Economic Evaluation of Foliar NPK Fertilizer on Tea Yields in Kenya

Abstract

Economic evaluation analysis of foliar (NPK) fertilizer on tea yields was investigated on three varieties of tea grown in the Kenyan Highlands. Foliar fertilizers trial was setup on three sites, Meru, Kirinyaga and Kericho, comprising of 36 plots per site. Two foliar fertilizer types, Foliar Fertilizer 1 (FF1) and Foliar Fertilizer 2 (FF2), a positive control of Soil Fertilizer (SF) and a blank (FF0) were used to standardize the method. Yield analysis in Meru site showed significant increase (HSD=4.9, p?0.05) after FF1 full rate application. SF had significant yield increases for all its rates from zero rate (HSD= 49, 44, 19, p?0.05) for half, full and double rates respectively. FF2 had no yield increase after its application. The economic rates were determined to be full rate for FF1 and SF and half rate for FF2 in Kericho site; half rate for all fertilizer types Kirinyaga site; double rate for FF2 and SF and full rate for FF1 in Meru site. The profitable rates were: double rate for SF across all sites and for FF1 and FF2 in Meru site; full rate for FF1 and half rate for FF2 in Kericho and Kirinyaga sites respectively.