1.

Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms (Put “Tick Mark”)

(A) Primary Nutrients (NPK) (B) Secondary Nutrients (Mg, S)

Nutrient Symptoms Nutrient Symptoms
 Young flush shows a lighter than  Leaves appear bright yellow
normal green colour-yellowing Magnesium with a conspicuous inverted
Nitrogen (Seen on mature
dark green “V” down the
 Marked decline in crop leaves)
mid rib
 Glossiness loose by mature leaves
Phosphorous and dull appearance  Chlorotic symptoms
 Stunted plant appearance (yellowing) occur in younger
 Mature leaves marginal necrosis and recently formed leaves –
Premature leaf fall leaving a Tea yellows
crown of tender foliage
Sulphur
Potassium  Poor recovery after plucking and
pruning
 Formation of narrow laves
 Development of thin and twiggy
wood
(C) Micronutrients (B)
 Development of translucent oil spots on the lower
 Terminal bud remains dormant and early death
surface of mature leaves
 Upper axils development of clusters of small
 Formation of cork mound on the leaf stalk
shoots

2. Fertilizer Application:
Which type of fertilizers are applied in tea estate?
a) Chemical Fertilizer only
b) Organic Fertilizer only
c) Tea waste compost only
d) Chemical and organic
e) Green Manure
f) None of the above
If chemical fertilizers are used, how much quantity are applied in which frequency?

Composition Quantity Frequency

Fertilizers Types
Ammonium sulphate
Calcium Ammonium Nitrate
Urea
Rock phosphate
Ammonium phosphate (16:20)
Ammonium phosphate (20:20)
Potassium chloride
Potassium sulphate
Magnesium sulphate hepthahydrate
Magnesite (80% MgCO3)
Zinc sulphate hepthahydrate
Tea Compost
Green Manure

3. Pruning
3.1) When and how many times is the pruning applied in tea estate?

3.2) How is the prune waste managed?

a) Not required b) Collected and dumped for manure preparation c) Used for domestic purpose
3.3) Why is prune applied? (Apply “Tick” mark)
Shaping the tree to make the best use of space between trees
Initial vigor of the shoot system to stimulate growth
Control undue rise in bush frame and plucking
Removing dead, diseased and overage wood to rejuvenate bushes for productivity rise
Conductive to maximum
Crop production
Minimizes the spread of pests and diseases
Easy and cheap harvesting
Renewing the actively growing branches
Maintaining quality in made tea

Types of Prune (Use “Tick”)

Prune Types Reasons Cut Height Frequency (State Remarks
Months also) (Advantages /
Disadvantages)
Collar Pruning  Due to low dormancy  15 to 45 cm above
period the ground
 To provide a new  Other, if mention
fame to the plant ……………….
 To avoid
unproductive
branches affected
 By diseases and
pests
Medium  to reduce height of the  Below 50cm from
Pruning bushes (maintenance knot
of fixed height, i.e.  Above 50cm knot
80cm / …….  Other, if mention
 To avoid congestion on ……………….
the top
 For increasing
productivity
Top / Light  to renew the leaf  2 to 3 cm above
Pruning bearing branches (bush the last prune
cleaning).  Below 2 to 3cm
the last prune
Lung Pruning  to enable optimal 
growth of the plants
Skiffing  
Tipping  

Plucking Intervals
Pluck Type Plucked Month / Duration Frequency / plucking Remarks (Quantity)
(Mention the order season
as I, II, III in
brackets)
Fine / Medium
( )
Coarse
( )
Very Coarse
( )
Characteristic of CTC Tea
Grade Name
(Apply codes Production
Category Size Appearance
given in Quantity
notes)
 Biggest granular size tea with embedded
> 10 mesh fibre or clean appearance
 Bolder grade with granulation and black
> 12 mesh and clean appearance
CTC Leaf
 Medium sized and granular clean teas
Grade > 16 mesh  Medium granulation with a little flaky
particles
 Small sized and granular shape with a
> 24 mesh little flackiness
 Granular fine particles with clean
= 24 mesh appearances
> 30 mesh 
 Finer particles of dust with clan
CTC Dust > 40 mesh appearance smaller than PD
Grade  Black and clean powdery appearance
> 50 mesh smaller than RD
 Black clean very fine particles with heavy
= 50 mesh density
 Finer powdery dust clean fibre

