EFFECT OF DIFFERENT NITROGENOUS FERTILIZERS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF THREE YEARS OLD TEA (Camellia sinensis) PLANTS

Effect of different nitrogenous fertilizers on the growth and yield of three years old tea (Camellia sinensis L) plants was investigated at National Tea Research Institute, Shinkiari, (Mansehra) during 2005-06. The nitrogenous fertilizers used were ammonium sulphate, calcium ammonium nitrate, urea and nitrophos along with control receiving no fertilizer. All the nitrogenous fertilizers were applied at the rate of 100 kg N acre along with the constant doses of P and K (25 kg, 15 kg acre, respectively). It was found that effect of all the fertilizers on increase of plant height, plant canopy, fresh tea leaves yield and made tea yield was non significant at 5% probability, however ammonium sulphate produced the highest increase in plant height (63.95 cm), plant canopy (3763.3 cm), fresh tea leaves yield (1695.50 kg acre) and made tea yield (339.30 kg acre) compared to the other fertilizer treatments. Regarding made tea yield, the response of other fertilizers was in the order of nitrophos (327.40 kg acre), urea (322.80 kg acre) and calcium ammonium nitrate (314.16 kg acre) respectively. Minimum made tea yield (253.40 kg acre) was recorded in control. Ammonium sulphate as a source of nitrogen (100 kg acre) along with P (25 kg acre) and K (15 kg acre) is recorded for the best growth and yield of tea under the agroclimatic condition of Mansehra, Pakistan.