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Abstract
An experiment was carried out during 1994–2007 to investigate the yield and quality performances of four
vegetatively propagated test clones of tea viz. SH/D/11/13, SH/D/11/333, B/HB/2/3 and B/HB/6/4. Two clones, BT1
and TV23, were used as check for quality and yield, respectively. Cuttings of the test clones were collected from the
selected bushes of Shumshernugger Tea Estate and hybrid lines of Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) and
were raised at BTRI nursery. Then the saplings were managed for long term yield and quality trial following
randomized complete block design with 5 replications. The green leaf was harvested at weekly interval during the
plucking season starting from mid March to mid December throughout the experimental period. The overall cup
quality of the test clones was assessed by conventional organoleptic test. At the immature stage (2nd–5th year after
plantation), all test clones showed similar yield trend as that of check BT1. At the mature stage (6th–13th year), the test
clones SH/D/11/333 and B/HB/6/4 gave the significantly higher average yield (3095 and 3342 kg ha–1 made tea,
respectively) compared to the check BT1 (3042 kg ha–1 made tea). The cup quality of all the test clones and BT1 was
found to be “Above Average” while the cup quality of TV23 was “Average”. Considering the overall performances, the
test clones SH/D/11/333 and B/HB/6/4 have been released as BT13 and BT14, respectively for commercial plantation
in the tea estates.