Evaluation, enhancement and conservation of tea germplasm in Kangra Valley

Due to wide genetic variability in tea populations created by the indiscriminate early introductions and free hybridization among them, clonal selection to exploit natural variability for the improvement of tea has been advocated. The bush population even in a single small field of tea shows great variation in growth, branching habit, size, shape, texture and pose of the leaf, as well as in the inherent quality and yield of the bushes. Keeping this in mind 200 bushes were selected at Chambi Tea Estate in Kangra Valley on phenotypic basis during 1992. Their yeidl record were taken for whole plucking season. On the basis of yield potential only 72 bushes having significant yield potential were retained for further evaluations. Out of these only 10 bushes were having yield potential more than 2.5 and having most of the desirable characters. Among the introduced cultivars, TV 23 was specifically adapted to favourable environments with highest yield potential, whereas T 253 had the general adaptability. For the enhancement of the germplasm, one year old seedlings of about 40 F₁'s among selected and diverse cultivars have been planted in the field during July 1993. The available germplasm are being conserved in-situ at Tea Experiment Station of Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur.