Shade trees are not planted in seed baries. However, for the initial 2-3 years, to save the young plants from the scorching sun, row of Crotolaria anagyroids, a green crop should be sown in between two rows of seed bearers. Regular pruning is not followed in seed barie as done in tea under plucking. However, when trees attain 3-4 m height, a selective pruning of branches may be necessary to improve the sanitation and shaping up of the trees.
For initial 5 years after planting, in N.E. India, YTD mixture (N: P: K mixture at 2:1:2 ratio) is applied in seed baries as follows:
Average spread of trees (cm) |
YTD (g per plant) |
30 | 20 |
60 | 85 |
90 | 190 |
120 | 340 |
150 | 535 |
180 | 770 |
The above doses should be applied in two equal splits. The mature trees are manured with NPK at 3:1:3 ratios @ of 100 kg N, 33 kg P2 O5 and 100 kg K2 O per ha.
Seed baries are generally attacked by a parasitic plant of Laranthus sp. (Raghumala) besides other pests and diseases. The affected branches by Raghumala should be removed below the point of the parasitic plant. Tea seed bug is the major pest of tea seed barie which sucks the tender seeds causing floater seeds.