Evaluation of a Brush Cutter and Traditional Tools for Weed Management in Young Tea

Weeds can affect the establishment and management of young tea plantations, creating a need to evaluate practical weed-control methods. This study compared brush cutting with sickling, cheeling and conventional herbicide treatments in young tea. A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 2019 at Borbhetta Experimental Tea Estate, Jorhat, Assam, using tea clone TV-23. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with three replications. The dominant weed species present in the experimental plots included both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weeds. The use of a brush cutter as a weed management tool was compared with sickling and the traditional cheeling operation. Commonly used herbicides in tea, namely glyphosate 41% SL at 2.5 L/ha and paraquat dichloride 24% SL at 1.5 L/ha, were included as standard herbicide treatments. A single application of each treatment was made to examine the duration of weed control and weed control efficiency. The findings revealed that the brush cutter was effective in controlling weeds commonly found in tea plantations and performed better than traditional sickling. The duration of control after the initial treatment varied depending on the prevailing weed species. On average, weeds remained controlled (100%) up to 14 days after application (DAA), irrespective of treatment and species; thereafter, regrowth was observed, particularly among monocotyledonous weeds. Weed control efficiency was higher in dicotyledonous than in monocotyledonous weeds, particularly under glyphosate 41% SL at 2.5 L/ha. Among the weed species, Eleusine indica (L) Gaertn. (goose grass) remained unaffected by the brush cutter and sickling. Moreover, the treatments had no significant effect on tea yield recorded up to 56 DAA.