World Journal of Applied Chemistry

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Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers

Received: 08 June 2020    Accepted: 20 June 2020    Published: 04 July 2020
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Abstract

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is the top foreign exchange earner in Kenya. Its demand is relatively high and this has triggered increased production. Manufacturing companies have also stiff competitions amongst themselves on the aspect of branding. However, for quality assurance and high productivity, the nature of fertilizer in regard to its nutrients has played a major role. This study investigated the effects of blended NPK (Nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium) fertilizer on tea crop productivity in different growing regions of Kenya. The optimum sustainable rate of fertilizer application was also determined. Different rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 Kg/ha/Yr (kilogram per hectare per year) were used. A randomized complete block design was applied and the sample clone was Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) 6/8. The samples, composed of two leaves and a bud, were randomly picked, dried and ground into powder. Each sample was heated to ash in a muffle furnace, cooled and digested using 50% double acid of HNO3 and HCl with H2O2. Desorption was done using HCl and samples allowed to settle before being aspirated into an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OPS). They were reweighed and digested for determination of total percentage nitrogen.; This was followed by distillation before titration with ammonium borate solution and HCl. Data analysis was done using MSTAT statistical package. The results revealed that the percentage accumulation of elements was highest when blended fertilizer was applied at a lower rate of 75 Kg N/Ha/Yr. compared to standard compounded fertilizer, which required higher rates of up to 225 Kg N/Ha/Yr. for accumulation of nutrients. Blended fertilizer was therefore found to be more economical and highly yielding than Standard compounded fertilizer, as a lower rate of application still led to higher accumulation of elements which is directly proportional to higher yield and quality in tea.

DOI 10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12
Published in World Journal of Applied Chemistry (Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2020)
Page(s) 20-25
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Camellia Sinensis, Fertilizer, Tea, Productivity, Desorption

References
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[2] A. B. Sharangi. Medicinal and therapeutic potentialities of tea (Camellia sinensis L.). Food Research InternationalVolume 42, Issues 5–6, June–July 2009, Pages 529-535.
[3] N. P. Seeram, S. M. Henning,. Niu, Y., Lee, R., Scheuller, H. S., & Heber, D. (2006). Catechin and caffeine content of green tea dietary supplements and correlation with antioxidant capacity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54 (5), 1599–1603.
[4] L.-S. Lee, S.-H. Kim, Y.-B. Kim, Y.-C. Kim. Quantitative analysis of major constituents in green tea with different plucking periods and their antioxidant activity. Molecules, 2014, 19 (7), 9173–9186.
[5] N. K. Fageria, V. C Baligar. Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in crop plants. Advances in Agronomy, 2005, 88, 97–185.
[6] Cheruiyot, E.; Mumera, L.; Ng’etich, W.; Hasanali, A.; Wachira, F. (2009). High Fertilizer Rates Increase Susceptibility of Tea to Water Stress. Journal of Plant Nutrition 33: 115-129.
[7] Drinnan, E. (2008) Fertilizer Strategies for Mechanical Tea Production. RIRDC Publication No. 08/030.
[8] 5 Owuor, P. O.; Othieno, C. O.; Kamau, D. M.; Wanyoko, J. K. (2012). Effects of long-term fertilizer use on a high yielding tea clone AHP S15/10: Soil pH, mature leaf nitrogen, mature leaf and soil phosphorus and potassium. International Journal of Tea Science, 8 (1): 15-51.
[9] Sitienei K, Kamiri HW, Nduru GM, Kamau DM, Nyabundi WK, Morogo M. Effects of Blended Fertilizers on Yields of Mature Clonal Tea grown in Kenyan Highlands. International Journal of Tea Science 2019; 14 (1):36-43.
[10] Barnes B. and Fortune T. (2014). Blending & Spreading FertilizerPhysical Properties.
[11] Beegle D. (1985). Comparing Fertilizer Materials. Agronomy sheet 6. Penn State extension.
[12] E. Anitha, V. Praveena, N. G. Ramesh Babu And P. Manasa Enumeration Of Foliar Fertilizer Efficiency In India’s Top Commercial Crop-Tea International Journal Of Innovative Research In Science, Engineering And Technology. Vol. 2, Issue 12, December 2013.
[13] D. J. Connor, R. S. Loomis,; K. G Cassman,. Crop ecology: productivity and management in agricultural systems. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
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[15] T. Karak, R. M Bhagat. Trace elements in tea leaves, made tea and tea infusion: A review. Food Research International, 2010, 43 (9), 2234–2252.
[16] P. O. Owuor, D. M., Kamau, S. M., Kamunya, S. W. M.; Somba, M. A. Uwimana, A. W. Okal,; B. O. Kwach. Effects of genotype, environment and management on yields and quality of black tea. In Genetics, Biofuels and Local Farming Systems 2011, pp. 277–307. Springer.
[17] B. K. Yadav, A. S. Sidhu. Dynamics of potassium and their bioavailability for plant nutrition. In Potassium solubilizing microorganisms for sustainable agriculture, Springer, 2016 pp. 187–201.
[18] S. B. Sharma, R. Z. Sayyed, M. H. Trivedi, T. A. Gobi. Phosphate solubilizing microbes: sustainable approach for managing phosphorus deficiency in agricultural soils. SpringerPlus, 2013, 2 (1), 587. Z.-H. Wang,; S. X. Li,; B. A. Stewart. Responses of crop plants to ammonium and nitrate N. In Advances in agronomy. 2013, Vol. 118, pp. 205–397.
[19] R. N. Roy, A. Finck,, G. J. Blair,; H. L. S. Tandon. Plant nutrition for food security. A Guide for Integrated Nutrient Management. FAO Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition Bulletin, 2006, 16, 368.
[20] B. R. Bunt. Media and mixes for container-grown plants: a manual on the preparation and use of growing media for pot plants. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
[21] O. Miserque and E. Pirard. Segregation of the Bulk Blend Fertilizers. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems. 2004, 74 (1), pp. 215-224.
Author Information
  • Department Research and Extension, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya

  • Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya

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    Evans Kenanda Okemwa, Jepkemei Naum Kirwa. (2020). Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers. World Journal of Applied Chemistry, 5(2), 20-25. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12

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    Evans Kenanda Okemwa; Jepkemei Naum Kirwa. Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers. World J. Appl. Chem. 2020, 5(2), 20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12

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    AMA Style

    Evans Kenanda Okemwa, Jepkemei Naum Kirwa. Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers. World J Appl Chem. 2020;5(2):20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12,
      author = {Evans Kenanda Okemwa and Jepkemei Naum Kirwa},
      title = {Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers},
      journal = {World Journal of Applied Chemistry},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {20-25},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjac.20200502.12},
      abstract = {Tea (Camellia sinensis) is the top foreign exchange earner in Kenya. Its demand is relatively high and this has triggered increased production. Manufacturing companies have also stiff competitions amongst themselves on the aspect of branding. However, for quality assurance and high productivity, the nature of fertilizer in regard to its nutrients has played a major role. This study investigated the effects of blended NPK (Nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium) fertilizer on tea crop productivity in different growing regions of Kenya. The optimum sustainable rate of fertilizer application was also determined. Different rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 Kg/ha/Yr (kilogram per hectare per year) were used. A randomized complete block design was applied and the sample clone was Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) 6/8. The samples, composed of two leaves and a bud, were randomly picked, dried and ground into powder. Each sample was heated to ash in a muffle furnace, cooled and digested using 50% double acid of HNO3 and HCl with H2O2. Desorption was done using HCl and samples allowed to settle before being aspirated into an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OPS). They were reweighed and digested for determination of total percentage nitrogen.; This was followed by distillation before titration with ammonium borate solution and HCl. Data analysis was done using MSTAT statistical package. The results revealed that the percentage accumulation of elements was highest when blended fertilizer was applied at a lower rate of 75 Kg N/Ha/Yr. compared to standard compounded fertilizer, which required higher rates of up to 225 Kg N/Ha/Yr. for accumulation of nutrients. Blended fertilizer was therefore found to be more economical and highly yielding than Standard compounded fertilizer, as a lower rate of application still led to higher accumulation of elements which is directly proportional to higher yield and quality in tea.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Optimization of Camellia sinensis Crop Productivity by Use of Blended Fertilizers
    AU  - Evans Kenanda Okemwa
    AU  - Jepkemei Naum Kirwa
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12
    T2  - World Journal of Applied Chemistry
    JF  - World Journal of Applied Chemistry
    JO  - World Journal of Applied Chemistry
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    EP  - 25
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20200502.12
    AB  - Tea (Camellia sinensis) is the top foreign exchange earner in Kenya. Its demand is relatively high and this has triggered increased production. Manufacturing companies have also stiff competitions amongst themselves on the aspect of branding. However, for quality assurance and high productivity, the nature of fertilizer in regard to its nutrients has played a major role. This study investigated the effects of blended NPK (Nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium) fertilizer on tea crop productivity in different growing regions of Kenya. The optimum sustainable rate of fertilizer application was also determined. Different rates of 0, 75, 150 and 225 Kg/ha/Yr (kilogram per hectare per year) were used. A randomized complete block design was applied and the sample clone was Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) 6/8. The samples, composed of two leaves and a bud, were randomly picked, dried and ground into powder. Each sample was heated to ash in a muffle furnace, cooled and digested using 50% double acid of HNO3 and HCl with H2O2. Desorption was done using HCl and samples allowed to settle before being aspirated into an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OPS). They were reweighed and digested for determination of total percentage nitrogen.; This was followed by distillation before titration with ammonium borate solution and HCl. Data analysis was done using MSTAT statistical package. The results revealed that the percentage accumulation of elements was highest when blended fertilizer was applied at a lower rate of 75 Kg N/Ha/Yr. compared to standard compounded fertilizer, which required higher rates of up to 225 Kg N/Ha/Yr. for accumulation of nutrients. Blended fertilizer was therefore found to be more economical and highly yielding than Standard compounded fertilizer, as a lower rate of application still led to higher accumulation of elements which is directly proportional to higher yield and quality in tea.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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