IRF ORganic Farming Technology : Biodiversity Marker can be effectively used to score the influence of any Management Practice towards development of agro-ecology, not only for tea plantation but for any type crop production.

1. Development of a Model of Biodiversity Marker to Evaluate
the Impact of any Management Practice on Agro-Ecological
Environment of Tea Plantation
Gupta, A.1
, Gupta, S.1
, Datta, A.2
, Saha, S.2
, Nath, R.2
, Chatterjee, A.K.3
,
Barik, A.K.3
, Mukherjee, K.4
, Mukherjee, S.4
, Bera, R.2
and Seal, A.2
1
Depart of Ecology & Environmental Science, Assam University, India
2
Inhana Organic Research Foundation (IORF), Kolkata, India,
3
Department of ASEPAN, Visva Bharati University, Sriniketan
4
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Howrah, India
Presented
B
yDr. Kaushik Mukherjee
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Howrah, India

2. Industrial agriculture at the cost of biodiversity/ecological stability
has already brought about a big setback towards future crop
sustainability as well as food safety.
Introduction
Indian tea industry is facing toughest challenge in export arena due
to increasing cost, unsustainable yield and most importantly lack of
quality product both in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic value as well
as MRL issues.
Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of sustainably grown
products i.e. produced without adverse impact on environment, and
expect the producers to be responsible towards maintaining
resources for future generations (Solidaridad, 2013).

3. OBJECTIVITY
To develop a ‘Biodiversity Marker’ which can Score
the Management Practices taken up in tea plantations
based on their positive/adverse impact on
surrounding Ecology and Biodiversity Indices.

4. Biodiversity Marker Study :
……………….. A joint effort by Department of Ecology & Environmental
Science, Assam University (India) and Inhana Organic Research
Foundation (IORF), Kolkata (India) supported by Professors of Visva
Bharati University, Shantiniketan & Scientific Personnel of Krishi
Vigyan Kendra, Howrah.
For the pilot study two different tea agro-ecological zones viz. Barak
valley (Assam) and Dooars (West Bengal) were selected.
In the study area, tea gardens under chemical practice (Chalouni T.E.,
Dooars; Borokhai T.E., Cachar), conventional organic practice (Samsing
T.E., Dooars), comprehensive organic practice i.e. Inhana Rational
Farming Technology (West Jalinga T.E., Assam) as well as forest
ecosystem (as reference in each zone) were selected within a defined
geographical window, in order to develop the model.
Study Area………….

5. Study Components for Ecological
Monitoring / 1
EARTHWORM POPULATION :
Selected as an important Tool because of their various
interactions with soil as well as high sensitivity to
pollution originated on intensive use of biocides in
agriculture, industrial activities, and atmospheric
deposition.
SOIL MICROFLORA :
Most important ecological component for assessment of
influence of management undertaken. Intensity and
behavioural pattern of soil microorganism is the strong
indicator of ecological stability/ disturbance.
1.
SOIL QUALITY :
Important tool because effective eco-friendly management
practice has a direct bearing towards soil health. Soil
fertility index is the indicator of soil-plant-nutrient
equillibrium i.e. the primary regulator for sustainable crop
production.
3.
2.

6. WATER QUALITY :
Conventional agricultural practice is the leading
source of water pollution in surrounding Lotic and
Lentic ecosystem. Eutrophication is the
manifestation of agricultural pollution in water
ecosystem and the management practices adopted
under a specific land use has a direct impact on the
Water Quality Index.
.
4.
Water sampling from lotic water system in W. Jalinga
T.E. as part of ‘Biodiversity Monitoring Study’ jointly
done by Dept. of Ecology, Assam Univ. and IORF under
the guidance of noted Ecologist Prof. Avik Gupta .
Study Components for Ecological
Monitoring / 2

7. WEED DIVERSITY AND WEED MANAGEMENT
Weed diversity reflects the status of soil
health as well as impact of management
practice within a said ecosystem.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE :
Most important component that influences the
ecological stability/ disturbance vis-à-vis crop
performance.
5.
CROP PRODUCTIVITY :
Crop response reflects the status of soil
quality, management practice and impact of
climate change .
7.
6.
AGRO-CLIMATIC CONSIDERATION :
Greatly influence the ecosystem functions,
crop response and orientation of management
practice.
8.
Lotic water system in Samsing Tea
Estate, Dooars, West Bengal, India
Study Components for Ecological
Monitoring / 3

8. Soil Fertility
(FI)
Soil
Microbial
Potential
(MAP)
Earthworm
population &
Diversity
Weed
Diversity
Agro-climatic
Consideration
Management
Practice
Crop
Productivity
Water
Quality Index
Biodiversity Index
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Collective Scoring
Integration of Quality Components towards Formulation of
Biodiversity Index
Selection of components through EO followed by Non- linear
Scoring & development of Cob-web Diagram

9. Analytical results of some individual study
components / 1
Earthworm Population under different Land Use
6.00
19.50
43.40
54.00
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
Land Use -------- >
PopulationDistribution/m
2
-----
>
Earthworm Biomass under different Land Use
1.18
5.55
20.27
25.86
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
Land Use -------- >
EarthwormBiomass(gm)---->
Earthworm Population under different Land Use
28.00
40.20
28.40
42.67
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
land Use -------- >
Populationdistribution/m2
>
Earthworm Biomass under different Land Use
18.46
29.96
20.34
30.50
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
land Use -------- >
EarthwormBIomass(gm)--->
Paddy Field
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Organic)
Forest
EARTHWORM
POPULATION &
BIOMASS
Dooars, West BengalCachar, Assam
Earthworm population and its relative abundance is a good indicator of soil
health. In Assam, Earthworm population and biomass in Organic tea estate
is higher than its chemical counter parts, where as a reverse trend was
noticed in case of Dooars plantation,.

10. Analytical results of some individual study
components / 2
Paddy Field
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Organic)
Forest
Dooars, West BengalCachar, Assam
78
106
116
133
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Land Use ---------------- >
SoilFertilityIndex-------------->
117
164
171
198
0
50
100
150
200
250
Land Use ---------------- >
SoilFertilityIndex-------------->
SOIL
FERTILITY
STATUS
Soil Fertility Index (FI) is the expression of available N, P, K
and S in soil on a continuous relative scale based on the
comparative requirement of N, P, K, and S by tea plant.
In Assam, Soil fertility index was found to be higher in
conventional tea estate as compared to organic tea estate
where as in Dooars, fertility index of organic tea estate came
out relatively higher than its chemical counter parts.

11. Analytical results of some individual study
components / 3
Paddy Field
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Organic)
Forest
Dooars, West BengalCachar, Assam
Population of soil microflora, their activity and work efficiency gives a fair
idea about the status of the soil health particularly in case of the acidic,
monocropped and high chemical loaded tea soil. Therefore measurement
of Microbial Activity Potential (MAP) is the pathway to assess the overall
soil microbial functioning using a single Index.
601
508
985
776
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Land Use ---------------- >
MicrobialActivityPotential------->
5891
7258
17894
19854
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Land Use ---------------- >
MicrobialActivityPotential-------------->
SOIL
MICROBIAL
POTENTIAL
In Assam, MAP was much higher in Organic tea estate as
compare to the garden under chemical practice. However,
the trend just reversed in case of Dooars, where chemical
tea estate showing comparatively higher value.

12. Analytical results of some individual study
components / 4
Tea Estate
(Conventional)
Tea Estate
(Organic)
Dooars, West BengalCachar, Assam
3.55
4.33
3.00
3.50
4.00
4.50
5.00
Chemical Garden
(Borokhai T.E.)
Organic Garden (W.
Jalinga T.E.)
Land Use ---------------- >
BioticIndex(SIGNALScore)----->
4.75
5.18
4.00
4.25
4.50
4.75
5.00
5.25
5.50
5.75
6.00
Chemical Garden
(Chalouni T.E.)
Organic Garden
(Samsing T.E.)
Land Use ---------------- >
BioticIndex(SIGNALScore)---->
Waters with high SIGNAL site scores,
are likely to have high levels of
dissolved oxygen; with low levels of
salinity, turbidity and nutrients
(nitrogen, phosphorous).
Higher SIGNAL Score indicates better
Water Quality and Habitat Conditions
WATER
QUALITY
Water sampling in
Samsing Tea Estate,
Dooars, West Bengal.

13. Development of Biodiversity
Marker / 1
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
FI : Fertility Index WQ : Water Quality
MAP : Microbial Activity Potential ACF : Agro-climatic Factor
EW : Earthworm Count MP : Management Practice
WD : Weed Diversity CP : Crop Productivity
W. Jalinga T. E.
Borokhai T. E.
Organic Tea Estate
Conventional Tea Estate
Diagrammatic representation of Biodiversity Marker
under Organic & Conventional T.E. of Assam, India

14. Development of Biodiversity
Marker / 2
FI : Fertility Index WQ : Water Quality
MAP : Microbial Activity Potential ACF : Agro-climatic Factor
EW : Earthworm Count MP : Management Practice
WD : Weed Diversity CP : Crop Productivity
Organic Tea Estate
Conventional Tea Estate
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
Samsing T. E.
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
Chalouni T. E.
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
Diagrammatic representation of Biodiversity Marker
under Organic & Conventional T.E. of Dooars, India

15. Comparative Assessment of Biodiversity Marker of Tea
Estates under Different Management
Practice
FI : Fertility Index WQ : Water Quality
MAP : Microbial Activity Potential ACF : Agro-climatic Factor
EW : Earthworm Count MP : Management Practice
WD : Weed Diversity CP : Crop Productivity
COB –Web diagram representing Biodiversity
Marker of Tea Estates under Different
Management Practice
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
FI
MAP
EW
WD
WQ
ACF
MP
CP
▬ West Jalinga T.E. under comprehensive
organic practice i.e. Inhana Rational Farming
Technology (IRF) – Biodiversity marker
value 1.135
▬ Samsing T.E. under conventional organic
practice with no specific & scientific guideline
– Biodiversity marker value 0.668
▬ Chalouni T.E. under conventional
chemical practice with specific guideline and
standard intercultural practice – Biodiversity
marker value 0.704
▬ Borokhai T.E. under conventional
chemical practice but no specific guideline and
lack of standard intercultural practice –
Biodiversity marker value 0.453

16. CONCLUSION
Biodiversity Marker can be effectively used to score the
influence of any Management Practice towards development of
agro-ecology, not only for tea plantation but for any type crop
production.
Organic practice following effective and scientific guideline could
influence positive development of agro-ecology of a plantation.
An organic practice that does not provide clear scientific guidelines for
effective and qualitative management of plantation does not contribute
much towards biodiversity enhancement vis-à-vis a well managed tea
estate under chemical practice.
A Nature Friendly & Scientific Management Practice Carefully
Designed keeping in view the intertwined and integrated
relationships of ecosystem components; can only Ensure
Agro-ecological Development in the Desired Manner.