Experimental Agriculture

Table of Contents - 1982 - Volume 18, Issue 01  

Research Article

Environmental Factors Affecting the Yield of Tea (Camellia sinensis). II. Effects of Soil Temperature, Day Length, and Dry Air

T. W. Tantona1 p1

a1 Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa, PO Box 51, Mulanje, Malawi

SUMMARY

Temperature is the major environmental variable affecting the yield of tea, but within the framework of a temperature model shoot extension is severely depressed when daily maximum vapour pressure deficits rise above 2.3 kPa. Day length does not affect shoot extension when the nights are cool (10°C), but growth rate is depressed by short days (11 h) when nights are warm (20°C). Soil temperatures between 18–25°C do not affect shoot extension.

(Accepted August 08 1981)

Correspondence:

p1 Present address: Department of Civil Engineering, The University, Southampton, UK.