01. Introduction

Water plays a major role in tea plantations. Tea yield is greatly influenced by weather, and especially by droughts, which cause irreparable losses because irrigation is seldom used on tea plantations. At the other extreme, heavy rains erode top soil and wash away fertilizers and other chemicals. Optimum of 2000-2200 mm of rainfall should be distributed evenly throughout the year. A minimum of 1400 mm of rain is required but tea can grow adequately with less rainfall in areas with frequent mists and low clouds or under irrigation. Relative humidity should lie between 70 and 90%.