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The Darjeeling branch of Tea Research Association (TRA) was established in 1964. Since then, this Advisory branch has been functioning to meet the needs of almost all gardens in the Darjeeling Hills. A clonal proving station was set up in 1967 at Ging T. E. with 2 acres of old tea areas spared by the then Darjeeling Co. Ltd (presently Darjeeling Plantation Industries Limited) to screen planting materials. The branch has a soil-testing laboratory to cater to the needs of the area. ActivitiesThe branch's basic objective is transfer of technology through advisory visits, field demonstrations for grass root level workers, Area Scientific Committee (ASC) seminars on agriculture and manufacturing, quarterly advisory bulletin, etc. The ASC seminars on Agriculture are held annually and on Manufacture once in two years. The soil-testing laboratory offers analytical service to the member estates at a nominal cost. Till date, the clonal proving station (CPS) at Ging T.E. has released 28 clones and 3 seed stocks for commercial propagation out of 142 clones and 17 seed stocks tried. The station also raises mother bushes of released clones and provides cuttings to the members for propagation. Tea Cultivation in DarjeelingDarjeeling is situated at high altitude in Special features of Darjeeling TeaDarjeeling tea is famous for its muscatel flavour. The aroma of Darjeeling tea constitutes several compounds, some of which are inherent within the tea shoots and some are formed during processing. Dry weather with cold windy nights, mistic atmosphere with low sunshine hours are favourable for biogenesis of terpenoid compounds. Some volatile flavour compounds (VFC) are formed during processing i.e. withering, rolling, fermentation and drying of black tea. Out of the around 700 VFC's identified so far, 22 are significant for Darjeeling tea. These are classified into terpenoids and non- terpenoids. The important characteristics of Darjeeling tea are:
Soil & water managementSpecial emphasis is given on water management in hill slopes of Darjeeling. Planting of grasses like Sabai grass (Bilibia binata), Amlesho (Thysonaline agrotis, Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus), etc., which help in binding soil particles along the drain and road sides, inside tea areas in continuous rows across the slope at surface intervals of 10-12 m is recommended to reduce soil erosion. Pests & diseasesThe most frequent pests in Darjeeling tea gardens are red spider, thrips, green fly and to some extent Helopeltis, red slug and flush worm. The important diseases in Darjeeling are blister blight (leaf disease), black rot (leaf disease), aglaospora and poria (branch/stem diseases). Darjeeling Advisory Centredarjeeling@tocklai.netAdvisory Officer-in-ChargeR.K.Baruah@tocklai.netFor more information and service, contact:
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foothills of the Himalayas. In Darjeeling most of the tea estates are under the
Old Chinery seed jat, China hybrid and also some Assam hybrid in the gardens
situated in the lower elevation. All tea gardens have a certain percentage of
their tea cultivation under the clones released by TRA from CPS Ging T.E. and
Tocklai. The whole of central and western Darjeeling tea district is on soils
developed in situ on gneiss. The soil is chocolate coloured loam with high
organic matter. The soils on eastern part of the district are on micaceous
schist and vary from loam to sandy loam in texture.