The role of microbes in tea cultivation

Publication date: 19/02/2018
Extent: 34 pages

Contributions by: P. N. Bhattacharyya and S. R. Sarmah, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, India

Chapter synopsis: Tea crops can suffer from nutrient deficiencies, attack by a variety of pests and pathogens and climatic stresses, which result in considerable crop losses. However, the application of synthetic chemicals to alleviate crop loss has exerted a detrimental impact on the tea ecosystem. Plant growth–promoting microorganisms play an essential role in maintaining sustainable tea cultivation and ecosystem restoration, thereby promoting primary productivity and inducing systemic resistance of plants to diverse pests and diseases. Beneficial soil microorganisms may exhibit mechanisms such as phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, biological nitrogen fixation, potash mobilization, rhizosphere engineering and production of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase and phytohormone in plants. This chapter summarizes and discusses recent progress regarding the understanding of tea soil microflora and its significance to tea plantations. The selection of microbial bioagents might represent a reliable component in the management of significant tea diseases in order to achieve sustainable tea production.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0036.24