Application of Low-Phosphorous Fertilizers on Tea Plantations as a Novel Best Management Practice

Chi-Feng Chen, Chih-Yi Hu, Ming-Lone Liou, Chia-Chang Wu, Yen-Shuo Su and Chien-Ju Liu
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Chi-Feng Chen: Department of Natural Resources, Chinese Culture University, Taipei City 11114, Taiwan
Chih-Yi Hu: Wenshan Branch, Tea Research and Extension Station, New Taipei City 22391, Taiwan
Ming-Lone Liou: Taipei Feitsui Reservoir Administration, New Taipei City 23160, Taiwan
Chia-Chang Wu: Wenshan Branch, Tea Research and Extension Station, New Taipei City 22391, Taiwan
Yen-Shuo Su: Wenshan Branch, Tea Research and Extension Station, New Taipei City 22391, Taiwan
Chien-Ju Liu: Wenshan Branch, Tea Research and Extension Station, New Taipei City 22391, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2014, vol. 6, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Taipei Feitsui Reservoir supplies drinking water to more than five million citizens in northern Taiwan. The Feitsui Reservoir Administration and Tea Research and Extension Station have implemented a new pollution control measure for the use of low-phosphorous (low-P) fertilizers to prevent eutrophication. In this study, we compared the quality of the soil, effluent and tea from two test fields. Low-P fertilizer was applied to one of the fields, and regular phosphorous fertilizer (regular-P) was applied to the other. The study period covered spring and winter seasons. The results showed that the investigated soil chemical properties were not influenced by either the low-P or regular-P fertilizers. The effluent quality was influenced by the precondition of the soil, which resulted in a larger average total phosphorous (TP) concentration in the low-P field. However, there was a decreasing trend in P concentration that amounted to approximately half of the average TP concentration in the regular-P field. The growth characteristics and yields were not significantly different between the two fields, but the taste and aroma of the tea from the low-P field was rated as superior to that of the regular-P field.

Keywords: agricultural best management practices (BMPs); tea; fertilizers; phosphorous; water quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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