Notes: Flower Pekoe (FP); Pekoe (PEK); Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP); Broken Pekoe (BP); Pekoe Fannings (PF);
Pekoe Fannings one (PF1); Pekoe Dust one (PD1); Pekoe Dust (PD); Red Dust (RD); Super Red Dust (SRD); Super
Fine Dust (SFD); Fine Dust (FD)

Diagnostics of soil quality indicators based on farmer experiences

Indicators Qualitative Soil Quality Indicators used by Farmers Answer
(“Tick”
wherever
applicable)
Soil organic matter Soil is dark-coloured and feels good to touch
Soil Chemical Based on yield response and observing plant growth
Fertility
Soil acidity Looking for the presence of selected weed species in the filed
Soil compaction Soil feels hard when ploughing or hoeing
Soil moisture Soil feels moist to the touch, observing the leaves at noon and evening
Surface (A horizon) Observing the depth of dark colored soil when ploughing hoeing
thickness
Soil erosion Observing the surface after the rain; Comparing year –to-year variation in
top soil depths
Soil structure Observing soil when ploughing or hoeing
Earthworm Observing earthworm casts at the surface in the morning or after rain
population
Weed incidence Observing evidence of weed species and communities in the filed

Farmer Perceptions of the change in soil properties with tea cultivation

Indicators No Change Increase Decrease No Idea
Soil organic matter
Soil chemical fertility
Soil acidity
Soil compaction
Moisture in dry season
Top soil thickness
Soil erosion
Soil structure
Earthworm Numbers
Weed incidence

Farmers’ Perception on Importance of Soil Quality

Ranking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Indicator SO Soil Soil Soil Moistur earthwor Soil Soil Top Soil Weed
s M Fertilit Compactio Structur e in dry m Erosio Acidit Thicknes Incidenc
y n e season numbers n y s e
Note: Each farmer will be ranked on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 amongst the most important and 10 will be the least
important

Pests and Pesticides Application

a) General
Q. Which type of pests are associated in the tea state?
Types “1” for Names of pests Tentative Persistent Remedial Remarks
presence Attack period Measure
and “0” Period
Root

Stem

Leaf

2. If you use chemical pesticides, for what purpose do you use them? (apply tick)
a) Weeds control b) Fungi / mold control c) Insect and pest control d) Others (if any, specify)
3) Which type of chemical pesticide do you prefer? a) Broad spectrum b) Pest specific c) Do not know
4) Which chemicals do you use in the tea estate?
S. N. Pesticides Applic Frequency Application Remarks
ation Period
Dose
Herbicides
Sickle(pretilachlor 50%)
RUNOUT (Glyphoste 41% S.L)
RUNOUT-71(Ammonium salt of Glyphosate
71% S.G)
SEIZURE(parquate dichloride 24% S.L)
Insecticides
RUBY
SENSEX GOLD (Imidacloprid 70% W.G)
SENSEX 200 S.L (Imidacloprid 17.8% S.L)
SLAYER (Thiamethoxam 25% W.G)
NIZE(Acetamipride 20% S.P)
CHETAK(Acephate 75% S.P)
MONOMAR(Monocrotophs 36% S.L)
SARPANCH(Deltamethrin 1% + Triazophos
35% E.C.)
AMAZER(Fenpyroximate 5%E.C)
 Herbicides
MERCURY (Carbendazim 12%+ Mancozeb
63% W.P)

