Modification of canopy architecture in Tea to suit for mechanical harvesting

The shortage of workforce is a significant issue reported in South Indian tea plantations. Inadequate labour availability has hindered the ability to perform harvesting operations within the recommended intervals, leading not only to crop loss but also to deterioration in the quality of black tea due to delayed harvesting. To address this workforce shortage, mechanical harvesters have been introduced. However, the use of mechanical harvesting has revealed that tea plants, particularly those with weak branching systems affected by branch canker and shot hole borer, struggle to withstand the adverse impacts of mechanized harvesting. To mitigate these challenges, a modified pruning and tipping strategy has been explored. Specifically, low pruning at 45 cm from the ground, followed by a twostage tipping method at 55 cm and 65 cm, was implemented to promote the growth of new, healthy branches and to create a more compact canopy suitable for mechanical harvesting. The results demonstrated that the two-stage tipping approach significantly increased the number of branches and the overall canopy area, thus enhancing the plant's ability to withstand mechanical harvesting pressures. Moreover, the combination of manual and shear plucking methods resulted in the highest tea yields. Additionally, the study found that tea yield tended to decrease as the age of the tea bushes increased. These findings offer valuable insights for the South Indian tea industry, suggesting that optimized pruning, tipping, and harvesting practices can improve both productivity and efficiency in the face of labour shortages and mechanical harvesting challenges.