The tea red spider mite Oligonychus coffeae, is considered as important dry weather pest which accounts for almost 8–17
The dieback disease caused by Fusarium solani poses a significant challenge to tea cultivation. Trichoderma has the potential to combat this disease effectively without any residual effects. Out of several Trichoderma isolates collected from Dooars region of the West Bengal, India, the most potent strain was assessed under field conditions for the management of dieback disease in the Darjeeling, Dooars, and Assam zones. T. asperellum sprays at 1000 and 1200 ml/ha concentrations were found to be effective in managing the disease at all locations during both seasons. In Darjeeling, the infected shoots were 7.9 and 7.6 at 1000 and 1200 concentrations, respectively, compared to 27.3 in the untreated control during season I. During season II, the number of infected shoots was 8.1 and 7.3, respectively, compared to 29.9 in the control group. In Dooars such shoots were 8.6 and 8.2 respectively, against 31.3 shoots in control during season‑I and during season II the infected shoots were observed as 7.8 and 7.2 respectively, as compared to 29.9 in control plot. A similar trend was observed in Assam during both seasons. There was an increase in tea yield in T. asperellum-sprayed plots at all locations. During season I in Darjeeling, the tea yields were 422 and 425 kg at both concentrations, respectively, compared to 377 Kg in the untreated control. They were 395 and 399 Kg, respectively, in season II, compared with 354 Kg in the untreated control. In Dooars 1694 and 1703, Kg tea yield was obtained with these concentrations, which was higher than the untreated control (1519 Kg) in the first season, and a similar pattern was noted during the second season in terms of yield. A similar yield enhancement was observed in Assam during both seasons. The formulation did not harm beneficial insects across all zones, and no phytotoxicity was observed on tea leaves. The findings of this study suggest that T. asperellum is a promising agent for reducing tea dieback disease. It has negligible phytotoxicity and increases production without harming beneficial insects.
Alice Walker was the first African American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize. She is also the author of Meridian (1976) and The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970). This study examines selected novels by Walker, a prominent African American feminist and activist. Born and raised in the racially segregated South, Walker views literature as a vast narrative composed from multiple perspectives. Her theory and fiction consistently foreground women and the marginalization they endure. Walker affirms her commitment to feminist thought, particularly in her exploration of Black female sexuality in The Color Purple, which she situates within the political discourse of late twentieth-century feminism. Upon its publication in 1982, The Color Purple provoked controversy, yet it vividly portrays the oppression experienced by African American women and highlights how their struggles differ from those of African American men. The central themes of Walker’s work include: the abuse and violence directed at women, sexism, racism, and patriarchal domination. At the same time, her writing celebrates the resilience and strength of women, engages with the Black feminist movement, and insists that gender and race are inseparable. Through this lens, Walker seeks to explore and articulate the concept of intersectionality.
Climate change poses a serious threat to the sustainability and productivity of plantation crops in tropical and subtropical regions. In India, tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), a major plantation crop and economic driver, is particularly sensitive to changing climatic variables. This study analyzes the shifts in critical climatic variables across four major Indian tea-growing regions, viz., South Bank (Assam), Nagrakata (West Bengal), Anamallais (Tamil Nadu), and the High Ranges (Kerala) over a 30-year period (1996–2025). Using the Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen's slope estimator, significant spatiotemporal climate variations like maximum and minimum temperatures (Tmax, Tmin), rainfall (RF), and relative humidity (RH) were analyzed. Data were segregated into demi-decadal and seasonal intervals to observe periodic and seasonal fluctuations. Findings showed that the South Bank and Nagrakata regions experienced a significant increase in Tmax (p < 0.001), with a rise of 1.1 °C−1.3 °C compared to long-term averages, while Tmin decreased significantly (p < 0.001) by 1.8 °C in South Bank. In the case of Nagrakata, although long-term RF increased (p < 0.05), total rainfall notably decreased by 88 mm in 2025, while in South Bank, the decrease was 364 mm. The morning and afternoon RH in both regions declined (p < 0.05), where the afternoon RH dropped by about 2%. In Anamallais, Tmax declined (τ-coefficient = −0.07), while winter Tmin increased. Notably, overall seasonal RF significantly increased (p < 0.05), alongside a significant rise in morning and afternoon RH (p < 0.001). Conversely, the High Range regions showed a widening temperature gap, with Tmin rising significantly (p < 0.001) in recent years. While overall seasonal rainfall increased (p < 0.05), the critical monsoon rainfall decreased, along with its morning RH (p < 0.05). These changing trends of the overall climatic pattern have a substantial impact on tea cultivation and its production. In order to safeguard this tea sector, the study discusses the urgent implementation of integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies, including the deployment of drought-tolerant cultivars, agroforestry for microclimate regulation, and multi-scalar policy frameworks to protect the millions of livelihoods tied to this labor-intensive industry.
Biopesticides offer a sustainable alternative for pest management in tea plantations. This review paper focuses on the effectiveness of different biopesticides in managing tea pests and their possible integration into the integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Entomopathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses and plant extracts are extensively studied biopesticides, for their effectiveness against tea pests. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains are widely used to control leaf miners, leaf rollers, and lepidopteran pests, with some causing 100
