Abstract:

To find out the abundance and deficiency of available medium and trace elements in tea gardens in Hangzhou, 30 representative topsoil samples from eight major tea-growing counties were collected and analyzed. The results showed that available iron and zinc were abundant overall, but large areas of available copper and part areas of available manganese, boron, sulfur, calcium and magnesium were deficient. The contents of medium and trace elements in soil varied greatly among tea plantations. The spatial variation of available copper, iron, boron and sulfur elements was moderate, while the variation of available manganese, zinc, calcium and magnesium elements was strong. Available copper, iron, zinc, boron and sulfur in soil were negatively correlated with pH, while available manganese, calcium and magnesium were positively correlated with pH. Available iron, manganese, zinc, boron, calcium and magnesium in soil were positively correlated with organic matter, while available copper and sulfur were negatively correlated with organic matter. There were both symbiosis and mutual inhibition between medium and trace elements. Therefore, according to the conditions of medium and trace elements in the soil of different tea gardens, the corresponding micro-fertilizer should be applied according to local conditions in addition to increasing the application of organic fertilizer to prevent excessive acidification of soil in tea gardens.

Key words: tea garden soil, medium element, trace element, situation of abundance and deficiency, correlation, available concentration, spatial variability, pH, organic matter, fertilization strategy