Chemistry of tea

• Identification and quantification of biochemical parameters in tea shoot and black teas responsible for quality.
• Biochemical optimization of different stages of processing.
• Biochemical study as an aid to selection of superior tea cultivars.

Enzymology

• Extraction, purification and characterization of key enzymes and their role in influencing physiology of growth and quality parameters in made tea.
• Identification of some of the key enzymes as molecular marker for selection of planting material in terms of quality, yield and resistant to abiotic stresses.

Plant Nutrition

• Role of macro and micronutrients on Nitrogen assimilating enzymes.
• Effect of inorganic fertilizers, organic manures, micronutrients and bio-fertilizer on chemical constituents of tea shoots and quality parameters of black teas.

Advisory services to tea industry:

• Testing of water samples for suitability to tea factory.
• Calibration of moisture meters for tea factories.
• Optimization of fermentation in commercial tea gardens using Tocklai Fermentation Test.
• ISO and BIS ring tests.

Instruments Facilities Present in the Deptt.:

Equipments:

• High Performance Liquid Chromatography. (HPLC)
• High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography. (HPTLC)
• Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC).
• Spectrophotometers.
• Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC).
• Electrophoresis System.
• GC Mass Spectrometer (GCMS).
• High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge.

Equipments in Pilot Scale Diversified Plant.

• Super Critical Fluid Extractor (SCFE).
• Spray Dryer
• Counter Current Extractor
• 4Thin Film Evaporator.

Projects