Seasonal variation of copper, manganese and zinc in tea (Camellia sinensis L.) growing soils of Jorhat District of Assam.

Bobita Payeng; R. Samanta; Tanmoy Karak

Volume : X, Issue : IV, April - 2020

Seasonal variation of copper, manganese and zinc in tea (Camellia sinensis L.) growing soils of Jorhat District of Assam.

Bobita Payeng, R. Samanta, Tanmoy Karak

Abstract :

INTRODUCTION: Growing tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plant coupled with climatic variations affect the micronutrients status in soil. The present study discerns the seasonal variation of selected micronutrients, viz. copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in soil samples collected from the five tea estates of Jorhat district, Assam, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Soil samples were collected in the summer, monsoon and winter season from 2016 to 2018. Cu, Mn and Zn were estimated in soil samples following tri–acid digestion protocol using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. RESULTS: In soil, total Cu content ranged from 5.50 to 39.00 mg kg–1, 4.50 to 25.00 mg kg–1 and 5.00 to 23.50 mg kg–1 in summer, monsoon and winter season respectively. The same for Mn ranged from 24.98 to 226.00 mg kg–1, 5.00 to 147.50 mg kg–1, and 5.00 to 142.50 mg kg–1. Zn ranged from 45.00 to 230.00 mg kg–1, 9.50 to 90.00 mg kg–1, 25.99 to 350.00 mg kg–1 in summer, monsoon and winter season respectively. CONCLUSION: From the experimental results it has been observed that Cu and Mn concentrations in soil were higher in summer followed by monsoon and winter. However, for Zn it was observed that Zn concentration was higher in summer and winter but lower in monsoon. The concentration of Mn is generally high in tea growing soils with respect to Cu and Zn.