Research Projects

Potassium (K) uptake and distribution significantly impact tea plant cultivation, affecting yield and quality. In North East India, depleted K reserves in soils indicate K limitation. Potassium-mobilizing bacteria (KMB) play a crucial role in releasing immobile K from minerals, influencing soil mineral availability, fertility, and plant growth regulation. Utilizing KMBs as biofertilizers can improve K availability and ensure environmental sustainability in tea cultivation. K content in mature leaves and ash is a reliable indicator for identifying K deficiency in India. However, specific studies on tea availability, uptake, and distribution are limited. statistical modeling, FIAM, and sAMOE methods can help understand K chemistry and distribution in tea soils and identify the optimal KMB biofertilizer. studying native KMB and efficient microbial consortia can further enhance K availability, leading to increased high-quality tea production and promoting environmental and agricultural sustainability in tea cultivation.