Fertilizer study on tea plants.

We are studying 3 different fertilizer methods over the course of 2 years. The methods are manure (Black Kow), Certified Organic (Sustane), and Slow Release Conventional (Osmocote). We also have a control group. We have 3 blocks here and 3 blocks at MSU main campus in Starkville.

They took soil samples and foliar samples for a baseline. We will also continue to take soil and foliar samples throughout the next 2 years. We will reapply fertilizer treatments for two years. We have DNA plates of the plants so that we know what we are studying.

We will still make tea from the plants like and we will submit those samples to a professional tea taster (Kevin Gascoyne of Camellia Sinensis) to have the teas scored on a 100 point scale.

This data will be analyzed to find out if there truly is a taste/quality difference between no fertilizer, conventional, manure, or organic.

We will track yield data so that we can determine if the differences would be worth doing based upon yield.

As far as we know, this is the only study of its kind that has ever been done. We await the results in 2 years!