TEA PLUCKING

Plucking in tea refers to harvesting or tender apical shoots growing above the pre-determined plucking table. Besides giving crop, it encourages regeneration of new shoots, checks vertical growth of bushes and keeps them in vegetative phase. Plucking accounts for 70 - 80% of total cost of green leaf production.

Maintenance Foliage

The shoots left below the plucking table provide nourishment and sustenance to the pluckable shoots, known as maintenance foliage. Depth of maintenance foliage is controlled by tipping.

In a pruned bush, primary shoots arise from the dormant buds on the pruned sticks. These are decapitated or tipped at pre-determined height to maintain the depth of maintenance foliage and make a plucking table. The following tipping measures are recommended for different types of prunes.

Janam (scale leaf) plucking, Fish leaf plucking and Mother leaf plucking are the common systems followed in different parts of world. For Kangra valley, Janam plucking system has been found to be the most suitable. This system denotes the plucking to Janam at the plucking table.

Standard Plucking: In this method, all shoots at plucking table, excluding very fine shoots like small one-leaf-&-a-bud and unopened buds, are plucked. It is a general recommended practice carried out at 5-9 days interval. For Kangra valley, standard or normal shoots consisting of large one-leaf & bud, two-leaves & bud and single banjhi should be plucked for maintaining the unique quality of tea of this region.

Black Plucking: Plucking all shoot, at plucking table leaving behind only unopened buds is termed as Black plucking. It is somewhat hard plucking system, normally done at an Interval of 8-11 days. It is also recommended during first flush, when plucking goes beyond control owing to paucity of labour vis-à-vis fast shoot growth; during period of high occurrence of banjhi shoots; disease infection (e.g. blister blight) or insect attack (e.g. thrips).

It refers to the time gap in days between two successive plucking. It is determined on the basis of pruning/skiffing operation, rate of shoot growth, and system of plucking followed. Normally, plucking interval should be 5 -7 days during first flush, 7-8 days during main or monsoon flush and 8-9 days in backend flush. Plucking interval is short by 2 days in pruned sections than unpruned ones.

PL3

Tea Flushes

Tea in Kangra valley flushes from end March to end October. Based on rate of shoot growth, the plucking period may be divided into three distinct flushes - the first or early flush (end March to end May), the main or monsoon flush (mid June to mid September), and the backend flush (mid September to season end). The distribution of crop in different flushes is as below:

Pruning Operation	Crop Distribution
Early Flush	Main Flush	Backend Flush
Unpruned	40	50	10
Deep Skiffed	15	65	20
Light Pruned	8	70	22
Overall (60%-80% uppruned)	35	50	15

This flush has paramount importance as it is the quality flush of whole season. In this flush, the rate of shoot growth is rapid, and after unfolding 2-3 leaves the shoats turn banjhi affecting the crop quality. The flush come into full bloom within 2-3 weeks, and consequently the crop management becomes difficult.

Start standard plucking even when few bushes assume flush and follow up at an interval of 3-4 days.
From mid April to mid May, standard plucking at weekly interval should be adopted.
In the event of labour shortage and high occurrence of banjhi shoots, black plucking at 9-10 days interval can be followed.

Due to favorable weather conditions, the shoot growth is fast, particularly in pruned and deep skiffed sections. In unpruned sections, occurrence of banjhi shoots also increases.

Standard plucking should be followed at an interval of 6-8 days in unpruned, and 5-6 days in pruned/deep skiffed sections.
In general, black plucking should be avoided. It may only be followed when situations as 3 above exist.

In this flush, the shoot growth slows down with quick hardening of shoots with time. The percentage of banjhi shoots increases rapidly. The active shoots loose lustre. The table becomes uneven due to continuous plucking.

1. In unpruned section, pluck black at 10 -12 days interval to avoid excessive banjhiness on the plucking table.

2. In pruned sections, pluck standard at 7-9 days interval.

3. Avoid damaging the top layer of maintenance foliage.

During leaf grading fineness of plucked crop is determined by number of intact leaves on the Shoots, presence of banjhi shoots and proportion of loose and cut leaves. Shoots longer than two-leaves & a bud, and double banjhi (medium, coarse and very coarse shoots) reduce fineness. Occurrence of loose and cut leaves, even if succulent, are considered non-fine component.

Stripping of shoots, longer plucking interval, and continuous unpruaed condition of bush reduce the fineness of crop. By adopting normal standard of plucking, 75 to 85% fine can be achieved. Style of plucking and crop-quality has direct relationship. Breaking back should be followed after harvesting the standard shoots, if pluckable shoots are oversized. Bad plucking and stripping also affect the regeneration of shoots.

Mechanical Plucking
Shortage of manual labour, low efficiency in manual plucking, high labour wages, and additional manpower requirement during peak flush period necessitate mechanical plucking. Main advantages of mechanical plucking are: high efficiency, low plucking cost, time saving, and uniform plucking table. But it has also some limitations like: decline in leaf quality, difficulty in use in high sloppy land, and difficulty in repair and maintenance of the machines.
The different types of machines are:

Manual shears
Simplest form or mechanization, plucking efficiency two to three fold of hand plucking, do not require special maintenance.

The simple forms of fuel operated machines, suitable for hilly area are-
Single man oriented machine: Plucking efficiency 8-10 fold or hand plucking, initial cost Rs.1 Lakh.
Two men oriented flat type or domes shaped machine: Plucking efficiency 15-20 fold of hand plucking, initial cost. Rs 1.6 Lakh.

Occurrence of hail is a common feature, particularly in the month of April-May, which causes considerable damage.

1. Pluck damaged tea section over one leaf to re-establish the maintenance foliage on the plucking table.

2. Spray mixture of endosulfan and copper fungicide, one part of each in 400 parts of water, within a day of hail occurrence to prevent insect pest and diseases.

3. Tipping level of pruned or deep Skiffed tea bushes should not be changed.

1. Always follow standard plucking to janam to prevent excessive rise or plucking table. Break back janam when shoots are oversized.

2. Use backpack type of basket for leaf collection. Plucking with one hand while holding basket with other reduces plucking efficiency.

3. Sections having uneven plucking table should be leveled off by skiffing at the end of first flush.
4. Banjhi shoots at plucking table should be removed after each flush, as these take longer period to regenerate than axillary buds.

5. The plucked leaf should be spread on a cool shady floor, with maximum layer depth of l5 cm. The leaf should be given turning after each hour to avoid build up of heat.

6. Plucking in section due for heavy pruning, should be abandoned 2-3 weeks prior to season end.

7. Spray of 2-3 rounds of urea 2%, zinc 2% and magnesium 1%, at 2-3 weeks interval. Improves tea bush flushing, particularly during drought period. Routine spray of agrochemicals should be done at the earliest and always after plucking to reduce residues in the crop.

8. Weeds within bush retard plucking efficiency. Hence, weeding should be done in time.

9. Shade trees, besides many benefits, help improve working conditions and thereby elevate the plucking efficiency, particularly in summer and rains.

Don'ts
1. Strictly avoid stripping of leaves, particularly during peak flush period.
2. Do not pluck side shoots and shoots below the level of plucking table.
3. Do not hold shoots very tightly while plucking.
4. Upper layer of maintenance foliage should not be damaged while plucking.
5. Do not keep the plucking baskets on tea bushes.