Tea plantations typically propagate tea plants through cuttings from selected plants, a practice that has largely replaced seed propagation. Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Selection of Mother Plants:
- Careful selection of healthy and high-yielding tea plants ("mother plants") with desirable characteristics is crucial. These traits could include disease resistance, leaf quality, and productivity.
2. Taking Cuttings:
- Cuttings, usually stem cuttings, are taken from the selected mother plants. These cuttings are typically a few inches long and include several leaves or nodes.
3. Rooting the Cuttings:
- The cuttings are often treated with rooting hormones to encourage root development.
4. Nursery Beds:
- The treated cuttings are then planted in nursery beds. These beds are typically filled with a well-draining growing medium, such as a mixture of sand, soil, and organic matter. The environment is kept humid and shaded to encourage root growth.
5. Time in Nursery:
- The cuttings remain in the nursery for approximately 12 to 18 months, allowing them to develop a strong root system and establish themselves.
6. Transplanting to the Plantation:
- Once the tea plants have matured sufficiently in the nursery, they are transplanted to the tea plantation.
7. Plantation Layout:
- The tea plants are planted in rows, with specific spacing depending on the tea variety and the desired density.
In Summary: Modern tea plantation relies heavily on vegetative propagation through cuttings to maintain desirable traits and ensure uniformity in the tea crop. The process involves selecting superior plants, taking cuttings, rooting them in nurseries, and finally transplanting the established plants to the plantation.
