Evaluation of compatibility and nursery performance of graft combinations in tea (Camellia spp.)

摘要

South Indian tea industry is confronted with poor productivity of the old seedling populations, heightened production cost and poor price realization. To overcome these constraints, the approach of replanting old unproductive tea plantations with highyielding and high quality clones is being recommended (Ilango, 2007). The tea growing areas in south India generally experience a drought period from mid-December to mid- March. Occasionally, indeterminate delays in the summer rains and early termination of North-East monsoon stretch the drought from end November to April-May. This dry season adversely affects the replanted areas as well as the young tea plants planted as infills leading to extensive casualty (Rajasekar et ah, 1988). Even though several tea clones with superior yield and high quality have been released, the modest drought tolerance level of the high yielding clones and poor yield potential of high quality clones are issues of great concern that need to be addressed immediately.