De landbouwkundige grondslag van snoei en pluk bij Assamthee

From experiments the following conclusions could be drawn: The increase in diameter of the stems of free growing tea plants is practically proportional to time if the growing conditions of the shrubs do not change. However, tea plants in gardens producing tea leaf are planted so closely, that full development of the bushes is hampered. Pruning and plucking further influences the trees physiologically.

Tea shoots have an alternation of periods in which leaves are formed, and periods in which the development of leaves completely stops. Every shoot has its own rhythm not necessarily coinciding with that of other shoots of the same bush. This rhythm is not autonomic but is determined by outward circumstances. The effect of plucking green leaves for the production of dried tea can be divided into influences of the kind of leaves plucked, the length of the plucking round and the kind of leaves left on the bush on the production, quality of the leaves, and physiological condition of the plant. So nine different influences can be distinguished.

Over a long period tea bushes cannot stand such severe plucking that would prevent the plucking level rising. Consequently pruning periodically is essential to keep the tea plantation productive. Pruning of tea gardens is also necessary to keep the plants in a good physiological condition.