In Kenya, foliar fertilizers have not found use in tea production despite their numerous advantages as exhibited in other crops. A fertilizer trial test was established in three sites of the major tea growing regions, with 36 plots per site to determine the effects of foliar fertilizer application on tea quality. Two foliar fertilizers were tested; foliar fertilizer 1 (FF1) and foliar fertilizer 2 (FF2), with a positive control of soil fertilizer (SF) and a blank. Two leaves and a bud tea samples were collected every two weeks after each foliar fertilizer application. These were then analyzed for tea quality (total polyphenols, TP), nutrient residues for the different clones and geographical locations. The TP contents for clone TRFK 31/8 were as follows: FF1 = 17.8%, FF2 = 17.9%, SF = 16.56% and Zero = 17.4%. Tukey-Kramer pair wise comparison test results between the foliar fertilizers and SF showed that the FF1 (HSD = 4.78) and FF2 (HSD = 5.27) fertilizers had significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of TP content as compared to control SF fertilizer. Nutrients analyzed had average means as follows: N = 4% -5%, P = 0.25% -0.28%, K = 1.35% -1.69%, Ca = 0.3 -0.5 ppm, Mg = 0.19 -0.27 ppm, Mn = 0.05 -0.13 ppm, Zn = 25 -40.5 ppm, Cu = 11 -17 ppm and Fe = 72 -122 ppm. The nutrient residue levels had non-significantly statistical differences at P < 0.05 level between pairs of zero applied plots and the FF1, FF2 and SF applied plots respectively. It was concluded that the foliar fertilizers increased the TP content in tested tea samples and the nutrients analyzed were all within the dietary reference intake (DRI) levels for SF, FF1 and FF2. Overall, the foliar fertilizer increased the quality of the tested tea samples.
Economic evaluation analysis of foliar (NPK) fertilizer on tea yields was investigated on three varieties of tea grown in the Kenyan Highlands. Foliar fertilizers trial was setup on three sites, Meru, Kirinyaga and Kericho, comprising of 36 plots per site. Two foliar fertilizer types, Foliar Fertilizer 1 (FF1) and Foliar Fertilizer 2 (FF2), a positive control of Soil Fertilizer (SF) and a blank (FF0) were used to standardize the method. Yield analysis in Meru site showed significant increase (HSD=4.9, p≤0.05) after FF1 full rate application. SF had significant yield increases for all its rates from zero rate (HSD= 49, 44, 19, p≤0.05) for half, full and double rates respectively. FF2 had no yield increase after its application. The economic rates were determined to be full rate for FF1 and SF and half rate for FF2 in Kericho site; half rate for all fertilizer types Kirinyaga site; double rate for FF2 and SF and full rate for FF1 in Meru site. The profitable rates were: double rate for SF across all sites and for FF1 and FF2 in Meru site; full rate for FF1 and half rate for FF2 in Kericho and Kirinyaga sites respectively.
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