5) Where do you buy these products? (apply tick)

a) Agricultural supplier b) Local shops c) Open market d) Other (if any, specify)
6) What do you consider before buying a pesticide?
a) Price b) Availability c) Toxicity d) Recommended by neighbor e) Others
7) Does the applied pesticide solve the pest problem? a) Yes b) No c) Do not know
8) Does the amount of pesticide used on tea estate increase or decrease each year? a) Increase b) decrease c)
Varies d) Don’t know
b) Pesticide Application – Knowledge and Practices
1) Who does spray / apply the pesticides?
a) Father b ) Mother c) Son d) Daughter e) Hired labour f) Others
2) Do you spray / apply pesticides yourself? Yes / No, If Yes
i. What do you wear when spraying? Normal clothes; Boots; Bare feet; Gloves; Handkerchief over mouth;
Cotton overallsl Disposable coveralls; Hats; Goggles; Spectacles; Others….
ii. Have you been trained in the proper use of protective equipment or clothing? Yes / No

3) Do you usually read the labels on pesticide containers? Yes / No

4) Have you ever brought chemical pesticides without a label or without instructions? Yes / No
5) Do you understand the instructios for use? Yes / No / Sometimes / Don’t know
6) Do you know the doses of every pesticide you use? Yes / No
7) Where do you store pesticides?
a) In the kitchen b) In the house c) In the Animal shed d) Elsewhere e) Others
8) What do you do with empty pesticide containers?
a) Use for water / food storage b) Sell them c) Scrappers d) Bury in the ground e) Nothing to do f) Others
9) Is there an expiry date on the container of pesticides that you use? Yes / No / Don’t know / Erased
10) Have you ever come across expired chemicals in the market? Yes / No
11) What do you do with expired pesticides?
a) Continuing in use b) Ask agro officer c) Self disposal in soil d) Others
18) Are you aware that some pesticides my now be obsolete and no longer suitable for use? Yes / No
19) What type of pesticide formulation do you use? Powder / Liquid Spray / Granules / Others
20) How do you apply powder pesticides? With hands / Mechanical device / Plastic bucket
21) How do you apply granuels? With hands / Can or tub / Mechanical device
22) How do you apply liquids? From a bottle / Backpack sprayer / Spinning disk / vehicle mounted sprayer
23)Where do you prepare pesticides before application?
a) Near community water source b) Near a river c) At home d) In your field
24) Do you follow instructions on the label to mix and prepare pesticides for application? Yes / No
25) If you do not follow instructions on the label, how do you decide on the corret dosage of to be used?
a) Advice from supplier b) Advice from agricultural office d( Experience e) Other farmers
26) Do you consider wind direction when you spray pesticides? Yes / No
27) Are there any water bodies near where you spray pesticides? Yes / No / Don’t know; If yes please specify: lakes
/dams; rivers; Others

Health and Environmental Impacts of the Pesticides

Is the use of pesticides
a) Always good b) sometimes good c) Sometimes harmful c) Always harmful d) Not effective e) Don’t know
28) what are the benefits to you from pesticide use?

29) Can chemical pesticides can be dangerous? Yes / No; If harmful, what is the damage?
a) To human health b) To Animal health c) To Wildlife d) Water bodies e) To all of these f) Others

30) What can be done to minimize the negative effects of the chemical pesticides?

31) Have you, or anyone else in the household ever felt any discomfort or illness after pesticide application?
Yes / No / Sometimes / Don’t know; If yes, what was your feeling? Nausea / Vomiting / Headache / Skin irritation /
Eye irritation / Long-term problems / Others

32) How did the incident happen?

a) During preparation / mixing b) During transport c) During disposal d) During application / spraying e) as result of
poor storage

comparative analysis for select socio economic environmental indicators (1 for yes and 0 for no)
Indicators CTC Workers Orthodox Workers
Occupational poor health
performance
Salary / income generation
Labour rights addressed
Impact on the community
Increased social
satisfaction