The influence of growth regulators on the tea quality in the foothill zone of the North-West Caucasus

Abstract

Agroecological assessment of the natural resources of the Adygea allowed to identify the main factors limiting the productivity of tea plants. Such factors determine a low yield and tea quality within the zone. Tea refers as a food product; therefore, to activate productivity and improve quality indicators on plantations, it is possible to use eco-friendly cultivation technologies only, for example, processing with growth regulators, which are used in organic farming. The content of ascorbic acid, extractives and tannin in 3-leaf tea flushes was determined. The treatments with growth regulators activate the accumulation of ascorbic acid by 1.5 - 1.8 times compared to the control option (116.8 mg/g of raw mass). Moreover, the largest amount of ascorbate is synthesized in flushes treated with rokohumin (177.8 mg/g) and bombardier (207.9 mg/g). Studies have shown that when treated with growth regulators, there is a slight increase in the amount of extractives (32.1-34.9 %, in the control – 31.3 %) and tannins (21.7 % – 22.9 %, 20.4 % in the control). The calculation of the smallest significant difference showed the presence of significant differences between the experimental options and the control for all the analysed characteristics.