| dc.description.abstract | Tea is the main foreign exchange earning crop
in Sri Lanka, which provides greater strength to the
national economy. Smallholders are the major producers
of the tea industry. It was reported that tea bushes in some
smallholdings in low-country tea growing region were
debilitated. This study attempted to examine whether
such debilitation exists in tea in Mathugama division and
identify the attributes. Fifty smallholdings were selected
for the study. Data were collected through the interviews
and field observation and analysed using descriptive
statistics, pool t-test and chi-square test.
About 50% of the sample has shown light to moderate
level of stress symptoms mainly dieback and dwindling of
new shoot development, dispersed up to 30% of the land
area. However, T-test revealed that stress symptoms have
no impact on tea yield. Only canker and wood-rot diseases
were found in a relatively high percentage of the sample
but at low or moderate intensity. The
parasitic nematode infestation was detected in a
considerable percentage of smallholdings. Statistical
analysis revealed that except nematode infestation, no
any other pest or diseases condition associated with the
stress condition. Further, it was revealed that growers’
technology adoption levels were poor for many important
good agricultural practices. A negative association
between soil rehabilitation and stress condition have also
been detected.
Although it was viewed that tea smallholdings in the
region are in a safe position with respect to the
debilitation, certain important indication revealed in the
study should also be considered in implementing the
extension program in the future. | |
