (P=0.05)

a

3.3. Tea tortrix indexTea tortrix index

Means with same letters represent non-significant differences (P=0.05)

a

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Blister blight index Blister blight index

Means with same letters represent non-significant differences (P=0.05) 27

4.4. Post Prune Tipping DataPost Prune Tipping Data

Mean fresh weight of the tipping 966 kg ha-1 in Nahavilla estate

The mean number of shoots 30 per bush

Under Uva conditions, organic system has showed positive responses in crop establishment after pruning

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ConclusionsConclusions

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The yield and shoot growth did not show significant differences when compared with the conventional management system

Also, comparatively low incidence of tea tortrix and blister blight was found in the organically management system

The crop response following pruning of VP tea was positive

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Organic management practices help to establish and maintain general bush health, vigor and performance in tea during conversion to organic

Growing tea under organic system positive and feasible and a non stress causing practice in tea

The economic and practical applications of the organic practices under Uva conditions needed to be established for better adherence

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Economically feasible investment for long-term

We conclude Nahavilla organic project as a sustainable organic project

Studies on additional parameters are pending to elucidate the effects on,

ecological sustainability environmental friendly economic viability

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AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements Dr. I. S. B. Abeysinghe, Director, Tea Research Institute of Sri

Lanka, Talawakele

Mr. N. Wikramasinghe, General Manager, Hapugasthanna Plantation Mr. A.U.G. Weerasinghe, Manager, Newburgh estate

Field staff of the two estates and staff members of the Entomology and Nematology Division of TRI, Talawakele

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